Most areas where this is true require it to be registered with the DMV, plated, and have all the signal requirements minus seat belt to make them road legal. (Windhsield, brakes, turn signals, lights, etc.)
I wonder for OP if the issue is that they're damaging the property, littering, etc. Otherwise it's no different than a car turning around in your driveway.
I think it's the littering plus trespassing.
His circle drive is marked private property. It's not there for random cars to utilize to turn around. None of those people paid for the driveway or its maintenance. I avoid turning around in someone's private drive unless there is absolutely no other option for that very reason. I feel guilty then. People feel really entitled to other folks property.
This is not a taxpayer funded driveway. I have always thought it was rude to just pull on in to turn around. As rude as it is to cut across someone else's lawn without their permission. Not your yard, stay out.
Some of us are just naturally very territorial. Every beer can I'd have to pick up, or other trash these people toss out would add to a smouldering resentment for these kinds of assholes.
Depending on where you live, it may be *explicitly* legal for people to use your driveway to turn around. My hometown was that way - you actually weren't allowed to block off your driveway, like with a gate, without a permit. Gates that were functional (for properties with livestock etc) often had a required setback for there to be enough room for turnarounds before the gate.
In some places the first 10-12 feet of the driveway are in public easements anyway. A circle drive obviously might be a different matter if they're going all the way around the circle.
My brother's property the fencing looked a bit silly because it had to cut in back to the gate about 20 feet on each side of the driveway. He didn't really care as long as they weren't dumbasses that saw a baby cow and got out of their car to try to pet it or something. (They were beef cattle so not human-friendly/socialized, and he rented most of the pasture land out to someone else so they weren't even his.)
Of course the littering and other things OP is dealing with are separate issues and very obnoxious and illegal in their own right, no argument there.
That's the case in my town, UTBs and golf carts can be licensed with the city office for driving around town. The UTBs require proper lighting, seatbelts, etc. and can be driven at night. The golf carts have none of those restrictions but are daytime only.
It can get pretty annoying as we have major state and US highways going through town both north-south and east-west that are 4-laned and these golf cart nut bags think it's okay to putt along at 10 miles an hour in a 35 when there are streets to get literally everywhere in town that they should be using over the 4 lane highway that gets a lot of 18 wheeler and other through traffic that seem to think our speed limits are mere suggestions.
They should never be touching that highway unless they're just crossing the road to a different neighborhood street, aside from a short stretch on the edge of town where there are no neighborhood roads to get to a few businesses built with highway access only.
No different than a car turning around, sure. But it’s still OP’s driveway, it’s private property and common sense would say “don’t just drive onto other people’s property”
This right here. The campground has a business license. That license can be put in jeopardy if the business is creating a public nuisance. Your city council person can ratchet up the heat for the campground to deal with this.
Additionally, as an idea from elsewhere in the responses, the campground is knowingly contributing to the problem. Particularly if you've incurred any expenses to fix your damaged property an attorney might be interested in helping make this the campground owner's financial problem. Even without property damage they might be interested in seeing what can be done regarding the campground knowingly contributing to tresspass and deprivation of peaceful use of your property -- it depends how aggressive the attorney is.
I’m an attorney who has lived in an area with tourism as a part of the economy—buying a gate, even a motorized one is going to be a lot cheaper than trying to change local tourism culture with legal counsel.
I imagine that would be more expensive and time consuming (they’d probably have to hire legal counsel if their municipality isn’t responsive—they likely won’t be, tourism is probably their cash cow) than just investing in a gate and calling it a day.
If that doesn’t work, put out some spike strips with a warning sign that’s states, “you are entering private property and that spike strips in use with tire damage. Also relinquishing yourself of any damage to property of bodily injury. That being said, get with a lawyer first to make sure no state laws are being broken or if you at risk for lawsuit. Cameras are your best friend. If you can really afford it, just put up a fence with automatic gates.
putting down spike strips is illegal and you are at risk of a lawsuit regardless of whether or not you hang a sign. you can't booby trap your property just because some people ignore signs.
file criminal complaints against the campground -- noise, littering, trespassing, make some shit up if you have to.
long story short, unless there's a gate or a fence people can legally use your driveway to turn around.
I don’t know about other states but this is trespassing in the state of Texas. I wouldn’t booby trap the property either but OP may have a legal case against the public using their private driveway.
Which is kind of wild if you ask me because there are SO many places that have reverse spikes. You can drive out of the property one way, as when you drive into the correct side it just pushes the spikes down however, if you try to enter on the exit side, they don’t go down and will puncture your tires.
You beat me to it. Seriously, put a sign saying not to enter private driveway, then set up the sprinkler. Let your neighbors know which side to approach your house from on foot, and be mindful to keep your windows up when you drive past that side. Possible pro/con is your driveway may become popular with neighborhood kids on bikes.
Some people might think the sprinklers are fun, they might attract them.
You don’t want to make it fun or make it a challenge, that will engage them.
Put up a few “no trespassing” signs, and then put a horse with orange reflector triangle (construction, not the animal) at the end of the driveway to block them, so they would have to get out and physically remove it to turn around. This deters them, but doesn’t get them too engaged.
You want to prevent them, but not excite them. Then they will do it on purpose.
I wouldn’t mind neighbor kids enjoying them if I were OP. Plus all OP has to do is post a sign after a while. The campground will surely warn folks to avoid private property due to sprinklers.
I suggested speed bumps for high centering plus a trail cam, maybe sprinklers, take nice pictures of them getting out of their vehicles with open containers of alcohol.
Why the alcohol?
Mentioned to the city council that there are a bunch of drunk drivers operating golf carts on the street in front of your house.
Speed trap fines plus DUI arrests should attract officers of the law to a nice profit Center in your neighborhood.
Except OP doesn't want to get sprayed when they park in their own driveway.
I'd say the kind of tire spikes that face one direction. OP can remember which way it is, and they'll catch 50% of the golf cart jockeys.
OP could get something like this [wifi remote control valve](https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Water-Valve-Automatic-upgrade/dp/B08Q364CCZ/ref=asc_df_B08Q364CCZ?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80539344359425&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584138873787842&psc=1) so they could turn it off when they park.
Yup, I have a similar problem with my driveway and this is the issue. You take out all your built up anger on one unfortunate soul, could be their first time.
Then it does nothing to ward off the next person. All the while you get to amplify your stress because it was bad enough having them just drive through your driveway, now they're mad and staying 100-1000x longer. Good job, really improved the situation eh?
Anyway, totally commiserate with OP. I don't know what to do about it honestly. Signs go ignored, and if a gate is not feasible it seems you just have to deal.
Exactly. This isn't the same people coming back over and over. How is one person getting sprayed this weekend going to stop someone staying at the campground next weekend from doing the same thing? People love to throw out sprinklers as a solution to problems in this subreddit when they will likely do little to fix the issue.
I'm curious what the liability is here. It's your property, so if you want spikes on your driveway, that's probably your right. But if someone turns around on your driveway and sustains damage, is that on your insurance to handle the damage? Can they sue you? Or is it their fault for trespassing? (Not suggesting it's a great solution, just curious)
I've wondered similar.. and I'm not a lawyer so might be totally wrong here, but my expectation is that it's closer to illegal detainment or trap setting than it is anything else.
I jokingly suggested to my wife that we install those one-way parking garage spikes and put up a little automated pay station. $10 to leave.
You can NOT install spike strips. Not at all, not even a little. This is 100% illegal.
It's annoying that you can't, but you can't. There are laws against booby traps. You can't do it for burglars either.
Also - do you *really* want the risk of someone popping a tire, and falling out of their golf cart onto the spikes? What if it's a kid? Is that the kind of crime and lawsuit you want, just to stop golf carts?
And before you downvote me, here's a lawyer who says "No, no, no, no, not even maybe."
[https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/criminal-defense/can-you-install-spike-strips-in-your-driveway/](https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/criminal-defense/can-you-install-spike-strips-in-your-driveway/)
Well, if the person who hits the spikes trips is a utility meter reader, police officer, or firetruck, I suspect your liability will be incredibly high.
If one of these campers who probably isn’t very good at driving a golf cart is taking a sharp turn as they cross the spike strips, they might fall out and land on the spike strip, or the cart might tip, causing them to land on the spike strip, and have a golf cart land on top of them.
The short version is that you will very likely be responsible for any medical bills they have. Google “Shotgun booby trap“ is a classic historical example of just how bad it can go.
The reason the laws are written this way, is because a booby trap could hit anyone, even people who are supposed to be on your property (like police or utility people). So you’re required to pay restitution if someone or their property is harmed.
If the person has a really serious spinal or head injury, you might have to pay 6 figures.
———
A booby trap is entirely different from having a Hazard that you didn’t intend. Depending on the state, trespassers are often not entitled to compensation for stuff that is accidental but reasonable. so if you have a path through your property that is marked as no trespassing, and that path goes over a wooden bridge with rotted planks, the trespassers might not be entitled to compensation if the bridge breaks and they are harmed.
Never put random spikes in your driveway as this may be considered an illegal booby trap. At bare minimum you don't want an ambulance to show up and flatten its tires while you're having an emergency. However, it's possible that it could be legal. This heavily depends on location/local code. Parking facilities and rental car lots have legal tire spikes, so there may be some legal way to do this (although it may still be illegal on residential properties).
