Basketball net in street - wwyd?

[WaxOnFeckOff]

My neighbours x 2 have put up portable basketball nets in the street. One is far enough away and not used that much so doesn't directly impact me and to be honest isn't used that much. The other is closer to me, close enough that stray balls can hit my car and garage door. Both are on the pavement and restrict access for people with buggies etc. but again that doesn't particularly impact me. We are a cul-de-sac.

The closest one is used a lot, not only by the house it belongs to, but by other kids and adults too.

The noise is driving me insane - still out there bouncing now but to be fair usually stop by 10pm.

I really appreciate that kids need to be out and activity is good. I've been trying to ignore this and all the skateboard flipping, general shouting and screaming kids etc. My DC are adults now but I'm sure also made noise when they were younger.

These neigbours also have a child learning a loud musical instrument and we are treated to that a few times a week too.

I'm pretty noise sensitive so maybe this wouldn't bother others so much. They have a back garden. All houses are detached. We have double glazing and windows are shut. I'm watching tv and can still hear it over that.

I generally get on with all neighbours. Would you go and speak to them or am I being unreasonable? My only other issue is that if they don't move it and then I still want to raise it with for example council or community police - not sure what the rules are, then they will know it was me and neighbourly relations will effectively be out the window.

Just put up and shut up and remained hacked off?

Why would you just put up with that? They can play basketball on their own property not near your car.

Just go and ask them to move it to their own driveway and let them know that the noise right outside your house is carrying and you would appreciate it if they played elsewhere

It is on the pavement and the end of their driveway - they are opposite me. To be fair I normally go and give a shout if it hits my property and I hear it. I just don't know why the don't put it in their own back garden.

I just feel like I'm a grumpy cow.

Unless their back garden has a large paved area then it's not good for basketball. Ask them to put the basket at the house end instead of the pavement. Then when it misses the hoop it hits their property rather than out the street into yours.

Their back is paved - they only have a single drive so there would be no room to play but to be honest it's the noise that is most impactive for me and 6 foot up a driveway wouldn't really help with that. The DC who plays most is generally careful, it is probably more rolling onto car and garage rather than bouncing - I've managed to successfully discourage football by giving the relevant DC a row whenever the ball has hit my property.. I'd also add that there is an actual b/ball and football in the local playground about 200 meters from the street.

A couple of street DC play for local team so I guess they are getting practice. Still out there now.

No that thump, thump, thump rattle on repeat would give me an awful headache and just generally get on my nerves. I am not noise sensitive at all, and able to tune out a lot of sensory irritants. My DH thinks it's weird how much I don't even notice , I know I am a terrible day dreamer.

Liking to believe the best of people (until they show otherwise) they maybe have no idea how much the sound travels your way.

Would you ask the DC or parents to move it ? Or seethe silently and rejoice in darker nights like me .

Would be more concerned about damage to my car than the noise. Ask them to move it further up their drive and park their car on the road. If they are inconvenienced they might move. Not sure you can complain too much about the noise. They are kids and entitled to play, however irritating it is.

Dark nights unfortunately make no difference. They stopped at exactly 10pm which to me shows that they do know its annoying. Currently seething but I think DH might cut the grass relatively early tomorrow if it stays dry. I don't feel guilty though as although we have a harmonious street, I think we are amongst only a couple of houses that are generally really quiet.

I know kids benefit from all being out playing though so I generally try to ignore unless it is potentially damaging property e.g. Kicking ball against fence or hitting car etc. We really have no shortage of playing space, football field, 2 play parks, paved playground etc and most are old enough to be at those on their own, some have no roads to cross others are on the estate so not busy roads, well no busier than the one they are playing on.

Jeremy's suggestion of them parking their car on the street and positioning the net in driveway sounds good. If it's important that the kids get access to the net (despite the proximity of a park) then the parents should be fine. If not then they are selfish and inconsiderate and not interested in maintaining harmony.

It was dark well before ten last night (nights are fairly drawin in ) and they have been back at school for a couple of weeks now. It was a fab morning for early grass cutting and strimming today, hope tomorrow is similar.

I think I’d wait till schools are back, if yours aren’t back yet they won’t be long. If they don’t move it then I’d phone/email the council.

Schools been back for weeks @GreyishDays

Unfortunately we still have a swamp @Lidlfix, the ground is clay so holds water, still splashy so can only be cut if it's dry enough :(

Their drive is 2 lines of paving stones with gravel inbetween and on the sides so probably not the best.

It's very quiet in the street today so far but thinking of hoovering the car.

We used to get a similar types of things here years ago. We're on a cul-de-sac so all manner of contraptions were brought out by one particular family. Skateboard ramps in the middle of the road, we sometimes had to get out of the car and knock on to get them to move it, the noise was incessant, vroomp, vroomp constantly. Football nets erected at 9.30pm right under DDs bedroom window in the summer ready for a match, footballs booted high and low, sometimes they would actually reach the roof of the house, car hit numerous times. We tolerated it sometimes and other times we had to speak to them about it. Thankfully they're all grown up now and it's much quieter. Hopefully things will quieten down for you once the schools are back and the nights get darker.

In that case I’d just go straight to the council.

Sorry, didn't read your last post before I posted saying the schools are back and the dark nights don't make a difference. I know how awful it is, we hated the confrontation and used to sit seething as well. Sometimes received abuse. Not sure what the answer is apart from praying for rain and the cold.

Was out speaking to a different neighbour who is also finding it annoying and is struggling getting her DC to sleep. She said that the neigbour next door already had a word and they agreed 9pm stop time as it's right outside her her window. Obvs that has been breached. Putting it round the back would make no difference to that neighbour although she has dogs that bark constantly so....

I think i'll just seeth for a wee while and see if someone else sorts it first. Unless I happen to be speaking to B/ball net owners in general convo first.

Are they from another country?

I lived in Melbourne and this was very common there. People would concrete poles into the grass verge. The thinking behind not having it on your own drive was to encourage other dc to play.

Similarly school grounds are open after school and at weekends so children could use the equipment. The primary schools finish after the high schools so by the time the bell went in our primary, the basketball court would be full of high school children playing basketball.

No, they are from here. as the pavement slopes, it leans forward into the road and at one point the net was hit by a passing lorry. They were very annoyed and it briefly got moved back. And yes, local school playground has fixed nets available for use.