People, STAY OUT OF MY YARD!!

[PatsGirl]

A local business owner had the same problem except it was parents waiting on their kids at the school bus stop (in front of his business). He was fed up with the cars and the trespassing so he buried knifes, handle end in the ground, sharp end pointing up.

Sounds like a nice dude building good kharma he is

 

[maddiemom]

I would definately put up a fence. Especially if you have a pool. You didn't specify what kind of pool it is but if it is big enough to have a pool skimmer, I would want a fence to deter neighborhood kids from coming around when your not home and trying to swim in it. Doesn't necessarily have to be a big wooden fence if you don't like those. At least with a fence you know people won't be using your yard as a thoroughfare! That would make me a little crazy too.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

this drives me crazy too - we were also brought up to respect others property.

our old house bordered school property and had a public walkway along the side. One neighbor lady would bring bags of old food to dump at the edge of the path/our property to attract and feed to the seagulls. I am not sure why she thought this was a better use of the food than to just throw it away, but am sure she was a couple tools short of a shed. I asked her to stop once, but it did no good. I was so glad to get out of there.

The school kids thought they could just take a short cut through the yard - I wouldn't have minded that so much, but they were constantly pulling branches off the trees and flowers right out of the ground.

..and don't get me started on people and their dogs...I vowed to NEVER live on a public walkway ever again!!!!

OP - it is sad, but it sounds like a fence is your best hope!


in our new home, we have only had a problem with one neighbors yard service. We (our neighbors here) prefer not to have fences so our kids can run back and forth and so we don't have the view broken up. The only fences are in yards with pools.

 

[trip]

Don't you have to have a fence around the pool?

 

[famofsix]

Apparently some pools have high edges and the newer above ground pools don't require fences. I still wish they would though.

 

[Mickey527]

I absolutly hate fences but I think that might be your only hope.
I have to put up a fence in my yard this year and I dread the thought. My neighbor fenced in her yard with an 8 ft stockade fence. She claimed it was to keep her HUGE dog in but she never closes the gate.
I have two small dogs who stay in my yard. But when I have to clean up their messes there is always more big dog mass than little dog mess. She leaves the gate open so her dog can mess in my yard.
I have my grandson living with me and my yard is a playground. I bought a 12ft X 16ft green outdoor rug and put it on my grass and put all his toys and little tykes climbing stuff on it so I don't have to move the stuff when I mow. It looks nice, not tacky like it sounds.
She has a grandson living with her but no toys in her yard. She sends him over to play in my yard. The kid is 3 and she sends him over without supervision because I am out there with my grandson.
Her grass is beautiful because she has no dog messes on it and no kids playing all day. My yard has bald patches from the urine and always more poop than I can keep up with. And no matter how much I clean my grandson's shoes always seem to find that one pile.
So this year the fence goes up. But I am putting up a picket fence because it will get the point across without being as ugly as a stockade fence.

 

[kbkids]

I would definately put up a fence. Especially if you have a pool. You didn't specify what kind of pool it is but if it is big enough to have a pool skimmer, I would want a fence to deter neighborhood kids from coming around when your not home and trying to swim in it. Doesn't necessarily have to be a big wooden fence if you don't like those. At least with a fence you know people won't be using your yard as a thoroughfare! That would make me a little crazy too.

It's an inground pool, and it's fenced in. We ran a decorative fence from the house around the pool, but we wanted the back yard open - looks like that isn't going to happen though.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

You need to put up a fence.

Ooops - didn't read through to see you already had the pool fenced in.

I have friends who have people cut through their yard and have had stuff stolen. They put up an 8 ft. fence in the backyard and the problems went away.

 

[kbkids]

You need to put up a fence.

Since you have a pool, it's dangerous not to.
What if someone decided to use your pool when you weren't around and then got hurt? It would become your problem.

Around here if you have a pool, it must be fenced in.

See above - The pool is fenced.

 

[EMom]

I have to put up a fence in my yard this year and I dread the thought. My neighbor fenced in her yard with an 8 ft stockade fence. She claimed it was to keep her HUGE dog in but she never closes the gate.
I have two small dogs who stay in my yard. But when I have to clean up their messes there is always more big dog mass than little dog mess. She leaves the gate open so her dog can mess in my yard.
Her grass is beautiful because she has no dog messes on it and no kids playing all day. My yard has bald patches from the urine and always more poop than I can keep up with. And no matter how much I clean my grandson's shoes always seem to find that one pile.

We had neighbors who liked to let their HUGE dogs out to poop in the other neighbors' front yards. I swear, those things looked like oversized bratwurst. If I wanted dog poop in my yard, I'd run to the mall and buy some at The Dog Poop Store. Oh wait.....those don't exist....for a VERY good reason. After a few polite requests didn't work, I started picking up the megaturds in a shovel and flinging them back into THEIR yard, preferably as close to their car or front door as I could. The other neighbors liked the idea and followed suit. The dog poop people soon began to pick up big boy's poop as it made its appearance.

I'd fling those babies right back over that fence. The urine you can't do much about, but the poop is another matter.

 

[kbkids]

We're kinda having the dog problem as well, but since we've got a big dog ourself, I just let that one go. Our next door neighbor has a lab as well, and when our lot was vacant, they had him trained to poop in the "woods." Well, he still thinks our back yard is his toilet!! I see him out in the back all the time. It bugs me, but I'm not going to be able to prove what's his poop and my dog's poop, so DH just picks it all up!! At least with the fence, that job will be cut in half!!