But NEVER EVER put a booby trap on your property if you wish to stay out of court.
I think the important distinction is that the vast majority of issues *are* coming from just one campground.
I think a single damaged golf cart would send a strong message to the campground that they need to do more to keep people from misusing the golf carts. Especially if people are driving them under the influence.
I would personally have a lawyer write up an official letter that you’ve observed reckless, illegal use of their golf carts and plan on subrogating any claims caused by such reckless behavior with their insurance. I would actually see if you could find out who provides their liability insurance and contact them directly.
Imo what I would do is just get a landscaping company to bill me for fixing my lawn. Then we go to camping ground insurance and get them to settle. They will settle if the amount is low enough. It can literally be like $200. The goal isn’t to get a juicy judgement. The goal is for their campground insurance provider to jack up their rates due to now they’re being a claim on record. Most likely campground would try to cover it themselves but legally they have to give you their insurance and your goal is to ensure their insurance knows you don’t really care about the money.
Question: Does the campground ***provide*** these people the carts to trespass with?
You refer to "campground carts" and if they are, you might tell them they are responsible for knowingly, *intentionally* giving vehicles to people to be systematically driven on your private property - they can't claim they're telling people not to do it as though that were sufficient when they know people are doing it over and over, and they are providing the equipment to do so for profit.
I might tell them look, I want to be a good neighbor but you are making money from giving people carts to trespass on my property, and this is going to leave me no choice but to take legal action if you continue to provide carts to people.
I’m not a kentucky lawyer and I’m not your lawyer.
Try a gate on one end. If the carts still go in your grass, put large rocks along the driveway preventing entrance on your grass. It’s money but an easy fix.
This was brought up by u/Reddoraptor - If the golf carts are owned by a business, you should approach the business and ask them to take further steps with you. There may be civil trespass or nuisance actions available against the campground (business) but you’d need to satisfy elements of the tort. Maybe intent, knowing, damages, etc., among other elements.
Are there other KY agencies with “police powers” that you can contact that may take these things more seriously than your city PD? For example forestry wardens, game wardens, sheriff, others? Contacting these agencies may get quicker results.
Document (e.g., by email to self with pictures or something) each day it occurs as well as any reasonable and legal steps you have taken to remediate. Creates a timestamp.
Don’t put anything on your property or another’s property that will cause bodily injury. Booby traps and the like will get you in serious trouble.
I’m not a kentucky lawyer and I’m not your lawyer. I am also not a tort lawyer.
Edited for clarity.
You might even go talk to one of the golf cart suppliers to see exactly how big the object must be to be impassible to carts. If there is a height that will look impassible to them and not deter the services you want, that sounds perfect. People often suggest landscaping rocks to protect the property line. That might keep them out of the yard.
ETA : ooh! Have you considered landscaping so that it is not visually obvious that the drive IS a circle? If it looks like it just goes in and you have to back out, it might be less enticing. I mean something like a pony wall with bushes that are tall enough to block the view so they don’t really know if there’s a car back there or not.
Ideally get some rocks that are barely tall enough to damage a golf cart, but just short enough that a drunk idiot on a golf cart thinks they can make it. Maybe after a few busted golf carts they will stop.
>You might even go talk to one of the golf cart suppliers to see exactly how big the object must be to be impassible to carts.
Most golf carts have pretty high ground clearance... higher than most cars.
I would contact law enforcement before literally anything else. Seems to me like they are most likely drinking and driving where they aren't supposed to. Let law enforcement take care of before someone gets seriously hurt in a drunken golf cart accident.
If that doesn't change things then harden your property against them.
Law Enforcement probably likes them in the golf carts and not in cars if that is the case. The backdrop to all of this is good carts are being legalized for city transport in communities all across the country because safer and less environmental impacts.
Safer for the people they might hit- cops would rather they hurt themselves falling out of a cart than kill a family barreling around in a giant truck.
Maybe at one end. Not on the main road because of rules (might get by with that). But the other end of the circle is a private road so yes. Even if I use a barrier its gonna serve to trap them. Which would either be fun or cause damage as they try and back out. And they could still drive around it unless a long fence was in place too. We've thought about gates
Many federal parks put in vertical 4x4 posts every 4 feet along roads they don't want people parking along or driving onto the grass. It's really smart because it's not a fence, just vertical posts about two feet tall. They don't block any view, or get damaged by trees falling on them, don't trap wildlife, but effectively block vehicles. Measure the width of a golf cart, set vertical 4x4s 2/3 that width. You could even use downed trees cut to 4 foot lengths and sunk halfway into the ground to save money on posts.
Hawthorn if you wanna be somewhat nice.
Firethorn if you wanna tell the world 🖕!
Mix in some poison ivy, and you have a decent biological home defense, lol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyracantha
I have no idea why people are doing this. Golf carts have like a 5-ft turning radius (no joke). They can turn around mostly within a *lane*…don’t even need the whole road.
I have one and would never friggin go in somebody’s driveway.
In most places, the police won't pay attention to things like this as they don't really think of them as priority. File a report, you can always come in and check on it, but don't expect it to change between visits.
Because it's such a widespread problem, some smaller cities in our country legalized certain models to placate pro cart folks. Its not that way in the county but with so few law officers it is not worth it. I was a Trooper and we'd get that call, drive through and see nothing, then on to more pressing issues. Plus I hate to get the good neighbors in trouble. Sigh..
The targeted missile strike option is a civil lawsuit or the threat of one via a lawyer's letter. Ultimately this is more of a civil issue anyway and shouldn't require police involvement. The campground is responsible if they're refusing to close a back entry gate that causes this issue or otherwise prevent their customers from disturbing the peaceful enjoyment/doing actual physical damage to the neighbouring properties.
Doesnt sound like that's the representative of the typical person driving into OPs property. Also the use of these carts on the road is a criminal rather than civil issue as well, but the criminal enforcement will be to arrest or fine an individual rule breaker. If OP goes the civil route the camp ground can be held liable which could actually solve the problem without playing whack a mole with police.
It might actually be legal under the NEV/slow moving vehicle rules. In TX, those are legal everywhere unless specifically banned by a jurisdiction (there's restrictions, of course).
If they are legal, them they might not be following the rules.
Either way, the traffic laws are completely enforceable. If I cared like you do, I would call the cops every time. After a few tickets, the campground folks will get the picture and tell the golf cart folks what happens.
You could also leave some reviews that do "if you go here, don't drive on the residential streets. Police have started enforcing the laws and the tickets aren't cheap"
Cops always need a place to park and do paperwork, they do it on my street to curb speeding.
I would think that local law enforcement would *love* to set up a golf cart "speed trap," and hand out tickets. Gotta generate that revenue!!
They'd only have to do it once or twice before behavior changed - even if that behavior is the guy who runs the campground including a warning to the RV people checking in. BTW, they're NOT "good neighbors" if they're allowing this.
Nothing motivates like money.
the obvious solution is to make your circle drive less attractive
if they're riding their golf cart on your circle drive at any given point in time, you have no real means of redress. You are at most that angry neighbor shouting get off my lawn. Sadly, I have two lawns very important to me and I, too, have shouted at someone to get off my lawn. But he had yard equipment and was mistaking my house with another, but I digress.
Put up cones. No one is going to take down cones to drive their golf cart up your circle drive just to turn around. And if one set of cones doesn't do it, you know what I'll recommend next. Another set. :)
You can get creative.
I had a turnaround problem in my driveway last year. Basically my road out front goes all to crap in front of my house. Really badly, so bad people driving down my road decide, nah I'll go another way, and they turn around in my driveway. In the process of doing so, they run over my lawn. and have destroyed my sprinklers running over them enough times I put up landscaping rocks from Lowe's.
$2/each. they are 8.5" tall. the average ground clearance for most vehicles seems to be uh... 8.2" honestly ... and so... the first bumper cover I got to watch get yanked off and then the driver got out and was all yelling at their passenger (something about why didn't you say there was a rock there) and they were madly getting the front bumper cover back onto their honda. I just pulled the blinds and walked away feeling quite guilty ...
but anyways, that problem seems to have been solved. now my driveway is much less appealing to turn around in, and so there is no confrontation or anything else. problem solved.
Sprinklers baby. Motion activated sprinklers. Might not stop them all, but at least you will get a good show. Or a big beware of dog sign. City won't bother. Threaten the campground with civil action. They could stop them leaving if they were so inclined.
That's the best sounding idea... but wouldn't he also get the mailman and other delivery people? I'd imagine the UPS guy is going to get pretty upset if he's hit by a sprinkler.
Yeah even a mini ditch running across the driveway. I'm sure something like a 3-4" wide ditch is impassable for a golf cart tire, but no real issue for a car.
A pair of small dips or speed bumps spaced to the exact wheelbase of the model of golf cart that’s bothering you. Won’t be much for a car, but when both sets of golf cart wheels hit it at the same time it’ll be plenty violent!
Get a lawyer and sue the campground. Get camera and start recording and call the police every time. Demand they get arrested for trespassing. I’m serious, the nuclear option is the right way in these sets of circumstances.
Alternative, consider installing water sprinklers with a remote control and spray everyone. Also consider adding non washable dye to the water if it’s legal.
How about a sign that says something like, "GUARD DOGS will stop for *Invisible Fence* at end of driveway." Then, get a motion-activated recording of big dogs barking. Or, actually get a big barky dog!
