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AIBU?

to tell my neighbours to get their car repaired?

52 replies

5amfury · 15/09/2016 08:33

I have name changed for this, because I have moaned to so many friends about it that I am totally identifiable.

We live in a city, in a fairly noisy area. Our house is one house away from a side street which is very short and has a dead end, so we are not the corner house, but the one next to the corner. Our bedroom is at the back of the house and from the window you can see and hear most of what happens on the side street.

We sleep with our windows open and can hear a fair amount of traffic, including planes and trains - which we mostly manage to sleep through because it doesn't start too early. However somewhere between 4am and 5.30am every week day (8am on Sundays), one of the neighbours in the side street starts up their car. We hear the door slam, and then they do a twenty-three point turn or they reverse out of the street. There is something very wrong with their car - DH thinking their clutch is slipping - and it screeches extremely loudly throughout the whole manoeuvre and after it turns and goes all the way down our street.

This wakes us up almost every morning. AIBU to ask them to get their car fixed? And if not, how do I do it? We are not sure which house it is, and have never met them. I want to take the coward's way out and stick an anonymous note on the car but DH thinks we could just knock on the door and ask.

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LaurieFairyCake · 15/09/2016 08:35

No, you can't do that without being a twat

They know their clutch isn't working properly and for whatever reason (probably money) they're not fixing it right now.

Maybe it's the last thing on their mind after such an early start

ThymeLord · 15/09/2016 08:35

I'm sure they're quite aware there's something wrong with their car if it's that loud. Maybe they can't afford repairs at the moment.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 15/09/2016 08:38

No, you can't. Your choices are really to put up with it or close your windows.

They'll know the clutch is slipping, they'll feel it and hear it, and the car will be harder to drive. It's likely that they just can't afford to fix it, and leaving a note is likely to do nothing but upset neighbour relations.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 15/09/2016 08:40

Of course yabu.

Togaparties · 15/09/2016 08:40

Screeching is likely to be caused by one of the drive belts. Usually a cheap an easy fix.

wigglesrock · 15/09/2016 08:40

What do you imagine is happening? - they are doing it deliberately to irritate you or they know the car is noisy but can't afford to fix it? There's absolutely no way you can leave a note without sounding like a dick.

Arfarfanarf · 15/09/2016 08:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

5amfury · 15/09/2016 08:42

We both sleep really badly with the windows closed.

Them not having the money to fix it has been the thing that is stopping me from doing anything before now. It has been going on for over a year, so it can't be just a short-of-cash this month but we'll sort it soon problem.

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Togaparties · 15/09/2016 08:44

Also, if they can't afford to fix it they've got no business owning a car!

5amfury · 15/09/2016 08:45

Is it not possible that they don't appreciate how the sound travels in their street and would like to know they are really disturbing the neighbours?

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19lottie82 · 15/09/2016 08:56

No, you will sound like a twat. I'm sure he is aware his car needs repaired. He will eventually get it repaired or it will die.

In the meantime get some ear plugs.

sorry if I sound harsh, I do feel your pain but I don't really think you can say anything!

murphys · 15/09/2016 08:59

Close the windows and get a fan.

Yourface · 15/09/2016 09:00

Leave a note under the wipers without identifying yourself. Would the car be road worthy with that noise going on? Surely it wouldn't get through an mot?

5amfury · 15/09/2016 09:03

DH won't leave a note. He wants to knock on their door and very politely explain the situation. He is very friendly and warm so he would do it as nicely as possible.

But yes, I can see we are Being Unreasonable.

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5amfury · 15/09/2016 09:04

I don't know how it has got through an MOT because it really has been going on for over a year.

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DeadGood · 15/09/2016 09:06

This would really annoy me OP, can't believe all the YABUs you're getting on here - what a shame that you'd have to sleep with your windows closed all summer because of one antisocial person who wakes you at 4.30am every single morning.

Jeezypeepers · 15/09/2016 09:06

I don't think YABU; if it's been waking you at 4am every single weekday for that long then it's fair enough to let them know that the unnecessary noise is waking the street up.

Zame · 15/09/2016 09:06

Eh? I don't think you're unreasonable, a 4/5 am wake up every day would piss me off too , especially if it's preventable.
No harm in asking at all

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 15/09/2016 09:07

No, they can hear it.

Honestly, there's no solution here other than either putting up with it, or closing the window and using a humidifier or something. You can't complain their car is too loud when you've opened your window so the sound will travel in much easier.

If it's been going on a year, either they can't afford to fix it or they just aren't going too. Maybe they'll replace it when it breaks. A note won't change that, unless you offer to pay to have it fixed, and even that might upset them.

I get how annoying it is - I'm frequently woken up by the electric car charging system that my neighbours are incapable of removing without setting off the alarm, but I just have to keep the windows shut and let them get on with it. It won't help if I go and interfere, and anonymous notes just make people feel judged.

acasualobserver · 15/09/2016 09:08

They could at least park pointing the other way so removing the need for that very noisy turn in the road. That wouldn't cost anything.

bomfunk · 15/09/2016 09:10

Sounds like fan belt to me

froubylou · 15/09/2016 09:10

Could you politely ask them to park it facing the right way at night so the noise doesn't go on as long? So say 'I know your car is a bit poorly atm and you are probably going to get it mended soon but until then is there any chance you could turn it at night so it's pointing the right way? It's just you start so early and I am a really crap sleeper so it wakes me up' kinda thing.

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stayathomegardener · 15/09/2016 09:13

I actually don't think you are being unreasonable.
My car has been doing this for months, some sort of belt slippage not a safety issue, the garage have said they will fix it at the next service.
It only happens on full wheel lock like a three point turn and it is a horrible squealing noise so totally understand how it would wake you up.
I would send your disarming DH and ask if they could turn around when parking up so in the morning they just drive straight off, shouldn't happen then.
Mine actually only does it outside my elderly neighbours house when I drop her shopping off as the road is very narrow so I am on full lock, I drive further down to a wider point and it won't squeal.
I bet they just don't think.

KoalaDownUnder · 15/09/2016 09:15

DH won't leave a note. He wants to knock on their door and very politely explain the situation. He is very friendly and warm so he would do it as nicely as possible.

I say let him do it. Honestly, 4 am is very bloody early.

If someone knocked on my door and said that, I would be mortified. But it might also make me prioritise fixing the noise.

I do think that part of owning & running a car is not allowing it to cause unnecessary noise pollution.

5amfury · 15/09/2016 09:15

Sorry, should never have mentioned a note - we really wouldn't do that.

I like froubyloo's approach, with lots of apologies for being such terrible sleepers.

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