I just cleaned by bike on my fourth floor balcony. There's a drainage hole and a spout, meaning the water went well clear of other people's balconies and onto a muddy patch of ground below underneath a tree, where there presumably used to be grass.
It was biodegradeable oil on the chain and biodegradeable cleaner.
I just had several people from flats below shouting up at me in German, presumably annoyed with me for some reason. Not sure why...
I suspect you've broken several laws. Seriously.
windspray blowing dirty water against their windows?
If you're in Germany, then if I recall from friends, things like washing cars, mowning lawns etc aren't the done thing on weekends. Perhaps you've just embarrassed them into having to do theirs now!
Yes - You didnt manage to get the spray to write "**** off germany" on to their balcony. Rookie error, but not bad for a first attempt. (This is a joke and is meant to be funny - hopefully not offensive to anyone)
i'd be annoyed too, couldn't you clean it on " a muddy patch of ground below underneath a tree" instead of 3 floors up above other peoples homes?
Bit of a daft thing to do really, what if someone was walking below?
As above wind blowing oily water over other peoples property, etc.
It doesn't really need that much thought to see why it would piss people off.
Expect a knock on the door from the Gestapo any minute! Run while you can! As above, if in Germany it is frowned upon to do anything on weekends(we used to wind the locals up by playing cricket) 
Just remind them quite forceably,
WE WON THE LAST WAR AND THE ONE BEFORE.
Cleaning a bike on a 4th floor balcony ? WTF.
Was this the plan you came up with for how to spend your Sunday??
Thank god you forgot to invite me!
Remember the German's might sound quite aggressive against the mild mannered British. It sounds like they were just welcoming you and heaping praise on both your bike and you desire to maintain it in good condition.
I would keep cleaning it on the balcony and respond to their healthy encouragemnet with a cheery 'hello', don't reply in German as I believe they can get quite upset at poor pronunciation.
Keep up the good work.
It's pretty windy today!
Utilise a Gallic Shrug, they'll understand and fully appreciate
It's not windy here, not a breath. The water went well clear of all the other balconies and landed a good 10-12 ft away from the building.
Cleaning a bike on a 4th floor balcony ? WTF
Why wtf? What would you do? The presence of a drain and spout to send it clear of the building seemed to make it an idea place to me.
Bit of a daft thing to do really, what if someone was walking below?
Not checking to see if anyone was below, or letting the water fall onto a walkway would have been daft.
It doesn't really need that much thought to see why it would piss people off.
Really? I must be stupid as hell then and thoughtless to boot. I did think it through and I thought it would be okay which is why I did it. Honestly it would not bother me at all if water came past my window. Actually I bend over backwards to think of everybody all the time, and be as considerate as I can. I'm sorry that's not good enough for you. And thanks for upsetting me even more, I appreciate it.
Just to clarify this was my road bike which had some grime and grit on it, not loads of mud from an MTB.
You're behaving like a barbarian.
Civilised people wash their bike in the bath, not outside.
In Germany a motorist washes their car over 9 times per year on average. There is a strong relationship between number of car washes and age as well as number of washes and distance traveled.
In Germany an automatic wash at service stations has been used by over 7 in 10 respondents at least once. It is the one of the few markets where hand car washing isn't used more than any other type of wash. This of course reflects the facts that drive way car washing is illegal in most parts of Germany.
If it's illegal to wash a car on your drive then washing a bicycle on a balcony must be very serious indeed...
Hmm. So one wonders where one can wash one's bike at all...?
Actually I bend over backwards to think of everybody all the time, and be as considerate as I can.
Its a pity your neighbours don't see it that way.
Molgrips.
In Germany, you really must not be doing much on a Sunday, especially things like mowing the lawn, wasing the car, bike, etc.
In some cases the police have had to attend, they take it quite seriously.
I've worked in Germany, on and off, for over 10 years. They really are touchy about Sundays.
Leave cleaning the bike for another day, is my suggestion.
When in Rome and all that 
What is this bike cleaning you speak of.?
Not checking to see if anyone was below, or letting the water fall onto a walkway would have been daft.
So the whole time you were washing your bike you were checking to see if anyone was below? Surely it would have been much easier to just do it outside.
I'm sorry that's not good enough for you. And thanks for upsetting me even more, I appreciate it
Your post asked 'was I doing something wrong', you're given a possible explanation and you take the hump. Did you want everyone to say what a nice chap you are and those neighbours were being very nasty to you? Dry your eyes mate.
Your post asked 'was I doing something wrong', you're given a possible explanation and you take the hump
I got the hump at you insinuating that I'm thoughtless and/or stupid. There's discussing something reasonably, and there's being insulting. If you could sort out the difference then we might all be happier.
So the whole time you were washing your bike you were checking to see if anyone was below?
A couple of times I did. I didn't think anyone would be very likely to be walking 10 yards over the mud to stand at the foot of a building under a stream of water.
How the **** did they ever get control over most of Europe if they can't do anything on Sundays?
Bit of a daft thing to do really, what if someone was walking below? As above wind blowing oily water over other peoples property, etc.
It doesn't really need that much thought to see why it would piss people off
Do I think it was a daft thing to do - yes. Do I think it doesn't need much thought to see why it would piss people off - yes.
I fail to see why you're getting so uppity. Apart from the fact than you clearly think you are in the right and some injustice has been done.
We'll agree to disagree and leave it at that. I have far more important things to worry about that some guy washing his bike in what I consider to be a stupid place.
Carry on.
Invading, pillaging and conquering as a full time occupation requires a day off dear chap!
How the **** did they ever get control over most of Europe if they can't do anything on Sundays?
Invade on Monday of course - gives you six days to stroll through France!
I fail to see why you're getting so uppity
Uppity? No. Upset? Yes. You think I'm stupid and thoughtless, that's upsetting.
Do I think it was a daft thing to do - yes.
Why? I want to know why the people downstairs were upset. I started the thread hoping for more than a one-word answer and some insults.
I reckon you were doing wrong. Was there nowhere on a ground level you could have done it?
EDIT:
I started the thread hoping for more than a one-word answer and some insults.
LOLz. Seriously mol, what did you expect?
I'd be more than a bit hacked off the someone from the flat above decided to wash their bike and let the dirty water fall onto my balcony or dirty my window. If the balcony is the only outside space I have I'll try to maintain it. Equally I'd be affronted if you decide to hang your washing out and obscure the light entering my home.
Living in flats is a little different from living in houses.
I started the thread hoping for more than a one-word answer and some insults
Sunday in Germany. Innit. Can't do owt.
I'd be more than a bit hacked off the someone from the flat above decided to wash their bike and let the dirty water fall onto my balcony or dirty my window
Yeah me too. But it didn't. It fell well away from the building and there's no wind.
You're 100% sure on that.
ask them
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