AIBU to refuse a neighbour a hospital lift when I was wfh?

[NoMoreGaming]

Our neighbour came to our door yesterday when I was on a work call. There were 6 people in the meeting with one presenting so I was able to go on mute and just speak to my neighbour through my phone using the ring app, still half listening to the meeting.

Her son wasn’t feeling well and she couldn’t get him a doctors appointment so she was asking me to take them to the hospital. I asked what was wrong with him and she said he had a temperature and wasn’t himself. I asked if he was conscious, talking etc to try to rule out an emergency and she said he was but that she thought he might have an ear infection. I said I couldn’t give her a lift as I was working. I needed to present next in the meeting and had another meeting after this one.

My husband saw her putting her son in the car this morning so asked how he was. She said we didn’t care yesterday so why ask now. 😬

Was I unreasonable for not giving her a lift yesterday? If it was an emergency, I would have excused myself from work but it didn’t sound like it was.

given that you’re moving away soon anyway, I’d definitely put something on the WhatsApp

Yes please put “I was asked to help someone when I was wfh on an important meeting and I couldn’t get permission from my manager as it was not for a family member so perhaps people can post in here if they need help going forward.”

I do online tutoring (the equivalent of OPs meetings) and usually work with headphones on. However if someone is speaking to me from Singapore or Taiwan I am not going to make them wait while I answer the bloody door. They are entitled to however many hours of my time they paid for and I am not going to hear the bell anyway. The only way to deal with unscheduled interruptions is to ignore them.

In the meantime there are these useful things called taxis ...

Of course you don't have to take them. If he'd had a finger hanging off, perhaps, but an ear infection?
She tried her luck in asking, which is absolutely fine, you were not in a position to help, which is also fine.
She needs to adjust her attitude, cheeky git being so precious today.

This is good but definitely replace 'hospital ' with GP.... it wasn't a hospital emergency!

Lesson learnt not to respond to ring door bell when on a work call! She’s very rude though and I would tell it’s not your job to pick up the slack of someone who hasn’t bothered to learn to drive and has a husband who didn’t stay at home to drive his sick child to get medical attention.

Yes, it’s a shame that the neighbour on the WhatsApp group who said that you need to pull together, didn’t pull her finger out and help, especially considering that you were working at the time.

Why do so many people not understand that WFH is still working? Would the neighbour have turned up at your office, demanding that you drop everything to ferry her to the hospital? CF.

Some people genuinely don’t seem to understand that working from home is working, and therefore makes you unavailable for other things. I remember my mum being baffled when a relative returned to her WFH job after maternity leave and put her child into nursery…

So if you have a road WhatsApp group, she could have posted in that asking for a lift rather than disturbing you and one of your highly public spirited (!) neighbours would have had the opportunity to leap to her aid…..simple.

Oops the thread title said it was, sorry! But your neighbours will all be thinking it was something serious I'd definitely make it clear it was earache! Although you sound like you're going to rise above and nt reply which as you're moving is probably the best option of all!

I would reply and say if it has been an emergency you'd have been delighted to help, but you were in a meeting and an ear infection is not an emergency.

This is why I refuse to have a ring doorbell. My office is a garden office and I like not being able to hear the doorbell.

she could drive him herself, or get a taxi

A lot of people see wfh as less important. Not saying this is the case, but if she has friends who have very flexible wfh jobs, that might well be the reason. But while it's nice to help when you can, as you had a meeting, OP, she should understand that you can't just drop everything and, unless she is very hard up, I don't see why she couldn't take a taxi/Uber. By the time you take travel/parking costs into account, it's maybe not much different.

I had to delete our. Was impossible. I was happier just saying hello to neighbours rather than reading the constant whatspp bilge and minor squabbles.

Op YANBU (obviously)

YANBU let them talk and glad you’re moving soon!

My mother despite her best efforts wasn’t able to drive, she always managed to get us to appointments without asking a neighbour to drive.

As others have said she could’ve got an uber or called her husband if he’s not too far away. I would ignore them from now on until you move.

Wouldn’t even think to ask a neighbour for help. She could have called her husband or another friend/relative to give them a lift or got an uber. If it was an actual emergency, she should have called 999 and waited for an ambulance.

First post nails it!

Unfortunately I was working so unable to help out, but it's great to have such a supportive community here! Who was able to take you in the end? I hope he's feeling better today 😇😇😇

(For tone, read dripping with faux concern and a massive dollop of sarcasm)

It's frustrating now they are being so passive aggressive in the WhatsApp group because it's hard to actually put forward your side.

Feign ignorance with "just catching up, had back to back work meetings 8am-7pm, What's happened?"

I would love to know the CF WhatsApp hierarchy of which WFH jobs can be abandoned for taxi trips for a neighbour child’s earache! Would a childminder be expected to abandon her kids for the taxi trip? Should an online tutor drop their call? An at-home hairstylist? Masseuse? Physical therapist? Personal trainer? Private Pilates instructor? Bikini waxer? CEO in an online board meeting?

Why couldn't she put on the WhatsApp group that she needed a lift rather than knock your door.

I wouldn't have taken her either and I am not sure if I would have answered the door either

If I were you I'd be sorely tempted to post a link to this thread onto the WhatsApp group!

Why do people not understand: You Are Working. It is the same as being in the office and unavailable.

I’m puzzled why she has access to a car but wanted a lift to the hospital 🤔🤔………ah, I get it……she wanted to avoid paying car park charges!