...about the fish van??

[SueSueMcGrew]

I probably am being unreasonable. I usually am. But I am sleep deprived, loaded with the cold and pissed off.

We live in a quiet street. Last night DD (6 months) was awake and crying for hours. Teething, plus i think she has the cold.

So she finally, finally settles down for a good sleep around 6am. I am shattered and also fall asleep, having had one of those nights.

7.45am - DD is suddenly awake again. Why? Because the DAMN FISH VAN parked underneath her bedroom window and sounded it's horn in a long, continuous fashion to alert the neighbourhood to its presence.

To cut a lion story short, this is not the first time said fish van man has made me feel a bit stabby. Selfish, inconsiderate tosser. I know that he's not outwith the legal horn-sounding time limits and I know the world does not stop turning because my daughter had a bad night, but honestly, I'm just so tired and she's still not gone back to sleep.

I guess you lovely people will (hopefully gently) tell me that I am being unreasonable but is there any understanding out there?? I need some solidarity today.

[AuntyMag10]

Never heard of a fish van before lol. But to be fair at that time most people are up and about in any case. If it was at 6am I would think you have a point.

[outtolunchagain]

Do you live near me we have a tooting fish van which makes me mad and makes the dog bark . Refuse to buy from him now

[TheOriginalWinkly]

112
The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn

while stationary on the road

^^
From the Highway Code. He shouldn't be sounding his horn at all. It's a particular bugbear of mine and YANBU.

[m0therofdragons]

Oh god there are others? We've had the fish van twice in 8 years. He comes at 9.30 /10pm and is really off with me when I say I don't eat fish. Then he'll say they also have meat but I don't have cash and it's too dark to see and then I realise it's nuts as it's late and I am not buying food on the door from a random man.

[DirtyMugPolice]

Yanbu. In my head 9am is an acceptable time to start being a wanker of that fashion.

[FarFromAnyRoad]

I've lived in many places in the UK and never had a fish van come round! However, if I did and if he came round hooting his horn at that time he'd be experiencing the little known and frankly frightful phenomenon of rectally inserted fish. You don't need to excuse yourself because it's your problem that your baby is not sleeping well - what about night workers? So no, YANBU at all. I'm not sure it's relevant that 'most' people will be up at that time - the noise sounds excessive and unnecessary. Why doesn't the lazy fucker go knocking on doors if he wants to sell his fish?

[Trapper]

Where is it that fish vans are a 'thing'? First I've heard of them (although I am a Londoner and don't get outside the M25 much...)

[sadwidow28]

You can report the fish van to your local council (Environmental Health) and they have the power to prosecute.

Section 62 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 specifies that 'chimes' or loudspeaker noises emitted from a vehicle carrying perishable goods can only be used between the hours of noon and 7pm on the same day.

A summary of the code of conduct should be displayed on the window of the vehicle and all persons operating the vehicle must be made aware of the regulations.

This is the SUMMARY given by the Government

It is an offence to sound your chimes before 12.00 noon or after 7.00 pm. It is also an offence to sound your chimes at any time in such a way as to give reasonable cause for annoyance. A code of practice approved by the Government gives guidance on methods of minimising annoyance caused by your chimes. The main points of the code of practice are:

Do not sound chimes

1. for longer than 12 seconds at a time;
   
2. more often than once every 2 minutes;
   
3. more than once when the vehicle is stationary at a selling point;
   
4. except on approach to or at a selling point;
   
5. when in sight of another vehicle which is trading;
   
6. when within 50 metres of schools (during school hours), hospitals, and places of worship (on Sundays and other recognised day of worship);
   
7. more often than once every 2 hours in the same length of street;
   
8. louder than LAmax 80dB at 7.5 metres; *
   
9. as loudly in areas of low background noise or narrow streets as elsewhere.
   

REMEMBER: It is an offence to sound your chimes before 12.00 noon or after 7.00 pm. It is an offence to sound your chimes at any time in a way which gives reasonable cause for annoyance.

[fourtothedozen]

We have a fish van here, comes once a week, my village 6 miles from here also had a fish van. We also have a library van which conveniently stops right outside my door.
We have a fruit and veg van too.

