# Doper Guys: Do you know when you're being checked out by a woman? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607 "2009-05-25T21:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/1 "2009-05-25T21:31:28Z")
Another shameless [rip-off thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=518800), brought to you by Covered In Bees! So guys, can you tell when a woman is checking you out? While at a mall, or perhaps a theater, or grocery store. Or maybe doing something manly where women might be. Et cetera. I can’t. Possibly has something to do with the fact that I find it hard to believe a woman would find me attractive. :-/ ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/2 "2009-05-25T21:35:13Z")
In general, no. I don’t notice. Of course, that could well be because it never happens… ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/3 "2009-05-25T21:37:33Z")
I notice more now than when I was younger but I can’t usually tell. It has to be a long look for me to figure it out. If they’d bite their lip or something more often it would be hella easier. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/4 "2009-05-25T21:40:03Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > In general, no. I don’t notice. Of course, that could well be because it never happens… Tell me about it man. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Diz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Diz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diz)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/5 "2009-05-25T21:52:46Z")
I was going to say that it has either never happened or I am unable to tell, but I realized that the two are not mutually exclusive. It is entirely possible that both are true… ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/6 "2009-05-25T22:10:29Z")
When you are in a crowd and she comes up close to you and grabs you by the crotch. Anything less is too subtle and not worth the work. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/7 "2009-05-25T22:23:23Z")
I’m generally fairly oblivious, but I have seen it happen once or twice. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/8 "2009-05-25T22:34:33Z")
> [@Diz](#): > > I was going to say that it has either never happened or I am unable to tell, but I realized that the two are not mutually exclusive. > > It is entirely possible that both are true… Ditto. I won’t say it never happens, but the last time I was aware that something _might_ have happened (and I’m still not sure–I only ever saw the woman once) was about five years ago. On the other hand, my counselor once said that she’d seen at least one woman checking me out. I wasn’t aware of it. I don’t _do_ subtle interpersonal signals. I’m the equivalent of having to peer to see the big E at the top of the eye chart. (And having to do that in real life as well doesn’t help.) ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/9 "2009-05-25T22:39:48Z")
Do you guys think maybe it’s possible that women like to check out the asses of guys more than the front? We all know boobs attract the gaze of straight men whether they (the men) want to look or not, so that’s going to be obvious. So perhaps the backside of a guy gets a lot more attention than we’re aware of? ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/10 "2009-05-25T22:48:41Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Do you guys think maybe it’s possible that women like to check out the asses of guys more than the front? My wife does and my best friend (a woman) also does. So there are at least two who do. Myself, I look at a woman’s face first if I can. If she doesn’t have a nice face I don’t care in the least what the rest of her looks like. I know I’m in the minority on that one though. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/11 "2009-05-25T22:50:28Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > So perhaps the backside of a guy gets a lot more attention than we’re aware of? How would we know? We’re facing in the other direction! ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/12 "2009-05-25T23:12:45Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > How would we know? We’re facing in the other direction! Maybe we can send some double-agents into the field to penetrate their defenses (heh)? **HKF** seems to have some inside info. 🙂 > [@HongKongFooey](#): > > Myself, I look at a woman’s face first if I can I’m with ya on this one man. A woman’s face can make or break her attractiveness, to me. If she has a “meh” body, that can be overcome with a great face\*. On the other hand, if she has a meh face, her body _needs_ to be rockin’ if I’m likely to be attracted to her. \*The specifics of which are far too complicated to get into here. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/13 "2009-05-25T23:14:50Z")
I know when I’m being checked out. When I was younger I didn’t, and after being told by female friends, my sister, my mom, etc. “you should have talked to her, she was totally interested in you!” enough times, I started paying more attention to the cues and signals. Nowadays, when a woman checks me out I practically hear “bom chika wah wah” in my head. (I actually used that as an opening line to a girl at a party in college once. We were back at my place in less than 20 minutes. :D) ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/14 "2009-05-25T23:16:27Z")
Damn man! You really _are_ my hero now! ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/15 "2009-05-25T23:23:52Z")
I can tell when I wish they were checking me out: Its when they are really checking out the hot young guy who is standing behind me. I hate hot young guys and the beautiful women who check them out while ignoring me. Especially when they (the beautiful women) are trying to change positions so they can see the hot young guy without me being in the way. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/16 "2009-05-26T00:21:38Z")
I don’t know what your experience may be, but for me most women skillfully avoid eye contact. Therefore, just eye-to-eye contact alone, I see as a good sign. e.g. I notice, in my peripheral vision, that someone’s looking at me. So I look over and then get more than a second’s direct eye to eye contact with a girl. I’m not directly in front of her; she’s turning her head and/or eyes to look in my direction. I don’t read anything big into it, but I tend to be much more likely to be successful chatting up a girl after something like that happened. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/17 "2009-05-26T00:28:06Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > So guys, can you tell when a woman is checking you out? While at a mall, or perhaps a theater, or grocery store. Or maybe doing something manly where women might be. Et cetera. I get two kinds, the active ping and then there is that look. It kinda throws me cause its not exactly a wanna rip your clothes off look , but more of an apraisal. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/18 "2009-05-26T01:02:28Z")
My wife had to manipulate me into asking her out because I had not noticed that she thought I was cute despite regular interactions. In my own defense I had nor reason to think her vision was impaird. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/19 "2009-05-26T01:04:07Z")
I’ve noticed it a few times (not enough, sadly). Definitely happens when I’m wearing my bike shorts, got blatantly scoped out by a cute girl working at the bike shop while she was helping me. That was fun. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607/20 "2009-05-26T01:48:27Z")
True story. I had a girl sitting with me, leaning up against me, with her legs draped over mine, telling me a tale about a guy she liked and found attractive but didn’t have the nerve to ask out. I told her he was a fool if he didn’t ask her out, since she was nice, good looking, etc… Then I excused myself to go get another beer and sorta forgot about the incident. The next day a mutual friend asked me what I had done to make her so mad at me, and I was baffled for a few moments when it finally clicked. Sadly, the damage had been done, and it wasn’t meant to be. Soo… No. I don’t notice. A girl with a camera and measuring tape could barge in on me in the shower, and I would probably assume she was checking out my shower dimensions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-guys-do-you-know-when-youre-being-checked-out-by-a-woman/497607.md?page=2)