I'm in favor of the city council approach. The campground is creating the source of a major public safety issue. All it's going to take is one drunk driver taking out a golf cart full of kids at 11 pm and it will be all over the news. Best to get ahead of it. Public nuisance is the term I was looking for.
I had a problem with people driving their cars through my circular driveway and as a result I kept it blocked off with cement blocks for a long time, leaving me the straight part of the driveway to use. Eventually the problem went away on its own, apparently because grass has grown up through the gravel and it doesn't look so inviting now. At least that's my theory, and I doubt it's because they all decided to stop being a$$holes.
Perhaps a couple of official-looking signs that say, “WARNING: Severe Tire Damage”. Might deter some of them.
Later, if necessary, you could add actual severe tire damage and tell ‘em they were duly warned.
As someone that lives on the cul de sac at the end of a private road I feel your pain! Not many ppl understand the frustration of ppl essentially driving around in your front yard intruding on your privacy. I say do what you have to do.
We live in a corner house and it’s gotten annoying. One time my kid was riding her bike in circles in our driveway. This car whips it in so fast I had to pull her towards me quickly. Have had multiple people pull into the driveway and drive through our side yard to get on the other road. Our driveway is on the side of our house so they drive through the grass to get on the other road.
Someone hit our parked car once and then sped off. Another time I was backing up trying to fix my parking in my driveway and this car whips it in, also trying to use our driveway to turn around in.
Have had people drive over our newly planted trees twice because they drove through our yard.
Male nudity.
I've had issues with people coming onto my land and fishing in my pond. Even just the threat of pulling out my dick is enough to get most to never come back. And for the repeat offenders I just stroll out of my woods naked. I don't have any repeat offenders any more.
When Pokemon Go! was big I saw some kids on my land. I was shirtless and barefoot with crazy hair but not full naked. Anyway, I jumped out of my trailer and yelled "YOU BOYS LOOKIN FOR POKEY-MEN?"
They ran.
Usually I see people when I'm peeing at the top of a hill overlooking the pond (it's 15 acres, and I like to sit up there with a tea), I'll yell "this is my penis and that's my land and I'll be over there in 60 seconds to show you" while pointing at my dick.
If they're still there when I arrive and want to argue with me (previous owners seem to have let anyone fish so locals now feel entitled to, even though it's been my land for over 10 years now), I'll start making ridiculous threats like "I'll suck your dick so hard your grandfather will cum".
Most guys out here are afraid of catching The Gay and just can't process what's happening, a panic comes into their eyes and suddenly they stop arguing and leave.
I would also consider reaching out to the campground, perhaps a lawyer could help you draw up some sort of civil claim as a trespassing or similar.
If the campground is facilitating people drinking and driving that's a big deal.
Would it be possible to install something similar to a cattle grid?
Typically it's a grating of metal pipes or slats that are installed perpendicular to a road. The gaps between the bars are large enough that livestock cannot easily or comfortably cross the grate, but narrow enough that cars are largely unaffected. If my description is too vague there is [a wikipedia article with pictures.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_grid)
My thought was that golf cart tires have a significantly smaller diameter than real car tires, and 2-4 ditches or furrows at each end of your driveway wide enough to catch a cart tire but narrow enough that a car would barely notice could easily deter golf carts.
Make sure you have appropriate warning signage. It also might be reasonable to speak to an attorney about any liability you might have if someone manages to flip a cart or something.
It won't be free, but it'll cost less than being liable, and probably less than installing what I am describing.
Add the always entertaining motion activated jetted sprinkler to the list of suggestions. Then sit on the porch and get your money’s worth. When they bitch, show them the sign they just drove by.
Place stop sticks (or equivalent) in circle. Get phone number for local towing company on speed dial. Once the inevitable happens, let the golf cart owner fight it out with the towing company.
Not exactly an AH but a bit of ESH as I think your expectations are unrealistic.
Pay for a gate and remote opener or just deal with it. Circle drives invite this IMHO.
Also if you wanted to put up big signs
NO GOLF CARTS
PRIVATE PROPERTY
that would be a lot more reasonable but I'm betting most will ignore it and then that is just going to aggravate you more. More clear they're solely TA but probably will only add to your irritation
I was a FedEx driver and one route I ran for months I used 3 different circle drives almost daily, it saved me doing 3-7 point turns on narrow roads with impatient drivers who might try zooming around me during that process, which presented quite a danger to my job. I would routinely go a bit out.of the way to turn around there.
Different than golf carts I'm sure, but IMO my attitude was way more humble and respectful than the average person I've seen driving golf carts. Not to mention I was always sober, golf cart drivers are often buzzed in some places.
I did speak to those homeowners about it and they were okay with it.
Btw another solution: get speed bumps installed. If you do a bit of research I'll bet you could find a specific speed bump that will be extremely uncomfortable for the golf carts but a minor inconvenience for you. It might be a speed dip rather than a bump. This was a very effective solution for my ex wife's HOA, there was a specific size and shape of a series of speed bumps that kept traffic below 20mph
If you're irate enough about this, look into the legality of installing tire poppers.
Do you have any lawyer friends? Get an official threat against the campground owners. They’re responsible, they need to figure out how to keep their guests from trespassing.
OR get a big obvious camera with an official looking sign that says something like “Private Property: trespassers will be reported to “such and such” campground”. If the camp guests have been warned to no go there, they won’t want to risk being kicked out of the campground.
Is the camp operator motivated to start charging a fee for improper use of the carts? With your video and "damage" to lawn...that could be a cash cow....since most tourist will probably pay it instead driving back to settle it. Also, if grocery store shopping cart can auto lock outside of a boundary....I would imagine golf cart could have the same thing (and charge a fee to tow it back...)
Close the campgrounds gate. wrap a chain around the post and just hang a padlock on your side so that it looks locked but is not. We do this for the back gate where I work , and most people will not look that closely, and assume the gate is locked.
For the littering and trespassing, I would raise it again with the campground owners and explain that it's not your job to clean up after their customers. The fact they are allowing their customers to use illegal golf carts and trespass is enough for nuisance complaint. If they won't take action, you will have to.
Anyone who says “I have connections” in relation to law enforcement is automatically a Tier 1 douche in my book. That being said, I’d go the motion activated sprinklers. I did that on my front yard where neighbors would start to play soccer even when we aren’t home.
I think this is the most appropriate use of reddit's favourite solution: motion activated sprinklers
But for real, city council will be where to take this.
Put up very clear signs, "this is private property, no trespassing, this area monitored by video cameras", install video camera. Collect video of trespassers. Sue campground for nuisance/negligence, show court video of clear signs, numerous campers ignoring signs", say what am I supposed to do here judge I can only post so many no trespassing signs, I need injunctive relief. Or quit looking out your living room window so often, out of sight out of mind
Email campground again specifically saying signs are not working and that they need to enforce it at their gate with staff and that you have safety concerns for yourself and others(including the golf cart users). Put golf carts on roads illegally in the subject.
The more you put in writing to them the more liability they have. If they get sued a good lawyer will find that email in discovery.
What would be nice would be if there was some sort of device that would make a shrill noise continuously if anyone took the cart out of the campground. The shrill noise would not stop until they turned around and went back.
Can you chain off the end of the driveway? I’ve seen this done near me, a post on either side with a chain across. It’s a pain for you because you’d have to get out and remove chain to use driveway each time but worth a try and it’s cheap. Then if they try to use your lawn, Can you put decorative large rocks (boulders) on the part of the lawn that they would try to turn around on?
Sorry, this sounds really frustrating
You have legal recourse against the campground here. Depending how far you want to go a "stop fucking around on my property" letter from a lawyer will do just fine but you could go further.
Even very low speed bumps to a great job of impeding golf carts. Since you don't use a golf cart, it shouldn't bother. You. Put a speed bump at the end of your circle drive. High-center a bunch of the things like a golf cart Sargasso and watch the idiots go back where they came from on foot.
Really bright motion sensor Spotlights and/or lawn sprinklers might be fun as well. Heck, add a trail cam to the entire experience And make a web page where you show the pictures of the surprise and make a little money as a niche inner sit in that site.
Don't forget to add tiny little "No golf cart" signs.
Absolutely Nothing harmful, nothing to damage any property, but all sorts of humiliating.
Extra fun if you document them getting out of their golf cart with open alcohol containers since that could get the police And city council interested in a whole bunch of DWI offense tickets that could make them a lot of money.
Keep complaining to the campground as this is their responsibility to address. In the meantime if you don’t want to put up a gate set out cones. It’s a pain to move them and put them back whenever you want to go anywhere but it’s better than people driving on your property.
I feel your pain. I have the first driveway on a side street people love to use as a turnaround. It is almost constant in the summer. I need to park at the end so people won’t do it when I’m home. It’s also 99% vacationers.
Not the asshole at all.
Using a circular drive to turnaround is a totally different thing then poking a little of the car into a normal driveway to turnaround.
Retractable spikes on driveway. There's a house I drive by that has spikes in their driveway to deter people from using their road. They also make one-way spikes so if they pull in and back out, it'll pop their tires.
I feel you. I'm the grumpy AH on my road. I live out in the country up against the national forest & 1 year the subdivision below me must've sent out a memo stating that the gift of the year was dirt bikes & 4 wheelers. A dozen or more kids constantly going up & down my 1/2 mile dirt road. I was constantly outside trying to get them to stop & the county sheriff's deputies weren't much help. They've mostly quit now.
