PEOPLE in my backyard!

[SundaeAfternoon]

We live on a canal in Florida, and there are no fences in our neighborhood. Apparently to some people this means they can hang out in our backyard!

A few minutes ago I happened to look out my bedroom window and there were two girls on our dock! They were probably 10 and 12 - old enough to know what trespassing is. I went out to my lanai to say something, but they were walking off by then, through everyone else's backyards. A few minutes later they came back into our yard and I said to them "Can I help you?" One of the girls said "Oh, we're just walking around." I said "Well, this is our backyard and you are technically trespassing." She mumbled sorry and walked back the way she came.

Okay, I am sure they meant no harm, but it's the principle of the matter. You just can't hang out in a complete stranger's backyard without their permission! What the heck are their parents teaching them? (or not teaching them)

We once had a guy and his teenage sons here fishing once. I mean...WTH?? Just because there isn't a fence, doesn't mean you are allowed to go wherever you want! Sheesh!

 

[Liberty Belle]

We have a very large front/side yard and kids play in it all the time. I don't mind too much (although at first it kind of annoyed me), but when they won't include my son when he goes out to play with them, that's the last straw.

Also, the high school kids pass through the yard all the time. No, I wouldn't do it and my son wouldn't do it, but it doesn't bug me too much.

 

[Mermaid02]

We live on a canal in Florida, and there are no fences in our neighborhood. Apparently to some people this means they can hang out in our backyard!

A few minutes ago I happened to look out my bedroom window and there were two girls on our dock! They were probably 10 and 12 - old enough to know what trespassing is. I went out to my lanai to say something, but they were walking off by then, through everyone else's backyards. A few minutes later they came back into our yard and I said to them "Can I help you?" One of the girls said "Oh, we're just walking around." I said "Well, this is our backyard and you are technically trespassing." She mumbled sorry and walked back the way she came.

Okay, I am sure they meant no harm, but it's the principle of the matter. You just can't hang out in a complete stranger's backyard without their permission! What the heck are their parents teaching them? (or not teaching them)

We once had a guy and his teenage sons here fishing once. I mean...WTH?? Just because there isn't a fence, doesn't mean you are allowed to go wherever you want! Sheesh!

That would irritate me. At our first home (out in the country) I looked out in our backyard when day and there was a man with a RIFLE walking through our yard! It was hunting season- but I was not amused!

 

[locolala]

We put a lock on our back gate (kids were cutting through our yard) and we have signs back there too. We had a kid fall in our yard and broke his arm, parents threatened to sue us. Luckily the judge said they couldn't legally sue, and recommended the lock and signs. We haven't had any issues since then. Can you post signs so that they know it's private property?

 

[dawson5]

my mother lives across from the lake (erie). she doesn't have a front drive way, she has an alley that cuts through the block and her driveway comes in from the rear. She came home on the 4th of july to find that people had parked in her driveway and yard. The city sets off fireworks over the lake, huge draw in that area, lots of traffic. She called the police and they said there wasn't anything they could do because she did not have signs posted. She went out the next day and bought signs, hasn't had problems since.

 

[emma'smom]

Is your dock/land posted?

We have this happen all the time at our cottage that is on a lake? The property bumps up again a causeway road that goes over the lake to state campground.

Lots of people think it is a public beach/put-in point for their boats. It's just a small strip of sand. We've also had folks pull up to our dock and dock in their canoes, etc. There's a walking path through all of the lake-front yards that people walk on all the time.

We were told that we had to "post" the land with private property and no trespassing signs to avoid liability.

People still do it, but at least it is posted. We don't worry so much about the folks who are our neighbors. It's the strangers that give us some concern.

 

[Bluestars]

If I were you, I would post a sign on the dock saying private property.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

We have a very large front/side yard and kids play in it all the time. I don't mind too much (although at first it kind of annoyed me), but when they won't include my son when he goes out to play with them, that's the last straw.

Also, the high school kids pass through the yard all the time. No, I wouldn't do it and my son wouldn't do it, but it doesn't bug me too much.

It wouldn't bother me so much if they or their parents had asked me first, ya know?

That would irritate me. At our first home (out in the country) I looked out in our backyard when day and there was a man with a RIFLE walking through our yard! It was hunting season- but I was not amused!

Yikes! I wouldn't have been amused either! We've also just had people walk through our yard, even when we were sitting right there!

We put a lock on our back gate (kids were cutting through our yard) and we have signs back there too. We had a kid fall in our yard and broke his arm, parents threatened to sue us. Luckily the judge said they couldn't legally sue, and recommended the lock and signs. We haven't had any issues since then. Can you post signs so that they know it's private property?

See, you bring up an excellent point I hadn't even thought of! Yeah, what if one of the girls fell into the canal and drowned, on our property! Yeah, we could definitely look into getting signs. That's a good idea.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

Is your dock/land posted?

