Can't get over kerb to get into driveway

[tesstickles]

Hello All,

Just moved to Bradford, but unfortunately I have to mount the kerb to get into the driveway. The problem is the Chim grounds on the kerbing. I had a lump in my throat the first time I tried it today. I could hear the bottom of the sill rubbing . Then theres a dropping slope into the drive, which I assume (I hope) will be OK IF I can get past the kerb bit. Oh and there's a lamppost directly in front of the driveway as well so I have to come in at an angle (great planning by the Council ). The kerbing does drop to road level, but the angle of entry (misses) can be blocked when the neighbours park their car. OK so I could ask them to park their car a bit further along a bit, but I can't always rely on them remembering.

Any suggestions as to how to get over the problem? I presume I cannot just make alterations so the kerb drops to road level as it's probably Council property . A higher ride height is not an option as is swapping it for a 4x4. I've seen rubber kerb ramps, but not convinced they'll solve my entry problem.

Many thanks in advance

Kim

[DonkeyApple]

Two bags of fence post cement from B&Q. Job done.

[lestershaw]

Bigger wheels
Leave a scaffold board in your garden
Best idea make a couple of chocks, they are useful as well on a hill with our hand brakes as they are

[Harrytsg]

If you have a driveway is the kerb not dropped already?

If not you can apply to your council to drop it, my neighbour recently extended his dropped kerb when he paved his front garden, i guess the process and cost/specification/procedure will vary across councils.

In the meantime i would make a pair of 'ramps' to bridge the step that is causing the issue.

[scotty_d]

Harrytsg said:

If you have a driveway is the kerb not dropped already?

If not you can apply to your council to drop it, my neighbour recently extended his dropped kerb when he paved his front garden, i guess the process and cost/specification/procedure will vary across councils.

In the meantime i would make a pair of 'ramps' to bridge the step that is causing the issue.

Not cheap i looked in to this as well to extend my lowered kerbside and it was going to cost in the region of £1000 so now i just come in at a angle on my lowered part

[SILICONEKID340HP]

Just get a private conractor in and say nothing..a few hundred quid ,only takes a few hours ..

[tesstickles]

Thanks for the suggestions. First time I tried, the front wheels got onto the kerb OK, but that was as far as I got before the bottom of the sill rubbed onto the kerb.

The straight line into the drive way, bar the lamp post being in the way isn't dropped. It's 'normal' height. Then about 5 feet further down it drops to tar mac level. The layout is driveway, pavement, about 2 feet of grass/weeds where the lamp post is and the road. Roughly I'm guessing a 5ft x3ft area would need to be changed (dropped and flattened etc...).

I had to drive in at a 45 degree angle to get in. I certainly don't think it'll come out again unless I reverse out at about the same angle.

Applying to the council is certainly going to take time... even I say that as an ex-civil servant and a lot of whys and wheres. As I rent the property I suspect I'd have to ask the Landlord as well. I'll ask the neighbours if they'd mind parking a bit further down enough to allow access.

Kim

Edited by tesstickles on Saturday 16th July 11:59

Edited by tesstickles on Saturday 16th July 12:02

[Timja]

Is reversing in any better?

[gavgavgav]

Have you checked your ride height? If it just scrapes you could raise the ride height a bit if you have adjustable shocks.

[tesstickles]

Alas, I don't have adjustable shocks. Still waiting for the older ones to wear out for replacement. Not thought about reversing, but nice thought. I should try. The drop on the other side of the kerb however would the next hurdle. This seems to be the main problem as once the car tyre drops over the kerb that's then it grounds.

I suppose another way would be to cement a paving slab that matches the others there and wait for the council to tell me to remove it. The possibility of some-one tripping over it is probably very minimal if any at all.

Kim

[graeme4130]

Get a private contractor, or better still - a Tarmac laying to do it for you.
If they do a good enough job, the council would never know and it'd be done significantly cheaper and quicker than any red taped official route. You may even be able to get your landlord to share or pay the cost if you say it's possibly a deal breaker on the rental.
Not, of course, that we should suggest this behaviour on here, but unless someone purposely complains to the council and providing they make a professional looking job of it, they'll never know.

[tesstickles]

There's nothing like a bit of working 'around' the system now then.

[V8 GRF]

Any chance of a picture?

[tesstickles]

Images of the approach into the drive As you can see there is a drop after the kerb. Thinking back now when I've had to mount the kerb else where it's not been a problem before, at least I don't remember it being so. I can only assume that it's the drop that is the main issue here. Is a paving slab cemented into position the answer or just tar-mac it?

[V8 GRF]

I'd agree with you, as far as I can see with that picture the issue isn't the kerb it's the drop to the pavement afterwards, so I'd suggest finding a way of building up the pavement to stop the car dropping onto its chassis. If tarmac isn't an option, maybe a bit thick piece of rubber mat from an old conveyor belt or similar?

[DonkeyApple]

I'm confused by these images. There appears to be no protruding curb from the road. Are we actually talking about the area where soil has clearly been eroded by previous cars crossing the grassy area to the road?

[david kelsey]

I think Jewsons sell small bags of tarmac
I you chip/cut away at the existing tarmac and apply new, benched up to meet the level of the kerb stone it will help
I would remove about 18' parallel with the kerb to give a gentle slope back to existing levels

[MidlandDan84]

I would advise not to alter public highway, if a neighbour took offence to you chipping away at a kerb and reported you....if the council took further action it could get very messy.

I would suggest having a chat with the council, explain the situation, be open and honest and see what their approach is.

I would seriously advise not to make any permenant modifications to public highway.

[themac]

Looking at the pictures, as mentioned previously, your path/soil areas are sloping away from the kirb line.
Fill in the eroded soil area for a start.
As your car travels over kirb and then down slope it will in the end scrape on the high point.
Installing a dropped kirb is the answer long term.
You can get a contractor with relevant insurance cover to carry out the works (with council approval)
Driveways should have dropped kirbs in place as standard anyway.
It is in the councils interest to sort this problem out as over time the kirbs/soil areas will deteriorate and require regular repairs at there cost!

Hope this helps

Vince

You could always take your golf bag out of the boot

[V8 GRF]

I don't think there's a need to alter the kerbstones in anyway just a need to raise the level of the pavement area to stop the car chassis grounding on the kerb after the front wheels have cleared it.