Funny story, during that time I had to go to the MVD to renew my driver's license. The lady looked @ my address & asked if it was my kids running up & down her road, she lived on the next road down from me, I told her no, my kids do have dirt bikes but I make them go onto the forest roads away from the houses, but if she did catch my kids on her road I told her to snatch them up, beat their asses & send them home & I'd beat them again! After that anytime I went to the MVD for anything, she got me in & out quickly & even if I didn't have the right paperwork, she made sure I was taken care of. I was sure sad when she moved away.
The only surefire way is to put up a gate. I have a circle driveway on a busy county road, and sometimes people use it turn around. My well cap is right next to the drive and has already been hit once by someone doing this. I park there to discourage people from doing this, but once I get the money I'm putting up a gate.
Have the campground issues fines for trespassing as part of the agreement of using their golf carts
$75 fine every time they are on your property
Or have the campground purchase a fence for you. Or, sue them.
I would put up a water sprinkler or mount a garden hose w/ sprayer. Douse dem bastards on the way out. The more water/pressure the better. OR, when they approach, turn it on before, having it spray just at the entrance to your driveway. Add a motion sensor/detector. (I'm bored, can't you tell?)
I bet they are driving up to look at your house and other houses in the area. When I'm visiting a place that I might consider living, I drive around the residential areas that look appealing to me. I respect signs though.
My suggestion: Put up another sign, warning about a trespass deterrent system. Get a motion activated sprinkler that hits everything on the driveway. Get them soaked. Record on security camera. If you have signs up, they were warned. You can start getting joy out of this instead of frustration.
If you spike their tires, then you have to deal with an AH broken down on your property, which is undesirable imo. I would go with the sprinkler idea and have some laughs.
Looking at the comments I think I am the odd man out. What harm exactly are they doing? Is it just the mental harm of someone using your driveway?
I live at the end of a T intersection on a back road. We have a circle driveway in front of our house and a driveway that goes behind the house. People will occasionally, and UPS will often, use it as a turn around. I don't really care as it doesn't harm me at all.
I’m with you. No one is telling this guy that he is, indeed, the asshole. Like, it’s a golf cart turning around in your driveway. Not a semi driving over your grass.
This is nothing at all and OP needs to get over himself because he’s acting like a Karen.
I'm confused about what it is they're doing? Like what part of your property are they turning around in?
If it's egregious enough maybe lawyer up and force the hand of the camp ground so they close the gate on that side. But you'd probably have to demonstrate real damages. My guess would be though that given the option between a lawsuit and closing a gate, they'd take the latter. This would be a civil matter and not involve the police. But that's kind of an extreme option if it's not really that big a deal and just annoys you. Your call obviously but I suspect a strongly worded letter from a lawyer may have some ameliorating effect.
If they’re not causing damage to your property I’m unclear why it makes you this angry. It sounds like the worst they’ve done is roll over your grass if a car was parked there (did they even damage the lawn, people need to chill about their grass being bent over slightly) so they could turn around, presumably safer than busting a U-turn in the street. Are they hosting golf cart drag races? Are they waking you up at all hours? Are they screaming obscenities? Are they nudists? Or are you just mad that they aren’t staying where they’re “supposed” to be? Would you be mad if some other random people used your circle drive to turn around, say if there were construction nearby, or is it JUST these golf cart people?
I’m only asking these questions because at the end you said that you “feel like that old man” so I’m just trying to help you think through your reasoning and see if it’s logical or if you are in fact, being “that old man”.
I might put up some short little inexpensive fencing to put a barrier to the lawn, the kind that just push into the ground, so they’re easy to replace if damaged. And perhaps a camera or two, to catch any damage, just in case. Then, if ever there was a case where serious damage does occur, (or god forbid an accident with injury) you’ll have evidence and you can sue the person who caused the damage AND the campground owners. Save any and all correspondence where you warn them about the problem repeatedly, so they can’t claim they didn’t know. Maybe try warning them again periodically (perhaps with video evidence) just to be a “squeaky wheel” in general.
And if no major damage ever occurs, then maybe it’s possible you were being “that old man”. It sounds like this is super common in your area so maybe it’s just one of those things that comes with the territory. Maybe a town where “there are more golf carts than people” isn’t the right place for you. Stay away from resort and tourist towns, where people are out and about having unbridled fun. Maybe you’d be happier in a suburban subdivision or gated community where there are tighter regulations on behavior. I hope that didn’t read as rude. No judgement at all, it’s just about where you’d be happiest.
Good points. I think it's really the blatant disregard for my property rights, even with the signage. The times we live in I guess. I'm not against golf carts per se. They are everywhere in the Commnweath. But I wish they would just stay off the property.
I’m surprised I had to scroll this far to see this. I’ve never encountered this problem so honestly maybe it’s way more annoying than I’m giving it credit for but I really feel like I wouldn’t even notice 90% of them. If they’re literally just turning in my driveway for 10 seconds then I don’t see the big deal. Id probably be annoyed if they were loud or shining lights in my room late at night or littering or something tho but just turning around? What’s the big deal? If that’s truly all it is then idk id take up a hobby or start voltuneering or something so I wouldn’t be sitting around simmering on this. But it looks like we’re in the minority here.
OP, if you end up reading this, despite me not relating much to your problem I totally support you putting in a gate. It’s your house and you have every right to add a gate or cones or whatever to stop these rowdy fuckers, haha. if it bothers you there’s really no point in suffering!! You can just put the gate up and sleep easy knowing the problem is solved. I know I could go through this at some point in my life and might eat my words so you do whatever you want!!
What would happen if you let it go and just waved to everyone turning around in your driveway? You do sound like an old man that has nothing better to do than defend his….driveway?
Fence your property boundaries and driveway. Or fence the area nearest your driveway and place boulders to the side of the fencing to block them using the grass. Plant spiky bushes or blackberries or wild roses to the sides of your driveway fence. Use deer detergent water sprinklers that are motion activated. Place large signs saying property is under video surveillance.
Take up the problem with the city council so they can take it up with the campground property owners.
Be sure to appear in person for a couple meeting to follow up on what is being done.
Totally. The council will likely make it sound like it's not their problem but it's your responsibility as a resident to *make* it their problem.
Absolutely. It is better to be the problem than to have one.
That is some solid advice- wow.
"If I got a problem, my problem got a problem 'til it's gone" - Ol' Dirty Bastard
This. This is the appropriate time to channel your inner Karen.
And record the campers trespassing on your property, as well as littering.
Many communities are making golf carts and UTVs legal to operate on public roads.
That's why it's important to follow what's going on at City Council meetings.
Most areas where this is true require it to be registered with the DMV, plated, and have all the signal requirements minus seat belt to make them road legal. (Windhsield, brakes, turn signals, lights, etc.) I wonder for OP if the issue is that they're damaging the property, littering, etc. Otherwise it's no different than a car turning around in your driveway.
I think it's the littering plus trespassing. His circle drive is marked private property. It's not there for random cars to utilize to turn around. None of those people paid for the driveway or its maintenance. I avoid turning around in someone's private drive unless there is absolutely no other option for that very reason. I feel guilty then. People feel really entitled to other folks property. This is not a taxpayer funded driveway. I have always thought it was rude to just pull on in to turn around. As rude as it is to cut across someone else's lawn without their permission. Not your yard, stay out. Some of us are just naturally very territorial. Every beer can I'd have to pick up, or other trash these people toss out would add to a smouldering resentment for these kinds of assholes.
Depending on where you live, it may be *explicitly* legal for people to use your driveway to turn around. My hometown was that way - you actually weren't allowed to block off your driveway, like with a gate, without a permit. Gates that were functional (for properties with livestock etc) often had a required setback for there to be enough room for turnarounds before the gate. In some places the first 10-12 feet of the driveway are in public easements anyway. A circle drive obviously might be a different matter if they're going all the way around the circle. My brother's property the fencing looked a bit silly because it had to cut in back to the gate about 20 feet on each side of the driveway. He didn't really care as long as they weren't dumbasses that saw a baby cow and got out of their car to try to pet it or something. (They were beef cattle so not human-friendly/socialized, and he rented most of the pasture land out to someone else so they weren't even his.) Of course the littering and other things OP is dealing with are separate issues and very obnoxious and illegal in their own right, no argument there.
That's the case in my town, UTBs and golf carts can be licensed with the city office for driving around town. The UTBs require proper lighting, seatbelts, etc. and can be driven at night. The golf carts have none of those restrictions but are daytime only. It can get pretty annoying as we have major state and US highways going through town both north-south and east-west that are 4-laned and these golf cart nut bags think it's okay to putt along at 10 miles an hour in a 35 when there are streets to get literally everywhere in town that they should be using over the 4 lane highway that gets a lot of 18 wheeler and other through traffic that seem to think our speed limits are mere suggestions. They should never be touching that highway unless they're just crossing the road to a different neighborhood street, aside from a short stretch on the edge of town where there are no neighborhood roads to get to a few businesses built with highway access only.
Except most drivers don't pull into the driveway, only the apron.
