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AIBU

It's my drive

(51 Posts)
Auntieflo Wed 10-Feb-16 11:37:31

AIBU to object to drivers using our drive to turn around in the road? We already have one neighbour who is using our drive to park overnight while there is a skip on their's, no problem, they did ask and said we could use the skip to put any rubbish in. Rubbish, in my house, never grin. We are often dazzled by headlights popping up in the windows, then sometimes giving a little wave before disappearing. Cheek

Ana Wed 10-Feb-16 11:45:46

Get a gate?

Eloethan Wed 10-Feb-16 11:53:18

I think it's inevitable.

Indinana Wed 10-Feb-16 11:58:44

It would annoy me if it was a constant thing because the increased 'traffic' on your driveway is likely to cause damage - I'm sure it wasn't designed to withstand so much use. Those cheeky drivers aren't going to contribute to any repairs, are they?
Yes you definitely need a gate there. Or, if it's not possible for any reason to have a gate, then you could consider a telescopic bollard. That'd stop 'em!

Auntieflo Wed 10-Feb-16 12:35:35

It's not just me then? We can't have a gate as all the gardens just butt onto the footpaths, except for where the curb is dropped for car access. I have thought of a retractable bollard, would love one, but we would have to dig a hole in our nice bricked drive. sad. So I will have to live with the occasional pest who comes to call, not.

Elegran Wed 10-Feb-16 12:37:26

I posted "Leave your wheelie bin in the middle of the drive" but it hasn't appeared.

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 10-Feb-16 12:41:07

That's a good idea Elegran.

tanith Wed 10-Feb-16 12:51:51

Could you not put two posts at the edge of the driveway with hooks and put a chain across when you are 'in'.

WilmaKnickersfit Wed 10-Feb-16 12:56:19

I suspect the little wave is not being cheeky, but acknowledging what they did in the same way as if you let another car out of a side street.

Unfortunately it sounds like you have one of those houses where this happens and I doubt if you can do much about it. I've seen houses with signs saying 'No turning', but it's probably too late once the driver spots the sign.

Headlights shining in the window is something that would be on my no no list if we bought again. Some friends have this problem because they live opposite the street that's the way into their cul-de-sac. The turning problem will be added to the no no list.

Indinana Wed 10-Feb-16 13:37:41

I was going to suggest the wheelie bin idea, but not sure I'd like one of those ugly monstrosities permanently on show at the front of my house hmm. But there might be something, easily movable, that you could place there, like a small garden planter perhaps. Nothing too heavy to pick and move, obviously, but enough to put drivers off.

Indinana Wed 10-Feb-16 13:38:20

*pick up

MiniMouse Wed 10-Feb-16 13:51:23

A friend of mine, who had a horseshoe driveway, lived next door to a school. Some of the mothers used to drive in one end and out the other rather than do a three point turn in the road shock

Of course, the inevitable happened - one of them knocked down the brick gatepost! After that my friend put barriers in. Not ideal because it meant that she had to stop on the road, get out of the car to lower them and then drive in.

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 10-Feb-16 14:05:51

TBH as the drive is bricked over, so no muddiness involved, I'm not sure it's that awful. The headlights would only be a momentary nuisance, if that.

Tizliz Wed 10-Feb-16 14:23:47

Bane of my life. We live in a cul de sac with four houses. We didn't know when we moved in that the council will not adopt a road with less than 6 houses so it is a private road. About 100 yds to our house and another 50 passed it. My OH and one of the neighbours repaired it last year as you could do a Vicar of Dibley in the holes grin. But we cannot stop people turning round, at least 6 a day (when you live as remotely as we do that is a lot). I feel like sitting out there and charging them, don't they know how much a load of gravel costs? No, I don't suppose they do. And the work, OH now has tennis elbow. They worked nearly every weekend all summer and early autumn.

I don't know why people don't think how they would feel if it was their drive.

The trouble Auntieflo is that if you put something in the way someone is sure to hit it. A chain is a good idea, if you don't mind getting out the car every time. That is not really practical for us with 4 houses and delivery drivers would never stop and put it back. We are looking to get some big boulders and making the entrance really narrow which will put people off.

