Corner gets driven over - how to stop?

[Zootal]

I live on a corner lot. On the corner on the street, people like to drive over the curb and the yard as they go around the corner. I put some pics here for those that want to see exactly what is happening:

You can see how they drive right over the curb (what is left of it) and the grass. They are cutting so far into the grass that they are driving over the cover to what I think is either gas or water access. I suspect just a few people, maybe even one person, of doing this, at least I'd like to think that not everyone that goes around the corner shortcuts across the curb and grass like that.

When the weather warms up I am going to do some cement work, including replacing the curb you see in the above pic. I need to do something to discourage people from driving over the curb and destroying it, plus I'd like to get grass to grow in the corner where you see mud. I've thought of railroad ties, rocks, bricks - it needs to be big enough so that they won't just drive over it, and strong enough so that if they do drive over it, it won't damage it but will get their attention. If it damages their truck of if they get stuck, it won't break my heart - I can't tell you how many times I've thought of putting nails in the mud, but I won't stoop that far.

Any suggestions? Anyone been in a similar situation and would like to share your experiences?

[Colbyt]

Doesn't look like it is your yard. It appears to be no mans land between the sidewalk and curb.

Big, decorative rocks are nice if you can get away with it.

:)

Colbyt

[Twayne]

You better check: I don't think you own that part of the property; most places you don't. So there could be consequences to even fixing it.

That said, a nice big rock or rocks might help people keep from being so lazy. Plus a couple of long, white poles driven into the corner start/end to define it, with another in the center of the curve. I've seen it done around here and it works.

Twayne

[Zootal]

"Colbyt" wrote in news:TL2dnYjf7vztu8vWnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

It is, but in this small burb we are responsible for it anyhow. The city even makes property owners pay to fix badly broken sidewalks in front of their house, even if the sidewalk isn't on their property. My property line is ten feet in from both streets that meet at the corner.

I ejnoy usage of ten feet of city property alone one side of my lot because that is where the previous owner put a fence, and the city doesn't care. Besides, there is a gas line under the fence, so it is unlikely they are going to do anything with that property anytime soon. No one wants to dig anywhere near the gas line :-) The city planner was willing to fudge a bit when I put up a fence, so I'm inclined to stay on their good side.

Another way to look at this - if I don't do something about the corner, no one will. I mow the grass, I live there - it bugs me.

[HeyBub]

I feel your Clinton.

Standards for curb radii and driveway access were established back in (I think) 1920. These standards should really be updated to accommodate the higher velocity of modern vehicles. That is, they should be a GREATER radius instead of almost 90?.

Someone trying to enter a driveway or parking lot from a busy street has to slow to about 1.5MPH to make the turn, stacking up traffic behind them all the way to Beaumont. Or, as in your case, they make their own pathway.

If you do rebuild the curb, give the drivers more room by placing the new curb where the tracks say it SHOULD be.*

--------------

• I once heard an architect's trick when erecting a building on campus: the sidewalks go in last and they go where the foot traffic has worn down the grass.

[Frank]

As others suggest, it may not be your property and there are certainly utility easements. I'd bug the state/city/county to make repairs. I would avoid rocks and posts as some n*****ts may sue you if he damages his car. You can buy cheap reflectors that stick up a couple of feet and if someone hits one it will not cause any damage. I put a couple of these near the road off my lawn because snowplow and neighbors were damaging turf when it snowed and have not had a problem in the 5 years or so I started doing so.

[Michael Dobony]

My brother-in-law had the same problem until he installed some cement filled steel pipes and chain around the corner. Never happened again. I would also paint them a bright safety yellow-green and add reflectors on the posts. 16-24" should do the job. Before you do, this was in a trailer park. Check with the city before doing this

[Caesar Romano]

On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:09:28 -0600, Zootal wrote Re Corner gets driven over - how to stop?:

Rocks.

Start with small rocks, about the size of softballs. People will run over those, but notice them anyway. Gradually replace the rocks with larger ones.

You can also try pounding in a T-post painted white. People will see it and not cut the corner.

[Jim Yanik]

"Colbyt" wrote in news:TL2dnYjf7vztu8vWnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

but of course,he's still responsible for its maintenance and upkeep... like mowing,edging.

be sure to paint the big decorative rock a reflective white,and stencil your house number on it.

