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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neighbours sat in car for hours on end with engine running. It this weird

304 replies

greenishredblue · 24/05/2025 08:00

Names changed as could be outing

we got some new neighbours across from us about 6 months ago. A man and a women. I was talking to another neighbour and she asked if I had noticed they sit in their car for hours on end with the engine on. Now I had noticed them a few times sat in the car but though nothing if it. The car is parked outside this neighbours house a lot.

Now the neighbour has said to me DH and I have been more aware of it, especially with doing lots of work in the garden. And the fumes from the car as well have been more noticeable since we have been outside a lot. Neighbour is a bit nearer so has noticed them doing it during the day and at night as well. Usually between midnight and 6am.

Basically they sit in the car sometimes it’s the man, sometimes the women, sometimes both. The engine is running all the time (yesterday it was about 7 hours). They seem to be always on their phones and then one of them will get out go in the house and then come back out again into the car. Sometimes they will just get out of the car, walk round it and get back in.

yesterday the other neighbours husband went out and asked them to turn the engine off as his son has asthma and the car is right outside his window and was told very forcefully to mind his own fucking business.

now if it was not for the engine being on all the time I probably would just shrug and think “each to there own”. But this is very strange is it not?

OP posts:
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6
MyOliveHelper · 24/05/2025 08:01

Sounds like they have a tense house and use the car to escape it.

greenishredblue · 24/05/2025 08:02

They are there now in the car. I looked out at 3am and they were there then so don’t know if it’s been all the time or not. Was not there at midnight when I went to bed

OP posts:
greenishredblue · 24/05/2025 08:03

I was maybe say a tense house but they are a couple on their own and most times they sit in the car together

OP posts:
Blackcordoroys · 24/05/2025 08:03

Very weird indeed. I would hate this, the noise of an engine idling sets my teeth on edge

Communitywebbing · 24/05/2025 08:05

Very strange and very unneighbourly. But if they won’t talk to you about it I’m not sure what you can do.

MyOliveHelper · 24/05/2025 08:05

greenishredblue · 24/05/2025 08:03

I was maybe say a tense house but they are a couple on their own and most times they sit in the car together

Edited

They coukd be chatting about their problems or escaping someone inside the house.

dudsville · 24/05/2025 08:05

That's very weird. It's just the two of them in the house?

crumblingschools · 24/05/2025 08:05

It’s against the Highway Code to do this

Itsawildridealright · 24/05/2025 08:06

It's actually illegal isn't it? Having your engine running while parked. You could report 🤷‍♀️

holidayinuk · 24/05/2025 08:06

Is the car on a road or in their driveway? Idling on a road is illegal…

Koalafan · 24/05/2025 08:06

MyOliveHelper · 24/05/2025 08:05

They coukd be chatting about their problems or escaping someone inside the house.

The reasons are irrelevant if they're causing a nuisance.

MidnightPatrol · 24/05/2025 08:06

In my area the council fill fine you for idling because of the pollution.

So report them.

GinAndJuice99 · 24/05/2025 08:07

People like this don't give a shit about anyone else so there's no point speaking to them. You can usually report it on the council's website but I'd be surprised if anything happens. Maybe worth a try though?

itbemay1 · 24/05/2025 08:07

If it’s a public road it’s illegal, if it’s on their drive it’s not. Either way it’s a real fuck you and bloody rude! Idiots

Fashionlover123 · 24/05/2025 08:07

Could they be ‘hot boxing’? (Smoking weed in it and inhaling all the fumes all night) ? Although you’d probably smell it

MyOliveHelper · 24/05/2025 08:07

Koalafan · 24/05/2025 08:06

The reasons are irrelevant if they're causing a nuisance.

You'd need to report them and then something might be done about the engine. The OP was wondering what they might be doing.

fairislecable · 24/05/2025 08:08

There was a car that parked outside my house with the engine running for a few days. I knocked on the window and asked what he was doing.

It turns out that he was a plain clothes police officer watching a nearby house!

He did move his car though.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 24/05/2025 08:08

Very weird.
I would knock on the car window.
I have done before when idiots sit with their engine running at the school, it is selfish and lazy.

BetterCare · 24/05/2025 08:10

This is one of my biggest pet peeves. This would drive me insane.

It is illegal if they are on a public road as shown below but I also think even if they are on their own drive it could be considered a noise and environmental nuisance because of the length of time they are doing it.

Stationary idling is an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The act enforces Rule 123 of the Highway Code, that states: “You must not leave a vehicle's engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.” This applies even if you're waiting for someone.

Good luck, I would be pulling my hair out.

Letmecallyouback · 24/05/2025 08:10

Stick a note on it or through their door when they aren't looking saying "SITTING IN YOUR CAR ALL NIGHT'S A BIT WEIRD... JUST SAYIN..." And see if it carries on..

Rainingthankgoodness · 24/05/2025 08:12

itbemay1 · 24/05/2025 08:07

If it’s a public road it’s illegal, if it’s on their drive it’s not. Either way it’s a real fuck you and bloody rude! Idiots

Yes I just looked this up because that's what I thought.
I don't think it's necessarily that clear cut.
But it's so anti social. Apart from the environmental damage and health implications regarding fumes the noise is just so dreadful.
At the very least these people should be reported to the council for noise nuisance.

Koalafan · 24/05/2025 08:12

MyOliveHelper · 24/05/2025 08:07

You'd need to report them and then something might be done about the engine. The OP was wondering what they might be doing.

Fair enough.
It's bloody irritating, whatever they're doing.

MyOliveHelper · 24/05/2025 08:14

Letmecallyouback · 24/05/2025 08:10

Stick a note on it or through their door when they aren't looking saying "SITTING IN YOUR CAR ALL NIGHT'S A BIT WEIRD... JUST SAYIN..." And see if it carries on..

No you'd be the weird one for doing that. Any reported issues should revolve around the engine. Not what they choose to do in their car and when.

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