Help for a novice please- small brick wall

[Patrick67]

I live in a cul-de-sac and i suspect my neighbour on the right has driven into the brick wall at the front of my house. (Can see paint on the bricks on outside top right edge of left hand post). It will have to be pulled down.

I have never done any brick work before, but i think i could happily replace the brick wall as it is only small.

However, small brick walls like these are so weak and easily damaged this could happen again.

What could i do to build a stronger wall that could withstand such an impact?

The paved driveway is not at the same level as the pavement on the other side of the wall. I was thinking of building something deep enough to plant hedging into instead?
I really dont know what to do!

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/6839/damagedbrickwallut6.jpg

 

[noseall]

in order to build something that can withstand the frontal impact of a car then you are talking pretty hefty thicknesses.

a 225mm thick wall will obviously withstand a greater impact than a single skin wall.

it would be better to teach your neighbours how to drive!

 

[^woody^]

It looks like your bricks have perished at ground level anyway, and if you wanted to thicken it, you would likely need new foundations.

You could build in some expanded mesh into the bed joints,and build in some reinforcing bars into the [new] pier, and use semi or engineering bricks, but how far do you go? In any case if it gets whacked again it just makes it harder to repair

If its some regular thing then yes, but it its once in 20 years, then why bother?

Having said that, a substantial 440 (2 brick) square pier and 9" wall in good bricks and strong mortar will offer good resistance to typical little parking knocks