We have this happen all the time at our cottage that is on a lake? The property bumps up again a causeway road that goes over the lake to state campground.

Lots of people think it is a public beach/put-in point for their boats. It's just a small strip of sand. We've also had folks pull up to our dock and dock in their canoes, etc. There's a walking path through all of the lake-front yards that people walk on all the time.

We were told that we had to "post" the land with private property and no trespassing signs to avoid liability.

People still do it, but at least it is posted. We don't worry so much about the folks who are our neighbors. It's the strangers that give us some concern.

Nope, no signs. Nobody here has them. Our city is kind of strange with rules, so I'd have to check if
we are allowed to put up signs.

There's a party a few houses down today, and I think these girls might be guests at the party. Hopefully their parents don't come over and yell at me for chasing their kids away or anything.

 

[OceanAnnie]

That's a shame to have to put up signs. I understand it needs to be done. But, if a house is on the property, it's a pretty good indication it's private property.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

We live on a canal in Florida, and there are no fences in our neighborhood. Apparently to some people this means they can hang out in our backyard!

A few minutes ago I happened to look out my bedroom window and there were two girls on our dock! They were probably 10 and 12 - old enough to know what trespassing is. I went out to my lanai to say something, but they were walking off by then, through everyone else's backyards. A few minutes later they came back into our yard and I said to them "Can I help you?" One of the girls said "Oh, we're just walking around." I said "Well, this is our backyard and you are technically trespassing." She mumbled sorry and walked back the way she came.

Okay, I am sure they meant no harm, but it's the principle of the matter. You just can't hang out in a complete stranger's backyard without their permission! What the heck are their parents teaching them? (or not teaching them)

We once had a guy and his teenage sons here fishing once. I mean...WTH?? Just because there isn't a fence, doesn't mean you are allowed to go wherever you want! Sheesh!

Motion operated sprinklers might work.

Or standing on your lanai with high powered water guns.

 

[kirbsam]

what is a lanai? sounds sassy.

 

[DutchsMommy]

I think it's like a back porch. I heard the Golden Girls call it that. Anyway, it sounds kinda Hawaii-ish so I figure it's a warm weather thing - kinda like the linguistic opposite of a toque.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

Here is a picture of our lanai, to give you an idea of how our backyards are set up. Everything is very open, and apparently a free for all!

A lanai is basically a screened-in porch. I don't know why they call them that here, but I like it. Reminds me of Hawaii.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

I think it's like a back porch. I heard the Golden Girls call it that. Anyway, it sounds kinda Hawaii-ish so I figure it's a warm weather thing - kinda like the linguistic opposite of a toque.

You got it!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Forget the lanai, I love the pool!! Very nice. You're fortunate it's enclosed, or you would have some of the foot traffic become pool traffic, I suspect.

 

[WDWtraveler27]

We have gates and 4 dogs. One is a shar-pei and she scares people. People usually prefer the other side of the sidewalk XD

 

[TinkInPink]

I really don't see the issue with two 10-12 year old girls on your dock. They were probably just bored and exploring a bit, or saw a fish etc in the water. If they weren't hurting anything, and you could see them why not watch for a few minutes and if you noticed them making mischief, or picking flowers then say something. If they are neighborhood kids you just set yourself up for a world of trouble, and trust me word goes quick through all the kids. You have gained a reputation and if they are going to do anything "bad" to a neighbor, they're probably going to do it to you. Speaking from a bit of experience (we had several little hellions on our street) the kids don't target the people who are kinda laid back, don't get mad if a kid walks through their yard, they target the people who moving a couple of rocks, or ding dong ditching etc. is going to get a rise out of them.

 

[locolala]

The problem is though, if those kids are injured on her property she could be held legally liable. Also, just because they're kids doesn't mean they can just wander willynilly wherever they want to go. If they had asked permission to be there, it would be different.

 

[tennvalgirl]

I really don't see the issue with two 10-12 year old girls on your dock. They were probably just bored and exploring a bit, or saw a fish etc in the water. If they weren't hurting anything, and you could see them why not watch for a few minutes and if you noticed them making mischief, or picking flowers then say something. If they are neighborhood kids you just set yourself up for a world of trouble, and trust me word goes quick through all the kids. You have gained a reputation and if they are going to do anything "bad" to a neighbor, they're probably going to do it to you. Speaking from a bit of experience (we had several little hellions on our street) the kids don't target the people who are kinda laid back, don't get mad if a kid walks through their yard, they target the people who moving a couple of rocks, or ding dong ditching etc. is going to get a rise out of them.

You should not have to "supervise" someone's children uninvited on your property to prevent them from hurting themselves and their parents holding you liable. JMO