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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to report my neighbour to his work for having his work van idle on the drive for over an hour every morning?

90 replies

Lifeisthememories · 10/08/2023 08:05

My neighbour starts his work van before 7am every morning and leaves it on the drive idling for over an hour. The environmental impact of that I’m sure is bad and also it’s noisy!
The other morning I took my car for a mot it was idling on the drive when I left and still there when I go back which was nearly 2 hours later!!
I really want to contact his place of work (whose van it is and who pay the fuel bill) and complain, however my husband says I shouldn’t. My neighbour wouldn’t take too kindly to me saying anything direct to him so I wanted to just anonymously report it.

OP posts:
Bananas1350 · 10/08/2023 08:06

Why would he do that? That seems really odd. What a waste. I’m sorry. I’m a light sleeper and that would annoy me as well.

Thehop · 10/08/2023 08:06

Why on earth is he doing it?

my mind is boggling

Original poster
Lifeisthememories · 10/08/2023 08:08

I have no idea! Seems really strange to me as well, it’s not like it’s winter and he needs to get ice off or anything and he’s not sitting in it

OP posts:
LongStoryLong · 10/08/2023 08:09

So many people around here do that in the winter. They leave their cars running on the driveway until all the ice has melted off the windscreen. Whatever happened to ice scrapers? Or covering your windscreen at night? And how do they afford the fuel?! Drives me insane, and if I had someone I could report them to, I would.

onefinemess · 10/08/2023 08:11

You have no idea why he is doing that. So it's a bit ridiculous for you to suggest he us doing something wrong. Modern vehicles are the cleanest they have ever been. Are you seriously suggesting that a little car engine idling on someone's driveway is going to kill all the Polar Bears? Christ, don't ever set foot near the Drax Power station, your head would explode with the stuff coming out of that place.

cocoloco117 · 10/08/2023 08:12

Probably the best thing to do would be to speak to him directly first and ask him why he does it/ask him to stop. Then report to employer if he doesn’t stop. Unless he’s a difficult person in which case go straight to employer. A lot of selfish twats doing this at school pick up, in the supermarket car park, running the engine with the a/c on “because it’s hot”. Why not get out of the fucking greenhouse of a car then, it’s cooler outside, or find some shade? Same in winter with the heater on.

cansu · 10/08/2023 08:14

Surely better to ask him first. If you just report him he will know it us you anyway plus he is likely to just say you are exaggerating.

Original poster
Lifeisthememories · 10/08/2023 08:15

He is difficult, we have had issues with anger from him in the past and I know the other neighbour has too so was a bit scared to ask him directly 😬

OP posts:
PrinceHaz · 10/08/2023 08:15

The only issue for you really is the consistent early morning noise which is affecting your sleep. If you could politely ask him not to run the engine so early, I would do that. If he refuses and you know an employer is paying the fuel bill, it might not hurt to contact them. If the noise is intolerable, you could try your local council. Keep a 2 week diary of the noise impact. They might then write to him about it.

EmeraldDuck · 10/08/2023 08:16

It’s illegal and a criminal traffic offence, I’d be tempted to take a video and report him to the police. I doubt his employer will care.

The worry is where you live and is clearly a wanker and might key your carnin revenge or similar.l so makensure he doesn’t know who reported him.

OnlineExxxcitement · 10/08/2023 08:16

This sounds awful.

Sammysquiz · 10/08/2023 08:18

onefinemess · 10/08/2023 08:11

You have no idea why he is doing that. So it's a bit ridiculous for you to suggest he us doing something wrong. Modern vehicles are the cleanest they have ever been. Are you seriously suggesting that a little car engine idling on someone's driveway is going to kill all the Polar Bears? Christ, don't ever set foot near the Drax Power station, your head would explode with the stuff coming out of that place.

Are you seriously suggesting that a little car engine idling on someone's driveway is going to kill all the Polar Bears?

OP didn’t suggest anything of the sort, and you have no idea how “modern” the van is.

OP - the noise must be really annoying. Why do you say he wouldn’t take kindly to you mentioning it to him? Have you had previous run-ins?

