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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off with neighbour mowing grass today

333 replies

BarefootMe · 06/05/2018 18:52

I will probably be shot down for this. First really sunny day for months when we could enjoy our garden. We have grass and were sitting out for first time this year, enjoying late breakfast and the papers - utter bliss. Then next door neighbour started his very noisy ride-on mower. Their garden is much bigger than hours and it took nearly an hour of noise, petrol fumes etc. Then a peaceful break, and just relaxing again this afternoon when he started up again, and then produced another mower for the edges - more noise, more fumes.
For context we have had a really difficult time since last summer, very stressful and this was literally the first day we could really let go and relax without pressures to think about. Neighbour does not know that, but I am annoyed because it is inconsiderate. He works from home a lot of the time, and could have done this on a weekday. Very old fashioned probably, but I was brought up not to create any disturbance on a Sunday which was regarded as a day or rest when your neighbours deserved peace and quiet. For that reason, I never use a mower on a Sunday, or do other noisy building work, etc. Just needed to express my annoyance and regret at the return of tension so soon.

OP posts:
Nooblynoo · 06/05/2018 21:40

Yes you are

jnfrrss · 06/05/2018 21:40

You're fine to be pissed off.

But half of MN think that playing a radio loudly in your garden all day is perfectly acceptable

pictish · 06/05/2018 21:41

Maybe he was busy yesterday so couldn’t do it then? By the same token, why couldn’t you sit and have your precious day of silence in your garden yesterday?

Yabu.

spontaneousgiventime · 06/05/2018 21:48

The longer this thread goes on the more petulant the OP becomes. Just accept the majority think YABU and move on.

SharronNeedles · 06/05/2018 21:50

OP do you do anything on a Sunday? Cook? Clean? Hoover? Sing? Piano? Literally anything other than sit in silence? No? Then someone can probably hear you

lottiegarbanzo · 06/05/2018 21:53

Did you grow up in a very observant Christian community OP? It's the only explanation I can think of for your belief that Sunday is widely viewed as a 'day of rest / peace'.

Outside that bubble, it isn't. It's a weekend leisure day.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 06/05/2018 21:54

It seems the whole concept of respecting your neighbours' peace and quiet on a Sunday has gone down the drain.

Yes, about 50 years ago.

ArsenalsPlayingAtHome · 06/05/2018 21:55

I think a good solution might be for councils to restrict the length of time people perform noisy activities for rather than the day of time. i.e. you're only allowed to mow your lawn for a maximum of 1 hour per day.

WTAF?

^^This is a ridiculous suggestion. Councils restricting people's right to cut their lawns?

And then what? Restricting people's right to have friends round and play music and/or have BBQs? Banning dogs from barking? (Actually a barking ban would be good Grin!)

Seriously get a grip. My DH has just finished mowing at about 9:00pm..it has taken him hours. Hope my neighbour isn't pissed off.
She has a gardener who mows her lawn during the day, but if I worked nights, that would extremely inconvenient for me.

I don't work nights, but my point is you can't police it, and even if you did, one rule would not suit everyone.

DD just came into my bedroom and said "I love lying in bed, going to sleep and listening to Dad mowing the lawn"

expatinscotland · 06/05/2018 21:55

If he'd done it during the week there'd have been a pissed off MNers complaining about how he woke up their sleeping baby or toddler. Man mows garden on sunny Sunday late morning, stop press!

yikesanotherbooboo · 06/05/2018 22:00

Bare although I think YABU my DH would agree with you. He was brought up to be ultra aware of neighbours and eg gets terribly flustered and rushes out to hush our dogs if they bark in the garden. I like to hear neighbours enjoying themselves and being industrious with blowers and mowers but DH finds it intrusive and gets irritated.His worst bugbear in this arena is a bonfire. We never have them ( I sort of agree to this on ecological grounds) but I can't object to others burning their garden waste. I like the smells , sounds and memories of childhood that they evoke.poor DH however is driven demented by the first hint of smoke on the breeze.
I had always thought that his sensitivity was due to having been brought up in the country with no neighbours but thinking about it now that doesn't really fit.
Tune out is my advice .

