Roofers using bad language

[27Maisie27]

I feel like I’m being silly but I’ve just been in the garden, hanging out washing and the two roofers, working on a neighbour’s house, are talking to each other loudly, using the words fuck, cunt, wanker, areshole, bollocks etc

They are working for the council - if I report them, will I be identified and face repercussions? Or shall I ignore it, it’s only for a few days?

I live in a quiet area with several elderly residents and people with young children, and I am finding it offensive, and I’m sure I’m not alone. It’s a lovely day here (north west) and I am reluctant to spend any time outside because of this.

Christ, I sound like a wet lettuce!

You should have heard the teenagers smoking weed down the road from me at 11pm last night....bet they would have made the roofers blush!
Leave them to it, they are only words after all.

I'd talk directly to them but if they looked dodgy I'd report them.

I did complain to the council once about staff at the tip as they were swearing and shouting across the cars at each other.

Oddly our roofer described himself as looking like a meth head which made me laugh, I thought they looked like pirates.

According to them it's scaffolders who are the worst, the pirate roofers were lovely.

I do think you're being a bit silly and can suck it up. It's only words and it's not exactly sunbathing weather so I'm sure you'll cope with not being in the garden all day if you truly can't cope or wear headphones or whatever. You don't have to take on the offence for all the neighbourhood, they can manage that themselves and may be more tolerant than you are even if they are older or younger. Honestly if I were a roofer, I might well end up swearing more to get through the day.

Jesus, you DO sound like a wet lettuce. Have you never heard anyone swear before? Unclench, and go about your day.

I wouldn't report them but would have no hesitation in calling out 'Hey guys, mind yer language there are young children here!'

I think most men would desist.

Yes, go and talk to them, OP. Tell them there’s a gaggle of weeping OAPs and puzzled small children sitting below them on the lawn as they throw around roof tiles and ‘bollockses’.

Rather than creating imaginary scenarios where the local under-tens have their vocabulary expanded, tell them you’d like them to stop.

Just ask them to tone down their 'fruity' language nicely. Done it on numerous occasions, as I worked on sites and if you ask nicely 99% of the time they'll respond positively.

How would you feel if the teachers in school spoke like this whilst in the playground?

I wouldn't report it. The elderly will be fine and young children have to be taught the words not to say at some stage.

If it bothered me, I would go and ask them to tone down the language. Depending on their response I would escalate or not.

I’m not lying, I do have a 4yo daughter who loves yelling swear words at the top of her angelic voice.

Anyway, situation resolved for now, after an irate woman (not me) yelled at them to stop swearing, please, they were turning the air blue. And they did. Now I have the pleasant burble of Smooth Radio instead of a background of noisy swearing.

I had no intention of trying to get them sacked, for those of you jumping to that conclusion. I maybe a wet lettuce but I’m not a Karen (although I don’t really know what that means, other than it’s an insult).

Listening to a group of men being sweary can be intimidating for some people. It’s not being a ‘wet lettuce’ to not want to approach them. Mocking women who do feel intimidated isn’t a good look.

I can't get het up about this. You must live in a more idyllic place than me to be so affected by hearing swear words.

If it was a new next door neighbour who just moved in and you'd be listening to them everyday forever I could MAYBE sympathise but they'll soon be on their way.

My kids when little would hear swearing on the bus, in the street, etc. They quickly understood which words they were not allowed to use.

I had this with some workmen doing water work outside my house, I simply asked them to watch their language as there were young kids around. They apologised and that was that.

Just say excuse me but there are people around who'd rather not hear swearing.N9 big deal.

As these teachers would presumably be in the midst of a bunch of young children to whom they have a duty of care, do you not think it’s a teensy bit different to a bunch of workmen high up on the roof of a house chucking slates around without any children present?

Just let it go, they are not harming anyone, maybe that's how they get through it.
That's not the type of language I use but it's really not a big deal.

Your neighbour did the right thing

She told them to stop swearing

I mean that's all you have to do

And they have now stopped

Simple really

Contacting the council was a ridiculous response

You are a wet lettuce 😂😂

Just ignore it.

The responses on this thread are batshit...

To those who suggest the OP should 'get over herself':

• would you be happy for the staff in a restaurant, shops or bank to swear loudly around you and your kids? would you be happy for your GP or a nurse to be effing and blinding while you wait to be seen? are you happy for your kids' teacher to swear all day?

• is your employer happy for you to routinely swear loudly in front of clients or the general public?

The roofers are doing a job and I assume their employer has a code of conduct for staff.

The OP is perfectly right not to want to have to listen to this on repeat and these guys should know better.

Report to the employer OP.

I think OP you need to

grow a backbone

Stop being a wet fish

Stop being so pathetic

Stop being a doormat

And as we tell our children 'use your words' in future

Christ, what has happened to society when the only two things that enters a person's head, is to report or ignore?

Have people really lost the ability to politely speak to someone face to face?

It might be due to so much texting/posting on forums etc...I don't know, but it's sad that basic, polite verbal communication seems to be the last thing on some people's minds.

Speaking to them direct is the best option (and has worked apparently). However, as an ex local authority manager, I can't imagine any situation where staff or contractors reported for swearing would be sacked (unless they were already on a final written warning for similar conduct).

What's that got to do with anything? I'm fine with my DH taking his pants off in the bedroom, but I wouldn't be fine with the teachers doing it in the playground. There's such a thing as context.

Just ignore it. Go back in your house, or stay in the garden and accept that you can't control what comes out of other people's mouths.

You're finding it offensive, however nobody dies when you take offense, it doesn't matter, they only one stressing is you, so accept that people are autonomous and they can do and say what they like.

To report them? well that's taking it a bit far.