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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Kids scootering in the road making a racket

193 replies

HushingDusk · 12/06/2021 19:32

They are from a small block of new build flats nearby (flats are visible from our upstairs windows, I’ve seen the kids go in and out). I get it’s annoying not to have a garden but they’re using the road and pavements instead, no adults in sight!

Aged about 10 to 5, a group of 6 or 7 children. The youngest was riding his scooter up and down the middle of the road for an hour, wearing nothing but boxers, being chased by an older girl on a bike! Then 2 boys fighting and hitting each other over the head with branches.

They hang around on the pavement right next to our garden wall, screeching, shouting and bickering all day.

Should I suck it up or send a letter to the flats asking them to keep a closer eye on their children and reduce the noise?

It’s a quiet, peaceful rural area apart from these kids treating the road and pavement like a park.

There’s a proper park less than 10 minutes walk away.

I was tempted to go out and speak to them (especially when they were fighting with branches!)

The only time I’ve seen adults around is in the mornings, they stand in the car park by the flats in their dressing gowns chatting and smoking.

WWYD?

OP posts:
Original poster
HushingDusk · 13/06/2021 14:57

Anyone?

They’re at it again today, screeching and shouting in the road and the pavement alongside our garden wall 😡

OP posts:
Indiana2021 · 13/06/2021 15:00

I can see how it would be annoying but I think YABU.
Kids who don't have a garden generally have to play in the street. Not much you can do about it.

Indiana2021 · 13/06/2021 15:01

The only time I’ve seen adults around is in the mornings, they stand in the car park by the flats in their dressing gowns chatting and smoking.

Not really sure why this is relevant?

Sparticle · 13/06/2021 15:01

You can’t stop them but I think I’d ask them not to congregate next to my garden wall and to play elsewhere. Then it might not be quite as annoying?

Lilibet2022 · 13/06/2021 15:04

I wouldn't send a letter. Bluntly they're unlikely to care anyway. Perhaps ring your neighbourhood team up for some advice. Ours started off like this. Being abusive to any drivers who just had to pull an emergency stop and had the audacity to tell them to be careful before one car doesn't stop in time for them. Then went on to randomly wandering into everyone's gardens like they owned the joint meaning you could never enjoy your own. I did of course get a mouthful of abuse from the mum when I asked them nicely to stay out and she's now running a hate campaign against me.
Hovering outside your garden wall whilst annoying isn't technically doing anything wrong but this is why they should be beat teams so they can knock on the parents door and tell them to supervise their kids better.

Lazypuppy · 13/06/2021 15:06

Did you never play out in the street as a kid?! YABU

Lilibet2022 · 13/06/2021 15:06

The making a racket you can't really do much about but I share your concerns about the safety of them playing in the road.

Lilibet2022 · 13/06/2021 15:08

Yes I played out in the street. My street was a dead end and no traffic went up it. Our road is very busy with traffic and I wouldn't dream of letting my then younger DCs play out unsupervised.

3luckystars · 13/06/2021 15:22

That’s estate life. It’s summer so children are outside and they are noisy. If you don’t like it, you can move out the country because no amount of letters or giving out is going to change anything.

I know the noise is annoying but that’s estate life. All the best.

Original poster
HushingDusk · 13/06/2021 15:38

Not really sure why this is relevant?

I was pointing out they’re unsupervised during the daytime, so I can’t talk to the parents. Also that there is no garden just a car park.

OP posts:
Original poster
HushingDusk · 13/06/2021 15:41

Kids who don't have a garden generally have to play in the street. Not much you can do about it

In the road too? Isn’t that dangerous? It’s a quiet road but not a dead end, there’s a t-junction they seem to congregate at. And if old enough to be unsupervised wouldn’t they go to the nearby park to ride and scoot?

OP posts:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/06/2021 15:42

The parents are probably keeping an eye out from the window now and again. It's hot and kids want to play out, that's life.

