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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Woken by neighbour's motorbike 3.30am each morning

131 replies

Moonshinestarlight · 25/10/2023 04:45

I'm not sure if there is a solution to this but it is killing me. In the past month or so neighbour has been leaving home at 3.30am every morning- presumably for work. They leave on a motorbike that is waking me. I have to get up at 5am and just cannot get back to sleep so it means I'm starting my day at 3.30am every single morning. I am exhausted and it's affecting me mentally and emotionally. I tried wearing earplugs but need to be able to hear my children in case they need me in the night so that's not an option. Nor is moving to a different bedroom.

I will try speak to my neighbour but not sure what they'll say as understandly they need to leave at that time. It's just the motorbike is so loud and it's having a significantly detrimental impact on me. I just want to cry.

Anyone have any advice?

OP posts:
BusterGonad · 25/10/2023 09:27

Honeychickpea · 25/10/2023 09:09

Most likely because they can't afford a car.

Show quote history

Get a motorbike that isn't so noisy. The choice isn't car or noisy bike.

Imperfect10 · 25/10/2023 09:31

I love that for his neighbours convenience he should just pop out and get a different job....or ask his manager for a different shift...that'll go down well!!

Or just go off and buy another bike.....

people who work 3.30 am shifts are not usually earning oodles of cash!!!

Definitely speak with him if that's a friendly option, and look for solutions for you too.

sorry it must be very frustrating and so awful to be eternally tired

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 25/10/2023 09:33

hattie43 · 25/10/2023 09:12

Why are people bending over backwards suggesting it's up to OP to find her own solution. This bike is waking up the neighbourhood at an unsocial hour . It's up to this bike owner to realise social norms and responsibilities. Don't do it . It's not fair . Anti social behaviour including noise are the scourge of modern society and with everyone living on top of each other it leads to fall outs , bad relationships and in some cases violence.
Sleep is a human necessity for health and well-being .
The person needs to find quieter transport , work closer to home so he cycles or walks , move to a shift or job that doesn't mean waking his neighbours every bloody morning .

Change his job 😂

MatthewsMumFromTikTok · 25/10/2023 09:34

I often work nights....is everyone going to be quiet so I can sleep??

No....and I don't expect it either

Bingbangbollox · 25/10/2023 09:36

speak to the neighbour and see if they can suggest any ways to reduce the noise, but also see if you can get your local traffic cops to do a check on the bike - there’s a legal limit to how loud the exhaust can be but lots of people remove the mufflers for a more aggressive sound. Some people argue that the sound keeps them safer because drivers can hear them coming, but it’s massively antisocial IMO.

I have a pretty powerful bike but it purrs rather than roars.

PoachedEggSandwich · 25/10/2023 09:36

hattie43 · 25/10/2023 09:12

Why are people bending over backwards suggesting it's up to OP to find her own solution. This bike is waking up the neighbourhood at an unsocial hour . It's up to this bike owner to realise social norms and responsibilities. Don't do it . It's not fair . Anti social behaviour including noise are the scourge of modern society and with everyone living on top of each other it leads to fall outs , bad relationships and in some cases violence.
Sleep is a human necessity for health and well-being .
The person needs to find quieter transport , work closer to home so he cycles or walks , move to a shift or job that doesn't mean waking his neighbours every bloody morning .

Thanks for the laugh, I needed it this morning

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 25/10/2023 09:37

kokotheguerilla · 25/10/2023 06:13

I sympathise OP because I’m also the kind of person who can’t get back to sleep if disturbed. However, I leave for work at 5:30 and in the winter I have to leave the car engine running for a couple of minutes to clear the inside front windscreen. Not much I can do other than be as quiet as I can with the car door.

You could use a cloth for the inside and a scraper for the outside?

@Moonshinestarlight How old are your kids? If they're not babies then realistically wouldn't they come and get you if there's a problem?

Or go and speak to the neighbour and ask him if he'd wheel his bike to the street before starting it? Or somewhere a bit further away? Go to bed an hour earlier? Train yourself to go back to sleep?

marblemad · 25/10/2023 09:39

There are significant noise pollution restrictions in the uk between 11 and 7 over night and even earlier at the weekend. I am not sure why some people are being rude here when your neighbour is clearly in the wrong if it is impeding on your right to quiet enjoyment of your own home. I would start logging the noise with a ring camera or something and put it through to your council as it isn't acceptable at 3.30am to be starting up a motorbike. Like others have said he will either need to get a muffler or switch to a car.

belgiumchocolates · 25/10/2023 09:41

Agree with PP advising the problem is that OP can't back back to sleep so strategies suggested to overcome this are the way forward.

Assuming that neighbour is starting the motor bike and setting off in a normal way I would feel ridiculous approaching them about it but if you feel you can then go for it.

I knew someone with a motorbike who had a particular exhaust fitted to make more noise. When I asked why they said it was so when they revved the engine at traffic lights people would look at him and be impressed🤔

sashh · 25/10/2023 09:43

I agree with the getting back to sleep.

