Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To allow my kids to scooter in the shared flats driveway

101 replies

User5827372728 · 28/07/2021 19:44

12 flats, one shared driveway, electric gate at the end onto the main road. Cars parked on one side of the driveway.

Is it unreasonable to allow my kids to use this driveway to scooter about 30 min a day? It means they are scootering passed someone’s lounge and kitchen and another flats bedroom. It’s usually around 5pm.

One neighbour ( penthouse) isn’t impressed.

OP posts:
HerrenaHarridan · 28/07/2021 21:17

If we cant always get what we want in communal spaces why does this one neighbour get to stop two children enjoying their home?

Kids deserve proper space to play outside.
If they don’t have one then they are still as entitled to use the space that there is as any other resident

They aren’t less important because they are small

They should be given as much opportunity to exercise as is possible.

Restricting their heathy growth to appease a grumpy neighbour is bullshit.

And no... your car isn’t more entitled to space than the bairns either!

SmallPrawnEnergy · 28/07/2021 21:18

Ableism at its finest.
Has OP stated she or the children are disabled? I couldn’t see that in any of the posts?

LST · 28/07/2021 21:19

@SmallPrawnEnergy

Ableism at its finest. Has OP stated she or the children are disabled? I couldn’t see that in any of the posts?
No. But she hasn't said she isn't either.
JennysMiddleFinger · 28/07/2021 21:20

But why does one neighbour get to decide how the communal space is used - it's a communal drive and carpark!

nocoolnamesleft · 28/07/2021 21:22

Can you afford to pay for the damages when they inevitably run into a car?

NonagonInfinityOpensTheDoor · 28/07/2021 21:25

Kids deserve proper space to play outside.
If they don’t have one then they are still as entitled to use the space that there is as any other resident.
And no... your car isn’t more entitled to space than the bairns either!
You might have a point if this wasn’t a driveway where the kids are playing. If people were parking on the grass they should be a shared use outdoor area or paved patio intended for recreational activities then of course they have a right to scoot until they can’t scoot no more, however a driveway is technically defined as a road, and primarily used for vehicles to access the flats and park. Regardless of upsetting the neighbours with noise it could be dangerous. Kids DO deserve outside space which is why public parks and recreational areas exist.

SmallPrawnEnergy · 28/07/2021 21:27

No. But she hasn't said she isn't either.
So you’re calling others ableist for working on the information OP HAS provided. Ok.
For all you know complaining neighbour could be disabled and noise sensitive, but you know the saying about assuming things…

LST · 28/07/2021 21:35

@SmallPrawnEnergy

No. But she hasn't said she isn't either. So you’re calling others ableist for working on the information OP HAS provided. Ok. For all you know complaining neighbour could be disabled and noise sensitive, but you know the saying about assuming things…
It's just the cries for take them the park. It's not as easy as that for some. And why should the op have to when they are doing nothing wrong and are supervised. They are kids.
WhatAWasteOfOranges · 28/07/2021 21:35

Some people who don’t have young kids in flats just won’t understand. Let them be kids and scoot around…

MrsSkylerWhite · 28/07/2021 21:38

Can’t you just stay at the park a bit longer? Car parks/drives aren’t playgrounds.

Babyfg · 28/07/2021 21:38

Oh god some people are miserable. We lived in a two bed flat and let our two kids play in the communal area that was used as a car park. Never once did my two ever hit a car. We weren't bothered when other people let there kids play there either.

Screw the misery in the penthouse and take chalk out with you next time. Easy to say take them to the park etc but not always easily done. Especially for a 30 minute play. Tell him to shut his windows 🙄

As for risk there's probably more risk letting kids play on the pavement outside their homes. And I sure you supervise the quite adequately.

If they are that bothered about children playing they should move to a outhouse in the middle of nowhere with no neighbours.

PersonaNonGarter · 28/07/2021 21:41

YANBU. I would definitely do this.

It’s is your space too.

HerrenaHarridan · 28/07/2021 21:43

If you had ever had to take your kids to the park in order for them to be ‘allowed’ to exist outside maybe you would have some empathy

Lots of flats have big areas for parking and fuck all for kids... if a driveway is what there is then that’s where they are going to play

Neighbours can suck lemons if they don’t like it and be grateful they’re scootering and not burning cars

Paquerette · 28/07/2021 21:47

YABU. It’s a driveway so meant for cars, not children on scooters. There seems to be a sudden massive increase in idiots taking their kids to ride bikes/scooters in car parks. It’s a pretty obvious risk of very possible harm to both their kids and to cars too. I really can’t think of a worse place to take a child to scooter/ride a bike.