StacysMomMandyJessiesEx · 13/06/2021 15:44

all you can do is make your garden/wall/part of the street less attractive to them

every time they are in your part of street play some loud ish classical/opera music... should send them on their way nicely

if they like that style of music then experiment until you find something they move away from

Original poster
HushingDusk · 13/06/2021 15:44

Did you never play out in the street as a kid?!

No, never.

That’s estate life. It’s summer so children are outside and they are noisy. If you don’t like it, you can move out the country because no amount of letters or giving out is going to change anything

We are in the country, and it’s not an estate, just some flats that look newly built (as in 5-10 years old). It’s a very child friendly area, most neighbours have kids but nobody else lets them scream and shout (even in the gardens), I tell mine to keep the volume down too.

OP posts:
eeyore228 · 13/06/2021 15:49

Sadly @hushingdusk I have learnt that it doesn't seem to matter what the kids are doing, anyone who complains is being a killjoy. I've seen a few threads where neighbours are slaughtered for asking for a reduction in the noise level. I wish I had some.advice.

Original poster
HushingDusk · 13/06/2021 15:50

The parents are probably keeping an eye out from the window now and again. It's hot and kids want to play out, that's life

Good point. And I guess they don’t want them playing and scootering in the carpark in case they damage someone’s car.

every time they are in your part of street play some loud ish classical/opera music... should send them on their way nicely

That’s a good idea 😂

Must admit my mum’s had a nice half hour picking snails off our clematis and hurling them over the wall in the direction of the racket (wall is about 12 feet so can’t see over). It’s gone a bit quieter now so perhaps they got the message!

OP posts:
tinseloatcake · 13/06/2021 15:51

I'm not actually sure what they are doing wrong either? Your perception of danger
Appears to be different to theirs.

You sound somewhat unhappy about the new block of flats.

RodiganReed · 13/06/2021 16:00

Must admit my mum’s had a nice half hour picking snails off our clematis and hurling them over the wall in the direction of the racket (wall is about 12 feet so can’t see over). It’s gone a bit quieter now so perhaps they got the message

That is really unpleasant.

Unfortunately for you, you live in society, there are children in society (including the country). Children need to play and let off steam, sure they can be annoying but that's life. If you don't like it you need to go and live up a mountain or something.

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/06/2021 16:00

I work in housing and this is half my inbox every day.

Interestingly often from the same people who think 'kids of today' should have less tech and play outside more. Hmm

Workinghardeveryday · 13/06/2021 16:01

Did I read right that a 5 year old is playing out in the street on a road? That’s not on. Who here would dream of letting their kids do that?
Kids playing in underwear outside on the street? Also not on. Would anyone here let their kids do that?
I get kids play out on the street, I did as a child. Not at 5 and not in my knickers. And if we were behaving like that my parents would have said something - because they are considerate of our neighbours and not selfish enough to let us run riot on a road banging branches over other kids heads.
I don’t know anyone who would let their kids behave like that.

Littlelegs2 · 13/06/2021 16:02

Its the weekend it's hot. They don't have a garden. Which won't be nice for them. Maybe they can't go to the park because the parents won't be able to watch from their window. Wait till the summer holidays they will be out more often that will please you .

WorraLiberty · 13/06/2021 16:10

Should I suck it up or send a letter to the flats asking them to keep a closer eye on their children and reduce the noise?

Or you could speak to them, like adults do Confused

Be prepared for them complaining about your mum's anti-social behaviour though.

FloppyHoldsNoTruckWithFrontedA · 13/06/2021 16:11

OMG seriously? That is funny (and rubbish)

“I work in housing and this is half my inbox every day.

Interestingly often from the same people who think 'kids of today' should have less tech and play outside more. hmm”

WorraLiberty · 13/06/2021 16:13

Did I read right that a 5 year old is playing out in the street on a road? That’s not on. Who here would dream of letting their kids do that?

No you didn't read it right.

The OP said "Aged about 10 to 5".

Some kids look much younger than their age, so who knows?

AwFeebs · 13/06/2021 16:13

It's summer. It's the weekend.

Kids play out.

Learn to switch off from it.