Pegasus Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Would it bother you? If it would, can you articulate why it would bother you? The neighbor boys (ages 13-16) that live across the street from us have started riding their bicycles through the side and backyards on my side of the street. The backyards on their block are mostly fenced and I'm guessing that they like the slopes and "off-road" experience of riding through the yards. I find this very annoying but cannot pinpoint why it bothers me. We do not have a picture perfect yard so I do not think they are doing significant damage to the grass. I slightly worry about them running over some of our smaller plantings but so far they haven't. DH doesn't think it is a big deal but is willing to go over and talk to them if I want him to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Yes it would bother me. 1) It is trespassing. It is my property and I only want people I invite on my property. 2) If they get hurt, I might be liable. 3) It not only damages the grass, it can create ruts or uneven ground where I could twist an ankle. 4) noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 It would irritate me, but I'm not sure why. I keep my kids off other people's lawns, it seems like an invasion of privacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I am liable if they get injured on my property. Yes. It would bother me. 13-16 is way beyond old enough to know better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Yes it would bother me. 1) It is trespassing. It is my property and I only want people I invite on my property. 2) If they get hurt, I might be liable. 3) It not only damages the grass, it can create ruts or uneven ground where I could twist an ankle. 4) noise. This! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I have to agree that they might give you legal trouble if something goes wrong. If nothing else your dh probably should talk to them so that there is a legal precedent that you are not allowing or encouraging this if there is trouble later. In my mind, though, the bigger trouble is that you are giving people in the neighborhood the impression that you don't value your privacy and who knows there that might lead in the future. We had a yard with no fence in front and it was amazing to me that people sent their dogs there to poop, kids cut across the yard even though there was a nice walkway, people littered there CONSTANTLY you would think we were chain smokers. I figured out that one of our neighbors was walking over there to smoke at night and dropping his cig buts in our driveway. But we were the only people in the 'hood without a font hedge or fence so I guess all those people thought we liked picking up their trash and dog poo and propping up plants that young people trampled down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 My biggest concern would be liability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 its funny, i was annoyed the other day when a girl walked through my yard, with her dog. That girl and sisters and mom, I swear I saw them walking their dog and encouraging their dog to chase one of my cats. And the mom sticks her nose in the air any time she sees me. So i was pretty annoyed, but I kinda felt like a cranky old person "get off my yard!" Still, kids used to ASK if they could cut through our yard to get to the creek, and i always said yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emzhengjiu Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 For me, it's that they aren't asking permission. I don't know if I would say yes or not, but the kids should ask first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 It would bug me if I didn't know them. If it was the neighbor kids that play at our house anyway, kids I already know and who know they are welcome, it probably wouldn't bother me. Why? Gosh, I can't really put my finger on it. I mean, if they asked permission and seemed like decent kids, I might even say "Sure, go for it. Thanks for asking. Just watch out for the bushes," if they hadn't been creating any damage. Maybe it's just a matter of respect, the difference between knowing it would be okay, in the case of my boys' friends (because they know us and have a relationship with my kids), and just riding across without showing any consideration for the fact that it's not their space. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 It would bother me. The liability issue is a problem. With my luck, they would fall and break their arm. ETA: Yes, I could see it becoming just more than two kids doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 If they just rode through, wouldn't bother me at all. If they were staying and going round in circles, it would. But, just passing through, I wouldn't think twice about it. I don't mind if people cut through my hard either. I really don't see the big deal. As long as there are no negligent type of issues going on with your yard, I don't think they have a stand liability wise. Now, if you put up a ramp for them...you could have some legal issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Another thing (beyond the reasons already stated) I would worry about is escalation. Right now it's a couple of boys that live in the neighborhood. Then it might be their friends... and then other kids start enjoying it too. We used to let kids in the neighborhood behind us jump our back fence and cut through our yard. Otherwise it's almost a mile walk from their neighborhood into ours (which is where the middle school is). At first it was OK. Then we got a dog and asked them to be sure to shut the front gate. They didn't. So we had to start locking the gate which meant they had 2 fences to jump. Some of the, uh, less fit kids had a hard time getting over the fence and stepped and and crushed a downspout. The fence is sagging in a few places now too. Once a couple of kids knocked on the door to ask me to bring our dog in so they could go through the yard! I did it that one time and told them I wouldn't do it again. They didn't ask again but I have to admit for a little while I worried that they would do something to the dog to remove that obstacle from our yard... I realize this is not the same thing, but sometimes it's better to just say no at the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Yes it would bother me. 1) It is trespassing. It is my property and I only want people I invite on my property. 2) If they get hurt, I might be liable. 3) It not only damages the grass, it can create ruts or uneven ground where I could twist an ankle. 4) noise. :iagree: It's not respecting other people's property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Eventually they will (probably) stop and pee on a tree or bush. Ask me how I know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Yes it would bother me. 1) It is trespassing. It is my property and I only want people I invite on my property. 2) If they get hurt, I might be liable. 3) It not only damages the grass, it can create ruts or uneven ground where I could twist an ankle. 4) noise. to add to this - what happens when you let things slide, and they decide they want more excitement? (e.g. vandalism, stealing from your yard . . . ) I grew up with neighbor kids who did stuff like this - and they went further. or if you have kids in your yard playing when they come plowing through on their bikes and run into them, or even just go close by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 would you be ok with it if they asked? I would not want them in my yard, they have a complete lack of respect for my property and boundaries, they are using something which belongs to me without even acknowledging it, its rude and invasive but, if those kids came to the door, knocked and introduced themselves, then asked if I would mind them riding through the yard, yep, sure, no problem! not an issue, because in that case they have asked for permission to use my property, not trespassed and disrespected me and my things maybe that sounds harsh, but where is the line? if they ride in your yard without asking, can they sit on your porch when they get tired? use your hose to get a drink? how close is too close? its your property, they have no right to assume free use of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 If they're cutting through to get to or from school or something, it wouldn't bother me. But if they're just riding around the neighborhood and using your yard for thrills, yes it would bug me. If I had little kids playing in my yard it would definitely bother me because I wouldn't want my little one hit by a bike. We haven't had liability issues around here. Of course it just takes one incident to change that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Coast Sue Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 When I was a kid, a neighbor behind our house cut through our yard daily. He left the gate open a lot and we had a dog. Then, when he was 16 or 17 he broke into our house at night just before Christmas. I was young and it really scared me everytime I saw someone come from that yard to cut through our fenced yard. I would encourage you to tell them they need to find another place to ride. Maybe that will help you redirect their activities- especially since their disrespect of property could lead to more destructive behaviors in a few years. Not that all kids who trespass will end up as criminals, but my experience is probably not that unique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 It would bug me. If any one of those children are injured on your property, the liability falls on you as the homeowner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 I would be bothered by it. here if people cut across your property then eventually it becomes a right-of-way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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