To want their bikes somewhere far far away?

[ChallengingCitrusHalibut]

In the last couple of weeks a group of young types have moved in somewhere along the street. There are about six of them and they all have bikes, made mostly from plastic crates and bits of string, but that's not wholly relevant.

We are a basement flat and when you look out our living room windows you're at eye level with the pavement. There are railings all around the edge of the sunken basement bit about five feet away from our windows. The railings belong to our building.

The blighters have been tying their bikes up all around our railings so that's all we can see out the windows. They're in a position that would stop us climbing over and down into the basement bit as we need to to sweep up rubbish and clean the windows.

AIBU to be more than a little annoyed about them tying their bikes onto our railings? Maybe I'm being petty but I think it's blinkin cheeky and really unsightly. I don't know whether to lie in wait and run out to speak to them, tie a stern note to the bikes or get over it. Also if they ignore me I don't know how I could enforce it.

I wish i had some words of wisdom but all i can offer is sympathy. maybe you could try the quiet word approach just be polite if it does not work, maybe a word with the council if they are your railings.

good luck

Am thinking the council will not give a flying fig. Maybe some vigilante action will be required.

Ask them not to, first.
if they ignore you, tie a note saying, any bikes found on these railings will be removed. Hopefully that'll work.

Or, let the air out their tyres.

I don´t think it would be unreasonable to ask that they leave room for you to do the cleaning you need to.

But are they your railings to ask them not to put bikes there iyswim?

I have seen loads of signs on railings and the like that state 'no chaining of bikes' and that 'bikes left here will be removed' - that sort of thing. You should be able to get one of these signs at the DIY store.

I know these signs always stop me chaining my bike in these areas but I'm pretty soft and I love my bike.

Whether these signs are legally enforcable or what would happen if you got some bolt cutters and took the bikes away, I really don't know. If these railings are your private property surely its up to you what you allow to happen to them?

Good luck - YANBU, it would drive me nuts.