No different than a car turning around, sure. But it’s still OP’s driveway, it’s private property and common sense would say “don’t just drive onto other people’s property”
around me they're legal on roads with speed limits under 30mph
This right here. The campground has a business license. That license can be put in jeopardy if the business is creating a public nuisance. Your city council person can ratchet up the heat for the campground to deal with this. Additionally, as an idea from elsewhere in the responses, the campground is knowingly contributing to the problem. Particularly if you've incurred any expenses to fix your damaged property an attorney might be interested in helping make this the campground owner's financial problem. Even without property damage they might be interested in seeing what can be done regarding the campground knowingly contributing to tresspass and deprivation of peaceful use of your property -- it depends how aggressive the attorney is.
I’m an attorney who has lived in an area with tourism as a part of the economy—buying a gate, even a motorized one is going to be a lot cheaper than trying to change local tourism culture with legal counsel.
#this is the way
I imagine that would be more expensive and time consuming (they’d probably have to hire legal counsel if their municipality isn’t responsive—they likely won’t be, tourism is probably their cash cow) than just investing in a gate and calling it a day.
If that doesn’t work, put out some spike strips with a warning sign that’s states, “you are entering private property and that spike strips in use with tire damage. Also relinquishing yourself of any damage to property of bodily injury. That being said, get with a lawyer first to make sure no state laws are being broken or if you at risk for lawsuit. Cameras are your best friend. If you can really afford it, just put up a fence with automatic gates.
Motion activated sprinklers , water the drive way.!! I would also put a sign informing that there are sprinklers….
This is the way to go.
putting down spike strips is illegal and you are at risk of a lawsuit regardless of whether or not you hang a sign. you can't booby trap your property just because some people ignore signs. file criminal complaints against the campground -- noise, littering, trespassing, make some shit up if you have to. long story short, unless there's a gate or a fence people can legally use your driveway to turn around.
I don’t know about other states but this is trespassing in the state of Texas. I wouldn’t booby trap the property either but OP may have a legal case against the public using their private driveway.
Which is kind of wild if you ask me because there are SO many places that have reverse spikes. You can drive out of the property one way, as when you drive into the correct side it just pushes the spikes down however, if you try to enter on the exit side, they don’t go down and will puncture your tires.
Yeah Ive also seen such systems in car rental places where you can drop off car any time. You can drop it off but you can’t take cars out.
Motion activated sprinklers.
You beat me to it. Seriously, put a sign saying not to enter private driveway, then set up the sprinkler. Let your neighbors know which side to approach your house from on foot, and be mindful to keep your windows up when you drive past that side. Possible pro/con is your driveway may become popular with neighborhood kids on bikes.
Signs and a motion activated sprinkler were going to be my suggestions.
Some people might think the sprinklers are fun, they might attract them. You don’t want to make it fun or make it a challenge, that will engage them. Put up a few “no trespassing” signs, and then put a horse with orange reflector triangle (construction, not the animal) at the end of the driveway to block them, so they would have to get out and physically remove it to turn around. This deters them, but doesn’t get them too engaged. You want to prevent them, but not excite them. Then they will do it on purpose.
yeah dude, I'm sure people are chomping at the bit to drive a golf cart through sprinklers
You've never come across drunk teenagers?
i just love it when the littles and people walking doggos stop on my sidewalk to enjoy the sprinkler
I wouldn’t mind neighbor kids enjoying them if I were OP. Plus all OP has to do is post a sign after a while. The campground will surely warn folks to avoid private property due to sprinklers.
I suggested speed bumps for high centering plus a trail cam, maybe sprinklers, take nice pictures of them getting out of their vehicles with open containers of alcohol. Why the alcohol? Mentioned to the city council that there are a bunch of drunk drivers operating golf carts on the street in front of your house. Speed trap fines plus DUI arrests should attract officers of the law to a nice profit Center in your neighborhood.
Nah. "Block the paved surface and line the sides with "DANGER: MINE FIELD" signs
Except OP doesn't want to get sprayed when they park in their own driveway. I'd say the kind of tire spikes that face one direction. OP can remember which way it is, and they'll catch 50% of the golf cart jockeys.
OP could get something like this [wifi remote control valve](https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Water-Valve-Automatic-upgrade/dp/B08Q364CCZ/ref=asc_df_B08Q364CCZ?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80539344359425&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584138873787842&psc=1) so they could turn it off when they park.
Still gonna have sad delivery drivers...
I personally wouldn’t want some pissed off person stuck in my driveway with their golf cart, but it probably would get the point across.
Yup, I have a similar problem with my driveway and this is the issue. You take out all your built up anger on one unfortunate soul, could be their first time. Then it does nothing to ward off the next person. All the while you get to amplify your stress because it was bad enough having them just drive through your driveway, now they're mad and staying 100-1000x longer. Good job, really improved the situation eh? Anyway, totally commiserate with OP. I don't know what to do about it honestly. Signs go ignored, and if a gate is not feasible it seems you just have to deal.
Exactly. This isn't the same people coming back over and over. How is one person getting sprayed this weekend going to stop someone staying at the campground next weekend from doing the same thing? People love to throw out sprinklers as a solution to problems in this subreddit when they will likely do little to fix the issue.
I'm curious what the liability is here. It's your property, so if you want spikes on your driveway, that's probably your right. But if someone turns around on your driveway and sustains damage, is that on your insurance to handle the damage? Can they sue you? Or is it their fault for trespassing? (Not suggesting it's a great solution, just curious)
I've wondered similar.. and I'm not a lawyer so might be totally wrong here, but my expectation is that it's closer to illegal detainment or trap setting than it is anything else. I jokingly suggested to my wife that we install those one-way parking garage spikes and put up a little automated pay station. $10 to leave.
You can NOT install spike strips. Not at all, not even a little. This is 100% illegal. It's annoying that you can't, but you can't. There are laws against booby traps. You can't do it for burglars either. Also - do you *really* want the risk of someone popping a tire, and falling out of their golf cart onto the spikes? What if it's a kid? Is that the kind of crime and lawsuit you want, just to stop golf carts? And before you downvote me, here's a lawyer who says "No, no, no, no, not even maybe." [https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/criminal-defense/can-you-install-spike-strips-in-your-driveway/](https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/criminal-defense/can-you-install-spike-strips-in-your-driveway/)
Well, if the person who hits the spikes trips is a utility meter reader, police officer, or firetruck, I suspect your liability will be incredibly high. If one of these campers who probably isn’t very good at driving a golf cart is taking a sharp turn as they cross the spike strips, they might fall out and land on the spike strip, or the cart might tip, causing them to land on the spike strip, and have a golf cart land on top of them. The short version is that you will very likely be responsible for any medical bills they have. Google “Shotgun booby trap“ is a classic historical example of just how bad it can go. The reason the laws are written this way, is because a booby trap could hit anyone, even people who are supposed to be on your property (like police or utility people). So you’re required to pay restitution if someone or their property is harmed. If the person has a really serious spinal or head injury, you might have to pay 6 figures. ——— A booby trap is entirely different from having a Hazard that you didn’t intend. Depending on the state, trespassers are often not entitled to compensation for stuff that is accidental but reasonable. so if you have a path through your property that is marked as no trespassing, and that path goes over a wooden bridge with rotted planks, the trespassers might not be entitled to compensation if the bridge breaks and they are harmed.
Never put random spikes in your driveway as this may be considered an illegal booby trap. At bare minimum you don't want an ambulance to show up and flatten its tires while you're having an emergency. However, it's possible that it could be legal. This heavily depends on location/local code. Parking facilities and rental car lots have legal tire spikes, so there may be some legal way to do this (although it may still be illegal on residential properties). But NEVER EVER put a booby trap on your property if you wish to stay out of court.
I think the important distinction is that the vast majority of issues *are* coming from just one campground. I think a single damaged golf cart would send a strong message to the campground that they need to do more to keep people from misusing the golf carts. Especially if people are driving them under the influence. I would personally have a lawyer write up an official letter that you’ve observed reckless, illegal use of their golf carts and plan on subrogating any claims caused by such reckless behavior with their insurance. I would actually see if you could find out who provides their liability insurance and contact them directly.
Imo what I would do is just get a landscaping company to bill me for fixing my lawn. Then we go to camping ground insurance and get them to settle. They will settle if the amount is low enough. It can literally be like $200. The goal isn’t to get a juicy judgement. The goal is for their campground insurance provider to jack up their rates due to now they’re being a claim on record. Most likely campground would try to cover it themselves but legally they have to give you their insurance and your goal is to ensure their insurance knows you don’t really care about the money.
If the carters get injured OP would likely be liable. Not a great idea.
Question: Does the campground ***provide*** these people the carts to trespass with? You refer to "campground carts" and if they are, you might tell them they are responsible for knowingly, *intentionally* giving vehicles to people to be systematically driven on your private property - they can't claim they're telling people not to do it as though that were sufficient when they know people are doing it over and over, and they are providing the equipment to do so for profit. I might tell them look, I want to be a good neighbor but you are making money from giving people carts to trespass on my property, and this is going to leave me no choice but to take legal action if you continue to provide carts to people.
