To think the neighbours should make amends

[27Bananas]

Our front garden is on a corner, in a close, adjacent to a parking area. We planted a boarder and to protect the plants whilst they are small, placed a couple of plant pots on the grass between the plants, approx 20-30cm in from the road. Over a period of 5 months, our plastic pot was run over repeatedly by careless drivers reversing onto our front garden. We decided to set up a camera which films just this part of our garden to work out who was causing it and caught a small red car reversing at speed onto the front garden, so much so that it mounted the ceramic plant pot, lifting the back of the car off of the ground. They then pulled forward and drove straight off with no hesitation or care, leaving the pot smashed apart.

Whilst sorting some things out at the front of our house, a neighbour was returning to their house and my husband asked if they knew anyone who owned the car. It turned out to be her partners 17 year old daughter. She said she would speak to him about it, but offered no apology. Its now been a week and both the partner and the daughter have been back to the house several times and we have had no apology or offer to replace the smashed pot. I know that they aren't responsible for all of the other incidents as some happened before they moved in, but we have clear video footage of this incident.

We are trying to rise above it and forget it to avoid bad feeling, but we are both very frustrated at the lack of respect and accountability for both dangerous driving and our property. Wwyd?

It's a couple of pots and flowers, it's really not a big deal. If you've got a corner prone to people misjudging it then to put anything on it is crazy. As for an apology, definitely not required. You've got little to bother you.

Can you provide a diagram OP?

I'd put up a wall. I bet they'd be a lot more careful not to reverse into that.

Completely disagree with PP saying it's no big deal. It's completely disrespectful and is damaging OPs property.

I'd remove the plant pots and replace them with some nice big jagged rockery rocks. Your neighbours will probably keep their cars off your garden then!

Wow. That's a fucking appalling attitude!

A very quick diagram showing the houses and where the car has been parked and reversed and driven off. The dashed markings are where cars sometimes park, just to show the width of the road is enough to manover without having to mount our garden - sometimes cars park along the side of the house and there is still another cars width for people to drive past and access houses further round. It is not a typical tight newbuild road.

There were no cars parked at the side when this happened and it was entirely avoidable with their car being one of the smallest that new drivers usually go for.

And here, in one message, is why society is going down the toilet, fast.

Smash up someone else’s stuff with your own carelessness? Hey, why does it warrant an apology? It’s just flowers and a pot.

Pathetic.

You ask wwyd. Well, you have clear footage of your neighbour's daughter destroying your property, and your neighbour has admitted that this has happened. I'd be knocking on their door and (politely) asking "I was wondering whether you'd had a chance to speak to your daughter about damaging my pots. How would she like to put this right? I'm happy for her to pay for a replacement, but if she prefers to go through insurance, just give me the details. Can you let me know by tomorrow as I really want to get this sorted". Then follow up the next day if necessary.

Is there a raised curb between the road and your garden?

I completely understand your frustration. Our last house had a corner that neighbours and visitors repeatedly drove over, turning the grass and causing my lovely home to look unsightly. It’s so annoying, the lack of respect is abhorrent.

We considered making a rockery or putting strategically placed boulders in the corner, but ultimately moved house. Not entirely due to that issue but I wasn’t sorry to leave that bloody front garden!

We can't build a wall as there is a services channel underneath the grass, so only shallow rooted plants or movable objects.

Perhaps some nice large rocks like @Endofyear suggested?

There is, but its called a Tobermore kerb - around half the height of a normal kerb stone with a slanted corner.

My advice, if it is your land. A large stone block and tall plant. I was originally asked by my neighbour if we would mind that to help indicate it was their drive. No probs. Now of course they all moan about the size of the buddlia!

Can I ask how you know that there were no cars parked on the street at the time of the camera only covers your garden?

Does the camera show footage of the number plate? Any distinguishing features? Are you certain that car belongs to the girl in question? If it's a common car then it's possible that two of them have been in the street recently.

As someone else has said, jaggard rockery rocks. Moveable. Cause damage if driven over.

The camera covers the edge of the road so I can see no other cars are parked there. I can see part of the cars registration that matches the daughters car, so it is 100% hers.

I'd buy a new pot and plant, post the receipts in their letterbox. Cheeky sods not offering a apology and replacement.

I think you need to let this one go.

What I would do those is buy some big stones/boulders and put them in your border.

We have a open front garden and people just use it to turn around on. I can't put boulders out just yet as DC has only just passed their test and would bump my bumpers but can't wait to stop everyone using my lawn as an extra turning circle.

I'd go around and say, "remember the pot that was smashed? Id like a replacement pot filled with compost and flowers or a reasonable figure to replace it". Give them a way to fix the issue.

In that case you need to knock and speak to the driver, or her father perhaps given she's under 18.

I would likely let it go if she apologised, now that she knows there are cameras it's unlikely to happen again.

Fill new ones with concrete and iron bar them.unto the ground.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to go around and demand an apology or reimbursement as I would end up overthinking any fall out and regretting it. I think I'm going to have to rise above it, but it helps to know that I am not unreasonable in thinking they should have behaved better in response.

I will start thinking of the best way to replace the pot with something more substantial, that wont cost a small fortune!

A strategically-placed staddlestone is what you need. We live on a narrow unadopted track; our wide frontage was used as a passing place until we solved the problem with one of those. If you do go down that route, make sure it's placed within your boundary.

Broken glass 😅
I have sharp rocks on my verge, they were here when we moved in, create a rockery with a few plants.
If you are on social media, check out free cycle, my Dsis gave away bags of beautiful garden stones, with the mesh fencing, you fill fencing with stones.