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

[greenishredblue]

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?

I thought this lol but it is very strange. Definitely report to Council. What happens in the day do they both go out to work?

Bizarre behaviour. I would report if they are on the road.

I realise that it's not 'standard' behaviour, but it isn't necessarily ropey.

They could WFH for a 24/7 customer service helpline, or a company based abroad in a very different timezone, and not want to disturb the rest of the household when on calls. Could even be a sex chat line service, which although unsavoury to many, isn't actually illegal, and you wouldn't want the kids to overhear.

If it were a camper van and they were lying down in the back (sleeping!), nobody would think anything of it.

I'm not saying that they definitely aren't up to something dodgy; just that they may have perfectly legitimate reasons.

I'd report them, it's antisocial. My neighbours sit in their car on the road for hours, without the engine on, but I think they are escaping their children

Could they be using someone’s WiFi?

A neighbour a few doors down does this occasionally - only in the daytime and for maybe 2 or 3 hours. Widowed years ago, retired, very active , lives on her own with busy social life and family that visit. Pleasant and private _ I’m on ‘good morning, nice weather !’ terms with her. My DH noticed it and got irritated by it ( not the actual action , more that he could not work out why ! ) - my only thought was that maybe the car radio could get a station that her in house devices could not ( bit far fetched).

Wouldn't it be cheaper to get themselves a good monthly data SIM deal, rather than wasting all of that money on petrol?!

I’m curious as to how much this would cost. A quick google says depending on car 0.5 - 2 litres of fuel per hour, costing £1.38 per litre so could be £10 if it was 7 hours!

They don't have electric. Charging their phones.

That would drive me insane if I could hear it. My first ever flat after moving out of home 20 years ago had lads below who did the same. Idling and even revving the car for hours all through the night. Freaks.

That must be costing a fortune in petrol. Needing to have the engine on must be the key to whatever they are doing. Very weird. And very annoying

I doubt a couple of phones charging overnight would trouble the car battery without the engine needing to be on - they'd just need to turn the key one click to activate the battery and then lock the car from outside with the spare key.

Unless it’s keyless.

I need to know the outcome to this being reported to the police.

This is bizarre. Most of the activities suggested - drug dealing, sitting chatting etc - wouldn't need the car engine to be running. As a pp said, modern cars will start quickly and easily so driving away if suddenly surprised doesn't rely on the engine running. And don't they need to sleep?

OP l had a similar situation last year. We live close to a school and out of the blue an SUV started to arrive early for both drop off and pick up times. They were sitting for about half an hour with the engine running, parked on the road at the end of our driveway which is about the closest they could park to the school.

i put up with it for a few days but l have my elderly mum living with us who’s very unwell and she was finding the noise and exhaust smell distressing. I went out and politely asked them to turn off the engine and was told l didn’t own the road, so l could fuck off - nice people !! I rang 101 and explained, and they said they would try to arrange for a TPCSO foot patrol to assess as soon as they could. So a couple of days later the car turned up and sat with engine idling and after a few minutes l saw a uniformed officer approach the car from behind, knock on the window, and after some discussion, a ticket was issued and the car moved off, never to return - at least to the end of my driveway !!

I asked AI and it thinks most likely illegal activity. Going in side the house intermittently might be to check on something like drug production. Car provides an anonymous and mobile base. Defensive reaction suggests person wants to hide illicit activity.

I guess engine runs to keep phones charged.

sashh · Today 09:01

This probably won't apply but some religious people (JWs and I think Mormons) are not allowed to be alone together before they get married so if one owns a home the other can't come in without a third person so they sit in the car.

That's a very charitable view... such people would be unlikely to respond with, "Piss off, if you don't want a smack in the gob." No, it'd be far worse...

"Would you like a copy of The Watchtower?"

NooooOoooOOOOHHHH!

Did he tell you he was a plain clothes officer?

Surely that defeats the purpose?

It needs to be reported as this is illegal, even on a driveway. They are likely at least to get a penalty.

Would drive (sorry, not sorry) me bonkers.

Why put the engine on, then?

It’s not like it’s winter and they need the heating on.

The sound of the engine would really annoy me. But since everyone is guessing, I’ll join in too. Either it’s drug related. Or their heating is broken inside there house. They are keeping warm in the car. But then the weathers been warm so can’t really be that. I’d report as that’s really annoying

Perfect response. You politely asked. They responded inconsiderately.

You notified community policing. They responded well. Problem solved.

Pleased to hear this.

@greenishredblue Always best to speak to people directly and politely first. But if your neighbour’s already tried that about their asthmatic child and had an unneighbourly response, then 101 or council environmental health team (noise and air pollution, including at night in the summer when people are trying to sleep with windows open) would likely be best course of action.

my friends used to do this when we were young and had no jobs. They couldn’t smoke in the house so they’d go to the car. It’s warm enough now not to need the heater so more odd. I can’t stand when resources are wasted like this.