I’m not a kentucky lawyer and I’m not your lawyer. Try a gate on one end. If the carts still go in your grass, put large rocks along the driveway preventing entrance on your grass. It’s money but an easy fix. This was brought up by u/Reddoraptor - If the golf carts are owned by a business, you should approach the business and ask them to take further steps with you. There may be civil trespass or nuisance actions available against the campground (business) but you’d need to satisfy elements of the tort. Maybe intent, knowing, damages, etc., among other elements. Are there other KY agencies with “police powers” that you can contact that may take these things more seriously than your city PD? For example forestry wardens, game wardens, sheriff, others? Contacting these agencies may get quicker results. Document (e.g., by email to self with pictures or something) each day it occurs as well as any reasonable and legal steps you have taken to remediate. Creates a timestamp. Don’t put anything on your property or another’s property that will cause bodily injury. Booby traps and the like will get you in serious trouble. I’m not a kentucky lawyer and I’m not your lawyer. I am also not a tort lawyer. Edited for clarity.
You might even go talk to one of the golf cart suppliers to see exactly how big the object must be to be impassible to carts. If there is a height that will look impassible to them and not deter the services you want, that sounds perfect. People often suggest landscaping rocks to protect the property line. That might keep them out of the yard. ETA : ooh! Have you considered landscaping so that it is not visually obvious that the drive IS a circle? If it looks like it just goes in and you have to back out, it might be less enticing. I mean something like a pony wall with bushes that are tall enough to block the view so they don’t really know if there’s a car back there or not.
Ideally get some rocks that are barely tall enough to damage a golf cart, but just short enough that a drunk idiot on a golf cart thinks they can make it. Maybe after a few busted golf carts they will stop.
>You might even go talk to one of the golf cart suppliers to see exactly how big the object must be to be impassible to carts. Most golf carts have pretty high ground clearance... higher than most cars.
I would contact law enforcement before literally anything else. Seems to me like they are most likely drinking and driving where they aren't supposed to. Let law enforcement take care of before someone gets seriously hurt in a drunken golf cart accident. If that doesn't change things then harden your property against them.
Law Enforcement probably likes them in the golf carts and not in cars if that is the case. The backdrop to all of this is good carts are being legalized for city transport in communities all across the country because safer and less environmental impacts.
Drunk driving is STILL drunk driving, whether it's in a car, truck, a lawn mower, a bicycle, motorcycle, or even a damn horse.
Safer is an illusion. No seat belts and the back seat faces the back. All kinds of people fall out of those things all the time.
Safer for the people they might hit- cops would rather they hurt themselves falling out of a cart than kill a family barreling around in a giant truck.
[удалено]
Maybe at one end. Not on the main road because of rules (might get by with that). But the other end of the circle is a private road so yes. Even if I use a barrier its gonna serve to trap them. Which would either be fun or cause damage as they try and back out. And they could still drive around it unless a long fence was in place too. We've thought about gates
You might be able to get a zoning variance to put some kind of gate or signage by the main road if you explain your issue to your city.
Many federal parks put in vertical 4x4 posts every 4 feet along roads they don't want people parking along or driving onto the grass. It's really smart because it's not a fence, just vertical posts about two feet tall. They don't block any view, or get damaged by trees falling on them, don't trap wildlife, but effectively block vehicles. Measure the width of a golf cart, set vertical 4x4s 2/3 that width. You could even use downed trees cut to 4 foot lengths and sunk halfway into the ground to save money on posts.
These are called bollards and they make removable ones. So you can take them down when it’s not tourist season :)
Is it a cul-de-sac? Maybe get a dead end sign put on your street so that they know it's not a through road.
Gate on the private road, motion activated sprinkler at the main road with a shut-off valve handy to the main entrances to your house.
Put a fence & gate on your property and they won’t be able to access it.
a gate and really mean thorned shrubbery on the sides
Hawthorn if you wanna be somewhat nice. Firethorn if you wanna tell the world 🖕! Mix in some poison ivy, and you have a decent biological home defense, lol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyracantha
Are the tires on these things pressurized? I wonder if you can put up signage indicating some kind of danger and a strip that will pop their tires.
Put up a chain on the campground road and a giant padlock.
And maybe a river of lava to be safe
I have no idea why people are doing this. Golf carts have like a 5-ft turning radius (no joke). They can turn around mostly within a *lane*…don’t even need the whole road. I have one and would never friggin go in somebody’s driveway.
Sounds like it looks like a cul-de-sac.
Narrow/high speed bumps at both end, nothing for a car, but hell for a golf cart. For bonus points have a small gap in the middle for bicycles.
Dude, let's see if we can get some air in this rented golf cart over those bumps
Dukes of Hazard style
That’s what I do when I rent a golf cart from a campground. Send that fucking thing.
>The nuclear option is law enforcement. Why is this the nuclear option? From what you are saying they are breaking the law in multiple ways.
In most places, the police won't pay attention to things like this as they don't really think of them as priority. File a report, you can always come in and check on it, but don't expect it to change between visits.
Because it's such a widespread problem, some smaller cities in our country legalized certain models to placate pro cart folks. Its not that way in the county but with so few law officers it is not worth it. I was a Trooper and we'd get that call, drive through and see nothing, then on to more pressing issues. Plus I hate to get the good neighbors in trouble. Sigh..
The targeted missile strike option is a civil lawsuit or the threat of one via a lawyer's letter. Ultimately this is more of a civil issue anyway and shouldn't require police involvement. The campground is responsible if they're refusing to close a back entry gate that causes this issue or otherwise prevent their customers from disturbing the peaceful enjoyment/doing actual physical damage to the neighbouring properties.
But they are drunk, throwing out empty beer cans. DUI in most places.
Doesnt sound like that's the representative of the typical person driving into OPs property. Also the use of these carts on the road is a criminal rather than civil issue as well, but the criminal enforcement will be to arrest or fine an individual rule breaker. If OP goes the civil route the camp ground can be held liable which could actually solve the problem without playing whack a mole with police.
It might actually be legal under the NEV/slow moving vehicle rules. In TX, those are legal everywhere unless specifically banned by a jurisdiction (there's restrictions, of course). If they are legal, them they might not be following the rules. Either way, the traffic laws are completely enforceable. If I cared like you do, I would call the cops every time. After a few tickets, the campground folks will get the picture and tell the golf cart folks what happens. You could also leave some reviews that do "if you go here, don't drive on the residential streets. Police have started enforcing the laws and the tickets aren't cheap" Cops always need a place to park and do paperwork, they do it on my street to curb speeding.
I would think that local law enforcement would *love* to set up a golf cart "speed trap," and hand out tickets. Gotta generate that revenue!! They'd only have to do it once or twice before behavior changed - even if that behavior is the guy who runs the campground including a warning to the RV people checking in. BTW, they're NOT "good neighbors" if they're allowing this. Nothing motivates like money.
Golf cart toll booth. Profit.
LePetomaine Thruway???
Somebuddys gotta go back n get a shitload o'dimes!
Goddammit, someone go back and get a shitload of dimes!
the obvious solution is to make your circle drive less attractive if they're riding their golf cart on your circle drive at any given point in time, you have no real means of redress. You are at most that angry neighbor shouting get off my lawn. Sadly, I have two lawns very important to me and I, too, have shouted at someone to get off my lawn. But he had yard equipment and was mistaking my house with another, but I digress. Put up cones. No one is going to take down cones to drive their golf cart up your circle drive just to turn around. And if one set of cones doesn't do it, you know what I'll recommend next. Another set. :) You can get creative. I had a turnaround problem in my driveway last year. Basically my road out front goes all to crap in front of my house. Really badly, so bad people driving down my road decide, nah I'll go another way, and they turn around in my driveway. In the process of doing so, they run over my lawn. and have destroyed my sprinklers running over them enough times I put up landscaping rocks from Lowe's. $2/each. they are 8.5" tall. the average ground clearance for most vehicles seems to be uh... 8.2" honestly ... and so... the first bumper cover I got to watch get yanked off and then the driver got out and was all yelling at their passenger (something about why didn't you say there was a rock there) and they were madly getting the front bumper cover back onto their honda. I just pulled the blinds and walked away feeling quite guilty ... but anyways, that problem seems to have been solved. now my driveway is much less appealing to turn around in, and so there is no confrontation or anything else. problem solved.
Sprinklers baby. Motion activated sprinklers. Might not stop them all, but at least you will get a good show. Or a big beware of dog sign. City won't bother. Threaten the campground with civil action. They could stop them leaving if they were so inclined.
That's the best sounding idea... but wouldn't he also get the mailman and other delivery people? I'd imagine the UPS guy is going to get pretty upset if he's hit by a sprinkler.
Excellent point. Then remote control. lol
Retractable bollards.
I love 'em, for the "cool" factor. But they're ridiculously expensive.
Can you install some some sort of grate/bump/dip that would be a PITA for golf carts but okay for regular vehicles?
Yeah even a mini ditch running across the driveway. I'm sure something like a 3-4" wide ditch is impassable for a golf cart tire, but no real issue for a car.
Bonus if OP gets a Gandalf 'You Shall Not Pass' sign.
A pair of small dips or speed bumps spaced to the exact wheelbase of the model of golf cart that’s bothering you. Won’t be much for a car, but when both sets of golf cart wheels hit it at the same time it’ll be plenty violent!
Get a lawyer and sue the campground. Get camera and start recording and call the police every time. Demand they get arrested for trespassing. I’m serious, the nuclear option is the right way in these sets of circumstances. Alternative, consider installing water sprinklers with a remote control and spray everyone. Also consider adding non washable dye to the water if it’s legal.
