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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bouncy castle in the street

258 replies

daphnedoo12 · 24/07/2021 11:30

Hi,

I live in a street that is blocked off half way by bollards, it has a widening to allow cars to turn around. We do not have front gardens, it's terraced housing.

We park our cars directly outside of our house.

Neighbour (many, many issues with this neighbour) has now set up a huge bouncy castle in the middle of the road.

I can just about turn my car around to get out of the street, although with great difficulty and also with the risk of hitting a child as there is now about 15 of them in the middle of the road.

Anyone parked further up would struggle to actually get their car out.

Is this even legal? We have decent sized yards?? I don't understand why it needs to be in the middle of an actual road. It's so dangerous!

I sound like a party pooper, I have a DS and I wouldn't feel comfortable doing this, no adults are constantly with the children, they're in/out their houses and it's just so worrying.

Am I just a party pooper or am I right to be concerned about this?

Neighbour 4 doors up has kicked off threatening to ring the police. Neighbours who have the bouncy castle just shouted obscenities at him.

OP posts:
StCharlotte · 24/07/2021 13:08

I've heard it all now.

Neighbour 4 doors up has kicked off threatening to ring the police. Neighbours who have the bouncy castle just shouted obscenities at him.

Hopefully they will actually call the police.

tentotwelve · 24/07/2021 13:11

And we actually have a pp who thinks this is funny, and another who thinks it's a kindness for the neighbourhood children.Confused

FakeColinCaterpillar · 24/07/2021 13:11

There seems to be a particular type of entitled behaviour when people have children. That what they want trumps normal behaviour.
I’m going to put people let their kids scream all day without telling them to pipe down because their need to have fun is more important than anyone else enjoying their garden.

Blocking people’s cars in with no notice, twats.

VariantL1130 · 24/07/2021 13:12

Anyone else think that they live on the most boring street on the planet? No one ever parks on my drive, builds without planning permission, holds massive parties, or puts a bouncy castle in the street. I'd love to know where all these MNetters live!

ForCluckSake · 24/07/2021 13:13

What utter idiots

viques · 24/07/2021 13:14

@daphnedoo12

I wouldn't put a picture up, not only is it outing but there's kids on it. Even if I blanked them out it's just weird and inappropriate. I don't think it's funny either.
You could do a diagram though! Stick figures not obligatory but earn you valuable bonus points that you will treasure for ever.
Pingued · 24/07/2021 13:14

What did the police say to DH? Are they coming? This is awful its so windy today.

Bandaidsandbitterness · 24/07/2021 13:15

Placemarking!

SummerBreeze1980 · 24/07/2021 13:17

It does sound very dangerous.

Bit bouncy castles can be tethered down on concrete as I organised one for a fun day once and we had the bouncy castle on concrete.

Darbs76 · 24/07/2021 13:18

@VariantL1130 - I was just thinking that. Absolutely zilch happens in my boring street in boring suburbia. Shame as I’ve been working at home since March 2020 and trust me nothing has happened. Maybe I should be glad

PhilCornwall1 · 24/07/2021 13:18

@VariantL1130

Anyone else think that they live on the most boring street on the planet? No one ever parks on my drive, builds without planning permission, holds massive parties, or puts a bouncy castle in the street. I'd love to know where all these MNetters live!
I don't want to say it too loudly, but all the shit you read on here, never happens where I live. It's not a typical MN "naice" area either, it's just a normal road, with what appear to be normal people.
TSSDNCOP · 24/07/2021 13:22

They can be Summer, but in that case its normally anchored on all sides by pretty hefty weights, also a crash mat for minimising bone:concrete catastrophe

MoonlightWanderer · 24/07/2021 13:22

[quote shouldistop]@LawnFever it's not me that's having the party. I just said it wouldn't bother me for a day. [/quote]
I can only imagine my boss' reaction if i couldn't go to work because a giant inflatable was blocking me in!

It is a bit funny though, but only because it isn't my house!

BrozTito · 24/07/2021 13:23

Send a dog out, they live pissing on bouncy castles

SusannahMartin · 24/07/2021 13:26

Oh god, Covid has been so hard on so many kids. Could you not just turn a blind eye? You know the way there is a Mumsnet classics? Is there a Mumsnet party poopers?

OhNoNoNoNoNo · 24/07/2021 13:28

.

GCAcademic · 24/07/2021 13:29

@SusannahMartin

Oh god, Covid has been so hard on so many kids. Could you not just turn a blind eye? You know the way there is a Mumsnet classics? Is there a Mumsnet party poopers?
Turn a blind eye to something that is illegal and dangerous? I'll tell you what is hard on kids - the bloody tarmac that they will hit if that not-properly-secured bouncy castle gets lifted by the wind that is forecast this weekend.
mutedrainbows · 24/07/2021 13:29

@SusannahMartin did you read the full thread? Should she be turning a blind eye when it's happening every 2 weeks and the kids are endangered because it's not been properly erected..? And I can't imagine your boss would be too impressed if you couldn't get to work because there's a bouncy castle blocking you in.

sergeilavrov · 24/07/2021 13:29

@SusannahMartin Are you the neighbour? The last 18 months have been hard, but when someone gets dismissed for not showing up to work as their car was blocked in, their children will have it even harder. When someone hits a child with their car and has life altering injuries or worse, life will be even harder. Or is it only the wishes of children with awful parents that matter?

PhilCornwall1 · 24/07/2021 13:29

@SusannahMartin

Oh god, Covid has been so hard on so many kids. Could you not just turn a blind eye? You know the way there is a Mumsnet classics? Is there a Mumsnet party poopers?
How long are people going to try and use this as an excuse?

Covid doesn't entitle people to behave like dicks, well not anymore.

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 24/07/2021 13:30

It's not being a party pooper to need to go to work.

Also it would be a good deal harder on the children to fall from a bouncy castle and die like poor little Summer Grant because it hasn't been anchored down properly due to being set up in an inappropriate place.

GreyhoundG1rl · 24/07/2021 13:32

@SusannahMartin

Oh god, Covid has been so hard on so many kids. Could you not just turn a blind eye? You know the way there is a Mumsnet classics? Is there a Mumsnet party poopers?
Erect the fucking thing in a garden, so... Hmm. The way people usually do?
EmmalineC · 24/07/2021 13:33

The street where DD lives comes to a dead end and her neighbours sometimes block off the end of the street for children's activities.

To be fair to them, the houses are back to back so no gardens whatsoever, and the neighbours with children canvas the entire street before setting up whatever they have planned.

Last weekend it was fake grass and a slip and slide thing which looked really good fun.

I think if you're unlucky enough to live in an inner city with no garden and when the nearest park is a long walk away, this kind of community activity is a good idea. With the emphasis on community - not just one family taking over the entire street for their entertainment.

DD's street was featured on breakfast TV during lockdown for their community spirit.

The scenario described by the OP sounds anything but.

TSSDNCOP · 24/07/2021 13:33

I read Susannah's comment and knew without doubt she was arse up for a kicking.

Grenlei · 24/07/2021 13:35

There are quite a lot of bouncy castle 'companies' round here that are basically a bloke and his mate in a shitty van with a few tatty inflatables and compressors. No insurance of any kind. But they're cheap and will set up anywhere.

My neighbours set up their pool on their driveway, overlapping onto the pavement last year. Water everywhere. I thought that was bad enough but a bouncy castle actually blocking the road is just crazy.

People's level of entitlement never ceases to amaze me.