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I would probably take the fence down and get to know my neighbors --- not joking...
I moved into an area where everyone had fences and no one knew each other... we took down our fence and started meeting the next door neighbor - funny thing, others started taking down their fences, opened up the area, great views now, and everyone (except one guy) gets along and knows each other.
I would probably take the fence down and get to know my neighbors --- not joking...
I moved into an area where everyone had fences and no one knew each other... we took down our fence and started meeting the next door neighbor - funny thing, others started taking down their fences, opened up the area, great views now, and everyone (except one guy) gets along and knows each other.
It was amazing to watch.
Many, many people in that particular subdivision holds those of us living in the area surrounding it in contempt - they've stated as such on their neighborhood email list. I went out of my way to greet a homeowner one day when I was walking my dog in the field and he looked me up and down and walked away without speaking a word. Throwing trash over onto my property speaks volumes about them as well. Also, my backyard is a huge field surrounded by livestock fencing - not privacy fence - so our visibility is fine but I'm much too far away to develop an 'over the fence' relationship with these people. There are several *thousand* feet between my back porch and theirs, thank goodness. Besides, we're going to get a couple of horses in a year or 2 so I need my fence right where it is!
I agree that it is beneficial to get to know one's neighbors. We are very close to all our other surrounding neighbors and with most in the small development across the road from us. Just last month, one of our trees fell in a storm and blocked the road. A friend and neighbor called to tell us, but we were in town for dinner to celebrate my son's birthday. My friend told us not to rush home and he and 3 other guys in the neighborhood headed over with chainsaws and cleared the area for us. They even had 2 passing cars stop and get out to help. If someone's ill, dinner is brought over and if anyone's spouse is out of town, the other spouse and kids are invited over to someone's home for dinner. If anyone rents a piece of equipment like a bobcat, everyone who needs a little work done is helped. Just this morning our dog got loose and instead of calling animal control, a neighbor snagged him for us and brought him back home, even putting him in the sunroom for us since we were out of town. We have a great thing going on here that I wish more people could experience! Unfortunately, some people just like to be judgmental, snotty jerks. Their loss!
identify the/or one ringleader.get a van not from the area.a driver and atleast 3 strong/tough people.then get the kid in the van for a blanket party.leave him in his underwear with the poop slapped out of him,in a very rural area miles from home.did i mention this is a covert operation,never to be mentioned from any lips ever?camo on all faces but driver who cannot be seen from soon to be reborn spawn.black hoodies,no talking at all.a halloween voice changer is used right before leaving to say,....don't **** people off or you won't make it home next time,....tell (insert name)he's next or maybe your parents are next since they are such useless trash.i read this in a novel onetime and it worked out well in the book.of course you can't do this,but if you could i believe it would work.in the book the kid got his poop together,was hired to do the yard work and became the town mayor.i think it was steven king.what an imagination that guy has.:d
I need some opinions on how others would handle this situation. Our home sits on 6 acres that backs up to a fairly new subdivision. Out of the 4 homes that are adjacent to our property, we've had an issue with 3 of them dumping crap over our fenceling - sitcks, rocks, dirt, trash, dead plants, etc. Hubby and I have spoken to each of the offending homeowners and fortunately, the problem has been resolved.
However, now that warm weather is upon us, we are having another problem with trespassing teenagers. They are climbing over our field fence and cutting across our field and backyard to reach their friends in the smaller subdivision that is across the street from us. I'm uncomfortable with this for several reasosns - I don't know these kids as my children are just 5 and 8; we've found trash and broken glass in our driveway and yard which I am assuming is from these kids as this has never been a problem before; there are sinkholes, snakes and other critters in the field and if one of these kids gets hurt, I imagine their parents won't waste a minute suing us.
Regardless, the kids are trespassing on private property and I want it to stop. I don't know who their parents are but I do have several friends that live in that development and know who the HOA president and other board members are. Would it be weird for me to contact the HOA president and ask him to please remind the residents not to trespass on other properties? We're in what used to be a very rural area and this subdivision is surrounded by large parcels and farms and other neighbors have had issues with trespassing, too.
So, if you were the HOA president, would you take my request seriously or blow it off as a cranky lady telling kids to get off her lawn?