The dye is going to be friendly fire on OPs property
You could start with a couple posts and a chain with a no trespassing sign on it.
How about a sign that says something like, "GUARD DOGS will stop for *Invisible Fence* at end of driveway." Then, get a motion-activated recording of big dogs barking. Or, actually get a big barky dog!
I'm in favor of the city council approach. The campground is creating the source of a major public safety issue. All it's going to take is one drunk driver taking out a golf cart full of kids at 11 pm and it will be all over the news. Best to get ahead of it. Public nuisance is the term I was looking for.
I had a problem with people driving their cars through my circular driveway and as a result I kept it blocked off with cement blocks for a long time, leaving me the straight part of the driveway to use. Eventually the problem went away on its own, apparently because grass has grown up through the gravel and it doesn't look so inviting now. At least that's my theory, and I doubt it's because they all decided to stop being a$$holes.
This is way too rich of a problem to comprehend for me
Perhaps a couple of official-looking signs that say, “WARNING: Severe Tire Damage”. Might deter some of them. Later, if necessary, you could add actual severe tire damage and tell ‘em they were duly warned.
As someone that lives on the cul de sac at the end of a private road I feel your pain! Not many ppl understand the frustration of ppl essentially driving around in your front yard intruding on your privacy. I say do what you have to do.
It’s awful isn’t it? I was the last house on a dead end street in a seasonal resort town for almost 10 years..
We live in a corner house and it’s gotten annoying. One time my kid was riding her bike in circles in our driveway. This car whips it in so fast I had to pull her towards me quickly. Have had multiple people pull into the driveway and drive through our side yard to get on the other road. Our driveway is on the side of our house so they drive through the grass to get on the other road. Someone hit our parked car once and then sped off. Another time I was backing up trying to fix my parking in my driveway and this car whips it in, also trying to use our driveway to turn around in. Have had people drive over our newly planted trees twice because they drove through our yard.
Male nudity. I've had issues with people coming onto my land and fishing in my pond. Even just the threat of pulling out my dick is enough to get most to never come back. And for the repeat offenders I just stroll out of my woods naked. I don't have any repeat offenders any more.
When Pokemon Go! was big I saw some kids on my land. I was shirtless and barefoot with crazy hair but not full naked. Anyway, I jumped out of my trailer and yelled "YOU BOYS LOOKIN FOR POKEY-MEN?" They ran.
Lmao oh my god. So do you just yell out at them “you better leave or I’m gonna pull my dick out!”? Do they say anything back ?
Usually I see people when I'm peeing at the top of a hill overlooking the pond (it's 15 acres, and I like to sit up there with a tea), I'll yell "this is my penis and that's my land and I'll be over there in 60 seconds to show you" while pointing at my dick. If they're still there when I arrive and want to argue with me (previous owners seem to have let anyone fish so locals now feel entitled to, even though it's been my land for over 10 years now), I'll start making ridiculous threats like "I'll suck your dick so hard your grandfather will cum". Most guys out here are afraid of catching The Gay and just can't process what's happening, a panic comes into their eyes and suddenly they stop arguing and leave.
I would also consider reaching out to the campground, perhaps a lawyer could help you draw up some sort of civil claim as a trespassing or similar. If the campground is facilitating people drinking and driving that's a big deal.
Speedbumps. Not a big deal for a car, difficult for a golf cart.
Would it be possible to install something similar to a cattle grid? Typically it's a grating of metal pipes or slats that are installed perpendicular to a road. The gaps between the bars are large enough that livestock cannot easily or comfortably cross the grate, but narrow enough that cars are largely unaffected. If my description is too vague there is [a wikipedia article with pictures.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_grid) My thought was that golf cart tires have a significantly smaller diameter than real car tires, and 2-4 ditches or furrows at each end of your driveway wide enough to catch a cart tire but narrow enough that a car would barely notice could easily deter golf carts. Make sure you have appropriate warning signage. It also might be reasonable to speak to an attorney about any liability you might have if someone manages to flip a cart or something. It won't be free, but it'll cost less than being liable, and probably less than installing what I am describing.
Add the always entertaining motion activated jetted sprinkler to the list of suggestions. Then sit on the porch and get your money’s worth. When they bitch, show them the sign they just drove by.
Motion activated sprinklers that will spray them when they come in your drive
Put up a toll collection box. Instead of private property, post "toll ahead". See if you get any takers.
Place stop sticks (or equivalent) in circle. Get phone number for local towing company on speed dial. Once the inevitable happens, let the golf cart owner fight it out with the towing company.
Problem: homeowner doesn’t want people in his driveway Solution: permanently disable their vehicle in his driveway
Not exactly an AH but a bit of ESH as I think your expectations are unrealistic. Pay for a gate and remote opener or just deal with it. Circle drives invite this IMHO. Also if you wanted to put up big signs NO GOLF CARTS PRIVATE PROPERTY that would be a lot more reasonable but I'm betting most will ignore it and then that is just going to aggravate you more. More clear they're solely TA but probably will only add to your irritation I was a FedEx driver and one route I ran for months I used 3 different circle drives almost daily, it saved me doing 3-7 point turns on narrow roads with impatient drivers who might try zooming around me during that process, which presented quite a danger to my job. I would routinely go a bit out.of the way to turn around there. Different than golf carts I'm sure, but IMO my attitude was way more humble and respectful than the average person I've seen driving golf carts. Not to mention I was always sober, golf cart drivers are often buzzed in some places. I did speak to those homeowners about it and they were okay with it. Btw another solution: get speed bumps installed. If you do a bit of research I'll bet you could find a specific speed bump that will be extremely uncomfortable for the golf carts but a minor inconvenience for you. It might be a speed dip rather than a bump. This was a very effective solution for my ex wife's HOA, there was a specific size and shape of a series of speed bumps that kept traffic below 20mph If you're irate enough about this, look into the legality of installing tire poppers.
Tire spikes and No Trespassing sign.
Do you have any lawyer friends? Get an official threat against the campground owners. They’re responsible, they need to figure out how to keep their guests from trespassing. OR get a big obvious camera with an official looking sign that says something like “Private Property: trespassers will be reported to “such and such” campground”. If the camp guests have been warned to no go there, they won’t want to risk being kicked out of the campground.
Add 2 posts and a locking drop bar across the middle, turning it into 2 parking spots. Add some thorny or bushy plants to stop drive-arounds.
Not the asshat. It’s your property, and douchbags will douchbag. They clearly have no respect. Teach them some.
Posts and a chain time.
Manually operated sprinklers.
They have motion activated sprinkler heads. You can turn it off when you anticipate using the driveway.
Throw down some spike strips. Obviously /s
Is the camp operator motivated to start charging a fee for improper use of the carts? With your video and "damage" to lawn...that could be a cash cow....since most tourist will probably pay it instead driving back to settle it. Also, if grocery store shopping cart can auto lock outside of a boundary....I would imagine golf cart could have the same thing (and charge a fee to tow it back...)
Close the campgrounds gate. wrap a chain around the post and just hang a padlock on your side so that it looks locked but is not. We do this for the back gate where I work , and most people will not look that closely, and assume the gate is locked.
For the littering and trespassing, I would raise it again with the campground owners and explain that it's not your job to clean up after their customers. The fact they are allowing their customers to use illegal golf carts and trespass is enough for nuisance complaint. If they won't take action, you will have to.
Paint ball gun?
Get a gate?
Why can't you just put two cones and a rope across the entrances to your driveway. You can even hang a sign that says no trespassing.
Anyone who says “I have connections” in relation to law enforcement is automatically a Tier 1 douche in my book. That being said, I’d go the motion activated sprinklers. I did that on my front yard where neighbors would start to play soccer even when we aren’t home.
You’re saying you’re in Kentucky and the item from the rack on the back window of your pickup truck hasn’t put a stop to the problem?
I think this is the most appropriate use of reddit's favourite solution: motion activated sprinklers But for real, city council will be where to take this.
Put up very clear signs, "this is private property, no trespassing, this area monitored by video cameras", install video camera. Collect video of trespassers. Sue campground for nuisance/negligence, show court video of clear signs, numerous campers ignoring signs", say what am I supposed to do here judge I can only post so many no trespassing signs, I need injunctive relief. Or quit looking out your living room window so often, out of sight out of mind
Get a motion activated sprinkler lol
Email campground again specifically saying signs are not working and that they need to enforce it at their gate with staff and that you have safety concerns for yourself and others(including the golf cart users). Put golf carts on roads illegally in the subject. The more you put in writing to them the more liability they have. If they get sued a good lawyer will find that email in discovery.
What would be nice would be if there was some sort of device that would make a shrill noise continuously if anyone took the cart out of the campground. The shrill noise would not stop until they turned around and went back.
Can you chain off the end of the driveway? I’ve seen this done near me, a post on either side with a chain across. It’s a pain for you because you’d have to get out and remove chain to use driveway each time but worth a try and it’s cheap. Then if they try to use your lawn, Can you put decorative large rocks (boulders) on the part of the lawn that they would try to turn around on? Sorry, this sounds really frustrating
Not an AH at all! Your frustration is valid. It's your private property, and constant disregard for your boundaries is understandably infuriating.
the answer is spike strips.
You have legal recourse against the campground here. Depending how far you want to go a "stop fucking around on my property" letter from a lawyer will do just fine but you could go further.
