The Boy Racer Next Door.

[david j starkie]

Next door to my house i have a young driver who constantly drives his car along the pavement to then park out side his house,

my worry is if i am reversing out of my drive and he hits me, cos i cant see cos of a hedge, who is at fault, him for going on the pavement

or me for coming out of my drive backwards? i keep asking him not to do it but he says he forgets also he's not very bright i dont want

to fall out with the family cos they are good people, What do you think am i at fault?

[GIDDLEPIN]

I often have the same concern with children riding their cycles at full tilt along the footpath, I don't mean teenagers, I mean the ones on small cycles just below the height of my hedge, I always reverse into my drive and drive out with extra care but should the inevitable happen and my pride and joy got hit, I reckon that would I be the bad guy and have to stand the cost of repairs

As for your problem, driving on a footpath is illegal anyway and he wouldn't have a leg to stand on if you had a coming together, just make sure you have witnesses ;) ......Failing that we could always rip their heads off and spit down the soggy stump

Les

[david j starkie]

A few years ago maybe do you know if it is illegal to reverse out of a drive onto a residential street cos this iv been told is where a claim would be voided

is this true?

[Norfolk n Chance]

The Highway Code says you shouldn't reverse onto a main road... don't think it's illegal though ;)

[david j starkie]

Its not a main road its a small lane with hoses on either side like a cul-de-sac.

[Phoenix999]

Its not a main road its a small lane with hoses on either side like a cul-de-sac.

Lots of water down that lane then ;)

[Red Yaris 54]

Its not a main road its a small lane with hoses on either side like a cul-de-sac.

Lots of water down that lane then ;)

Sounds like some of your ex colleagues have been there Steve ;)

[Bizarra]

I keep mine in my Garage & have to drive in. It is like threading a needle, avoiding lawn mowers, ladders & various garden tools + a door for which I have no use but is too nice to dump. I use the parking lights as a guide to when I'm far enough in, & can then fit my bike behind the car. I wouldn't attempt to back her in. ;)

This means that I have to back out onto the road as there isn't room to turn. I don't like it, because I'm the 3rd house down from the main road & they come round the corner like bats out of hell

Like wise, when I'm coming in with a car on my tail, unless the driver knows me & that I am turning in nearly immediately, it can get hairy, as the driver thinks that my indicator hasn't corrected.

A couple of nasty moments, but so far........................... Touch wood.

[Blue84]

If you were doing the manoevre then you would be at fault, always was the case when I did motor claims. It's not illegal as far as I know.

Can't you start reversing into your driveway? Would be a much safer option and would improve on visibility?

[Bizarra]

If you were doing the manoevre then you would be at fault, always was the case when I did motor claims. It's not illegal as far as I know.

Can't you start reversing into your driveway? Would be a much safer option and would improve on visibility?

I could, but as I said, it is quite a knack getting it in nose first. I'd hate to try it tail first :(

There is a shared drive between 2 houses & then it widens a bit to accomodate 2 garages quite a bit behind the houses. Getting up to my garage is no problem in reverse, but threading her in , is. I don't want any scrapes or dings. I did empty the garage, years ago, but sort of filled it up around my car. I garage her every night, as she is a bit of a "Golden Oldie" & the sea is 50 yards away. NOT good for bodywork.

[vmail]

beep your horn to allow others to know that you are there

plus it would be your fault as you are moving without checking to see if its safe

[balli hi]

A few years ago , i took some legal advice , when my neighbour used to park his car in front of my drive , whereby on occasion we could not back the car into our drive , which meant we had to back out of our drive and all the way to the road , the problem was that we could not see what was coming iether side of the entrance / exit to the cul de sac because of the hedge iether side , and there was a high risk of having an accident , the advice i was given was that , as in any manoevre you undertake you have to show due dilligence as in ( DUE CARE ) , " Due care . the conduct that a reasonable man or woman will exercise in a particular situation, in looking out for the safety of others. If one uses due care then an injured party cannot prove negligence. This is one of those nebulous standards by which negligence is tested. Each juror has to determine what a "reasonable" man or woman would do. "

So basically the onus was on me to ensure that i exited a foot at a time ever so slowly and carefully.

If in your case there was a coming together of metal , i would have thought that you would have to prove Due Care .

[david j starkie]

Thanks mate its tough where neighbours are involved this lad next door is sound i help him with his car and stuff but getting him to see that him flying along

the pavement and then skidding to a halt is going to end up having a crash is an other matter he doesnt see that there is a problem, ill just have to be extra careful

dont know what else i can do.

[vmail]

you could install a reversing beeper

[KPARRIS-JONES]

you could install a reversing beeper

Or put claymores around the drive......

If someone walks by, POP and you know to wait till they walk past. Well, they wouldn't be walking so much, more falling if anything.......

[Red diesel]

Its hard to know - but when your saying to him Maybe you might be better presenting it as a looking out for his interests - rather then worried about your car type discussion. At least youve some sort of good relationship with him ie you help him with his car - so if he sees you as the good(ish) guy then maybe he might take things better from you then from some old guy who sounds like his old school principal or something ie realise that your actually being helpful about things - rather then some authourity figure banging on and on about something trivial (its not that its trivial but he might think so if it were an authurity type figure that was banging on about it).

Red diesel

[Karma Supra]

Reversing beeper? Pah!!

A cork on a bit of string hanging from the roof positioned so when you are at the right distance it touches the rear screen ;)

[no_data]

Can't you go knock at his door & speak to him in front of his parents & explain. Cant be that hard to sort out. Alternative is get an old banger at the scrappy, wait till he tearing along & drive straight into him, that will scare the s*** outta him enough not to do it again

[greebo]

Next door to my house i have a young driver who constantly drives his car along the pavement to then park out side his house,

my worry is if i am reversing out of my drive and he hits me, cos i cant see cos of a hedge, who is at fault, him for going on the pavement

or me for coming out of my drive backwards? i keep asking him not to do it but he says he forgets also he's not very bright i dont want

to fall out with the family cos they are good people, What do you think am i at fault?

Hi, my take on this is that the lad has got to be at fault. How would it be if you walked out of your drive as he was on the pavement driving past ? Kev

[Wild west Drifter]

If it was my hedge, I'd cut the hedge down

If it is at a regular time, have a word with the local comunity PC if you have one and ask them to have a polite unoffical word saying you are concerned.

This is just my opinion and ignore it if you want.

[david j starkie]

Thanks lads for the advice, cant touch the hedge cos its half the property of the people on the other side.He does'nt do it as much now, ill do what red diesel

suggested and show a little more concern about what he will do to his car, and the insurance side of it, talking to his parents isnt really an option, thanks again.