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Welcome to our road (not sure why pic is not embeding)
In a nutshell, some cars are too impatient to wait to let oncoming traffic pass and mount the verge, which is making it a muddy mess.
The neighbour with whom I share the verge (theirs is the near half) wants to put big stones there to prevent this. It's council owned, but they merely ask people not to park on the verges via their newsletter.
If I go along with this, putting stones on my half, will I get sued?
Only if they knew it was you. Anybody could've left that boulder there.
It’s council owned
Complain to them, then?
I would doubt the council immediately resort to legal action; they would either remove rocks or ask you and neighbour if you were responsible and ask/tell you to remove.
I could be wrong.
Maybe plant some flowers there instead? That way you are improving local amenities.
Much less invasive and even idiots are less likely to drive through a flower bed
Complain to them, then?
You made a funny. 😆
TBH the council, or whomever you get on the phone would log it and say thanks and that would pretty much be it. You need multiple people complaining, and even then councils by their very nature as slow to react.
I'm all for large boulders mysteriously appearing on the side of the road overnight. How they got there is anyone's guess.
Sued for what?
Big wooden planters filled with flowers, failing that dig a hole cover up with thin ply put grass back down stand back and admire the mayhem.
We planted a tree to stop people parking on "our" verge.
Looks nice, helps create a nicer environment and salutes our monarch's glorious 70 years on the throne.
Sued for what?
If someone damaged their car by driving into it
Put some cones and a persons at work sign on it. Although, @bruneep's second suggestion has merit 🤔
Sued for them driving into a boulder on the footpath?
If someone damaged their car by driving into it
To do so they'd be driving off the road. You can't sue someone for having a wall, house, tree somewhere you're not meant to drive!
Sued for them driving into a boulder on the footpath?
Here's a snippet from some prior Internet research:
If it is definitely your land then you can do what you want with it (stone bollards or fence it even).
If not, then be very careful - if I hit a stone (however well painted) on a public verge and knew that you'd put it there, I'd sue your proverbials off.
They’ve gone for plant pots here… and they were needed… some of the verges became foot deep muddy ruts. Some residents have filled them in, planted grass seed, and topped them with plant pots filled with what looks like tulips.
I'd feel a tad nervy about putting boulders on land that didn't belong to me.
So how about something large but non-damaging?
A giant inflatable Tyrannosaurus Rex?
If not, then be very careful – if I hit a stone (however well painted) on a public verge and knew that you’d put it there, I’d sue your proverbials off.
One, they need to prove it, so do more than the bit outside just your house. Get everyone to join in and have the entire street like that.
Two, they might "try" to sue your proverials but that's no guarantee of success.
I think those white painted stones 9n a well tended verge look quite nice.
You need multiple people complaining
And how do you propose that might happen if no-one does?
Looks like quite a long verge. Stick a note through everyone's door asking them to complain.
Do the council mow the verge?
That'll be the problem
Boulders will trash their mower and flower bed will get chopped
You can't really sue an immobile object for damaging your car if it's not on the public highway.
@cynic-al if you're asking about the above quote, it's a random internet self-appointed "authority". It's enough to make me stop and consider before acting though.
Very helpful thanks folks. I'm becoming more embouldened (sic).
And how do you propose that might happen if no-one does?
You are right of course
Do the council mow the verge?
No. That's left to me or the neighbours' gardener.
if I hit a stone (however well painted) on a public verge and knew that you’d put it there, I’d sue your proverbials off.
This.
As far as I'm aware the verge is part of the roadway and thereforeowned by the council.
You can't put stones on it and if you did you would be liable.
I wish I knew this 20 years ago when a large tractor forced me onto the verge outside a house where the owner had put some large stones.
I bent both near side wheels and burst both tyres.
If it happened now I'd be making a claim against them.
(Edit: incident was where the road simply became the verge without any kerb unlike the OPs situation)
You can’t really sue an immobile object for damaging your car if it’s not on the public highway.
Unless it is (and I'm pretty sure verges are part of the highway
Another edit: they are)
What would the legal basis of that claim be?
.... Putting something on the highway that caused damage to the car?
Highways Act 1980 , it is an offence to block, obstruct or damage road verges. This includes rocks, posts, etc.
Drivers have no responsibility to avoid them?
Doubtful.
Edit - deleted, I have learnt something.
Though the apparent criminal offence of putting a rock on the verge may not guarantee a finding of negligence if someone drives into it? It's the driving into the rock that caused the damage, not the rock being on the verge.
The driver of an illegally parked car is not liable if someone crashes in to it?
But if you drive into something visible and solid on anything other than the carriageway
.... But the verge is the carriageway (see above law).
And it doesn't matter whether the council cuts it or not.
Sorry sharkbait, edited my post after seeing yours.
Def don't put stones or anything else out on the verge there, it's not your land and doesn't look that bad considering it's spring and should dry out soon - if you want to prevent people driving on it stop mowing it and let the grass grow.
