Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

AIBU to think the neigbours shouldn't sit on their drive every evening?

109 replies

Bravas · 12/08/2017 11:46

Yes it's theirs they can do what they like etc. But it's really annoying me.

We have perfectly nice back gardens which aren't overlooked but they choose to sit on the driveway of a busyish minor road with their friends.

They sit and drink/talk/sing/laugh loudly until the early hours. It's the noise that's pissing me off, i have started wearing ear plugs, shutting the windows but they still woke me at 2am this morning.

Unfortunately I can't afford to move to an isolated location and normal noise doesn't bother me. AIBU to think this is a bit anti social?

Any suggestions what to do? I'm reluctant to say anything in case it makes it worse.

OP posts:

GU24Mum · 12/08/2017 11:50

.......... but wouldn't it be just as noisy if they outside the back of the house? If the issue is the noise so late, that's one thing but I don't think it matters where in their house they make it iyswim?

MissBax · 12/08/2017 11:51

YABU to be annoyed with them being on their drive, rather than garden but YANBU to be annoyed by noise - I have noisy neighbours and it is honestly the bane of my life. Have you spoken to them?

GreenTulips · 12/08/2017 11:52

I don't know why people do this - why the need to sit out the front - it's awful

StoorieHoose · 12/08/2017 11:53

Maybe the don't get the sun in the back? We don't and it's really annoying when it is sunny but I don't think I could bring myself to sit out the front !

Original poster

Bravas · 12/08/2017 11:55

No bedrooms at the back, so the noise wouldn't be as disruptive.

I don't get the whole choosing to sit on the driveway thing, but you're right i shouldn't let that annoy me, apart from the noise travelling to the bedrooms from there.

I'm a wimp and don't like confrontation, so no i haven't spoken to them yet, just simmer quietly instead .

OP posts:

sonjadog · 12/08/2017 11:56

I used to never sit out the front, and then I realized that I was just wasting the space by leaving it there. So now I sit there sometimes. Do it. It´s liberating.

Autumn will soon be along, OP, and your neighbours will be less inclined to sit outside.

Original poster

Bravas · 12/08/2017 11:56

They sit there in the rain and dark, so not sun related.

OP posts:

LuLuuuuuuu · 12/08/2017 12:08

Was going to say you are being a tad UR

However, "They sit there in the rain and dark so not sun related" strikes me as most odd . Perhaps not the dark so much but the rain ?

milliemolliemou · 12/08/2017 12:11

Just speak to them nicely. Come up with some suggestions - eg - after 11pm could you move to your garden where you won't disturb me? Are any other neighbours similarly disturbed? It's not something I would do if a garden was available, but each to their own.

SoupDragon · 12/08/2017 12:12

I think they should sit wherever they like.

The noise is the issue, not where they sit.

Joey7t8 · 12/08/2017 12:20

I have an irrational hatred of people sitting out socialising and drinking in front of their houses, even though they're perfectly entitled to do so. Worst of all is when people bring a sofa out.

To answer the OP question: you're bot being unreasonable to complain about the noise, whether it's coming from the back or front garden (although coming from the front would make it worse for me).

BikeRunSki · 12/08/2017 12:25

Maybe they've already upset their neighbours at the back?

Albertschair · 12/08/2017 12:25

I I know you don't have bedrooms at the back. But is there any way you could? Dining room/ study etc

It is unusual in the UK to sit in front gardens/drive ways. I don't know why, but it is something I would never do. Despite having lovely smelling flowers etc. Front garden is for showing off, dressing of the house. Not for sitting in.

PinkHeart5911 · 12/08/2017 12:46

Well I don't know why someone would choose not to use the back garden but use the drive how odd! But they can do what they like really

sheldonesque · 12/08/2017 12:50

I don't think you are being unreasonable. It IS where they sit if they can use another part of their garden that wouldn't bother people.

Ours do this but in the back garden where all the bedrooms are. They have a massive front garden and the noise wouldn't disturb many people if they partied there.

We can't move rooms and can't afford a house in splendid isolation. To have 40 arseholes people scream and shout while you are trying to sleep is soul destroying.

I pray for rain every evening.

Chestervase1 · 12/08/2017 12:55

If they bought a sofa out the front I would think I was living in Benefit Street

Kerberos · 12/08/2017 12:56

Sitting out the front is very odd behaviour and yet I can't exactly explain WHY it's odd. Just is.

Bacere · 12/08/2017 12:56

I don Understand it either but think of it in another way, good neighbourhood watch team. Ours let their youngsters play football out the front the back is taken up with trampoline and such like. It's always during the rush hour, and the ball inevitably goes into the road. It never seems to be at any other time and I have had to switch off and stop noticing as I fear one day some accident may occur for driver or child, hope never ever happens.

PeachesandPie · 12/08/2017 13:01

YANBU. My neighbours do this too despite having a huge back garden. It feels more invasive as I know they are always there as we are mid terrace and there is nothing separating our drives which means the kids always stray over and we are then overlooked in our living room. The back garden on the other hand is not overlooked so much less annoying.

No suggestions on what to do other than make a noise complaint if it's getting to you that much.

Beelzebop · 12/08/2017 13:04

It's strange how intrusive it feels when people are out front rather than in their garden. I feel similarly. And am probably being U.

KermitsLoveChild · 12/08/2017 13:04

We have neighbours that do this too but it's because they are nosey and don't want to miss anything. They are loud, obnoxious and all live close together. We live across the road and get no privacy because they spend all day sitting out the front and know our every movement, it drives me crazy!

hiphopcat · 12/08/2017 13:20

Urgh I hate it when people do this. It's really tacky and nasty. Swigging cans of woodpecker cider and smoking rollups, whilst still wearing their nightie, and sitting on shitty little white plastic chairs that they got from the skips!

Yep, seen it before.

YANBU!

I would report them the the council for noise nuisance.

Original poster

Bravas · 12/08/2017 13:31

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks the sitting in the driveway is odd, but yes I agree I need to ignore that part, it's their choice, even if it does bug me. I will start keeping a log of the noise though with a view to reporting them. I just can't fathom why anyone would think its ok to make that level of noise so late.

OP posts:

fruitbats · 12/08/2017 13:37

hiphop - that is a massive assumption. Who mentioned cider or nighties?

OP yanbu about the noise but they are entitled to sit in their front garden if they choose although I fail to see why they would want to

Neverknowing · 12/08/2017 13:39

Can you post them a note? It's wimpy but then they won't know it's you, they may not even realise that they're being loud and annoying?

Flip

1 2 3 4 5