Impossible To Ignore
There were several ways he could deal with this. He could ignore it, but that probably wouldn’t last long, and he would pull out all his hair. He could put up a sign, but a “no trespassing” warning felt far too aggressive. He had no idea the solution was waiting at the local store, and only going to cost $2.
Security Package
YouTube / America’s Funniest Home Videos
For Dave, it was a no-brainer to get a security camera for the front of his house. It was a deluxe package with all the bells, whistles, and handy app that gave him immediate notifications if anyone approached his home. At first, it seemed like the best idea ever.
Petty Crime
YouTube / America’s Funniest Home Videos
It wasn’t the first time he had lost an Amazon package to porch pirates or been the victim of some petty, annoying crime that the police didn’t do much about. Even if it was a decent neighborhood, the new shiny system was very much welcome. However, at the time, he wasn’t aware of the annoyance it would bring.
Caught Red-Handed
It started with the tell-tale “beep” that signaled someone was on the large slab of concrete in front of his home. Dave whipped out his phone, feeling like a secret agent ready to catch a sneaky criminal. But there in the driveway, was not at all what he imagined.
Playing Kid
YouTube/ Happily
A little boy, no more than four, raced around his driveway on his blue and green bicycle. The zipping child had accidentally set of his alarm. Dave chuckled and put his phone away. Oh well, things like this were bound to happen. But he would soon find out it was going to be a regular, and very annoying, thing.
Bike Fun
YouTube/ Happily
Everyday his phone would beep and show the same ordeal. The child’s mother moseyed along the sidewalk, her hands busy with trying to control the leashes of two large, very energetic dogs. The boy would race ahead, turn into Dave’s driveway, do a circle then wheel out to join his mom again. But what could he do about it?
Getting Annoying
YouTube / America’s Funniest Home Videos
The constant notifications weren’t just getting annoying, they were filling up his notifications and memory storage. One thing for certain, he wasn’t going to be one of these horrible strangers that would come down on an innocent child for some harmless play. No, this needed a creative solution.
Store Solution
Facebook / B’s Bazaar Ltd.
The answer came quickly – a simple but useful “skill” he had wielded when he was young. It had come from long summer vacations filled with friends and adventure – and it only cost a couple bucks. So, Dave went to the nearest dollar store, bought a colorful bucket of chalk and raced home with the perfect idea.
Guidelines
YouTube / Great Big Story
The idea was simple. He had no problem with the boy, or anyone else, having to use the driveway for a moment or two. He just needed them to stay away from whatever points would set of his security system. Dave bent down, grabbed a bright pink hunk of chalk and dragged it along the ground.
Racetrack
YouTube/ Happily
The final result? A winding “racetrack” complete with “curve warnings” and entry arrows. It gave the kid something to ride along but leave Dave in peace. There was the ultimate question, though. Would the boy use it? The next day, he made a point of watching the camera stream carefully.
Worked Perfectly
YouTube/ Happily
Like clockwork, the mother and kid show up – his little feet pushing the peddles as fast as he could. Normally, he would swerve in and out. But this time, he slowed, surveyed the path and then looked to his mother. She gave a smile and a nod then pointed to the “in” section of the track. But that wasn’t all!
New Designs
YouTube/ Happily
It wasn’t just the perfect solution to what could have been a dramatic problem with the neighborhood, it was something Dave found he enjoyed doing. Whenever the rain washed the lines away, he would just grab the bucket and chalk and draw a new, different one. In a small, adorable way, his driveway became locally famous. Why?
More Than One
Unsplash
It wasn’t just the one tiny boy that used the fun run. Many other children who sped in front of his house, saw the opportunity, and happily took it. As things couldn’t get any cuter, or surprising, Dave found something else appear on his recordings.
Thank You
YouTube/ Happily
First, the boy now would finish the tracks and then give a little “thank you wave” to the camera. Dave felt like he would melt into a little puddle on the floor. Second, it wasn’t just kids that used it! His jaw dropped when he saw that adults were using it too!
Adults Too
YouTube/ Happily
One mom with a stroller grinned and took the “side path”, and shorty after a teen on a scooter did the same thing. A few grownups on their own bikes, even though it was tricky, decided to tackle the racetrack. It was a better solution than Dave could ever have imagined – one that made everyone happy.