Ever feel like looking at people but can't?

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I really hate the social rule which says you can't look at people. I understand it because I don't like it when people stare at me but it is really anoying. Especially when you're on a train and you can't look at the person opposite. I actually try and avoid sitting at a table seat for this reason, there's nowhere to look otherwise. But then when I talk to someone and need to talk to them I can't look at them. It's like everything's in reverse.

I know exactly what you mean. It seems that I always have the urge to watch people when it's inappropriate, but when it's 'necessary' I have trouble keeping eye contact and have a tendency to look everywhere except straight at the person. This is more pronounced if it's more of a 'deep' conversation; I can force myself to look at people when I am calm (although it feels like their eyes are burning into mine sometimes), but if I'm talking about something that I find uncomfortable to talk about (of which there are a lot of different topics), I instinctively look at anything but the person who I'm talking to. I see a counsellor at school and I always catch myself looking out of the window, or at my hands, or at the floor etc...anywhere instead of at her.

I know what you mean about public transport, and wanting to look at the people on the train. I always want to look at people on the bus but I try to stop myself because if I make eye contact with someone it makes me feel really intrusive and uncomfortable. I think I just like watching people though, if that makes sense...like, from a distance. Often in class I just sit and watch people fidget and stuff. I try to vary who it is so I'm not flat-out staring at someone for like, an hour, haha. Again, it makes me feel horrible if they catch me looking at them. Unless it's a close friend, then I will just smile or something; but to be honest, I tend to 'watch' people that I don't know very well. I guess because I'm not used to their mannerisms etc so it's more interesting for me...I hope this doesn't make me sound like I'm a creep :/ .

Not really, I've found that I watch people when I know they won't look. In the past I would look at no one. I used to think everyone was staring at me and laughing at me, I definitely got this from being picked on at school. During my social anxiety course I learnt to look at people more, for example in the supermarket and realised that everyone is just going about their business. You can get away with quite a lot actually, not that you need to, I don' t think it's creepy I just hate having to look at the floor or tall buildings to avoid people.

I don't think NTs have this problem but have never asked anyone, I'd be interested in what normal people have to say on this, for example those who are here because their kids / spouse has aspergers.