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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu to have reported the dustbin lorry to the council?

393 replies

Bumpyroads · 30/07/2026 15:09

Bit of back story us and our next door neighbours quietly dislike each other. Nobody has really said anything but I know we both annoy each other from what is said about the street. They moan about us, things we do etc.

Recently they have been playing loud music in the garden at the weekends in a passive aggressive way. This started when they complained about our chickens being noisy ( we have rehomed the chickens because of this but thats another story) the reason I'm saying all of this is because in general I am just in a bad mood about our neighbours and don't know if this has tainted my reaction.

So next door neighbour is a bin man, he wasn't at work.
Bin lorry come and parks up across my drive . Workmen get out and go in neighbours house/garden for 40 minutes having a drink and break. All this time I was unable to get off or access my drive. There was a bin lorry parked unattended across it.

So husband rings to complain to the council. They were confused as on their tracker the lorry was supposedly elsewhere. They also agreed 40minutes was excessive but said they must have been emptying bins? No they were having a cuppa at my neighbours! Council are going to investigate, I suspect they were taking unauthorised breaks and turning the tracker off.. maybe.

Anyway the reason this has also annoyed me so much is our neighbours have lived hear 30+ years and act like they own the street. Complain about anything we do (leaves from our trees fall in their garden for example.) They are 60+ and set in their ways and we are a young family. Tbh I just dont think they like us, we normally don't rise to it and smile and wave etc. But this time I had had enough and complained.

Aibu? And have we just started ww3?

OP posts:
Bumpyroads · 31/07/2026 21:32

Well you couldn't make it up... our neighbour the other side has just told me her dad has got in big trouble at work cos he was part of the bin crew that parked infront of our house.
Funny how both sides said it was ok but no one thought to ask us!

OP posts:
Newyearawaits · 31/07/2026 08:02

rwalker · 30/07/2026 20:38

You’ve looked for a problem that wasn’t there

I’ve worked with numerous companies with tracked vehicles every single one has been impossible to turn off

I strongly suspect they were pacifying you again it’s unusual to give a member of the public that level of information

the school was probably the round it was in rather than the location
that jobs hell in hot weather they all went for a drink , toilet and dinner

but out of spite you reported every single member of that crew for no reason

Edited

This 100pc

GustyGertie · 31/07/2026 07:29

I would hate living next to neighbours I was on bad terms with. Just a matter of time before one of your parcels is left with them or there’s an issue while you’re away on holiday. It’s not a great situation.

However they sound irritating and after seeing your photo I’d be pissed off about the bin lorry - but foresight would stop me complaining to the council as this will surely grow legs now and I prefer a quiet life.

Bumpyroads · 31/07/2026 06:53

Well my bin has been emptied this morning, not sure all bin men would be willing to risk their jobs for a mate.

On the other hand next door had their radio blasting yesterday evening so yes I believe things have escalated

However if they are going to act like toddlers I will of course eventually snap back like I did
And whilst we're acting like toddlers "they started it"

OP posts:
Metromayhem · 30/07/2026 22:45

OCDmama · 30/07/2026 21:01

The replies to this are batshit.

Why is everyone ignoring that the bin men unnecessarily blocked in OP? Or that they're doing something dodgy with their tracker???

OP, you were in the right. Blocking you in was deliberate.

People tie themselves in knots to be contrary and have a go at the OP on mumsnet. Bonkers. It’s never reasonable to block someone’s driveway for 40 mins, end of.

Triskellion75 · 30/07/2026 22:02

If anyone is spiteful here is this bunch of twats who dumped their lorry across someone's drive.

OCDmama · 30/07/2026 21:01

The replies to this are batshit.

Why is everyone ignoring that the bin men unnecessarily blocked in OP? Or that they're doing something dodgy with their tracker???

OP, you were in the right. Blocking you in was deliberate.

OCDmama · 30/07/2026 21:01

The replies to this are batshit.

Why is everyone ignoring that the bin men unnecessarily blocked in OP? Or that they're doing something dodgy with their tracker???

OP, you were in the right. Blocking you in was deliberate.

auntiemaryhadaredcanary · 30/07/2026 20:47

YabbaDabbaDooooo · 30/07/2026 15:31

Oh it will

All over her path.

And she'll find her bin right down the far end of the road 😁🤣

😆

Newyearawaits · 30/07/2026 20:39

GentlePinkWasp · 30/07/2026 20:28

@Newyearawaits
I could say the same about you. What a rude and inconsiderate person who blocks other peoples drives off

Fwiw I wouldn't park on other people's drives.
The original poster asked if she was unreasonable in reporting the driver to the council. My response was that she was. Imo it would have been more appropriate to ask the dustbin man to move the lorry.
Have a nice evening

rwalker · 30/07/2026 20:38

You’ve looked for a problem that wasn’t there

I’ve worked with numerous companies with tracked vehicles every single one has been impossible to turn off

I strongly suspect they were pacifying you again it’s unusual to give a member of the public that level of information

the school was probably the round it was in rather than the location
that jobs hell in hot weather they all went for a drink , toilet and dinner

but out of spite you reported every single member of that crew for no reason

GentlePinkWasp · 30/07/2026 20:28

Newyearawaits · 30/07/2026 20:24

What a rude and ignorant comment.

