Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour waking us at 4.50

235 replies

soughsigh · 08/02/2021 05:20

My neighbour has a really noisy car. He usually leaves for work at around 6.15 and wakes us all up then. For the last 4 years, we haven't said anything (especially since the toddler has been struggling with early starts for the last year so we're all up before then anyway). I don't know if it wakes any of the other neighbours up, our bedroom is quite close to their drive but you'd think it would wake the other side up too.

This morning be left for work at 4.50. It's really cold so he spent a few minutes revving the engine to warm it up faster. Needless to say he woke the whole house, and for once the toddler hadn't woken at 4.30.

Do I knock on the door and politely ask if he could take his wife's car to work if he starts before 6? She doesn't use it to get to work, it usually sits on the driveway during the day.

I'm genuinely torn here.
yabu - no don't say anything
Yunbu - your neighbour shouldn't be waking everyone before 5

Sorry if I can't reply quickly, I have a wide awake toddler to deal with.

OP posts:
chickadeeeeeeeee · 09/02/2021 20:48

I feel for you, my old ndn as a police man and used to leave for his shift around 6am after revving his motorbike for ten/fifteen mins every day

It is inconsiderate, I appreciate he has to go to work but that time of day is in reasonable

We had a young baby at the time too, sleep is at a premium.

💐

chickadeeeeeeeee · 09/02/2021 20:49

Sorry about typos Grin

PaddingtonsSister · 09/02/2021 20:56

For those who see noise at 4-30am as unreasonable i bet they make noise at 10pm Bbq in the summer when their early riser neighbour wants to slepp but see this as ok

Mgi4243765 · 09/02/2021 21:09

Yanbu at all 4:50 would drive me nuts and I rarely sleep past 7. Ask him not to do it of course!

shouldistop · 09/02/2021 21:12

He's going to work, not having a party. Sorry but yabu.

Ringsender2 · 09/02/2021 21:34

I'm surprised at the yabus.

I think you should nicely tell them it's waking you up and can they be quieter in the mornings with v early starts? ( i think ywbu to tell them what car to use tho)

bloodyhairy · 09/02/2021 21:41

It wouldn't be at all unreasonable to politely say something. Surely he could park a little further down the street?

GrannyRose15 · 09/02/2021 21:45

Don't say a word to him. He has to go to work which means his car has to be running. It is a pity he wakes you but really really there is nothing he can do about it.
Buy yourself a pair of earplugs. I swear by them.
I used to live next to a farm. The tractor would start up every morning at dawn. Alright in winter but terrible in summer.

Meinmytree · 09/02/2021 21:50

@Covidcorvid

Is his car noisy because it’s old/just designed to be noisy or is he a twit who has souped it up with a loud exhaust? I can hear my neighbour 5 mins before he gets home and 5 mins after he leaves! Thankfully he works sensible hours. But his is noisy due to exhaust about 3x the normal size which I’m sure is illegal.
Ugh, this is what I have to contend with. I live on a residential street where most of us don't have drives so have to park on the road. So really, a sensible speed is about 20mph. Recently is has become common for people to tear down the street with these penis extensions during the night, I've been woken up so often recently.

My bedroom is at the front of the house (as it's loads bigger than the other bedroom), and if this carries on I may have to bite the bullet and put the new window much further up the to do list

BaliB1 · 09/02/2021 21:53

Revving your engine at that time without a thought for your neighbours is the NDN equivalent of man spreading.

Daisy1245 · 09/02/2021 21:55

Where abouts are you op?

Daisy1245 · 09/02/2021 21:56

What's the first letter of his name?

MissMarpleDarling · 09/02/2021 21:59

My neighnour does the same and I secretly hate him because of it. His friend used to live there and he would sit outside revving his car for hours and the woman from across the road flipped out one day and was screaming and hitting his car, I'm waiting for her to get to the end of her tether and flip out again as i don't have the guts to.

PersonaNonGarter · 09/02/2021 22:00

YABU. Really, this is life - you can’t control it.

Get some earplugs.

Yourcatisnotsorry · 09/02/2021 22:10

This would drive me mad but I don’t think he’s doing anything wrong sorry

Kitdeluca1 · 09/02/2021 23:21

I have a neighbour that revs a bike every morning at 6am and I mean really revs fuck out of it not just 1 or 2 revs. Wakes my toddlers every morning, not an issue when DP has to be up for work anyway but when he has time off we’d love a lie in. It pisses both my neighbours off too one works nights and has only been in bed an hour before he has her up. So inconsiderate!

randomchatter · 10/02/2021 00:20

I can't imagine how I would respond if my neighbour complained (even politely) about my car noise when they know I'm on my way to work at 4.30 am.

Perhaps think of him having to get up at an ungodly hour to help support his family?

Tessabelle74 · 10/02/2021 01:34

My neighbour has his very noisy diesel car running for half an hour every morning if it's frosty or frozen, it's incredibly annoying but realistically what could I do without causing bad feelings? I put my head under my pillow and counter to myself until he leaves for work.

Emel1800 · 10/02/2021 01:42

I am bewildered that so many people think the OP is being unreasonable. No one needs to rev a car up, 4 am or any other time.

RoseHipps · 10/02/2021 06:41

👆 This.

Joss1e · 10/02/2021 07:40

Maybe get some sound cancelling curtains. We all have commitments and I’m sure he is aware of his noisy car. Just as we are not aware of the noise we and our children make. Live and let live, you will get used to it and so will your children. It’s all part of life and being neighbourly. Good luck.

SnuggyBuggy · 10/02/2021 08:01

I'm amazed how cool people claim they would be about someone deliberately revving a car at such an early hour. Not sure I believe it to be honest.

MolyHolyGuacamole · 10/02/2021 08:03

Try a cabin in the middle of the woods.

PeggyHill · 10/02/2021 08:05

@Joss1e

Maybe get some sound cancelling curtains. We all have commitments and I’m sure he is aware of his noisy car. Just as we are not aware of the noise we and our children make. Live and let live, you will get used to it and so will your children. It’s all part of life and being neighbourly. Good luck.
I have not heard of these curtains before, thanks for the tip. Definitely going to be getting some.
llanjan · 10/02/2021 09:34

You have a good relationship with your neighbour NOW. I guarantee you are asking for trouble if you say anything.The poor man obviously cannot work from home, so has to rise at first sparrow fart and i very much doubt he enjoys it .He is also at higher risk from the virus just by going OUT to work. Try seeing it from his view, maybe you have become a little hyper-sensitive from being stuck indoors so much.Also you sound overtired, can you power nap in the day?

Swipe left for the next trending thread