Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think my neighbours completely over-reacted?

15 replies

KEG · 27/07/2012 09:53

The other day I was driving home. I started turning into my close when I saw an extension cable across the road and my 2 neighbours with a lawnmower on the grass verge on the other side of the road opposite their house, not the one immediately outside the house. I slowed down and was concentrating on making sure that driving over the cable wasn't going to pull on the lawnmower. I heard a little noise and the man looked up and looked absolutely daggers at me. I parked on my drive and immediately went closer to see what had happened.

It became apparent that Mrs had left a dustpan and brush on the road at the side as she had been sweeping the road! I had driven over this (but hadn't noticed it when I turned in because I had just been worried about the cable). She made a big thing of looking at it to see if it was broken. I apologised, said I hadn't seen it, that I'd been looking at the cable but that if it was broken I would replace it. He ignored me but just shouted over to her to see if it was broken. I think she said it wasn't (she replied to him, not me). I apologised again, felt really awkward so asked how they were. She said 'all right' very curtly and then they both ignored me and carried on.

I felt as if I'd been dismissed so went in the house and got really upset. AIBU to think that it was only a dustpan, not something really valuable/precious, that it shouldn't have been in the road anyway (who sweeps the road??) and to think that they could have made light of the situation. Now I don't know whether I should get a new dustpan anyway to show willing even though I don't think it was broken or forget about it. The problem is that I am really angry at how they were with me and feel that I don't want anymore to do with them if they are so awkward. My husband passed Mrs a day later and said 'hello'. She did reply but was apparently quite strained towards him and he hadn't done anything. What should I do?

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 27/07/2012 09:57

Yes, they're awkward and cats-bum-mouth-twitchy, theyve got Hyacinth in their future......

But that's them, it's not you - you don't owe them a dustpan (trust me the cunt would have let you know it's broken Grin)

They want to make you feel awkward in a massively passive aggressive way - the ONLY response is a massively cheery HELLOOOOOOOO and then ignore ALL cuntishness directed at you.

HappyAsChips · 27/07/2012 09:58

Yanbu. They sound very childish. But for your own sake just keep being polite to them and give them no reason to be rude to you in future.

OldGreyWiffleTest · 27/07/2012 09:58

Ignore, ignore, ignore.

SomethingSuitablyWitty · 27/07/2012 09:58

Oh forget about it. They sound awful. In fact, IMO, you should have got out of your car and made a big show of checking the wheels and paintwork, possibly calling to DH to come out and check for punctures in your new tyres, all the while looking daggers back at them. Under no circumstances buy them a new brush and dustpan. Presumably they will regain a sense of perspective at some point in the not too distant future.

alphabite · 27/07/2012 09:59

I wouldn't worry about it. Not really a big deal. They were just overreacting. You apologised, what more do they want. I wouldn't even give it another thought.

TheVermiciousKnid · 27/07/2012 10:02

Maybe they are upset that you don't sweep 'your' part of the road? I'd get out there with a mop and bucket. Wink

AKMD · 27/07/2012 10:02

YANBU. What strange behaviour! Maybe it was a Cath Kidston dustpan and brush?

pictish · 27/07/2012 10:02

Oh ffs. You worry too much!

So the mad neighbours that sweep the road have got a strop on over a dustpan and brush? Who cares?! Leave them to it. They're not friends. they're not family...they are pair of self important fusspots that sweep the road.

Don't worry about it.

FranSanDisco · 27/07/2012 10:04

They're rather odd imo. What were they cutting grass across the road for? Honestly, if you leave things on the road expect them to be broken - I spend a good part of my life telling dcs this when they drop their bikes where they please.

MrsTrellisOfSouthWales · 27/07/2012 10:07

I wouldn't worry about anyone that sweeps the road Everyone knows it's easier to hoover it Hmm

AKMD · 27/07/2012 10:07

I sweep the road if there's broken glass on it.

ChameleonCircuit · 27/07/2012 10:08

They WBU. Everyone KNOWS you need a yard brush to sweep the road. Grin

I would have had trouble getting out of the car due to laughing at the silly bat sweeping the road with a dustpan and brush.

I suggest you get a pinny on, stick a scarf in your hair a la Hilda Ogden, and take a yard brush to your bit of road whilst singing "this is the way to sweep the road, sweep the road, sweep the road" etc. Smile

KEG · 27/07/2012 11:09

AKMD - there was no glass on road. They have just 'manicured' the kerb on the other side of road, pulling out any stray weed that dared to grow there so it looks immaculate. They regularly sweep the pavement too but it's the first time I've been aware of them sweeping the other side of the street!

OP posts:
LRDtheFeministDragon · 27/07/2012 11:10

They sound like they were in the middle of a row with each other. If you'd gone out five minutes later they'd have moved on from the dustpan and brush to yelling about whatever it was was up their arses.

You just drove into the middle of it. No-one gets that fed up about a dustpan.

AKMD · 27/07/2012 11:12

They sound very interesting. Maybe you could do a documentary in the Attenborough style, complete with whispered observations on their habitat preparation and infra-red night-time shots.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page