@Newyearawaits
I could say the same about you. What a rude and inconsiderate person who blocks other peoples drives off

Newyearawaits · 30/07/2026 20:24

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What a rude and ignorant comment.

GentlePinkWasp · 30/07/2026 20:01

Bumpyroads · 30/07/2026 20:00

We are usually normally very good at ignoring their behaviour and pretending it doesn't bother us. But like you said it is difficult. So yes I agree with others I was unreasonable but until you've had problems with neighbours it is hard to understand how It gets to you.

@Bumpyroads OP you're not unreasonable, keep battling selfish entitled behavior.

Bumpyroads · 30/07/2026 20:00

Livingthebestlife · 30/07/2026 19:54

I think you've reached your breaking point. Obviously everything added together has built up and you just want them to stop everything and behave and you probably seen the lorry and snapped.

I think unless people have experience this type of behaviour don't realise how much it does affect your thinking and turns you into a different person.

Unfortunately it's the bin men that have been reported, he has clearly told them what's been happening and this was done to rile you up. It's a big lorry and it's very annoying alright when your drive is blocked like that, the men will be spoken to, I doubt anything will happen to their jobs but they'll just have a laugh about the whole thing knowing they got to you.

When you have difficult neighbours there is absolutely no reasoning with them, it's really difficult to go about your day when they are right there all the time.

We are usually normally very good at ignoring their behaviour and pretending it doesn't bother us. But like you said it is difficult. So yes I agree with others I was unreasonable but until you've had problems with neighbours it is hard to understand how It gets to you.

OP posts:
Livingthebestlife · 30/07/2026 19:54

I think you've reached your breaking point. Obviously everything added together has built up and you just want them to stop everything and behave and you probably seen the lorry and snapped.

I think unless people have experience this type of behaviour don't realise how much it does affect your thinking and turns you into a different person.

Unfortunately it's the bin men that have been reported, he has clearly told them what's been happening and this was done to rile you up. It's a big lorry and it's very annoying alright when your drive is blocked like that, the men will be spoken to, I doubt anything will happen to their jobs but they'll just have a laugh about the whole thing knowing they got to you.

When you have difficult neighbours there is absolutely no reasoning with them, it's really difficult to go about your day when they are right there all the time.

GentlePinkWasp · 30/07/2026 19:47

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Newyearawaits · 30/07/2026 19:38

Bumpyroads · 30/07/2026 15:20

@Velvera if they weren't doing anything wrong they wouldn't get into trouble

Yabvu and petty.
You didn't need to leave the drive and what is the big deal about them having a cup of tea with a friend /colleague.
Your bins were emptied so no problem.

GentlePinkWasp · 30/07/2026 19:20

This reply has been deleted

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SD1978 · 30/07/2026 19:17

Chickens are annoying and bring rats and mice, they shouldn’t be in suburban gardens. You don’t like them, they don’t like you, and now you’ve risked the jobs of several other men with your pettiness when you didn’t need to go anywhere and weren’t inconvenienced. I’m not saying they haven’t been unreasonable, but that’s spiteful

Sesame2011 · 30/07/2026 19:02

Id be furious if a bin lorry was left across my drive for 40 mins. Was it general waste? It would stink, surely. What about the risk to children who might be playing nearby and got curious? Id be sure the council wouldnt look too fondly on that.

I hate people who park across drives, regardless of who they are. Its very rude.

But yes, you will have pissed off the neighbours even more.

MyDarlingRose · 30/07/2026 18:56

Look I get it. We also have nosy as fuck neighbours. However if you needed to get out you knew where the drivers were and could have just gone round and asked if they’d move it.

SleepingStandingUp · 30/07/2026 18:54

notwhingingjuststatingfacts · 30/07/2026 17:04

There is some truly batshit replies on this thread!

OP you were NOT wrong to report the bin lorry being parked over your driveway for 40 minutes. Of course you weren’t!
It is against the law to block driveways for a start. You shouldn’t have to go around looking for the driver to move their abandoned vehicle in order for you to get in or out of your property. I betting a large lorry like that was also causing an obstruction on the road too as most residential roads are not designed to allow large vehicles to be parked up. So probably in the way of the emergency services too.
The fact that the OP did not need to go out during that time is irrelevant. They were parked illegally and without permission and I too would have reported the driver.

Equally if they decided to seek revenge by not picking up the rubbish they are being paid to collect. Well again they would be reported. Along with video evidence. Repeatedly if necessary!

but op only reported them because they went in her neighbours. if they'd been sat in the cab having adriml or had gone into Colin's house opposite she wouldn't care. this isn't about them failing in their role os ambassadors for the council whilst putting life and liberty at risk, it's about petty power plays.

SleepingStandingUp · 30/07/2026 18:50

so you intentionally got the bin men in trouble to spite your neighbours. mature.

Bumpyroads · 30/07/2026 18:42

Likeiloveyou · 30/07/2026 18:36

Yeah, I mean nobody is going to see that are they?

Well yeah thats kind of my point you cant see round it at the junction so is dangerous

OP posts: