Runner insists on using treadmill at 6 AM 3 times a week, protests when upstairs neighbor asks him to exercise at a different time: 'I thought we had an unspoken understanding'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

May 31, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

A noise complaint from a neighbor is all about an incompatible lifestyle.

The reality is, most of us do not have the good luck to live close to people who have similar schedules and interests that align perfectly with ours. Even if we aren't doing anything that crazy, there is every chance that our day-to-day lives may wind up annoying our neighbors from time to time. It is simply something that we have to learn to adjust to.

The majority of people would agree that some basic ground rules need to be set to be able to live in a neighborhood peacefully (without going full micromanaging HOA). These include keeping on top of basic maintenance that may affect the neighbors and not making ridiculous amounts of noise at unsociable hours. These are the kind of points that can cause conflict when they are not treated with the respect that they deserve.

Nonetheless, many homeowners and renters have their horror stories of living near others who were not interested in keeping the peace in this regard. The worst thing is that these types often argue that whatever they are doing is reasonable. Just because they can justify it to themselves doesn't mean that everybody else has to live with it.

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_{^{A representation of a man's feet in blue running shoes, walking on a treadmill}}
In this story, an individual rented a house with their family, which also had a rented apartment unit above the garage. A few times a week, they would use their treadmill in the garage at 6 AM. The tenant in the apartment had politely addressed this with them and asked if they could work out at a different time.
Although they understood her issue, they felt that they had the right to use the treadmill whenever they wanted. Their justification was that she had a dog that barked during the day. They wanted to know if it was a bad idea to keep working out at the same time.
Would I be wrong for continuing to use our treadmill in the mornings after our neighbor said it bothered her?

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