Sammysquiz · 10/08/2023 08:19

EmeraldDuck · 10/08/2023 08:16

It’s illegal and a criminal traffic offence, I’d be tempted to take a video and report him to the police. I doubt his employer will care.

The worry is where you live and is clearly a wanker and might key your carnin revenge or similar.l so makensure he doesn’t know who reported him.

It’s not illegal as he’s on his drive. It’s only illegal to do it on a public road.

Duchessofspace · 10/08/2023 08:20

EmeraldDuck · 10/08/2023 08:16

It’s illegal and a criminal traffic offence, I’d be tempted to take a video and report him to the police. I doubt his employer will care.

The worry is where you live and is clearly a wanker and might key your carnin revenge or similar.l so makensure he doesn’t know who reported him.

report Him daily to the police for a traffic offence - ring doorbell would do the job for you - upload the footage every single day

MikeRafone · 10/08/2023 08:22

onefinemess · 10/08/2023 08:11

You have no idea why he is doing that. So it's a bit ridiculous for you to suggest he us doing something wrong. Modern vehicles are the cleanest they have ever been. Are you seriously suggesting that a little car engine idling on someone's driveway is going to kill all the Polar Bears? Christ, don't ever set foot near the Drax Power station, your head would explode with the stuff coming out of that place.

Its the impact on health that the idling will affect

There was a woman locally lived in a flat above a mechanical garage. When she visit her gp the nurse did a test to see if she smoked - the lady didn't smoke but the outcome of the breath test had very nigh chemicals as if she smoked 40-60 a day. This was due to where she lived, above a garage with idling vehicles.

Its hardly ridiculous to say this person is doing something wrong, they are emitting dangerous chemicals into the air. Councils put out facts like this: Fact - An idling engine can produce up to twice as many exhaust emissions as an engine in motion. An idling car can fill up to 150 balloons with harmful emissions every minute. Switching off your engine can go a long way to improving air quality.

Even the RAC put out information like this https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emissions/idling/

To try and prevent people leaving their cars like this, which will affect everyone around them.

Engine idling - why it's so harmful and what's being done | RAC Drive

The Government is working to address air pollution, but what be done to help? We take a look at why idling is so bad for the environment.

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/emissions/idling

SheRaaaaa · 10/08/2023 08:23

onefinemess · 10/08/2023 08:11

You have no idea why he is doing that. So it's a bit ridiculous for you to suggest he us doing something wrong. Modern vehicles are the cleanest they have ever been. Are you seriously suggesting that a little car engine idling on someone's driveway is going to kill all the Polar Bears? Christ, don't ever set foot near the Drax Power station, your head would explode with the stuff coming out of that place.

What possible reason could there be, that is a good reason for doing this?

I thought letting an engine idle like this was illegal so wind your neck in and grow up. Stop being against against op for the sake of it.

PollyPut · 10/08/2023 08:23

Two issues for OP - the noise in the morning and what it is pumping out into the air for an hour every day next to where OP lives.

Only possible reason I can think of is that the neighbour is running down the fuel levels so when they report petrol to work, they think he has done more hours/driving than he actually has and so gets paid for extra time. I can't think of any other reason at all.

If it is that, then he's not likely to take kindly to OP asking him to stop. Council anti-social behaviour team should be able to help

CapEBarra · 10/08/2023 08:25

Might he be charging tools or equipment in the van and that why he needs the engine on? Similar to charging an iPhone in the car?

WhaleSharkBootySweat · 10/08/2023 08:29

I would. That's awful.

DingDongDenny · 10/08/2023 08:38

I would report anonymously. Say you walk your dog past every morning and the engine is idling

beetr00 · 10/08/2023 08:38

@Lifeisthememories fyi, most councils have a department to whom you can report engine idling.

for example; www.basingstoke.gov.uk/report-engine-idling

oakleaffy · 10/08/2023 08:39

The noise , vibration and smell of an idling engine can be almost nauseating. He sounds awful.

Redavocadoes · 10/08/2023 08:41

I'd report to to his employer, after all their van is at risk of being stolen and the nuisance puts the company in a bad light.

I don't even understand why he would do that, unless it's snowing where you are.

clpsmum · 10/08/2023 08:43

Report him to the police

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