rubberneck
Crane one's neck
Rubberneck is to crane one's neck to stare at something, especially an accident or spectacle: Traffic slowed as drivers rubbernecked at the wreck.
The image is of a neck so flexible with curiosity it might be made of rubber.
A rubberneck is also a gawking tourist or any nosy onlooker.
The word carries mild contempt for idle curiosity.
Prolonged fixed gaze
peer · eyeball · leer · crane · spectate · onlooker · bystander · looky-loo
Unintended harmful event
- slowdownReduction in pace
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- jamCooked fruit spread
gridlock · bottleneck · snarl · tailback · pileup · fender-bender · collision · crawl
stare
Prolonged fixed gaze
goggle · peer · eyeball · leer · crane · spectate · onlooker · bystander · looky-loo · sightseer
accident
Unintended harmful event
- slowdownReduction in pace
- congestionExcessive accumulation causing blockage
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
jam · gridlock · bottleneck · snarl · tailback · pileup · fender-bender · collision · crawl · standstill
scene
Dramatic unit or locale
emergency · fire · arrest · celebrity · drama · disaster · curiosity · attraction · distraction · wreckage
- driving slangfloor it, gun it, pedal to the metal, pedal to metal, peel out
- nosy peoplebusybody, snoop, snooper, meddler, eavesdropper
- regionalismsyouse, fixin' to, fixing to, ain't, aint
rubbernecklook away
Redirect one's gaze
glance · glimpse · fleeting glance · mind one's own business · passing glance
rubberneckignore
Refuse to notice
look away · disregard · mind one's own business · turn a blind eye · overlook
rubbernecker, rubberneckers, rubbernecking, rubbernecked, rubbernecks