AIBU to block this off? ( diagram included)

[yorkshireyummymummy]

I’m being driven demented by people walking across my block paving driveway. They peer into my window, often very brazenly staring. Their dogs sometimes cock their leg on the pot plants infront of my window. Recently a neighbour stood on my drive about four feet from my window with three other school mums for 40 mins chatting! I almost went and asked them if they wanted tea or use of the loo! If there is a wedding at the church then wedding guests stand on my drive, infront of my window peering in , smoking and sometimes putting their fags out in my pot plants in front of my window.

I want to put something along the edge of the driveway ( marked with xxx) but hubby isn’t keen as he thinks we will annoy people! I am as yet unsure as to what we could put up as it’s block paved so no planting of anything. All I can think of is trough like pots with something that grows to about 1m high and is a bit bushy. Cars often reverse up the path to church though and depending on the ability of the driver they often end up perched on my drive, so I do run the risk of plants and pots being damaged.

My point is that if it wasn’t block paved and it was grass with plants nobody would walk across it. Just because it’s block paved doesn’t make it less my property though!

What should I do? Just Seethe silently and live with it so as not to upset the offendors? Or put a demarcation line of - something- there?
Does anybody have any ideas of what I could put there?

As I have written this somebody else has just stopped in front of my window, looked in at me and scratched his arse. I rest my case!

[Lucymek]

Can you not build a wall or fence. I would be furious.

[Blankuser1992]

Get a nice gate x

[Giraffesarequitetall]

YWNBU to block it off at all. It would frustrate me too.

[beluga425]

Put up a fencr

[Floralnomad]

I would put planters along there , would annoy the hell out of me having people stood on my driveway .

[SweetMoon]

From the diagram it looks like maybe it isn't clear to people its your land. Does it sort of blend with the path? You definitely need something to mark that boundary so people realise its private land. Can you put up a fence or failing that some large planters or something? It must get annoying!

[AssassinatedBeauty]

YANBU at all. I think your idea of heavy planters is a good idea. Or just put up a fence, I'm sure that could be done even though it's all block paving.

[MrsPreston11]

I'd have a -electric- fence for sure.

[handyforpicnics]

When you live next to an access route it's perfectly fine to put up Private Property, No Litter/Parking/Waiting etc. signs to stop anti-social behaviour. These gits may ignore the signs but when you go out to tell them off they can't say they weren't warned.

Word will get round once you make a stand and most people even if they moan will respect you for it.

[MyKingdomForBrie]

Definitely put some kind of barrier the cheeky fucks, the fag ends in your pots is disgusting.

[monkeywithacowface]

I would put some laurel bushes or bamboo in large pots and create a "fence". I suspect drivers don't worry about going over the drive as there is nothing to bump into and would be more careful if there were pots in the way

[MrsPreston11]

striktrough fail - imagine it worked

[LakieLady]

How about a "Private Property - no loitering, smoking or arse-scratching" sign?

[monkeywithacowface]

Alternatively you could lift some of the blocks in order to put in posts for a fence.

[Badwifey]

Oh that would really piss me off! I'd get a nice wooden picket fence put up. About a meter high so as not to block too much light. Some people have no manners.

[ProfYaffle]

A long row of heavy planters can quickly get surprisingly expensive, might be worth getting a quote for fencing just to compare.

[yorkshireyummymummy]

I don’t think we could put a fence up- it wouldn’t look right and we would have to pull up some of the block paving.
Oh, but it’s so nice to know im not being a boundary arsehole!!

I just can’t think of anything but pots and plants. I thought the ones about 1 meter long and about 30 cm high with some fast growing low maintenance bushyish evergreens. ( I don’t even know if there even is a plant like this!)

[GrannyGrissle]

Squirt the offenders with a super soaker?

[yorkshireyummymummy]

profyaffle
Yes, the cost element has occurred to me. It probably going to be in excess of £500 unless i can find some cheap cheap troughs. W9nder if I could make some myself...............( currently feeling empowered thanks to mumsnet!)

[50ShadesOfEarlGrey]

Getting a fence/gate put in is perfectly possible, the brick work comes out, the posts go in, making good around the posts. However, do you park on this driveway? You would have to be certain that you have sufficient space to open gate, without obstructing walkway, and be able to park and that you don’t end up being driven mad by opening and closing of gate.
You could take out some of the front section of the drive and put in post and rail fencing with hedging in front. Work across from each side of the drive, leaving an opening in the middle. Depending on size of drive way you might only need one panel of post and rail fence each side, see attached picture. Personally I would keep the hedging lower than shown. In fact, just some general flowering shrubs would be pretty, but the fence gives the backbone to the look. Depending on style of house/surrounding property you might decide railings would look better?

[monkeywithacowface]

I was thinking something more like this than wood panels

www.postsandchains.co.uk/enhance-driveway-plastic-posts-chains/

[8misskitty8]

Penguin bollards along the edge. 😜

[yorkshireyummymummy]

It’s a newish house built to look older ( reclaimed bricks, tiles etc) in a village so I wouldn’t get away with metal railings I don’t think. I also don’t want to loose any light into my window either.

[GetsPostByOwl]

A metal fence around block paving looks nice and doesn't ruin the look or block any light etc. Something like this perhaps?

[yorkshireyummymummy]

OMG!
WHY didn’t I think of Penguin bollards!!
Dd would love them!