You can tell a lot more about a neighborhood from the alley than from the street.
Sure, somebody might not take care of their lawn, or somebody might leave a lot of toys in the yard. From the front we can see if the paint is peeling or the porch is slanted. We can see oil stains in the driveway, and look for smokers on the porch.
But from the back we can really peer into the lives of others.
From the back we can see if they take care of their trash. From the alley we can see what they’ve been storing in the back yard and we can look at the projects our neighbors have been working on for years.
I can tell a lot more about a person from their trash than from their groceries.