The dark is coming more and more.

[Aspenshaw]

As my wife and I age, we find that in the dark, morning or evening, it is becoming a two-man job to navigate the van into/off to the drive. A task my wife does not like and so she ropes in our son.

I'm looking for the 'Fun' to come up with a solution we three (me, wife, son) can agree, and where only one is needed to drive in/out in the dark without hitting the pillars or driving into the bushes.

The van is 2.34m wide by 6m long and the gates 3m. On the right of the photo, the drive is curved to the left. On the left, is the shed and the three bins. The bins have to come out through the gates and the shed door needs to open without whacking the van. This means the van rests higher on the drive. The biggest challenge is to swing left to follow the curve without driving over the bushes and/or without whacking one of the brick pillars. We have some ideas of our own but the three (including a son) cannot agree.

 

[DavidG58]

Plan to arrive in daylight we very rarely get home in the dark or for that matter even drive when it’s dark

 

[ALI G]

Led flloodlight might help.Flitted mine when coming home in the van from a 2 to 10 shift.

 

[scotjimland]

LED light bar on back of van.. and a reversing camera ..

one person on the kerb to watch for traffic ..

 

[pappajohn]

Led lights on the gateposts plus led floodlight on the house wall at high level to avoid dazzling.

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[ALI G]

Yes I ment on the house.

 

[68c]

Straighten the drive in.

 

[dna]

Would canes stuck in the edge of the flower bed (with florescent / reflective tape on the top ) help in following the curve.

Next time you are on a caravan club site, nick a pair of the white posts to park the nose of the van between

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

Both brick pillars out.
Remove the gates.
Get rid of grass and hedge ( and wall?)and widen the whole area for a big swing in and out with the van.
And then a damn good alarm and immobiliser fitted plus wheel clamps and steering wheel clamp lock.
Water butt moved to side of shed rather than in front, along with bins, all up tight against house wall.
Then, good pir security lights fitted high up shining down onto van, shed and parking area.
Just my thoughts.

 

[Aspenshaw]

Plan to arrive in daylight we very rarely get home in the dark or for that matter even drive when it’s dark

I'm with you but alas some of our trips are starting in the dark and coming back in the dark. For example, the NEC was a start in the dark (7am) and thanks to a puddle on the M53 reducing the lanes to one meant it was dark when we arrived home.

Like your thinking.

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[Stoosal]

I would get rid of the brick pillars and gates. That’s biggest risk of causing damage. Move shed and bins to other side of drive giving bigger/longer area to drive vehicle in straight.

Don’t know what road is like outside of drive but I aways try to reverse in, drive out.

 

[davidbaldam]

360 degree camera?

 

[gus-lopez]

First thing ,looking at the picture is are you wanting to reverse in as driving in should be no problem?

 

[Speve]

Would it be better to reverse in you would then be going forwards on your exit and easier to see what’s coming along the road as well

 

[Shrimp]

Thin out the bushes, straighten the drive even if only a bit, lose the gates and pillars.

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[eddie]

Practice!

 

[Tombola]

Bang some of these around the wall, they have a great brightness

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[Brains]

LED stips of light

 

[FrankNicklin]

Reverse in with a flood light on the house and then easy to drive out and see what's coming.

 

[Coolcats]

As my wife and I age, we find that in the dark, morning or evening, it is becoming a two-man job to navigate the van into/off to the drive. A task my wife does not like and so she ropes in our son.

I'm looking for the 'Fun' to come up with a solution we three (me, wife, son) can agree, and where only one is needed to drive in/out in the dark without hitting the pillars or driving into the bushes.

The van is 2.34m wide by 6m long and the gates 3m. On the right of the photo, the drive is curved to the left. On the left, is the shed and the three bins. The bins have to come out through the gates and the shed door needs to open without whacking the van. This means the van rests higher on the drive. The biggest challenge is to swing left to follow the curve without driving over the bushes and/or without whacking one of the brick pillars. We have some ideas of our own but the three (including a son) cannot agree.


View attachment 826362

Get up enough speed and take everything with you.

Seriously though I would as a starter have guide lights these could be using cat eye’s to track the path failing that illuminate the area. Lights in the pillars shining out to the road and all along the drive and parking plot. If the gate posts are a concern move them make them wider, it’s cheaper than damaging the van.

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[Oldrat]

Id improve lighting both on van and in the garden.

I would guess that the OP drives in forwards so that the hab door is usefully facing the house and not the bushes?

 

[Bailey58]

I always drive in and reverse out but then we live in a long quiet road with a cul de sac 80 yards beyond our entrance and virtually no traffic. I would be inclined to look at the bushes first to see if you could straighten the manoeuvre, leaving the gates intact for security, but adding plenty of lighting.

 

[HKF]

If it's possible, I'd move the shed and bins to the right hand side. Remove the grass and hedge and move the gates over to the left hand side, making the opening as wide as possible. If you can widen the opening, you don't need new gates; just get some extensions welded onto the current ones. If you can do that, it looks like you should have a much straighter run to either drive or reverse in.

Also, as others have said, get some LED floodlights on the house and/or shed and also some ground lights.

 

[BusyBuilder]

I widened the gates on my drive as we have big drive but only single lane outside so tight turn in.

 

[The Old Man]

Reverse in with a flood light on the house and then easy to drive out and see what's coming.

I'm a solo traveller and find I have to consider manoeuvring the van alone.

As above. I almost always reverse into parking spots. When I arrive it is usually daylight, I've been driving so feel in tune with the van and so reversing is easier then.

I also have half a dozen battery operated lights;

Cheap as chips, put them on the ground, stick on posts and other hazards and one at each end of the bumper bar.

I have driven over a few.

Once out, get out, collect them and store in the door pocket.

I think most of mine came from Poundland!

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[cyberyacht]

Nose in is better from a security point of view. Just that little bit slower to drive away.
Give the foliage a haircut, ditch the gates and pillars for more room to manoeuvre and fit a big beefy security post instead.

 

[headlight]

Where I used to park my motorhome was extremely tight to get in and out of and also involved driving down a one way lane the wrong way for about 50 yards.
My answer was to put the motorhome into a storage compound.
Besides removing parking hassles I also think it is safer than my drive as the storage compound has electronic manned gates and dog patrols 24/7.

 

[The Wino]

I'd start by painting the kerb at the edge of the parking area white and put a couple of bits of reflective tape on the gate pillars. At least you can then see the borders. If you go in straight between the pillars and as far forwards as possible before turning it should work out fine. I'd then go with someone to watch and stop you if necessary to practice

 

[Headrush]

I have a tow bar so it's slightly different but I have to reverse up a lane, start turning to about 30 degrees to get through the gate, then turn back 30 degrees to get on the hard standing.
So I fitted those rubber markers you see on lorries. They light up so you can see exactly where the back of the van is.

The lane is about 12 feet to the right of the van and parallel to it in this photo.

 

[the1andonly]

Led strip on floor for precice route. Camera on front (inside bumper pointing down . could even lay 2 at outside once youve sussed the limmits.