Caltrops. Just in case of Russians.
Incidentally, is anyone else looking at that photo and thinking:
I'd be inclined to let the grass grow and stick some flower bulbs in, it's much less likely to be driven on if it looks like part of your garden than a bit of grass.
Caltrops. Just in case of Russians.
There's a nice big puddle up there where one might accidentally drop that big box of nails, screws and WWII land mines one were carrying.
(Joking aside, that gert tyre track from end to end really is taking the absolute piss.)
Well you may own the the land, or at least the subsoil "ad medium filum" - up to the middle of the road. The highway authority will presumably have rights over the pavement part, which leaves the status of the verge interesting - if it doesn't have any of the authority's infrasture on it, do your rights extend all the way up to the surface?
Which does not really affect anything said above as the rights of the highway authority to do what they do and that offence under the Highways Act are all statutory and over-ride your property rights. But subject to all that, I am not sure the "you can't do it because it is somebody else's land" argument runs, as it may be your land.
(Joking aside, that gert tyre track from end to end really is taking the absolute piss.)
Innit. That'd proper angry me up too. You just know it's a work van (council?). No way a 4x4 driver would risk a wet tyre with that puddle.
Can you put plant pots with nice flowers on a verge?
Would a smaller pot inside a larger pot with the gap fill with sand to add mass to stop them being knocked be an issue?
Couple of roadcones would do the trick.
In that situation unless you own the verge you don’t have any right to put anything permanent on it.
A giant inflatable Tyrannosaurus Rex?
Or a giant inflatable boulder?
If someone damaged their car by driving into it
How do they sue for them hitting a stationary object?
Having a pavement with an extended drop kerb out side my house I'd gladly drop a boulder or fit bollards to stop the **** that use it as a handy extension to the road when they can't be bothered stopping for oncoming traffic. Of course the fact they can't see if anyone is about to step out from a garden doesn't enter their empty heads.
I'd like to know where putting such things sits in the hierarchy compared to deliberately driving at speed on the verge or pavement.
Buy a coach or similar and park it there permanently?
A load of planters at strategic distances, with some pretty flowers in, magically appeared overnight?
Or a giant inflatable boulder?
This is genius. Put a real boulder inside though to stop it blowing away.
Couple of roadcones would do the trick.
I highly doubt that. Next door tried that after Storm Maude or whatever it was called shook a bit of their roof loose, they cordoned off a small section of the path / road for safety until the roofer turned up. The "I'll only be a minute" brigade predictably turned up en masse as soon as the chippy opened, after replacing them three times in the space of about half an hour I gave up. On your own head be it, so the saying goes.
unless you own the verge you don’t have any right to put anything permanent on it.
A boulder isn't permanent though, is it? It's not attached to anything, it could readily be picked up and carried away (for some value of "readily"...)
Put a couple of those round top concrete bollards in. They seem to last forever and are indestructible. And they look like council items too. In fact no one from the council would know if they were theirs or not anyway even if they tried to check.
I do like the idea of the deep pit. I would take great pleasure in digging one of those.
If people are too stupid not to drive into solid objects that’s their problem.
I wish I knew this 20 years ago when a large tractor forced me onto the verge outside a house where the owner had put some large stones.
I bent both near side wheels and burst both tyres.
You mean you were going too fast and couldn't stop when a tractor came the other way?
If you could be sued for putting boulders there does that mean you have a duty of care to anyone who drives on the verge? Would you also have a presumed duty to maintain it to stop drivers getting stuck in the mud?
No, I thought not. As long as whatever you do is very visible, I'd just crack on. If speeding drivers go off the road and hit very visible things, that's their problem.
I’ve similar issues on the estate I live on. Road, grass verge / border, then pavement, then boundary hedges. Lots of areas around the estate the curb stones have sunk or been swallowed up by successive road resurfacing.
There are big, muddy tyre tracks all over the place, combined with residents complaining about the mud. The same residents who drive over the grass verges because they insist on parking off the road because it’s narrow.
🙄
You mean you were going too fast and couldn’t stop when a tractor came the other way?
I took it more as the tractor barged through and the poster had nowhere else to go.
Having now looked at the pic it's clear that the cars mounting the kerb are a danger to pedestrians so you'd be doing a public service stopping them.
Leave lots of large kids toys scattered along the verge? Some drivers (not all, obviously) may think twice about using said verge cos they think kids are playing on it...
If you complain too much the council will just replace the grass with tarmac.
How about just parking a car there to form a chicane?
You mean you were going too fast and couldn’t stop when a tractor came the other way?
No - but don't let small things, such as facts, get in the way of your supposition.
I took it more as the tractor barged through and the poster had nowhere else to go.
Yes (very large tractor appearing at speed round a blind corner on a road not wide enough for a V70 and a large tractor)
Leave lots of large kids
toysscattered along the verge?
