to have shouted at these teenagers in the street?

[bluebeanie]

I don't live in the best area, but still. There was a group of about 9 guys hanging around my street just now making a fair bit of noise.

I watched them for a bit in the dark upstairs bedroom and then suddenly one was on my drive approaching the car. I saw red and opened the window. I shouted, 'What the f do you think you are doing? The guy responded that he was checking out his reflection in the window. I said that I've got a sleeping baby here (true, but in the back room) and to p off or I'd call the police. I then slammed the window shut and called them anyway. The Police never really come for that sort of thing anyway and I never saw them.

Anyway, they left soon after, but I'm half expecting to wake up to my tires slashed or my paintwork keyed. It's not a fancy car (Hyundai i30). God, I'm shaking. It's not a usual occurrence thank god. I'm usually timid. Hell hath no fury like a mum, I suppose.

Then I'd apologise and say thank you I was worried as alone with baby. If they are genuinely doing a good deed then I would think they would understand. But checking your reflection is not a good deed its bullshit so all the speculating is nonsense.

Sounds like a lovely neighbourhood where the residents hang out of the windows yelling foul language. Glad is not mine

Yanbu. And I do not believe smy

Kim, I'd think in most cases that he was on a wind-up.
But I'd also use the 'Can I help you?' in a loud clear teacher voice to let him know he's been seen.
I used the same voice when a woman tried to walk of with my trolley in a supermarket car park when I went to pick up something that had fallen out.
'EXCUSE ME, I THINK YOU HAVE THE WRONG TROLLEY' She legged it and left my shopping.

Yanbu. I would have done the same. Who goes on to someone's driveway to check their reflection in someone else's car? And not expected an earful because they were behaving suspiciously?

If you don't start by swearing, you have places to go in that conversation should they have a reason for being on your drive.
But OP was with her baby, afraid and so her response was perfectly normal IMO. Just don't get a shotgun.

I've not read full thread but good for you. Why shouldn't you shout at someone on your property messing about. It could have potentially stopped something happening. Folk are overly sensitive here, to suggest it's not normal behaviour is bizarre IMO.

At my old house the local teenagers used to hang by my back gate on my property as it was sheltered and on the corner so a good place to hang out. They used to be really noisy and left rubbish there. So one day I went out and said "hey guys I don't mind you hanging out here but could you keep it down and take your rubbish home with you when leave?" And they agreed and from then on always quiet and no rubbish was left. It pays to be polite I believe and show others a bit of courtesy. They were only teenagers hanging out and not doing drugs or drinking and I clearly remember being a teenager and trying to find somewhere to hang with my mates, luckily my parents used to let us hang out on their drive as did my brothers and their mates. Used to get very busy at weekends but we were quiet and well behaved.

have not read thread but yanbu op

I know it's an AIBU post so invites a bashing but my god the martyrs/critics on here are just ridiculous. Yes, bit of an OTT response but he shouldn't have been wandering up to her car on her drive. That's rude. Both should have known better. In the grand scheme of things, don't worry about it. He'll have forgotten about it already.

Worra- sorry? 'Asking' people to move off your private property? If you wake up to find an intruder in your room would you make sure you asked them politely to move on? Are you mental?

No FutTheShuckUp, I am fortunate enough not to suffer from a mental illness.

Now, why are you taking the thread off topic by asking how I would react if I found an intruder in my room?

Is this not a thread about some teenagers hanging around a street and one of them walking on the OP's driveway...thus getting a mouthful of bad language?

I also agree that this thread reeks of sheep mentality because the first "YABU" was from a well known poster

I think you'll find there are far more people agreeing with the OP here Chippy....

MN thought of the week: " young kids screaming in a busy, already noisy supermarket are a pain in the arse and the parents are shit. Skip forward ten years when they're outside you're house at 10pm making noise, now that is perfectly acceptable, and if they trespass onto your property you shouldn't say anything but instead wait to see what they actually intend to do before taking action."

Baffled is not the word

You must have sounded like a right fishwife screaming out that abuse. They were in the wrong, but you didn't have to react like that.

And what's all this about groups of teenagers 'always being up to no good'. I was a teenager not that long ago, we walked around the street in a 'gang' because there was no-where to go. We never did anyone any harm.

I feel like I'm reading a different thread here

Has anyone at all suggested the OP shouldn't have said anything?

pack mentality.
they lead each other on. and no he shoudnt have been in her driveway, she swore, he moved away.
end of story.
dont worry about swearing at packs of teens, i wouldnt!