# GoogleMap Shows the Fronts of People's Houses!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 18, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804 "2008-12-18T20:51:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/1 "2008-12-18T20:51:00Z")
[WTF?](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=512+Cherokee+Trail,+Keller+Texas+76248&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.622808,36.5625&ie=UTF8&ll=32.930456,-97.242874&spn=0.000761,0.001116&z=19&g=512+Cherokee+Trail,+Keller+Texas+76248&iwloc=addr&layer=c&cbll=32.930353,-97.242874&panoid=CaiSDjGnw7DmOuuEKKaoRQ&cbp=12,129.82438006695844,,0,12.865036699004745&iwstate1=dir) If the little man is yellow, you can tilt him to the side and see someone’s house from the front! And then you can stand out in the middle of the street and look at the whole doggone neighborhood? WTF? How did they do this? am I the last one to learn of this shenanigans? ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/2 "2008-12-18T20:55:57Z")
Probably. They drive around with a special multi-lensed camera mounted to the top of a car. They’ve got some sort of fancy interpolation software that has improved dramatically over time. They finished Santa Barbara about 6 months ago, and San Francisco’s been on line for a couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/3 "2008-12-18T20:56:17Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > am I the last one to learn of this shenanigans? Yes, they’ve been doing this since [May 2007](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps#Google_Street_View). ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/4 "2008-12-18T20:57:45Z")
Well pfooo! I knew about the satellite view, of course, but this fronts of houses thing is bizarre to me. ::closes curtains:: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/5 "2008-12-18T21:00:24Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > Well pfooo! > > I knew about the satellite view, of course, but this fronts of houses thing is bizarre to me. > > ::closes curtains:: Don’t do that, we can’t see! ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/6 "2008-12-18T21:04:14Z")
::gives quick flash:: 😉 ::closes curtains, AND lowers blinds:: ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/7 "2008-12-18T21:05:30Z")
People can see the front of your house if they, you know, drive down the street as well. It’s not like they’re showing people something they wouldn’t ever see otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/8 "2008-12-18T21:07:37Z")
Yeah but… … … now I can’t see THEM seeing me. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/9 "2008-12-18T21:11:33Z")
That is so cool! I didn’t know you could do that. They filmed my block on a good day too. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/10 "2008-12-18T21:14:48Z")
And it’s all done in real-time! (not) Is that really how people park in Keller, TX? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/11 "2008-12-18T21:17:09Z")
Gargh. I haven’t visited my family home in a couple of years, since my mom died. My brother lives alone there now, and I’ve strongly suspected that he may have become one of those hoarders who piles lots of crap in the backyard. A Google Map view from the street in back of the house shows me that this is true. I couldn’t even recognize the yard anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/12 "2008-12-18T21:20:29Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > People can see the front of your house if they, you know, drive down the street as well. It’s not like they’re showing people something they wouldn’t ever see otherwise. Well, they actually are showing something to people who wouldn’t have ever seen it otherwise. I’m sure nobody in China had the time to travel to come and see your rusted out pickup trucks in the yard, but technology has made this possible today. Of course there’s some truth to your post. If someone in China did in fact want to see your house, there’s nothing you could do if he did indeed travel to see your house. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/13 "2008-12-18T21:22:11Z")
I don’t think the Google Street View thing has come to Canada yet, but it’s in a good number of major cities around the US. It’s kinda cool – you can go for a virtual tour 'round various states from your armchair. (Or on the go if you have an iPhone with firmware 2.2.) ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/14 "2008-12-18T21:27:26Z")
I remember when that dude [parked](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=35+lincoln+way+san+francisco&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=52.372705,74.707031&ie=UTF8&z=17&g=35+lincoln+way+san+francisco&iwloc=addr&layer=c&cbll=37.766153,-122.458371&panoid=m8p_3LEy60yMOzrY7KW1aA&cbp=12,260.15019825422973,,0,5) there. I had him towed. (Hey man. He blocked my driveway. That’s life in the big city). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/15 "2008-12-18T21:36:40Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > Yeah but… > > … > > … now I can’t see THEM seeing me. How is that any different from all the ninja spies being able to see your house? You did know about the ninja spies, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/16 "2008-12-18T21:37:22Z")
I wonder how it’s determined whether or not a location will be filmed. 5 out of the six addresses I typed in were only mapped out. You couldn’t actually see them. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/17 "2008-12-18T21:38:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > How is that any different from all the ninja spies being able to see your house? > > You did know about the ninja spies, didn’t you? ::crawls under desk, keyboard on floor:: that’s why NinjaChick’s already in this thread, isn’t it? it all makes sense now ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/18 "2008-12-18T21:39:30Z")
Thank Og my GF’s garage door was shut that day. That could’ve been embarassing. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/19 "2008-12-18T21:42:29Z")
It’s interesting to be able to tell when the picture was taken. With my house, for instance, there was only about a month-long period where the cars parked in my driveway were arranged the way they are on Google’s StreetView. It’s funny because it tells me that I was definitely home when they did it – wish I’d seen them go by. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804/20 "2008-12-18T21:43:39Z")
My grandson is visible on street view, playing with a stick outside his house, and in the street view of my house somebody’s working on my car with the hood up. :rolleyes: 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/googlemap-shows-the-fronts-of-peoples-houses/477804.md?page=2)