Small farm on two lane road, speed limit 50 mph. No shoulder, fence along the road is about 4 feet from the road. Just an estimate, didn't measure. Good deal of landscaping on/along the fence that obstructs part of the view, includes a couple of tree trunks close up to the drive that also obstruct the view. Indiana, so climate factors of snow and ice figure into solution. Do those convex mirrors work well enough to give drivers pulling out of the drive a good view down the road? Moving the fence and removing landscaping is doable, but it would be nice to have a simpler, safe solution.
" snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net" wrote in news:ea2dnVEfALva3y7RnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:
Where I have seen those mirrors, they do work. Still, the actual situation is what counts ... Generally, I'd say the mirrors are better for the person coming out of the driveway than for the drivers on the main road.
It's a busy road, and the concern is for those pulling out of the drive. I've thought of the "common sense" solutions, but wonder if there are new gadgets, like infra red sensor or something that would be reliable to make sure there are no vehicles approaching from left (other direction, the view is clear).
" snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net" wrote in news:64SdndR1tfF1zC7RnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:
If you can get the mirror solidly installed and have the personnel to keep it clean, go for it. Holland is generally a country where gadgets would be welcome, but in some places it's still full of mirrors.
Ime where they've been installed they have some utility but I'd be reluctant to rely on one too heavily owing to depth perception, etc., and particularly, difficulty in judging speed of the reflection.
Can't really judge the situation w/o being there, but I'd surely be inclined to fix the visibility issue as a general recommendation given that in most places if the posted limit is 50 mph most are traveling at least 60 and the ones you're concerned most about will be pushing 70.
Axiom: "Fail-safe systems often fail by failing to fail safe."
If you rely on the down-the-road sensor and it fails, you're dead. If you're relying on the big mirror and IT fails (snow, dirt, etc.), at least you KNOW it failed.
All that would be required would be a clear view of the road and vehicles...if there is a vehicle, no go! Assume they are doing the minimun of 50 up to.....one auto yesterday probably was doing 90. Residential country road...some agric.
So many idiots on the road and I'm still surviving :o) Never had a ticket.
While not advocating arson, he does have a point. Even if it is more like 6 feet, that still doesn't meet setback rules any place I have spent time. Where is your mailbox? USPS usually insists on something resembling a pull-off lane so their drivers do not get creamed, and Indiana also likes to have room to push off snow. And of course, if there are overhead power lines on that side of road, those folks have been known to get unexpectedly medieval on anything in their ROW, taking it down to ground level. The rules about not asking questions you might not like the answers to apply. If you are not prepared financially or time-wise to take fence down or live without it if they do it, you may wanna let sleeping dogs lie, for now.
By any chance, was road widened since fence went in? For a mirror to do any good, it almost needs to be on the other side of the road, opposite center line of driveway. Will anybody holler at you if you plant a post over there? Along with mirror, I'd also put up reflectors, the better to catch headlights at dawn and dusk when distances are deceptive. If county does not care about the narrow clearance, maybe they will at least have their sign shop plant some 'hidden driveway X yards ahead' signs for you.
Proper cure, as you already know, is to move fence and vegetation, and install proper approach apron. Doesn't have to be paved- hard-pack gravel will do.
USPS drives down the drive to the house, of course; they can't use the mailbox, they're not USPS. And, may well stop for cup o' coffee if there's somebody around....we move slower in the country (even UPS drivers). :)
Read my post again- I said USPS, not UPS. And my former BIL is a UPS driver in Indiana, in the boonies- they do NOT get time to stop for coffee- they are at a dead run all day.
Dadblame it, the first USPS was intended to be UPS and I missed it on posting, sorry...
Need to tell your BIL(former) to come to SW KS, then...here, at least aren't so uptight but what the UPS driver can take a minute or two now and then...not every stop, obviously but generally if the guy has a dropoff here and I'm around the shop/house instead of in field or otherwise really occupied, we can find a coffee... :)
USPS just stops at the box and you're responsible for going around him... :) -- altho we've always had a PO Box in town since when grandparents homesteaded the closest the communal boxes were was closer to the PO in town than the house, they figured if had to go that far might as well just have the box and get the advantage of put up first, no rain/snow to get stuff wet, added security, etc., ... Now, they do have boxes at each drive, but still maintain the box in town rather than delivery.
Arson not an option...daughter's farm, steel posts with wire fencing along with board fence. Keeps in horses and dogs. Gate is wide and set back from fence row by a car length....it might work to move part of the fence so it slants back to the gate, rather that right angles. I've tried to imagine legal road signage that would pass. Don't recall seeing "hidden driveway". Property is 300' +, five acres. Corn field and utility poles on other side of road, no shoulder on that side either. School bus stops at next property up the road, so that might get some attention - just moved in, so it's all new.
Mitigate the fence and trees that obstruct the views from your driveway to improve safety...
It will likely not be you that gets hurt in an accident, but a friend or visitor to your property that will be caught unawares by the risk and get hurt leaving...
So if trees are in the way, cut them down or find an tree company that can dig them up and move them with a tree spade if you don't want to kill the trees to make everything safer... If your fence posts block the sight lines at your driveway figure out how you can move the fences you have back further onto your property so that they do not impede sight lines at the end of the driveway and create an unsafe intersection at the roadway...
What does the UPS/Fedex driver enter in those little hand held computers they carry if he/she is stopping in for a cup of coffee? Every bit of their time is monitored by corporate. I knew a UPS driver who said rather jokingly, I can't even take a shit without entering it on the computer.
Not sure what coding is; they just let it sit in the truck for a while...perhaps it is coded as a potty-break; out here it's far enough between stops and they're no trees... :)
I'll try to think to ask next time...altho I don't have anything scheduled and not sure when will...
The angled fence towards the gate at a reasonable distance would be the clear long-term solution. In that country where it rains, the replacement of a tree is no big deal (unlike here where keeping one alive w/o tlc is questionable and growth rates are quite slow).
I'd not count on the signage to make any difference -- they're totally ignored by the same ones who ignore speed limits.
UPS maybe.... Fedex drivers are on their own. They have a load to deliver and they just have to finish it before the next day. Why do you think they show up at 10 at night sometimes?
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.