 

[kbkids]

You need to put up a fence.

Ooops - didn't read through to see you already had the pool fenced in.

I have friends who have people cut through their yard and have had stuff stolen. They put up an 8 ft. fence in the backyard and the problems went away.

So far we've only had minor things taken, but I know it's just a matter of time. We're going to put a privacy fence across the front and down the side until it gets to a treeline and see if we can get away with leaving the rest open across the back. I really hate to fence out my view - it's the reason we bought the lot!

 

[MELSMICE]

We have open back yards & kids cutting through don't bother me, but I don't have a problem with damage to our property or anything like that.

I'd do anything I could before putting up a fence, but I'm not a fence person, they are so restrictive & just plain yucky to look at, IMO. Too claustrophobic for me.

Hopefully it will all work out for you without putting up a fence.

 

[kbkids]

We have open back yards & kids cutting through don't bother me, but I don't have a problem with damage to our property or anything like that.

I'd do anything I could before putting up a fence, but I'm not a fence person, they are so restrictive & just plain yucky to look at, IMO. Too claustrophobic for me.

Hopefully it will all work out for you without putting up a fence.

I'm not crazy about them either, but I don't know what else to do. It's just a little un-nerving to me to be outside swimming with the kids or playing catch and have people just show up out of nowhere trotting through my yard.

A man and his little boy cut through one day, and I just didn't have the heart to say anything to them - the little boy was too cute trying to tote his big old fishing pole down to the lake.

What I don't get is why, when the real trail is only 4 houses down, my yard is still the unofficial trail.

Not to mention, I'm tired of cleaning up the trash that everyone leaves down there!!

 

[EMom]

They are a LOT more expensive, but have you considered an iron fence? I think they're iron at least. You know, the decorative black ones that are not solid. You can see through them. I guess the "posts" are about 1 inch thick and 6-8 inches apart. And you can get the tops pointy. You can get a low fence or a tall fence. It would not obstruct your view, but would keep them out.

 

[kbkids]

They are a LOT more expensive, but have you considered an iron fence? I think they're iron at least. You know, the decorative black ones that are not solid. You can see through them. I guess the "posts" are about 1 inch thick and 6-8 inches apart. And you can get the tops pointy. You can get a low fence or a tall fence. It would not obstruct your view, but would keep them out.

That's what we've got around the pool - and yes, PRICEY!!! It would cost a fortune to do the whole yard because even though the yard isn't wide, it's very deep. We just can't afford that. If the privacy fence across the front and down the sides doesn't do the trick, we'll put something like that across the back or maybe the little short picket fence.

 

[Tinks]

Could you "fence" it in with landscaping? Or at least the area where people are coming from the front to the back? (Kinda block their trail a little? ) Sometimes there are pretty looking bushes or trees that can act like a "fence" or at least deter people. Arbor Vitae?

 

[MushyMushy]

That would make me crazy!

I'll have to find it, but I once read a really funny article about how teenagers know no boundaries -- and it sounds like what you're going through.

 

[tomthebarncat]

My DH grew up on a very large commercial farm with several lakes on it. Every summer some morons would trespass to either hunt or fish. My DH was the family trespasser evictor, he would simply grab his shotgun and go find the offender. Politely inform them they are trespassing and have 10 seconds to get off his property or face the consequences. He told me that he never in all those years had anyone ask about the consequences and that you would be surprised at how quick people can move when they are faced with a very large man with a shotgun. We he told me this story I was absolutely mortified that he would scare people with a shotgun, he told me it was never loaded. They finally installed an electric fence and some moron did get electrocuted on it. When it went to court, the judge thought it was funny that he got shocked right next to the sign that says trespassing is forbidden and watch out for the electric fence. This is a fine example of social darwinism at work!! I would fence in the property and get a very large dog. I would not sit back and let it happen and then complain about it on a board but then I do not suffer fools easily!! Good luck but please remember to do nothing is to do something.

 

[MELSMICE]

Could you "fence" it in with landscaping? Or at least the area where people are coming from the front to the back? (Kinda block their trail a little? ) Sometimes there are pretty looking bushes or trees that can act like a "fence" or at least deter people. Arbor Vitae?

I was going to suggest this also. It would look much nicer & probably give you even a nicer view than you already have.

I just wouldn't let rude people dictate the fact that I should purchase a fence & ruin the nice view I have. Specifically if you purchase the lot because of the nice view.

How many times a day does this happen? I guess it's just something that doesn't bother me. If we do see kids do it quite often we just tell them, "Hey guys, private property, go around on the sidewalk please instead of cutting through." Most kids apologize & don't do it again.

A man and his little boy cut through one day, and I just didn't have the heart to say anything to them - the little boy was too cute trying to tote his big old fishing pole down to the lake.

Yeah, this wouldn't bother me at all. If it got out of hand though, it is your property & it's OK to tell the man, "Sir, I'm not sure if you're aware that this is private property & the entrance to the lake is only 4 houses down."

Sometimes people just don't realize unless they're told & if they aren't told they figure it's not a big deal.

I would consider the landscaping before the fence but that's just me. I like an open yard.