Also when you go to bed tell yourself there will be motorbike noise at 3.30 and you don't need to wake up.

I moved from a very quiet st in Oxford to London not realising there was a bus depot around the corner.

The first morning I kept waking up every 10 mins as the busses went down the road.

Within a couple of days I slept through.

TroysMammy · 25/10/2023 09:44

Earplugs aren't always the answer. I have hearing loss and if I wore earplugs because of loud noises then I wouldn't hear my alarm clock to wake me up for work.

I don't know what the answer is sorry but it must be annoying.

PoachedEggSandwich · 25/10/2023 09:46

your neighbour is clearly in the wrong if it is impeding on your right to quiet enjoyment of your own home
Where did you get that nugget of info from?
Plenty of people putting up with actual ASB and getting nowhere/no help, could do with this wisdom

MrsMoastyToasty · 25/10/2023 09:46

Have any of you tried pushing a motorcycle? The larger ones have an engine size not dissimilar to a small car.
DH used to ride a motorcycle to work, leaving around 4am and so the engine was started on our own driveway.
I would listen for it turning out of the cul de sac and think "there he is, safely on his way " . The positive thinking made me able to turn over and go back to sleep.

Anyway, if the rest of the population want food on the supermarket shelves/power to their homes/whatever, then another part of the population has to be up and out in the wee small hours.

duchiebun · 25/10/2023 09:50

The person needs to find quieter transport , work closer to home so he cycles or walks , move to a shift or job that doesn't mean waking his neighbours every bloody morning .

🤔I thought MNs posters were meant to be educated?!

1990thatsme · 25/10/2023 09:50

Assuming the motorcycle is making a regular amount of noise, YABU.

You will have to use earplugs or train yourself to get back to sleep.

You live with neighbours, in a society that requires people to get up and start working very early for all kinds of purposes. Dealing with resulting noise is part and parcel of that.

hattie43 · 25/10/2023 09:54

duchiebun · 25/10/2023 09:50

The person needs to find quieter transport , work closer to home so he cycles or walks , move to a shift or job that doesn't mean waking his neighbours every bloody morning .

🤔I thought MNs posters were meant to be educated?!

Nothing to do with education but more to do with care of and respect for others.

Probably the difference between living on some rough sink estate where no-one gives a shit about anyone else and a nice estate where people do .

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 25/10/2023 09:57

Change his job 🤣

talk about entitled behaviour

OP - I get it. I sleep late into the morning because I work until late into the evening and don't sleep early. I get woken up by people going out etc. You have to find ways to switch back off. Some great suggestions here like white noise.

ManateeFair · 25/10/2023 09:59

BusterGonad · 25/10/2023 04:58

Why would anyone have a loud motorbike when they work early mornings? What a selfish prick.

Because a motorbike is a perfectly valid form of transport and is the most practical and affordable option for them, and lots of cars are also loud anyway?

I sympathise with the OP if she's sensitive to noise at night but I don't think the neighbour is doing anything wrong. People are entitled to use any kind of motor vehicle whenever they need to.

Zebedee999 · 25/10/2023 10:05

Had the same issue years ago. It was easily solved after a chat as the young lad took to pushing the bike 100 yards up the road to where it was a main road and starting it there. He was happy to do so. Life is about compromising and he did.

Skyisbluegrassisgreen · 25/10/2023 10:06

I’m assuming other people live down the road so why is it ok to wake them instead?!

MrsSkylerWhite · 25/10/2023 10:07

shellyleppard · Today 06:31
**
Can they not roll it round the corner/away from house before starting it up”

So waking other people up, round the corner …….

Purplebunnie · 25/10/2023 10:09

MinnieL · 25/10/2023 04:53

Realistically, what would you like your neighbour to do if their motorbike is their mode of transport? Push it down the road, round the corner and when they’ve got the all clear finally start the engine? It’d be U for you to even talk to them about it imo.

How old are your children? I’d suggest wearing ear plugs and getting the children to come to your room and shake you gently to wake you up if the need anything. Or if they’re little, I’d be putting ear plugs in around 3am so that I know I’m covered for two hours. Doubt that will work though if you can’t go back to sleep from 3:30

DD's boyfriend when he lived with us had a somewhat later start - around 6:30 - 7:00 but he used to push his motorbike up the road before starting it as there are small children opposite. It's not unreasonable. Consideration for others is what is missing from life today I find

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 25/10/2023 10:10

Plenty of people don't live on an estate with homes on every side you know? And as OP hasn't offered any info on where she lives or the size of the bike, people are offering ideas based on what they know? Confused

Where I used to live the lad next door had a bike. He'd wheel it to the end of the street before haring off in the morning.

duchiebun · 25/10/2023 10:14

Nothing to do with education but more to do with care of and respect for others
Probably the difference between living on some rough sink estate where no-one gives a shit about anyone else and a nice estate where people do

The irony! I replied to a post suggested he should get another job 😆😆