My OH says I just have to relax and ignore them, but as you say the headlights are annoying.

Synonymous Wed 10-Feb-16 15:42:32

How much is it worth to you to stop the nuisance? hmm

There are remote control barriers or gates of all kinds on the market. Just do an internet search and have a look. Of course if you are in a situation to share the costs it makes it all the more feasible.

M0nica Wed 10-Feb-16 15:53:51

We live on a short (3 houses) private access road. We are the only one with a garage which means a short, quite wide garage access. All the delivery drivers use our garage access to turn their vans/lorries round. It infuriates me.

We live opposite the local school and there is not much parking space in a narrow road and parents have been known to park their cars in the entrance to our access road and then leave the car while they go to get their children so that we cannot get in or out.

If that happens when I am returning home I just sit in my car on my side of the road, indicator blinking thus blocking the road completely, until the errant parent returns. She then has to turn up the road, rather than back and make a half mile detour. I notice that after doing that twice, I haven't had to do that for some years. The message has got around.

Synonymous Wed 10-Feb-16 15:56:32

Monica grin

ninathenana Wed 10-Feb-16 16:04:37

It's worse if you share a drive with a neighbour therefore making it double width. We've had a bloody tractor turn in our brick block drive before. Fortunately it was just mud he left behind!!

NanaandGrampy Wed 10-Feb-16 16:58:40

I'm afraid it would annoy me too Auntieflo .

Our little dog has been known to follow his best mate into the garage and if someone pulled onto our drive as he was walking through they could squash him.

I'm annoyed with our new neighbour. He has let all the bedrooms in his house ( maybe 2 to a room I'm not sure) , so now has 7 cars most night trying to park outside his house.

We live in a tiny cul de sac and everyone has space for 2 cars on the drive and at least 2 outside on the road, he has room for 3 . Now they have to double park outside his house and there is obviously some shuffling needed to get the cars in the right order for leaving in the morning.

So his 'guests' have started parking outside our house.

We only have one car now but I'm damned if his extra cars are parking outside our house stopping our guests parking there or even stopping me get off my drive.

I don't know what the solution is , but if you find one do share smile I might be able to use it too!

Jalima Wed 10-Feb-16 16:59:33

We aren't allowed a gate or fence either, but as we live on a turning circle no-one actually reverses into our drive to turn. However, people do park in the turning circle which makes it difficult for drivers to negotiate - DH had to help a lorry driver trying to reverse today.
Some visitors to ours do seem to drive across our lawn and leave dents, most apologise (I don't, I just tell DH that the drive entrance is a bit awkward to negotiate grin).

Neighbours have put large boulders at the entrance to their drive which deters people from reversing into there to turn, and perhaps they could be moved to block the entrance.

ninathenana Wed 10-Feb-16 18:12:44

N&G do you think he has a licence for his HMO there are strict regulations on fire doors smoke alarms etc. In such a property. Maybe this calls for the anonymous phone call wink

NanaandGrampy Wed 10-Feb-16 18:28:20

I don't think he can have Ninathenana .

I think you might be right. smile

rosesarered Wed 10-Feb-16 18:39:23

Now and again cars turn in our drive too, they have obviously gone wrong and found themselves in our small Close.It's a long brick paved driveway so we don't mind, there's no mess or inconvenience to ourselves.

jeanio Wed 10-Feb-16 20:18:03

I understand your annoyance completely, we have the same problem. What annoys us is that the people who do it after visiting the two bungalows opposite, relatives who have their own drives could use their drives but never do. Unfortunately we have conifers in the front and no gate but we are in the process of having fences and a gate erected so we shall see what happens then but my husband would never dream of using someone else's drive. Rant over but our path is also breaking up. Feeling better now.

TwiceAsNice Wed 10-Feb-16 23:07:34

I've not had anyone use my drive to turn( except a visiting friend!) but next door (I live in a semi) has friends/ visitors parking often right across my path several times a week which means if I have a visitor they can't park in front of my house. This has also meant it's more difficult to reverse out of my drive to go to work in the morning as I have to do the "swing" right so I can clear their car and not bump it. I drives me mad!