Take the homeowners association to COURT! I've had the same problem and I live near Chattanooga, TN. Brats came on my property..3 acres, built a fort etc , smoked pot, left trash etc, I stopped it. You need to make a LOG of when they come on your land.. If you can. get a video camera. Identify the kids. Get a lawyer, get one in Nashville if possible- will cost about 100.00. hAVE THE LAWYER DRAFT UP A LETTER TO THE HOMEOWNERS. one cannot TRESPASS..YOU CAN sue...YES, sue.. EACH parents homeowners insurance. This really pisses me off as some parents don't teach their kids to respect others privacy. You can also install a camera. Plus.. PUT up NO TRESPASSING signs.. ( take photos of them) give to your home insurance.. so if the kids do get hurt, the parents can't sue you. Honestly, this is the homeowners associations DUty TO inform everyone in their community to stay off your property. Please get in touch w/ me if you want.
[EMAIL="sugahdumplynne@AOL.COM"]sugahdumplynne@AOL.COM[/EMAIL]
I'm amazed by how many people said the solution was an electric fence when the OP's initial concern was getting sued if the children got hurt while tresspassing.
If the OP was at risk of getting sued if the children broke a leg in a sink hole, the OP was definitely be at risk of getting sued if she installed an electric fence KNOWING that children climbed the fence.
Totally illogical! An electric fence is ASKING for a lawsuit in this type of situation! Yet MOST people in this thread supported the crazy idea!
How coincidental that this thread was bumped up! Just the other day I was out walking in teh back field and saw that my no trespassing signs have been removed and the section of fencing we had repaired was torn down!
Hopes, I think maybe you are not familiar with pasture electric fencing. We're not talking about high-voltage, electric chair type zaps here. It's a strong shock, but not enough to burn off anyone's eyebrows. Besides, if they are on my private property and get hurt trying to climb my fence and I have trespassing signage up, I'm not liable.
I've tried speaking with the HOA board, but they can't do much of anything. They already know they have some unruly, destructive kids in the development. They've been seen trashing the pool, littering on the hiking trails and setting fires in the woods. They also continue to have regular car break-ins which sound like something these teens would do.
At this point I'm ready to dig a trench and fill it with crushed glass. I haven't been able to catch them trespassing - I suspect they come across at night. Any suggestions for a solar powered, motion activated spotlight?
Hopes, I think maybe you are not familiar with pasture electric fencing. We're not talking about high-voltage, electric chair type zaps here. It's a strong shock, but not enough to burn off anyone's eyebrows.
A child could have an undiagnosed heart condition and could die from even that type of electric fence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mary_Moon
Besides, if they are on my private property and get hurt trying to climb my fence and I have trespassing signage up, I'm not liable.
You're wrong because these children aren't "undiscovered tresspassers." They are considered "anticipated tresspassers" since you know they are already coming into your property. As a result, you have a responsibility for their safety to notify them of dangers you are aware exist on your property. A no tresspassing sign doesn't protect you from that responsibility. And you would absolutely be held liable for purosely adding anything that could harm them.
It could be easily proven because you have already made your knowledge of them known to the neighborhood by talking to the HOA. At this point, anything that you do to your property that could potentially hurt those children will put you at a greater risk of being found liable in a lawsuit.
Futhermore, child tresspassers are more protected under the law than adult tresspassers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mary_Moon
At this point I'm ready to dig a trench and fill it with crushed glass.
And you were worried about them getting hurt and suing you? Now you want to purposely hurt them!
Seriously, it sounds like you are being territorial more than you are worried about liability issues you first shared.
And *my* children could be in danger because of these much bigger teens unabashedly trespassing onto my property. It's *my* property and *my* family's safety comes first. There is a very small, very remote chance that a kid with an undiagnosed heart ailment could die from touching an electric fence. The much more likely scenario exists that my beautiful, trusting 9 year-old daughter could be raped by one of these boys on the threshold of manhood who obviously don't respect authority. Guess which one I care about more.
Further, you are ignorant on zoning laws concerning parcels greater than 5 acres in rural areas outside of city limits in the state of Tennessee. I most certainly can erect an electric fence and because the proper signage has been posted, I WOULD NOT BE LEGALLY LIABLE if anyone is hurt while trespassing on private property. I've already spoken to the sheriff's office and an attorney.
As for being territorial - you bet! This has been going on for a looooong time and I've over being solely concerned with liability issues and now I want them to stay out of my yard!!!!!!!
As for being territorial - you bet! This has been going on for a looooong time and I've over being solely concerned with liability issues and now I want them to stay out of my yard!!!!!!!
Agreed it is your property and you have the right to protect it. Just that it happens to butt up to a development of many houses doesn't mean it is free to roam.
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