DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

I live in a cul-de-sac and have lived here for 30 years or so.
Generally, everyone gets on well, but we are unusual in that we move about, drive off here and there etc, next door does not.

10 times a year we return from a hillclimb, car on a trailer about 6 to 6.30pm on a Sunday (always a sunday.) This is between Early April and late September. In the months in between none of this happens.
We have done this for over 10 years, same people next door.

I had to ask the next door owner not to drive is company van over my drive to reach his own drive today, his drive has an awkward curve to it and straight lining across my drive simplifies his parking, and damages my driveway paving. Recently he has abused this 'flexibility' afforded him and I know will take offense at my request to not use my drive.

In the pleasant conversation (it was) he said in retort that he has not said anything to me about my car activity, leaving me in no doubt he does not approve of my cars and I suspect the Sunday hillclimb return.

So, we arrive home on our drive, adjacent close to his. Trailer on the Skoda Superb. I have a good sized frontage, so the Skoda and trailer off road.
Unstrap the Lola race car and pull the ramps out of the trailer, noisy action of about 2 mins. Those who have a trailer will know the noise level.
The car is then taken off the trailer using the electric winch which is noisy and this takes about 3 mins. max.

The car is uncoupled off the winch rope and pushed by hand into the double width garage, no engines running.

I then put the ramps back in, 30 seconds (noisy clatter) uncouple the trailer off the Skoda and then push by hand the trailer into it's parking spot, not much noise there. The traiier is kept behind a locked gate, so about 5 seconds to close the gate and lock it.

We then go inside for a meal.

In preparation for the kick=back to asking him not to use my drive I am expecting a complaint.

Is what I describe above un-socialy hours or behavior?

This could all be something and nothing, but my estimate of the reaction from him i think is sound.

He and his family (2 daughters 21 and 18, one at home) and his wife are about 65/60. They have been there for around 20 years.
They are not car people, new electric SUV, company van and daughter's small car. Their drive will take 4 cars easy.

Sorry for the long post, I'm looking for some advice.
My first thoughts are to invite hime to complain to the local authority who i presume will investigate.

Unsociable hours where there cannot be noise (music etc) are I think 11.00pm to 7.00am.
I feel the frequency of our hillclimb returns at 10 times across 6 months is OK, but i would think that.

Making a bit of noise for ten minutes in not the same as someone driving across your property. Any pallet delivery of garden materials/ sofa / etc will make no less noise than you do.

A well placed concrete bollard on your property boundary may resolve the matter?

Noise is a hard issue. Some tolerate a lot others much less, the 'quality' of the noise etc being key, or, as i suspect I will soon be facing it will be used to strike back.

I can clearly see where he has gone over the drive about twice a day.
A steel security post will fix it for sure IF he does not respect my position, but have some good sized stones too to deploy if I can lift them...

I think way back there are 'rules' that are applied to the properties (which Gary has been to in the past so he knows the layout) where you cannot erect a permeant boundry / barrier, ie a wall/fence, but one of those collapsing security posts will work i think. The areas between the dwellings/land must be sort of open plan, so no caravans. There are no such fences anywhere else in the cul de sacs.
A few years ago he did bring hope a long speed boat on a trailer which was all i could see out of my lounge front window. That was there for months until he could not afford it, but so much for 'no caravans'.

I hope it does not come to that pole. We shall see over the next few weeks.

I feel 10 trailer episodes with noise of about 5 broken minutes over 6 months is not excessive and all before 7.00pm but always on a Sunday.

As to other car activity, I do nothing on cars after 4.30pm or before 9.00am any day, no actions at night, so zero noise.
My trolley jack rattles sometimes during the day, and the compressor runs for 3 mins once a week when I roll it round the cars to do the tyre pressures, but this would be classed as maintaining my property.

I wash the cars too!

I am probably worrying about nothing, but always take a negative view on these things as people are not predictable.

There is a very good clear set of guidelines on GOV.UK on noise, and i feel better having read it.

Might help if you post a picture of where he is actually driving over your drive.

As regards the noise issue, with the trailer, there is nothing to worry about. It is not noisy, it is not unsociable, and clearly is all over in a matter of minutes. You have obviously had ‘run ins’ with the same neighbour over the years, from previous posts.
You could argue that if you have been neighbours for 20 odd years, and never speak to one another, or you are in constant fear of him complaining, then something is not quite right between the two of you?

