My house sits fairly close to a frequently traveled road, on average two cars a minute. My drive way comes off this road and is about 150 foot long. And then ends at the side of my house. Not the most ideal place for a drive. But the only option. My question is dose anyone know of anywhere that I can find a motion detector that will give me an early warning of cars coming up my drive? I usually don't hear anyone until they start knocking on my door, because of the traffic on the nearby road and the side of the house that the drive ends dose not have any windows and I kinda mentally block it out. I found some drive way motion detectors at Radio Shack for about $80.(they chime inside the home) but I'm looking for something cheaper.

I think I saw some in Sportsmans Guide, it's worth a try.  [url]www.sportsmansguide.com[/url]

I think that there are several low cost solutions. If you're good with electronics, you could probably build the radio shack one for $20.

Alternatively, look for one of those black strips that they put across the road to measure traffic flow. This should just be a hose with two wires inside that come in contact whenever the hose is crushed. Wire that to a bell.

Lastly, there's always the option of a motion sensing light. Instead of a light, plug a radio into it. When you hear the radio, someone must be in the drive.

Hope that helps.

Is this all the answers I get? I thought you guys and gals were more resourceful than that come on people IMPROVISE!+

mines

Buy an airhorn at walmart and hire an illegal mexican kid to blow it when a car comes.  You can pay him two magic beans a day.

You will have a hard time finding something reliable for the kind of money you are talking about. Radio shack sells a small motion detecto that runs on a 9 volt for $15. It can be set to chime or emit a 120 dbl siren. It works well for inside doors, etc, but would be no good for outside, or at that distance.

Check into buying one of the drive-over hose systems from a full service gas station. Look for a station that is out of business and see if you can buy it used. I have no idea how much it would cost.

Get a dog, they hear all!!!  All you need is a warning and you can handle the rest.  My Akita alerts me when anyone is in my yard, it's amazing.  

When I lived in MD, I was < 100 yards from the the Belteway (495) thru some small woods.  The traffic was LOUD but she could "hear thru it" and still alert me....when she barks there is a reason, no false alarms.

These might be too expensive, but worth getting ideas from:
[red](Smarthome will match prices.)[/red]
[url]http://www.smarthome.com/outdoormotion.html[/url]
http://www.smarthome.com/7135.html
http://www.smarthome.com/790908.html
http://www.smarthome.com/7450.html

Smarthome also tests and evaluates their products (several months sometimes) prior to listing the item in their catalag.  Smarthome has "how-to" sections for several applications and they fit many types of budgets.
[url]http://www.smarthome.com/whybuy.html[/url]



this is cool too:
[url]http://www.smarthome.com/7137.html[/url]   (sorry, I couldn't resist....)

These are fun items. I setup one to detect cats getting into our tree where our bird feeder was located.

I had the X10 sensor/receiver config'd to turn on another X10 110-volt switch that fed power to a 24volt tranformer that I wired to a sprinkler system valve that had a hose/nozzle attached that then sprayed the tree/cat.  Believe it or not, it worked pretty well after some "system tuning".

I also hate that slimeball x-10 site that does all those popup ads.  If you google "X-10" you'll find alternate x-10 suppliers.

Thanks for your replys. Sorry it took so long to get back, Ijust returned from an unexspected trip.

Dogs are cheaper to install but the maintenance is on-going.  Other systems don't leave things to step in.  

The gas station systems used to be hollow tubing that used the air pulse from getting squeezed to ring a bell.  Not sure if they will do the job at any long distance.

A cheap electric eye system will handle the distance and you can rig just about any kind of annunciator.  Do some websearches to electronics companies you can probably rig a camera system for less than the X-10 yourself.