If a Neighbor Can See You Naked, Do You Have to Cover Up?

Replies

• FU

  

  FullSun

  Aug 5, 2019

  [quote]Talk to them and see what their opinion is first. I did and ask if they were offended to let me know instead of calling the police. One agreed and the other said do what you want, it's your backyard.[/quote] Yep you will probably be surprised. We talked with our neighbors years ago and they dont care. Two have two story homes that pretty much have full view of our backyard. They both said okay whatever when we told them they might see more than one would usually see. I am in the backyard nude every day at least doing pool maintenance. I know Ive been seen. At this point if they dont want to see it they close their blinds but they really dont care.

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• PA

  

  Paul

  Aug 6, 2019

  Lucky I don't have to be bothered over been nude in my garden (or any other gardens) as it is my legal right to be nude.

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• RO

  

  Rob

  Aug 6, 2019

  Vermont is the only state I am aware of where nudity is legal.

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• FU

  

  FullSun

  Aug 7, 2019

  [quote]Vermont is the only state I am aware of where nudity is legal.[/quote] Probably correct but Im no expert. However, I do know the definition of indecent exposure varies widely between states and local jurisdictions. In California it is nude AND lewd. So there has to be sexual behavior or the like in addition to being nude. It doesnt mean they cant use disturbing the peace or something like that.

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• ST

  

  StevieLorna

  Aug 7, 2019

  I suppose it would depend on if you have taken measures not to be seen at home then you would have a case. If you expose yourself at a window , the law might see it differently.

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• GE

  

  George

  Aug 8, 2019

  Public nudity is legal in most places in Oregon as well. There are just a few jurisdictions that have local ordinances but even those arent outright prohibitions. Lewd behavior is illegal however as it should be.

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• ME

  Member

  Aug 12, 2019

  Not only State to State but the local judiciaries opinion for they are the ones that hand down the decision.

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• JO

  

  John

  Aug 21, 2019

  For the benefit of any UK residents who have not seen it, here is the latest official police guidance on the subject.
  [url][link]https://www.truenudists.com/link/3bfeb90837a3d2c6/aHR0cDovL2xpYnJhcnkuY29sbGVnZS5wb2xpY2UudWsvZG9jcy9udWRpdHkucGRm[/link]https://library.college.police.uk/docs/nudity.pdf[/url] The first column on the second page is the relevant information although it is all worth reading.

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• FU

  

  FullSun

  Aug 22, 2019

  [quote]Nudity anywhere in public is generally a minor offense. I have found that in this day and time someone, a neighbor, a person passing by will be OFFENDED when spotting you naked.[/quote] This is a very good example of over generalization and thinking everything is the same for everyone. Here simple nudity is not a minor offense unless there is lewd conduct. However, that does not mean its socially acceptable so going out in the public in broad daylight would be frowned upon and yes might lead to disturbing the peace. And as for offended, our neighbors do not care and can see our yard from their two story homes. What you say maybe your reality but it is not everyone's. The local laws, culture etc. make a difference. Sorry if I misread what you were trying to say, I just get really rated of over generalizations @nd people thinking their situation, circumstances are the same for everyone.

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• TU

  

  Turtle

  Aug 22, 2019

  On my side of Tx if someone can easily see you from public access ways than you can get slammed with indecent exposure.
  Like my place to see me you have to trespass on private land, and on oilfield land then walk throw a thick pastor of mesquite bushes that's taller then myself.
  To see my backyard and all my neighbors live at least two miles from me.
  So I just try and make it hard for people to see me and most judges that I talked to say, as long as you try to keep the public form just seeing you from the road or the alleys as they're taking out the trash then they don't see you in the wrong.