He may not know what you actually do with the Lola, probably thinks you are involved in some form of serious motorsport, costing thousands. It maybe something he always wanted to be involved in, but could never afford it, or life issues got in the way. Why not try and break the ice, and invite him to one of your meetings to see what it is you actually compete in.

You could probably find he is quite jealous or you exploits?

Doesn’t sound to me that you are being unreasonable in any way. I’m sure if you used a petrol lawnmower for a similar time at a similar hour your neighbour wouldn’t blink an eye. Just ‘car stuff’ winds some people up.

Maybe rather than my previous suggestion of a single post, which is maybe an obvious passive aggressive move, put a line of large stones, sleepers (or some other feature) down the edge (on the other side as well) as a ‘landscaping’ detail.

Hi Graham,
Can't understand why anyone would be upset about your occasional trailer use. Seems to be less disturbance than noise from a neighbour's lawnmower. You're doing nothing wrong imho.
Cheers

.

Following on from Gary's suggestion - how about something like a few potted Olive tress spaced out along either side of your drive ?

.

I’d plant a line of flowers / shrubs / whatever will fit, starting at the home & gradually working my way to end over a few weeks (if you own any of the ground beyond the drive). Less PA than a post. Or some other garden / decorative option that is somewhat fragile & not very expensive just in case it gets broken

I think you are over thinking this Graham. Life is short. Place some small stone bollards (nice natural looking ones) where needed to discourage your neighbour, but say nothing, you have already mentioned the issue to him. And then get on with your life as you see fit, you are already being very considerate by pushing the car and trailer around, and I’m sure by your nature are a considerate neighbour in many other ways.


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Lot to cover here in a short space, so a few 'bullet=points:
We do have a good raport with him, he used to follow the Lola progress by chatting and in the early years asked to take pics to show his friends.
His wife used to be the daughter of the house owner when we moved in.
The boundry is a clear set of concrete strips set by the builders and used to be the boundry of the grass on the front of the house, now paving blocks. Thus a 'gardening' barrier is a good idea, nobody wants to drive over other's plants.
I can see down over the drive ways from where I'm typing this to see if he does in fact respect my wishes expressed today.
He is a tradesman so hands on but not adverse to doing things to suit himself at other expenses.

I will wait and observe before moving forward, but pictures as evidence are good. Small security camera placed to watch the Boxster will cover the whole area.
That would be good to show later if it comes to that.

My wife is not happy about all this, but wants to have a good relationship with them as with all she knows so this has generated a small level of friction between us as well as me waking up at night going through all the motions!
I worry a lot, always have.

There are too many personal things going on to have this rattling about the place hence biting the bullet today, not doing my well-being much good!
All the ideas have been good and very helpful, thanks to all.

In all this, if his daughter parked he car move over to one side of their drive he would not be forced to drive over my frontage!

Jon is spot on here Graham- I feel you are lying awake worrying about this!
I guarantee your neighbour isn't........................
Life is definitely too short for that!!
Offer to take him on next hillclimb- even if he says no you have tried.............
What is he doing for you?
Not a lot..................
C

Why make trouble for yourself.
I would fix the damage and get on with your life.
There are much bigger problems in the world to worry about.

Just to 9-1-1 above.
The previous person to give me (far) more grief with clenched fits and more has long gone from the cul de sac.
Everyone sends Xmas cards to each other, have 2 doctors close by and family people, people who go to TT races etc, but nobody is that close and conversations are by bumping into each other every now and then.

The doctors also sometime choose to park on my drive and walk across to their home!

I get naffed-off by the lack of respect, but I feel this elsewhere too and I'm not alone.
Generation thing, old man thing...

Anyway, the subject has been opened, we will see how he respects my request and my property boundry but he will hate not having his own way.

Oddly, when we moved in 30+ years ago the front grassy garden had 3 big stones right where this crossing onto my front had obviously ocured with the family who lived in the house then.
He drove a big S type Jaguare (replacement of the E Type) and obviously thought he too could just drive over the lawn!

I still have those stones which may go back to the same spot!

JB, if i fix it or leave it unless he does keep off he will carry on driving over the area.
I'll leave it until he proves over time he will keep off.

After today any driving over the ground on my side will actually be trespass and to make that clear i need proof he has be doing that.

Need a simple security camera set up I think.

Clive: I certainly feel better this is in the open and hope respect will prevail.

Why do you need proof, what are you going to do with it? Confront him with it, no that will just escalate things.

Just put the stones out and say nothing.


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