[poocatcherchampion]

0745 is not a reasonable time. At all.

[faintlyoptimistic]

Do you live in my town OP?

One of the local fish vans used to stop outside my house on a Wed afternoon and sound his horn for aaaaaaages. My eldest was a terrible sleeper and he would wake her up every single time. Gave me the rage!!

[faintlyoptimistic]

*she was a terrible sleeper

[Sweetpotatoaddict]

Weird having the fish van round on a Monday. I always thought they didn't land catch on a Sunday, so fish market shut on sun/ mon. We've got a fish van but it comes on a Friday, ridiculously loud horn too.

[ChazzerChaser]

I love those chimes regulations! So detailed and specific.

745 is too early. 8 I would just about accept. But no beeping! I hate people beeping like that. Our fish van doesn't beep.

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

Kill him

[limitedperiodonly]

Complain to the council. He might not have a licence to be there and even if so, I doubt he's allowed to sound a horn.

I lived in two places where fish vans came on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday.

They used to set up about 7am - I imagine, I was never around . They set up in ideal places - both unused spaces near shops and on the way to the local station and away from houses.

They were so popular and had chosen their pitches so well they had no need to make a noise to attract customers.

[SirPercyPilkington]

YANBU. I hate our fish van and he comes at lunchtime - I would murder him if he came before 8am.
I would make a lovely garden ornament saying 'Fish is pish' for a nice PA touch.
Or actually go speak to him about those guidelines.

[limitedperiodonly]

Oh, I missed that it was this morning. His fish will be rubbish. I wonder how many customers he gets?

sadwidow - I love people like you.

[Roussette]

Farfrom However, if I did and if he came round hooting his horn at that time he'd be experiencing the little known and frankly frightful phenomenon of rectally inserted fish.

We have one that comes round occasionally (and one that sells some sort of pre prepared dishes no idea what really) and they get really arsey if I politely say no thank you so no YANBU.

[MidniteScribbler]

Fish van? Someone that comes to your street/door to deliver fresh fish? Damn, I want that. I have to drive over to the markets for fresh seafood (despite living three minutes from the ocean!). Someone that comes to my door with fresh fish or seafood would be very welcome.

[horseygeorgie]

We have a really good fish van. He comes on a thursday and goes around the villages. Lovely fish, bought that morning from grimsby docks. He doesn't toot his horn though!

[5Foot5]

Now when I was a kid the fish man didn't sound his horn but instead he had a great big hand bell which he used to ring out of the window of his van.

I remember this because he used to stop opposite our primary school about mid-morning. I went to a very small rural school. It was the job of one of the big boys who had a watch to ring a bell when it was time for the start and end of playtime. One day the fish man's arrival was just before the usual time for playtime so when the teacher of the infant class heard a bell ringing she sent them all out to play. Much confusion ensued!

[SueSueMcGrew]

Delighted the consensus is that I am not being unreasonable - I love this place sometimes

He comes round a few times a week! Not on set days, just seems to turn up when he feels like it but it's always before 9am (and usually before 8am).

Thanks for all the advice! For those who asked, I live in a small seaside town in North East Scotland. But I previously lived in Glasgow and we had a fish van there too. He also tooted but as it was mid afternoon and in my pre-baby days he didn't bother me so much.

[rubyroux]

if he came round hooting his horn at that time he'd be experiencing the little known and frankly frightful phenomenon of rectally inserted fish

This sentence has made my day

[elementofsurprise]

We have an annoying ice cream van round here. All year. It's like some weird kind of psychological torture - you never see the thing, but it's waiting just out of sight to aurally assualt you randomly, frequently and loudly.
Personally I'd find it less irritating if they could play more than 12 seconds at a time, as the abrupt ending halfway through a racket tune, only to pick up again a couple of mintues later, is more annoying than continuous terror music.
Oh, and the ending of the tune just fizzles out into random notes, which adds to the annoyance!

And yes, what about night workers, or people who work late in the evening? Why does society insist those doing 9-5 are the norm when so many aren't? Plus like the OP there's other reasons not to make loads of noise! (Unwell night owl here, though hoping to go self employed eventually when I will still be a night owl because that is how I operate best!)