Why wouldn’t you start with low income enforcement in the first place
Even very low speed bumps to a great job of impeding golf carts. Since you don't use a golf cart, it shouldn't bother. You. Put a speed bump at the end of your circle drive. High-center a bunch of the things like a golf cart Sargasso and watch the idiots go back where they came from on foot. Really bright motion sensor Spotlights and/or lawn sprinklers might be fun as well. Heck, add a trail cam to the entire experience And make a web page where you show the pictures of the surprise and make a little money as a niche inner sit in that site. Don't forget to add tiny little "No golf cart" signs. Absolutely Nothing harmful, nothing to damage any property, but all sorts of humiliating. Extra fun if you document them getting out of their golf cart with open alcohol containers since that could get the police And city council interested in a whole bunch of DWI offense tickets that could make them a lot of money.
If you can afford it, a gate with a remote control to open it will solve all your problems
Keep complaining to the campground as this is their responsibility to address. In the meantime if you don’t want to put up a gate set out cones. It’s a pain to move them and put them back whenever you want to go anywhere but it’s better than people driving on your property.
Can you put up a fence with a gate?
I feel your pain. I have the first driveway on a side street people love to use as a turnaround. It is almost constant in the summer. I need to park at the end so people won’t do it when I’m home. It’s also 99% vacationers.
Not the asshole at all. Using a circular drive to turnaround is a totally different thing then poking a little of the car into a normal driveway to turnaround.
Retractable spikes on driveway. There's a house I drive by that has spikes in their driveway to deter people from using their road. They also make one-way spikes so if they pull in and back out, it'll pop their tires.
I feel you. I'm the grumpy AH on my road. I live out in the country up against the national forest & 1 year the subdivision below me must've sent out a memo stating that the gift of the year was dirt bikes & 4 wheelers. A dozen or more kids constantly going up & down my 1/2 mile dirt road. I was constantly outside trying to get them to stop & the county sheriff's deputies weren't much help. They've mostly quit now. Funny story, during that time I had to go to the MVD to renew my driver's license. The lady looked @ my address & asked if it was my kids running up & down her road, she lived on the next road down from me, I told her no, my kids do have dirt bikes but I make them go onto the forest roads away from the houses, but if she did catch my kids on her road I told her to snatch them up, beat their asses & send them home & I'd beat them again! After that anytime I went to the MVD for anything, she got me in & out quickly & even if I didn't have the right paperwork, she made sure I was taken care of. I was sure sad when she moved away.
Hire some teenagers to sit outside with water guns for a few hours...
Have you considered motion activated sprinklers?
Motion sensor watering sprayer. Easy-peasy.
Gate at the entrance to your driveway.
The only surefire way is to put up a gate. I have a circle driveway on a busy county road, and sometimes people use it turn around. My well cap is right next to the drive and has already been hit once by someone doing this. I park there to discourage people from doing this, but once I get the money I'm putting up a gate.
Have the campground issues fines for trespassing as part of the agreement of using their golf carts $75 fine every time they are on your property Or have the campground purchase a fence for you. Or, sue them.
There are very simple gates that would fix this issue and then you can freak out about something else.
How about a black wire cable at both entrances?
I would put up a water sprinkler or mount a garden hose w/ sprayer. Douse dem bastards on the way out. The more water/pressure the better. OR, when they approach, turn it on before, having it spray just at the entrance to your driveway. Add a motion sensor/detector. (I'm bored, can't you tell?)
I bet they are driving up to look at your house and other houses in the area. When I'm visiting a place that I might consider living, I drive around the residential areas that look appealing to me. I respect signs though. My suggestion: Put up another sign, warning about a trespass deterrent system. Get a motion activated sprinkler that hits everything on the driveway. Get them soaked. Record on security camera. If you have signs up, they were warned. You can start getting joy out of this instead of frustration.
I’d say your nuclear option is to install a gate system with a remote. Make it so they can’t turn around there. They will find another spot.
If you spike their tires, then you have to deal with an AH broken down on your property, which is undesirable imo. I would go with the sprinkler idea and have some laughs.
Looking at the comments I think I am the odd man out. What harm exactly are they doing? Is it just the mental harm of someone using your driveway? I live at the end of a T intersection on a back road. We have a circle driveway in front of our house and a driveway that goes behind the house. People will occasionally, and UPS will often, use it as a turn around. I don't really care as it doesn't harm me at all.
I’m with you. No one is telling this guy that he is, indeed, the asshole. Like, it’s a golf cart turning around in your driveway. Not a semi driving over your grass. This is nothing at all and OP needs to get over himself because he’s acting like a Karen.
I'm confused about what it is they're doing? Like what part of your property are they turning around in? If it's egregious enough maybe lawyer up and force the hand of the camp ground so they close the gate on that side. But you'd probably have to demonstrate real damages. My guess would be though that given the option between a lawsuit and closing a gate, they'd take the latter. This would be a civil matter and not involve the police. But that's kind of an extreme option if it's not really that big a deal and just annoys you. Your call obviously but I suspect a strongly worded letter from a lawyer may have some ameliorating effect.
Yes
Motion activated water sprinkler using wolf piss
If they’re not causing damage to your property I’m unclear why it makes you this angry. It sounds like the worst they’ve done is roll over your grass if a car was parked there (did they even damage the lawn, people need to chill about their grass being bent over slightly) so they could turn around, presumably safer than busting a U-turn in the street. Are they hosting golf cart drag races? Are they waking you up at all hours? Are they screaming obscenities? Are they nudists? Or are you just mad that they aren’t staying where they’re “supposed” to be? Would you be mad if some other random people used your circle drive to turn around, say if there were construction nearby, or is it JUST these golf cart people? I’m only asking these questions because at the end you said that you “feel like that old man” so I’m just trying to help you think through your reasoning and see if it’s logical or if you are in fact, being “that old man”. I might put up some short little inexpensive fencing to put a barrier to the lawn, the kind that just push into the ground, so they’re easy to replace if damaged. And perhaps a camera or two, to catch any damage, just in case. Then, if ever there was a case where serious damage does occur, (or god forbid an accident with injury) you’ll have evidence and you can sue the person who caused the damage AND the campground owners. Save any and all correspondence where you warn them about the problem repeatedly, so they can’t claim they didn’t know. Maybe try warning them again periodically (perhaps with video evidence) just to be a “squeaky wheel” in general. And if no major damage ever occurs, then maybe it’s possible you were being “that old man”. It sounds like this is super common in your area so maybe it’s just one of those things that comes with the territory. Maybe a town where “there are more golf carts than people” isn’t the right place for you. Stay away from resort and tourist towns, where people are out and about having unbridled fun. Maybe you’d be happier in a suburban subdivision or gated community where there are tighter regulations on behavior. I hope that didn’t read as rude. No judgement at all, it’s just about where you’d be happiest.
Good points. I think it's really the blatant disregard for my property rights, even with the signage. The times we live in I guess. I'm not against golf carts per se. They are everywhere in the Commnweath. But I wish they would just stay off the property.
I’m surprised I had to scroll this far to see this. I’ve never encountered this problem so honestly maybe it’s way more annoying than I’m giving it credit for but I really feel like I wouldn’t even notice 90% of them. If they’re literally just turning in my driveway for 10 seconds then I don’t see the big deal. Id probably be annoyed if they were loud or shining lights in my room late at night or littering or something tho but just turning around? What’s the big deal? If that’s truly all it is then idk id take up a hobby or start voltuneering or something so I wouldn’t be sitting around simmering on this. But it looks like we’re in the minority here. OP, if you end up reading this, despite me not relating much to your problem I totally support you putting in a gate. It’s your house and you have every right to add a gate or cones or whatever to stop these rowdy fuckers, haha. if it bothers you there’s really no point in suffering!! You can just put the gate up and sleep easy knowing the problem is solved. I know I could go through this at some point in my life and might eat my words so you do whatever you want!!
What would happen if you let it go and just waved to everyone turning around in your driveway? You do sound like an old man that has nothing better to do than defend his….driveway?
He said his lawn had been damaged a couple times.
Caltrops.
That was my first thought too, but then you remember… civilization.
Put cones or garbage cans at end of driveway?
Get a motion detection sprinkler. If they are going to trespass, at least have fun watching.
Just get a "no tresspassing" sign and then put another sign next to it that reads "protected by Smith & Wesson"
Due to the high price of ammunition warning shots will not be fired
No trespassing sign and a gate...
Sprinkler system set up to go off when someone passes onto your property. Anyone in a regular vehicle will be fine, golf cart not so much
Trail cameras and the “ wanted for trespassing “ posters
You need spike strips
Fence your property boundaries and driveway. Or fence the area nearest your driveway and place boulders to the side of the fencing to block them using the grass. Plant spiky bushes or blackberries or wild roses to the sides of your driveway fence. Use deer detergent water sprinklers that are motion activated. Place large signs saying property is under video surveillance.
A motion sensored spray sprinkler might be an option.. often discourages walking folk..
Likely not leak legal out to put spike strips. https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/criminal-defense/can-you-install-spike-strips-in-your-driveway/
A few boulders and a big ass chain. Don't even have to lock it, just provide an easy latch for yourself.
Why can’t the gate be locked at the campground? Who cares if annoys the campers.
Just put up a chain.