Actually, women I know, even (especially?) the conservative ones, regard the attention of strangers on the street (or other non-social public place) as "creepy."
We men have a penchant for fixating on a woman. In most cases, that's a healthy loyalty, but sometimes it manifests itself as stalking. Yeah, that construction worker might be whistling at you to pay you a compliment, but pretty soon he's figured out your daily schedule and where you live...
Most women, myself included, can distinguish between leering, and thus actual "uncomfortable" situations and those done with good nature. Maybe it's part of that fabled "women's intuition". If the same guy in the same location whistles every time some particular woman gets near, then it becomes a "situation" of obsession and not merely a complimentary acknowledgement.