Art installation?
I can do you a series of these if you want 🙂
What Could Possibly Go Wrong.
No – but don’t let small things, such as facts, get in the way of your supposition.
I didn't - hence the question mark at the end of my sentence. I was asking if you were going too fast, not stating that you were.
Maybe it works asa a link
Outside ours. During the week the other side of the road is lined with parked cars and as you can see it's a bus route. Plus buses for the school opposite park there in the afternoons.
I suspect some of these tracks are buses'. If we did block the verge the snarl ups would just last longer.
Of course, the solution is for students either to take the bus or walk/ride, but not drive to lessons. Or yellow lines a the way.
In Scotland you can ask a council for permission as per the Roads SCotland ACt. S51.
"The roads authority may in writing authorise an owner or occupier of land adjoining a public road, or any other person, to plant or maintain trees, shrubs, grass or other plants within, or partly within, the boundaries of that road subject to such conditions as the authority may specify in the authorisation."
If there is similar provisions in England ask the council then plant some sort of 3 ft high shrub. Big enough nobody will drive over it and small enough not to block sightlines.
Not far from me a bloke has put up some small fence posts painted white with reflective bits on and planted bulbs. Looks nice, isn’t going to do much damage if any. Seems to stop the issue.
Btw. If the council noticed or responded to anything other that a couple of 1000 people, a Facebook campaign, insta and twitter onslaught, a fatality and questions from the local MP in Parliament I would be very surprised.
We had issues with the School Run mob driving over the verges all along our street - three or four years ago, we put large plastic planters out, maybe two feet round, 18 inches high, put some bedding plants in, looked lovely as spring came on. They all got driven over and destroyed, one at a time, last one might have lasted 18 months, no comms from the council, mower folks mowed round them no bother. Fortunately the council installed double drop kerbs shortly after, so now the verges are fine and my days are cheered by reporting the tits who park on other people's drives, but the sheer "**** you"-ness of the wilful destruction of quite pretty planters angers me to this day.
I'd go for planters. Look nicer than boulders or bollards. Wouldn't really be fussed of the council owned the verge or not. If someone is stupid enough to drive into them then so be it. Could have been a baby robin!
Do like the idea of a trench covered in ply and turfed over. Make sure you have a video camera setup so we can all see the results 🤣
We planted a tree to stop people parking on “our” verge.
Looks nice, helps create a nicer environment and salutes our monarch’s glorious 70 years on the throne.
+1 this, and well done that person.
I'd be happy to help the OP plant a tree if they're anywhere near North Wilts. I even have some hi vis to make it look official. 'Plant a tree for the Jubilee' is a thing this year, so just shout that at any curtain twitchers. It's still bare root season so a good time to be planting trees.
In Hampshire you can request that the council plant a tree on a verge. You might find your council have a similar service. https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/roadproblems/tree-planting
Leaving large rocks on your verge is erratic behaviour.
IGMC.
If it was my verge I'd be burying a few 5 foot concrete posts 4 foot into the ground, let the grass grow then watch the entertainment.
If it wasn't my verge I'd be dropping a few boulders on it whilst no one was looking and if asked "boulders? What boulders? Tsk, bloody fly tippers"
I think wooden planters, though slightly more hassle than boulders, would look a lot nicer & not elicit any complaints. It would be pretty obvious that you and the other neighbour had done it (unless you can rope the whole street it, or just do the whole street between you) but would anyone actually tip the council off, or would they notice otherwise?
Leaving large rocks on your verge is erratic behaviour.
IGMC.
Could be construed as intrusive
Although if enough of your neighbors joined in you could form a conglomerate
Gneiss
If it was my verge I’d be burying a few 5 foot concrete posts 4 foot into the ground
I've seen something similar, when people didn't know it was a service strip and that there were live 11000V cables buried 600mm deep. That time it was 9nly a 750mm fencing spike. Oh, and the time the local council augured into them to erect street lighting columns.
Can't you just park a car on the verge and torch it?
Act as a visual deterrent and maybe if you did a convertible you could plant some flowers in it later.
Id put some rocks on that to protect the flowers that id planted, then id cut around the flowerbeds. The council will come to cut it, see that someone else has taken the bother and walk away... But i wouldnt post on social media that it was me... I do a similar thing already, but without the rocks and the land actually belongs to a neighbour, but he is a lazy $hite and doesnt look after it, so i do - is this social media?
Quite a few people round our way do it, well the ones with nice verges do.
How about a boulder in the Vosges?
The neighbouring road to ours has an issue with speeders, as its a 20 but its also the "main" rat run/route off the main road. All semi detached or detached houses with driveways, but they all just started parking on the road instead. seems effective, though i suppose you might have to update your insurance.
Also, no restrictions i can see on parking a trailer on the road, so you could buy a litle trailer, park it up (legally) and fill it with compost and plants if you wanted (or a boulder)