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• ME

  Member

  Aug 24, 2019

  [quote]For the benefit of any UK residents who have not seen it, here is the latest official police guidance on the subject. https://library.college.police.uk/docs/nudity.pdf The first column on the second page is the relevant information although it is all worth reading.[/quote] Since this clarification was made early last year I've felt more relaxed about being nude in public. Previously I knew I was not breaking the law if for instance I was hiking nude in the countryside, but not all officers of the law knew that. As those arrested for 'public indecency' could attest to, when they had simply been naked outside. Now all police officers here should know what the laws say about our right to be nude. However, many members of the public do not realise we are legally allowed to enjoy life outside without clothing in public, so it might be a good idea to carry a copy of the college of police documentation, or have it to hand at home if you live nude there and a neighbour objects. Common sense helps too, provided nudists don't do anything outside of widely accepted nudist activities, or wander through supermarkets naked, as nice as that might be to do, a lot of others don't seem to mind seeing us nude. I've walked with organised nude hiking groups, people on them carry the clarification document but I've never seen it shown to textiles we've met. We usually stay nude when we meet people now and I only recall positive or curious reactions when others have seen us, previously we'd covered up if designated walk leaders felt it sensible to do so. When passing through or close to housing we usually wear something minimal. A similar approach applied to being naked where a neighbour might see you should mean nudists can live as they wish in the UK. Personally I feel that as long as we behave in a way that indicates that we see nothing wrong with being seen naked, rather than behaving in any way that could be interpreted as furtive or with bad intentions( I accept that words can mean different things to different people) our nudity tends to be accepted in a better way. Being confident nudists can't work against us, can it?

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• ME

  Member

  Aug 24, 2019

  At home the neighbors would have to make some effort to see me naked in my back yard so it isn't an issue. That got me thinking about my camping where someone on another campsite or passing by in a canoe might see me; because if it is warm enough I am nude on my campsite. Virtually every year when I go wilderness camping we see people, usually at a distance, sunning or swimming nude. I think it is common enough that as long as you aren't flagrant about it you are unlikely to get in any trouble where I go.

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• AD

  

  Adam

  Oct 27, 2019

  Well said. I have done the same.

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• PT

  Phil Turner

  Oct 27, 2019

  [quote]Well said. I have done the same.[/quote] Who said what well?

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• KE

  

  Kevin

  Oct 28, 2019

  I have to always echo those that state you should look at state and local laws, knowing that sometimes it's discretionary. Here in Colorado nudity is unlawful and it's deemed a sexual offense, however I am able to be nude in my backyard because of the fencing and landscaping I've installed, and therefor have a "reasonable expectation" of privacy in my yard.

  Be safe and do your homework!

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• MA

  mako09

  Dec 19, 2019

  I know we looked into this prior to buying our house in Az. What we found out was that we were okay to be nude in our pool area as long as we were not visible from PUBLIC and that as long as we made an effort to block the neighbors from seeing directly into our yard. So we put up a 5 block fence which provided privacy but we could still be seen from their 2nd story balcony which was not PUBLIC so we are fine but also aware of the balcony view

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• ME

  Member

  Dec 29, 2019

  As explained to me by the the office of the state police after some research by them in my local twsp.
  If a neighbor or visitor is able to see you and you're knowledgeable to the fact they might. Youre illegal
  If a minor sees you, youre illegal and can be jailed and labeled a sex offender for life.
  if a neighbor can see you through an optical device, binocular, camera, trail cam,. The device is considered their eyes... Youre illegal
  If a flying craft or drone overhead spots you and you make no effort to cover yourself. You're illegal.
  Of course being arrested and how it's finalized in court can differ. But is it a chance you want to take.

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• T=

  

  Tom === Thomas S. Tierney

  Dec 30, 2019

  If you wonder if what you are doing is illegal, it probably is. If in doubt, don't let it hang out!

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• FU

  

  FullSun

  Jan 2, 2020

  [quote]"Liability law makes it clear that if I do not have shoes on, then I'm 100% liable for myself. If I put shoes on because you told me I had to, then you become 100% liable for anything that happens to me. So, there's no reason for requiring people to wear shoes."[/quote] I dont dispute that. As a business owner it is still a liability issue either way because there are people that sue regardless and work the system. The insurance companies dont like expensive legal fights do settle and the scumbags play the system to get money to pay their bills, buy their drugs or whatever. So the insurance companies come up with rules to try and prevent the few scumbags from having an opening. Another instance of 5he lowest common denominator society we live in where a few screw things up for everyone else.
  
  We are actually dealing with one of these scumbags right now.

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• FU

  

  FullSun

  Jan 7, 2020

  [quote]The trouble is that if they insist that someone wear shoes, then they become 100% liable -- even for stuff they would not normally be liable. Insisting that a customer wear shoes is not in their best interest. They are essentially guaranteed to lose the lawsuit. On the other hand, if they don't say anything about a customer's footwear -- or lack thereof -- they have a substantially better change of winning. By not wearing shoes, the customer has accepted 100% of the liability.[/quote] Yes, but the insurance companies play the statistics game and reasonable expectations. Insurance companies are major employers of statisticians. They look at what is the probability that someone barefoot will cut their feet vs, someone with shoes on and is it a reasonable expectation that it is safer to require shoes.