BoofayTheOompaLoompaSlayer · 06/05/2018 22:02

I like the sound of lawn mowers. Find it relaxing. I have no objection to neighbours mowing their lawns whenever it suits them. Obviously not during unsociable hours, but Sundays are fine by me.
My husband mowed our lawn today. Our neighbours all around us were mowing lawns, having bbqs, playing in their gardens, listening to music. All the sounds and smells of summer. Bliss!

SofieMonde · 06/05/2018 22:02

if only someone could inmvent a silent mower...theyd be a millionaire

NewBallsPlease00 · 06/05/2018 22:03

You're the person who moans about the sound of kids playing in their garden at 10am aren't you ...

ItsNachoCheese · 06/05/2018 22:03

Yabu its not as if hes cutting his grass at the crack of dawn or really late at night... he isnt going to not cut his grass because you havent had the best time of it during the year, he doesnt know that and will cut his grass regardless of that

imamum21 · 06/05/2018 22:05

i would rather my neighbours were cutting grass than what im dealing with, they have the chiminea lit whilst he sits in the gazebo with all the sides up and its left blowing in my windows now ive had to close them as my house stinks and i have asked them nicely to move it the response i got was did you have your windows open? our reply no we just randomly keep all windows closed on the warmest day we will probably have!! (im in scotland so 1-2 days is about all we get lol) its ok though as im up early for work so will be doing housework and have the music on nice and early so they can suffer for a change, its that bad i actually feel sick and have a headache. (before anyone thinks im being petty they go away normally over bank holidays and the teenager has parties til all hours, a dog that barks non stop at everything and the front door gets slammed when being used, i also think they have elephants going up and down the stairs lol) im a council house they are bought so cant do much about it, i thought about putting my sprinkler on as the grass needs some water haha

LoniceraJaponica · 06/05/2018 22:06

SofieMonde I bought a cordless mower the other week. It is unbelievably quiet.

FrancisCrawford · 06/05/2018 22:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PotteryGirl · 06/05/2018 22:11

OP...You’ve just freed yourself up an extra day to gardening jobs, Sunday😀..your neighbours don’t care. Liberation 👍🏻

OllyBJolly · 06/05/2018 22:12

Most of my neighbours were mowing lawns today. Except for next door - he was sawing and drilling.

Thankfully another neighbour was playing his Elvis music so loud none of the rest of the noise could be heard....

I do love summer!

SleepIsForTheWeek · 06/05/2018 22:14

Did you grow up in a very observant Christian community OP? It's the only explanation I can think of for your belief that Sunday is widely viewed as a 'day of rest / peace'.

But if she had she would have been at church this morning and not in the garden, surely?

buckeejit · 06/05/2018 22:14

Your neighbour was not being inconsiderate. He was enjoying the day & gardening, like most of the people in my area.

I'm sorry you've had a bad year though, it definitely can cloud your judgement but it's still possible to enjoy the outdoors while someone is mowing so try not to dwell on this or you'll be resentful of mowing & your neighbour in future & that's not fair.

Hope things are taking a turn for the better for you

AnneLovesGilbert · 06/05/2018 22:16

Maybe he’s had a tough year and has been really looking forward to getting garden lovely for the summer.

You’re not the only one with a life OP.

Topseyt · 06/05/2018 22:34

How do you know that your neighbour is happy about the days on which you choose to mow your lawn? Have you had a lawn mowing conference with him?

He might think you are an antisocial and inconsiderate twonk whenever your lawn mower comes out.

WhatsGoingOnEh · 06/05/2018 22:35

DH mowed our lawn today, and used the strimmer. It drowned out the sound of our horrible neighbours swearing every second word, screeching along to Celine Dion and arguing.

I hope we annoyed them. Everyone hopes that they'll leave.

m0therofdragons · 06/05/2018 22:36

Worst neighbours ever here - mowed lawn, kids then spent afternoon playing in the garden and 2 more primary aged friends came to play then had bbq with music. I thought that was what most people do on a Sunday.

I would have done the lawn yesterday but was visiting my dying grandma 3 hours' drive away. Luckily my neighbours are lovely and wouldn't complain about something so bonkers as cutting grass on a nice day.