Yahtze · 28/07/2021 21:49

It's fine. It's your drive too. Unless you are part of a home owners association type thing with a by-law preventing it. Kids scoot past cars parked on the road in every single city. It's a non-issue.

JaniceBattersby · 28/07/2021 21:57

I’m genuinely shocked by the miserable attitude toward kids that’s emerged on MN in the past couple of years. Some kids scooting outside for half an hour is hardly likely to destroy someone’s enjoyment of their own home, and if they let it then I think they probably ought to have a rethink about priorities.

So what if some kids see you sitting in the lounge watching telly? What’s going to happen? Nothing.

When I was little we used to be able to ride our bikes round the streets because there were very few cars and the streets were lovely and wide. Where on earth are kids expected to scoot or ride nowadays?

Riding on grass when you have little legs is really difficult and skate parks are usually populated by noisier teens who are often swearing or smoking (fine, it’s their space to do so if they really want to).

We do not live on our own little silent islands with the right to a clear view and silence. We have to coexist.

And honestly, I’d rather the kids in my street were out scooting around than sitting in a little flat. If my car gets dinked then I’m honestly not that bothered. It’s just a car. Kids are more important.

HeddaGarbled · 28/07/2021 22:00

But why does one neighbour get to decide how the communal space is used if the other 11 are fine with it?

They probably aren’t. They’re likely doing that English thing of moaning about you behind your back but not saying anything to your face.

nonotmenotI · 28/07/2021 22:01

It's fine op, it's your drive too.

Some people are just miserable. Ignore.

CandyLeBonBon · 28/07/2021 22:08

As long as they are supervised and safe, I really can't see the issue. I say this as the neighbour of a family who have two DD's of a similar age who spend ALL DAY screaming (proper, hammer house of horror blood curdling screams) at each other whilst I wfh, along with a dog that barks every time it goes outside. Which is a lot, in the summer.

30 mins of supervised scootering would barely register right now!

Whammyyammy · 28/07/2021 22:09

Its a driveway not a scooter park. Id be gerund annoyed too

Zippyzoppy · 28/07/2021 22:14

I think if it's genuinely just 30 minutes, at 5pm, then that is reasonable if you're out there supervising them and they don't cause damage. Agree with PP that I might try and smooth with the ground floor flat over noise, but that people in the penthouse can do one.

AudacityBaby · 28/07/2021 22:22

I’d say fine as long as:
a) they’re not staring into anyone’s houses - my neighbours’ children scoot outside my study window when I’m wfh and stare in at me, and it drives me mad
b) you’re prepared to pay for damage (and not tell your neighbour to fuck off, like parents of aforementioned children did when I pointed out they’d damaged my property with the scooting.

user1471538283 · 28/07/2021 22:32

This wouldnt bother me and I find noise upsetting. But children need to play and it's not for long. Are they worried about safety or their cars?

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 28/07/2021 22:45

Yabu and I say this a a person who has to put up with annoying kids in the Neighbourhood coming into my drive to scooter and play football. It’s annoying I hate it and it’s a place for cars your soon be moaning and blaming me when I accidentally run over your kid! It’s for cars not for playing. It’s as bad as parents who allow their kids to play in the road. Take them to a park.

Lou98 · 28/07/2021 22:46

Having recently had my car damaged by a child on their scooter I'm going with yabu- their parent didn't pay so I was out of pocket.

At 3&5 I really don't think they can be trusted playing on scooters next to cars, regardless of if you're there or not, it takes a second for them to accidentally do damage. Are you willing to pay for that if/when it happens? Not even just the cost to the owner but also the inconvenience of having to get it fixed.

You've also said it's only for half an hour after you've been at the park/out for 5 hours. If you've been out that long and is only while you make dinner, is there not an indoors activity you could do with them? Sorry but a driveway is for cars, not kids to play.

And yes, I have lived in a flat, I get it's not ideal not having a garden but I don't really think it's fair on the neighbours with the cars out there or the ones who's windows they're playing right outside

Also agree with PP that you only seem to be agreeing with/taking on board the people who agree with you and ignoring the ones who don't, so why post?

Swipe left for the next trending thread