http://www.wickes.co.uk/gardens/fencing/icat/fencing/
3x bolt down Met post holders
3x short fence posts
1x 5' overlap panel
1x 3' gate
These will fill the gap safely and relatively cheaply. They won't need fastening to any wall. The can be removed by unscrewing 12 bolts. They will leave 12 small holes to be filled in the floor. They won't fall over and crush a child.
I know you said that you don't want a fence and gate, but a fence and a gate is the only safe option and has the benefit of not looking awful.
SentryCat™
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Autonomous paint ball gun?
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Alternatively one of those stock control fences that you bury underground that triggers a shock collar. (You might want to wind the output down a tad on the collar).
Heras fence panel and a couple of the rubber bases.
Not pretty, but mobile and will do the trick.
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http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.Xheras&_nkw=heras
Personally I'd spend the extra on a [b]folding[/b] gate attached to your house, but with a retaining hole drilled into the driveway at your neighbours house end. A bit more expensive, but ultimately more useful and will look nicer.
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Could you not just park the car diagonally to block the gap?
What about putting a post in the ground a few millimetres from your neighbours wall? Then isn't actually attached. Relatives have a Stairgate in the house that is a vertical roll of netting that you pull out and hook on the other side. Could do something like that bit bigger? Then just rolls up in the post when not in use.
Supervision and a Gate?
Anything else will be such a faff to look nice and be effective it will never get used.
Could you not just tell her to not go on the road?
Thanks for the useful suggestions. Will mull it over and see what I can come up with.
sharkbait - MemberCould you not just tell her to not go on the road?
Ever tried convincing a headstrong three year old with a penchant for investigating and exploring not to do anything that looks like it might be fun? The short answer is we've tried that, it didn't work hence my original question.
I vote for the laser robot. However you actually need a gate or a gate and fence just not the one you picture when rejecting the idea. Is the drive yours or shared with your neighbor?
If it is shared what ever you do will need to work for your neighbor too and fence and gate is the best looking and most useable solution. If yours your only issue is fixing the far end Meta post or bolt drooping down is an answer.
Three year olds don't do obedient nor risk assessment in my limited experience. So education is not the answer. We have a 6foot fence and gate to seal crankbrat in the rear garden if ever we lose sight of him he will be down the side of the house trying to work the bolt on the gate.
bigG - Member
Thanks for the useful suggestions. Will mull it over and see what I can come up with.
My pleasure
Just get a piece of fence big enough for the gap and put slide bolts either side. bolt in place, al a previous post's, when needed then move when you don't want it there. you could even have a small gate in it as well.
this way nothing is permanently fixed and the holes for the slide bolts can be filled.
Open your car doors wide and then reverse into the gap, folding and jamming the car doors between the houses 😀
Or the sensible option:
1. Tell your neighbour the problem and ask if they mine if you fit a gate and you will do so with the minimum of damage to their house and will make good when it is removed.
2. If this is still a no go then get a long scaffold board as a base and make a flat bottomed U channel which makes the gap narrow enough for a standard wide gate - get one as high as possible. Attach the U shape to your house using decent bolts and to the driveway if possible. Then have the gate/gates so they lock.
3. Failing that just stick up an electric sheep fence. Stick it on full power first so they learn not to test it and then after a while you can turn it down to save the battery. That's what we do with the sheep anyway 😉
let the au pair do her job
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What docstar said, plus
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"You're name's not down you're not going out"
Get a border collie and train it to herd your offspring! 8)
Edit - like this:
extend the lip of your carport so it goes past the doorframe
Hang your "some sort of roller screen" from it that can fasten to a couple of hooks in the floor
Now then
[Stereotype]Get your good lady to park the car?[/stereotype]
This is actually a serious suggestion (sorry), but how about making something like these (obviously without the barbed wire and pointy ends)? You can make them as long or short as you like so fairly easy to move and as long as you make the bases fairly wide they'll not fall over!
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