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• TD

  

  Tom D

  Jan 7, 2020

  [quote]The trouble is that if they insist that someone wear shoes, then they become 100% liable -- even for stuff they would not normally be liable. Insisting that a customer wear shoes is not in their best interest. They are essentially guaranteed to lose the lawsuit. On the other hand, if they don't say anything about a customer's footwear -- or lack thereof -- they have a substantially better change of winning. By not wearing shoes, the customer has accepted 100% of the liability. Yes, but the insurance companies play the statistics game and reasonable expectations. Insurance companies are major employers of statisticians. They look at what is the probability that someone barefoot will cut their feet vs, someone with shoes on and is it a reasonable expectation that it is safer to require shoes.[/quote] I worked as a casualty actuary for 30 years. I never got to that level of detail, or know of anyone who did.

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• JI

  

  Jim

  Jan 31, 2020

  [quote]For now, I'm only concerned about my backyard, my neighbors, my city and my county. I have it on very good authority that not only will I not get in trouble for being nude in my own backyard but I've done so much to provide us privacy, our neighbors would be considered voyeurs and peeping Toms for going to great lengths to see us naked back there. That person giving me this info is well aware of the laws and ordinances where I live. Could be why I've never been given any grief, if/when we've been seen.[/quote] The recent rulings are much more draconian than previously. They are now aligning with the cops who say drones, cameras, high buildings and weird sight lines are valid reasons to charge a private citizen with indecent exposure or some other nonsense like this. It's always a good idea to overdo the privacy protection rather than underdo it, but it shouldn't be this way at all, as in Canada and the UK, the citizen has the right to their home as they see fit. One of the other nice things to do is chat with your neighbors and ask if there are issues or anything you can do to help them avoid any issues with your private life. I hope you continue to get no issues, it sucks (like the folx who were spied by a couple of ladies trespassing on their private property through a window and were charged by the trespassers successfully.

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• JI

  

  Jim

  Jan 31, 2020

  [quote]Much better to actually check the law. What most people believe to be true about the law, often is not true. I was told just yesterday that the law required me to have shoes on in a convenience store -- the manager was adamant about it. I asked, "Have you ever seen this law? The truth is, there are no laws, nor have there ever been, in the US that required customers to wear shoes." "Well, the owner wouldn't allow you in here without shoes." "Liability law makes it clear that if I do not have shoes on, then I'm 100% liable for myself. If I put shoes on because you told me I had to, then you become 100% liable for anything that happens to me. So, there's no reason for requiring people to wear shoes." My point is, what people think the laws say, often is true and in not a good standard at all. Know the law. Know your rights. There are state, civic and county laws and bylaws, as well as municipal ordinances to look into, it can be a bit of a process.

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• PA

  

  Paul

  Feb 29, 2020

  [quote]For now, I'm only concerned about my backyard, my neighbors, my city and my county. I have it on very good authority that not only will I not get in trouble for being nude in my own backyard but I've done so much to provide us privacy, our neighbors would be considered voyeurs and peeping Toms for going to great lengths to see us naked back there. That person giving me this info is well aware of the laws and ordinances where I live. Could be why I've never been given any grief, if/when we've been seen. The recent rulings are much more draconian than previously. They are now aligning with the cops who say drones, cameras, high buildings and weird sight lines are valid reasons to charge a private citizen with indecent exposure or some other nonsense like this. It's always a good idea to overdo the privacy protection rather than underdo it, but it shouldn't be this way at all, as in Canada and the UK, the citizen has the right to their home as they see fit. One of the other nice things to do is chat with your neighbors and ask if there are issues or anything you can do to help them avoid any issues with your private life. I hope you continue to get no issues, it sucks (like the folx who were spied by a couple of ladies trespassing on their private property through a window and were charged by the trespassers successfully.[/quote] It is sad that a so called developed "free" country has laws where the peeping toms have more right than the people they are spying on as to me this is becoming a police state which you expect from countries like China and not the USA.

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