Interesting !

Margs - you are obviously one of those people that should be living on an isolated island completely on your own !
I'd much rather have people curious about me than not - whether it is because they care or being nosey, I don't care, I have nothing to hide!

I had the same thing with a neighbour last year. He had passed away in his sleep - The police came first as another neighbour had reported to them that he hadn't been seen for a couple of days. I hope this isn't the same thing?

Just read that all is ok! Phew!!

When we moved here at first, I became convinced that the sweet old lady across the way was a master criminal, as the polis were regular visitors to her house. It transpired that she was a kiltmaker, and made the kilts for the police pipe band!

Daddima, you made me laugh !

I also think you have a right to feel concerned, especially with there being 6 police officers there as well. You honestly never know what is happening nowadays and I think it’s perfectly ok to see if your neighbours are ok and also if there is any risk to you and your family.

The police are not permitted to tell you what is happening due to confidentiality which is why I didn't go and ask.
Our neighbours are 50ish not old and frail. DH has since heard that it was a pedestrian walking along that happened to be taken ill outside our houses.

When an ambulance and a police car went to a neighbours house I assumed there had been a sudden death. Sadly I was right.

I'm ok with my neighbours being interested/nosey. The alternative might be me lying 'in (a) state' when I could really use some help.

A similar thing happened in my road, and the ambulance and police cars were blocking my exit to go to work. I asked one of the policemen if it was possible to move so that I could get out and I was told they were on duty and I would just have to wait. I never did find out why they were there.

Daddima

Love it!

As an elderly person with a heart condition living on my own, I wholeheartedly welcome nosey neighbours. I know they are curious but I also know they would give willing help if needed. I do so hope they never take the advice to “butt out”.

We have neighbours all around our age and have an agreed nosiness policy. We check that curtains and lights operate as normal and we have keys for each others houses. We do curtains and lights when people go away.

I have had to call police and ambulance twice. The first time a visitor of my neighbours was found dead on his floor , he second time it was my neighbour who I hadn't seen for 3 days and was concerned hat he didn't answer his door when I went to collect him for a hospital appointment. He was dead when the police got into his home. Not nice experiences at all. Don't hesitate to call he police if you think something is wrong.

Like Margs I wouldn't ask. And I'm as nosey as the next person. If I thought something was wrong I would check on my neighbour. But you have to respect privacy, even though you would like to know.

I was present when an ambulance arrived at DS and DiL’s house while they were still living in the UK. However DGD had already arrived after an unplanned home birth. I’d gone round to babysit DGS so parents could drive to hospital but baby had other ideas.

Easy enough to ask ‘Is everything ok, can I/we do anything to help?’

I would far rather have ‘nosy’ neighbours rather than ones who hadn’t noticed (or didn’t care!) I was stuck in my flat, needing help, locked in the loo for two days or more or whatever! ?

The last time a police car arrived, he parked right across our drive. So we went out and asked what was wrong. "Nothing" he said.

Turned out some woman had jumped in the river and had decided to settle herself in a neighbour's house, so neighbour called the police.

We wouldn't have asked except he parked right across our drive when there was ample parking. Hey ho.

*@harrigran @ where do you live I'll remind myself not to move there

Just to clarify, we do keep an eye on both our neighbours houses and would not hesitate to knock if we thought there was a problem. They both trust us to keep an eye on their properties when they are away and we have their mobile numbers. If we know they are there and curtains were still drawn or post protruding from the letterbox we would investigate.
Obviously this situation was ready being dealt with.

OK, let's clear the air.

'Nosey' is what the nasty minded call us when we are genuinely concerned about something happening outside our own personal sphere.
When it's a neighbour known to us, it isn't 'faking sympathy' - it is sincere, as it clearly was in this case.

'Nosey' may also be what we call ourselves when we joke about our curiosity but I'd like to bet that not one of us thinks of ourselves as 'vile' when an ambulance and/or police turn up at a neighbours house.

ninathenana admitted concern but allowed the lady her privacy in case her asking questions made things worse.

Wonderful, she cared enough not to intrude but was worried enough to post her anxieties here.

I was taken off by ambulance, twice, in February and not one single neighbour in my street asked me if I were ill, or could they do anything to help - at the time or afterwards.

The one man who might have showed genuine sympathy was away - but several others could see my house....and didn't care enough to even ask.

So what's better?

Being a vile, nosy neighbour?

Or uncaring, unsympathetic neighbours who apparently do not care if others live or die?

How awful Bradfordlass - I am very lucky that way - lovely, caring neighbours...well, most of them.

Humans and whales are the only 2 species to have the menopause. This is so we can with our vast experience look after and out for everyone else, having no young of our own. So it's a biological urge to be into everyone else's business.

Well I would be curious /nosy but I don't like to intrude. Some people don't appreciate it.
However I personally would appreciate someone enquiring if they thought I was ill.

My neighbours are terminally ‘nosey’ which is occasionally irritating. However, they are unfailingly kind, concerned and helpful, and I hope I’m the same.
I know which sort of community I would prefer to live in - privacy isn't a great blessing when you’re lying on a cold floor and no one is around to help!