(justification for the big rock...claim it's so emergency vehicles can find your house. ;-) )

[Phisherman]

One rock, maybe the size of a vollyball should do the trick. If you want to be polite, paint it yellow.

[aemeijers]

Check your plat/deed again. In most states/cities, you actually OWN out to the middle of the platted (not always the same as the as-paved) street, but there is a 33' easement each way from the centerline that you aren't allowed to do anything but mow the grass. In the states I am familiar with, the only roads that the PTB actually own the land under, are designated highways/traffic arteries. Curbs and gutters are city's problem, but owner has to pay for sidewalk. Most areas, city actually insists on pouring the sidewalk themselves for consistent design and quality control, they just bill the homeowner in easy installments on their property taxes. But IANAL, so your area could be different. Every place I have ever had call to research it, once city accepts the road, nobody but them (or their 'approved' contractor') is allowed to replace/cut curbs or disturb the street pavement.

Having said all that- your corner looks very much like the corner lot of my house down in Lake Charles, LA, except my rut goes the other direction. Talk to city, and the utility company. See if city will allow a boulder, since 'impact hazards' aren't a big problem on a residential intersection. If no joy there, see if utility company's easement allows them to put up a traffic barrier around their service pit. That means an ugly concrete-filled pipe painted yellow, but hey, it is better than a rut. Maybe they can replace the damaged service pit with a tall one for you, and kill two birds with one stone.

-- aem sends...

[Jim Elbrecht]

I'd put a giant fake boulder there. Will deter all but the drunkest/stupidest and won't hurt their car too bad if they hit it. I'd probably lay pavers or mulch around the base so I didn't have to mow around anything.

You can make a boulder that looks like it weighs a ton, but your wife can move it if she needs to access that utility line.

This is one site of many out there-

Jim

[Doug Miller]

Call the city and complain that the curb is broken and needs to be rebuilt. In the meantime, while you're waiting for them to fix it, put a rock the size of a basketball there.

[snip]

Yep. We used to live on a dead-end rural road, so both the schoolbus and the garbage truck needed to turn around in our driveway -- and both of them would cut the corner so tight on the way out that they were crushing the end of the culvert under the driveway.

A boulder about 12" high, 16" wide, and two feet long put an end to that, although the garbage truck had to actually get stuck once before the driver got the message.

[Phisherman]

On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:29:02 -0500, aemeijers wrote: ...

...

Here in Tennessee if the city replaces your curb the home owner gets the bill. Sidewalks are paid for by the city (taxpayers) but the home owner is responsible for ice/snow removal. My house was bought as "new construction" but the earth movers managed to destroy my street curb then the city fixed it and billed me $950.

[The Daring Dufas]

Around here, someone would steal the fake rock. I could be fun to box in somebody's car with them then sit back and watch.

*snicker*

TDD

[mike]

I concur with the big rock approach. In the highly unlikely event anyone asks about it, just act dumb.

Having said that, I've seen an idiot semi-truck driver ignore boulders in a flower bed island to make a tight turn rather than take the proper route. The moron dragged the boulder (which was the size of 3 of his truck tires) about 100 feet with the trailer before he came to a stop.

I was amazed he didn't tear the trailer apart. It made one hell of a gouge in the street and it took a better part of an hour for him to free his rig.

[Pete C.]

The simple solution, and one that avoids any issues with ownership of that patch of land is to install one of the now inexpensive "game cameras" (the type with a good flash) solidly back on your property with a view of the curb in question. Every day, collect the pictures of the vehicles that are running over the curb and post them on the 'net. Let your local newspaper and TV stations know about the site where you are posting the violators pictures. Have fun.

[shortT]

Get a life size cut-out of a policeman holding a radar gun and firmly affix it near the corner.

[Bob F]

Bury the end of a 2 foot length of 4x4 a few inches deep into the ground where they are driving, so it looks like something that will damage the vehicles. Repeat as needed.

My neighbor installed vertical chunks of granite, which have cut down the problem for him.

[Red Green]

Zootal wrote in news:Xns9D0585E08A819nospamspamzootalnosp@216.196.97.131:

Large rocks.

For ammusement. The day you put them out, just put one or two in the key spot. Load up a few of leaf bags full of leaves and put around the rock. Enjoy.