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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to leave my engine running for ten mins at 6.45 each morning (M-F)?

801 replies

ThreeJumpersIsNotEnough · 16/12/2018 17:21

Neighbours have just come to the door with a Christmas card and a polite request to be more quiet in the mornings.

I usually leave at 7am to drop dd at breakfast club and get myself to work at 8am (I work Mon-Fri only - no weekends).

Now it's getting colder, the car is unbearably cold in the mornings so last week I started nipping out 10-15 mins earlier while dd was brushing her teeth so the car would be warm for us getting in and the frost/ice would be mostly melted from the window.

Neighbours have revealed that they are normally woken by me leaving most mornings at 7am but they can put up with it as I leave immediately so they are able to go back to sleep. However, they are not willing to put up with what I've been doing recently as they have found it impossible to go back to sleep having been awake for so long waiting for me to leave with the engine running ... Hmm

They have suggested I park further away from the house.

This is my first winter with these neighbours. They only moved in beginning of the year and we're polite to each other but not any more than 'hello' acquaintances. We live very rurally - just our two houses - in woodland area. Any noise carries and it is mostly silent (why I moved here - now I'm the one being a noise pest, it would appear). No street lights. 5 minute drive down our landlord's private (god awful road) onto the public road where there are other houses.

If I parked further away, that is further for me and DD to walk to the car each morning - in the pitch black - with our bags. Likewise, it is further for us to walk to the house each evening when we get back.

Not sure what the solution is. I told them I wasn't keen to park farther away (due to the above concerns) but they've asked me to give it a try at least for tomorrow. I've agreed to try it.

AIBU to ask for your ideas on what a peaceful resolution to this would be?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 16/12/2018 17:23

Yes leaving the engine running is selfish

HolesinTheSoles · 16/12/2018 17:23

I wouldn't leave the engine running pumping fumes into the street for 10 minutes. I'd just buy warm jumpers for you and DD so you can manage until the car warms up

redsummershoes · 16/12/2018 17:23

yabu.
it's illegal to idle and really bad for the environment.
for windows use a jug of tepid water to take the ice off, windows will also not mist from the inside that way.

redsummershoes · 16/12/2018 17:24

and around here the car would be gone before I went back into the house...

JudgeRindersMinder · 16/12/2018 17:24

This would piss me off massively. I get home from work at 02:00. A car starting up and leaving barely hits the consciousness, but 10 mins of an engine running would have me wide awake then barely able to function

ScottishMummy12 · 16/12/2018 17:24

Is not illegal to do that?

hoki · 16/12/2018 17:25

I think you need to be cold for the 3 minutes it takes your car to warm up once you set off at 7am.

JacquesHammer · 16/12/2018 17:25

Yes YABU

chemenger · 16/12/2018 17:25

Get a cover for your windscreen to stop ice forming.

rubaduhlo · 16/12/2018 17:25

Isn't the obvious solution just to not have your engine on for 10 minutes at that time of morning?

Warm water (Not boiling, almost cool) over the windscreen to melt the ice and may be some de icer. You'll soon warm up. I sympathise because I leave earlier but I minimise the amount of time outside and wouldn't want to be waking all the neighbours up!

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 16/12/2018 17:25

YABU I'm afraid. My neighbour does this - at the same time every day. It's really inconsiderate

Wintermuter · 16/12/2018 17:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

recently · 16/12/2018 17:26

Don't leave the engine running! Can't believe people still think this is ok. Get in with coats on.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 16/12/2018 17:26

I'm sorry, but I'm with them.

It's very noisy and the vibrations carry as well. The engine fumes are a big cause for pollution. It's actually illegal to leave the engine running while stationary.

Wrap up warm and don't do it.

redsummershoes · 16/12/2018 17:26

highway code rule 123

You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road. Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution. However it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.

violetbunny · 16/12/2018 17:26

YABU, I would also find that a huge annoyance.

ThreeJumpersIsNotEnough · 16/12/2018 17:26

We have jumpers on (her school jumper; my work fleece,) scarves, gloves, hat and winter coats and still freezing til the engine heats for the heaters to work sufficiently. It's just so bloody cold that time in the morning. I agree, not fair to my neighbours though. Don't think there's any other solution then than just to leave as soon as I've defrosted and started the car.

OP posts:
Lovewinemorethanhusband · 16/12/2018 17:27

Can you just do it for 5minutes instead of the 15minutes ?, I understand how annoying it is for neighbours as my neighbour across the road does the same thing for around 15 minutes but at 5am and he has a supped up golf with extra loud engine and exhaust annoys the crap out of me but I haven't got the energy to go across and ask him to stop !

sulflower · 16/12/2018 17:27

Very unreasonable, you said yourself noise carries due to your location.

ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay · 16/12/2018 17:27

Yabvu. Annoying to neighbours and bad for the environment. Can't believe you have to ask. If it's that cold (which I doubt it is) put on more layers/hat/scarf or take a hot water bottle for your precious kiddies.

AgentProvocateur · 16/12/2018 17:27

That noise for 10 minutes in the morning, along with the fumes, would drive me insane. Just scrape the ice off with one of these big glove scrapers.

chemenger · 16/12/2018 17:28

A hot water bottle on the dash is apparently good for clearing the windscreen too.

LetBartletBeBartlet · 16/12/2018 17:28

YABVU

BentNeckLady · 16/12/2018 17:28

Of course yabu.

GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat · 16/12/2018 17:28

Can you use a couple of those frostguard things for your front and back windscreen?

I keep meaning to invest, the reviews seem positive.

Just deal with the cold until the heaters kick in?