To not vacuum neighbour's car

[TheUnexpectedPickle]

I really don't think IABU but juuuuust in case...

Off work today, doing a few jobs. Decided to vacuum and clean inside of my car (which turned out to be a bigger job than I thought as I've not done it since I got the car in September 😬)

Upstairs neighbour went out as I was starting and came back as I was topping up screen wash. Said "you're doing a great job, are you ok to do mine next". I laughed, standard (not that funny but common) joke right?

Wrong. She was serious. I said I don't have time to do another car now. She asked if I can do it tomorrow as she doesn't have a hand held vacuum. I said she is welcome to borrow mind (a stick shark) but I'm back at work tomorrow. She kind of huffed and said she thought I "might like to be neighbourly" and went in.

I mean... wtf!? I've never cleaned a neighbours car. I might do DPs if he was here but only cos he'd do mine if he was doing his.

BUT

1. I've moved to a smaller town from London and obviously the vibe is a bit different, people are more friendly etc.

1. Neighbour already is suspicious of me, she had a bee in her bonnet about me not going round to introduce myself when I moved in and once we had spoken I heard her telling her husband she didn't believe me about my job and wanted to call my employer to confirm I worked for them! (She has also speculated that my baby nephew was my baby who didn't live with me and thought he'd been taken away from me, but that's another thread)

So... should I have given her car a once-over to keep the peace or should I just avoid her and her batshittery?

say*

@KormasABitch

I think it's fair. As long as she washes your knickers.

I'll wash your knickers if you'll clean my car!!

YABVU and when you’ve finished hers you can come and do mine 🤣 lol.
Seriously, she’s a cheeky devil!

@NormanStrangerson yes I think that's it. My DSis recognised her when I moved in and she manages a popular shop in town near the gym and she is a frequent customer. Apparently she is on the snooty side. BIL used to work for security in the same shopping centre and wasn't a fan either.

I'm aware that having described it as a medium sized town and not a village, I'm now revealing that DSis and BIL recognised her but they know a lot of the locals by sight due to their jobs!

I don't think I'd like anyone hoovering my car, who knows what they'd find

My parents became really good friends with their neighbours, they regularly have joint garden parties (or did before, well you know) and do each other favours. But I don't think cleaning each others' cars would be even on their radar!

Next time you see her doing something (gardening, hanging up washing etc) you should repeat her words back to her and see what she does

That post is terrible English... Dsis is a shop manager, weird neighbour is a regular customer.

@squishymama it was absolute filth, with some weird shit shoved down by my niece's car seat including a stick, a gold pipe cleaner and a green rubber poo.

Actually, maybe she's had a nose in my car and seen the car seat and that's piqued her interest in my "removed kids"... I did childcare whenever I was off work for DSis and BIL before DN started full time nursery and got my own car seat to save the faff of taking it in and out.

YANBU

Some older people (not all; I am in that category) seem to think that their years and status give them the privilege of lording over younger people.
I once offended the vicar by assuming jolly banter when he was being serious. I was cleaning out my car when he arrived over the road, where the churchwarden lived. He cheerily called out that, when I had finished, I could do his car for him. I assumed this was said in jest, and only realised he was quite serious when he started huffing and tutting when I cheerily asked what he would pay me.
I then compounded the felony by quoting Holy Scripture at him, viz. "The labourer is worthy of his hire".......

Do not engage, I repeat do not engage!

She sounds mental! Her poor husband

Neighbourly to me is things like taking in parcels and putting the bins out when next door is on holiday - with the implicit assumption that this arrangement is reciprocal.

Neighbourly is not asking someone to clean your car for you. I mean - if you love cleaning cars, and you offered, and they said oh no I couldn’t possibly let you do that and you said, no, really, I’d be happy to, that would be different. But if I were on the receiving end of such an offer, I would then be looking out for something I could do for them, or perhaps buying them a gift.

@chunderwunder

You and your crazy cosmopolitan London ways, OP. It's totally normal to hoover your neighbours' cars out in the sticks. I did six today.

Laughed out loud at this

She is insane.

I can hear my neighbour getting her brains screwed out by her boyfriend..might ask if he can do me too..is that neighbourly

You are very definitely NOT being unreasonable!

I’m sorry but since when did this CF get to allocate her shit hoovering chores to you and get in a huff when you refuse to play the role of valet?!

I'd be telling her to fuck off before I report her for harassment. Ringing your employer is stalker level crazy.

Cat is a Londoner though and just sits and hisses.

I love your cat with attitude!

Jaysus I live on probably the nicest street in the UK. We swap food, look after cat/gerbils/mice and a snake when people go on holiday. Theres a rota for the really lovely neighbour who needs to go shopping or whatever but cant leave because the other half cannot be left alone cos alzheimer's, we water plants, we give lifts places, we shop for the 98 year old and take her to drs or podiatrist etc. We cut grass for others, we really are a lovely street, but no one in the last 24 years has hoovered out someone else's car. That's just too far.

@SarahBop don't ask, don't get!

@chunderwunder

You and your crazy cosmopolitan London ways, OP. It's totally normal to hoover your neighbours' cars out in the sticks. I did six today.

Brilliant 😂😂😂

@pleasedonttextmyman

😂 she is crazy.

That said, once you finish her car, any chance you can do mine too please? Us being on MN together and all. Thanks!

Another brilliant comment 👏

Loving the replies here!

Very strange, my neighbours mum and I help each other out, tho we are great friends.
There the difference

She's absolutely batshit - the car was bad enough but it just got worse!

Congressdingo I want to move to your street it sounds just lovely