To ask noisy neighbour to be considerate

[1wokeuplikethis]

Not really an AIBU because I know I'm definitely not here. More of a...how do I go about this.

To set the scene: quiet cul de sac, dead of night (2am) am awoken by the window-shatteringly obnoxious sound of one of those scooters/bikes that goes 'neeeeeeeeee!' The type that sounds like bagpipes being strangled and all hope dying.

It is my neighbour over the way and the teenage lad has recently acquired one of these aurally assaulting devices and in the last 3 days alone I have been woken up at 11pm, midnight and as already stated, 2am.

It's killing me. And making me so angry/upset. It has disturbed my 2yr old and I have two options.

1. close all windows in the house at night despite the stifling heat and just hope and pray he won't go out on his bike.

2. go over there and politely explain how their noise is affecting us and ask them to be more considerate.

I don't know what else I can do really? And if they shut the door in my face and carry on regardless, I don't know if I can be responsible for my actions.

I have actually been awake since 2am because the noise was him going off down the road. And I couldn't relax back to sleep for thinking he would be coming back up the road as soon as I did.

I'm pregnant and going through a hard time at the moment, which is by the by but exacerbating to the upset this is causing me.

What should I do?

If it's that loud it might not be legal. But I think the best first step is to go and talk to them.

It sounds like a 2-stroke bike/or moped, so I'm guessing the lad is perhaps a learner. Maybe he has a job that he needs the bike to get to and from work, and the bike makes it easier than using public transport? So the only way he could be more considerate is for him to push the thing within half a mile radius of home which, being helpful to you, isn't really practical for him.

We live in an ever increasingly noisy world - I live in a farming village and have three roosters crowing the dawns arrival from approx 3.30 am every morning at the moment.
They drove me nuts when I first moved here, but now I don't notice them at all as I sort of zoned them out......maybe you'll be able to do that with this bike in time?

for you OP.

It sounds as if it's been modified in some way - the exhaust probaly - as teenagers often do that to machines to make them sound/look mean and bad. That would probably make it illegal.

I'd go and talk to them.

Re Luis's post - it is a legal machine with a very small engine. I usually think of the sound as a manic wasp, and for what it's worth, I don't like them either. But for a young lad, it's probably the first step to riding a full size bike, and will be cheap to insure and maintain.

It depends. if he's just riding up and down constantly, ywnbu to politely ask him to tone it down. But if he's only going out and coming back later, or if he's using it for work, yabu because it's just one of the things that happens when we all live near each other. Either way I'd leave it a week or two and see if the novelty wears off by itself

In my cul de sac motorbike riders wheel into the end if the road before starting engine- how long is the street?

I'd go and talk to them first

The street isn't too long. Would still disturb if he did wheel to the bottom.

Fair point about him possibly working, I hadn't thought of that. Will become clear when I go round.
They are the 'difficult' neighbours on the street, always parking their various vans, cars and even a caravan over other peoples' drives. They are bike mad. My Elderly next door neighbour had a run in with them one day last summer as they were revving their bikes relentlessly, and he had had enough of his peace being ruined. But ended up being threatened.

So...yes with their reputation I'm a little nervous.

We call them ninja bees. God knows why as they are as far from ninjas as possible. Horrible things.

Arty the lads round here "customise" the bikes to sound louder, which apparently is illegal

Take the friendly approach. Lots of smiling and whatnot - it's hard to say no/get annoyed with someone polite, smiley and bright

@Luis - yes I know what you mean about the illegal pipes - they're only supposed to be for off road riding, but they're usually a deeper, throatier sound, that deafen anyone within close proximity.
For what it's worth I loathe them, as I believe in respecting the community, and can understand how this situation is agitating the OP.

I was going on how the OP described the sound as 'bagpipes being strangled' and making a screechy sound.....That's the sound of a two stroke bike. They're small, stink the place out with fumes, and make just the sound that the OP describes.

Either way it's a horrendous noise! I agree totally about respecting the community. I can hear the ones on the bypass 6 miles from my village at night, must be awful for those closer

I have a motorbike, a small one.

If I am arriving back home late on it I ride in on tickover, you don't have to rev the nuts off them, or push it the length of the street. Any decent rider will be aware of the sound of the bike and ride accordingly.

A local police support officer can have a word for you.

If they have a reputation for being difficult I wouldn't speak to them. What difference is it likely to make, except to cause you potential grief, which you could especially do without given you are pregnant.

You shouldn't have to, but could you try ear plugs?

Agree with Wintersmith. Son does Motocross, so although he doesn't actually ride his bike around here, when he comes home from a race he will ride the bike into the garden to wash it. However, if he comes home any time after 9:00pm, he knows not to ride it into the garden as it might annoy neighbours who may be trying to enjoy a quiet late evening. (Although it is not a horrible waspy sound, it is loud) so he knows to push it in.

A teenager on a 2-stroke at 2:00am would be very irritating. I'd have a polite word with his parents.

I used to live in a flat where my next door neighbour had an amazingly active love life with at least three different individuals. I could actually identify them by the sounds they made whilst in the process and even gave them nicknames. The religious one(OH GOD), Tourettes(OH F@*K) and monkey noises. I occasionally had to to turn the TV up to drown it out. It was horrendous but I never got the courage up to go round and ask him to tone it down.

As for the bike. Ask politely.

Went round but got no answer. Then saw the mum go out in her van :-s alrighty then!

Really deflated that I couldn't say anything tonight because I'm really anxious now for another noisy night. Ear plugs would help but I need to be able to hear my lo if she's crying in the night. She's in bed now so I cant go over this evening. Hipefully will get an answer when I knock tomorrow.

How was your night?

Surely it disturbs his parents too? So they must be aware of the noise as well??

It would really annoy me too... I'm a terribly light sleeper & wake up to all sorts. My neighbour across my cul-de-sac is a black cab driver & comes back in the early hours every morning & just the sound of his Diesel engine wakes me up.... Let alone a screeching moped thingymajig

Nothing last night, yippee! Managed to go across tonight and had an awkward chat with the lad and his dad. Was awkward because I felt really uncomfortable! Seemed Togo ok in that I got a nod, so here's hoping! :-s

Well done you x

Fingers crossed