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AIBU

Cyclists parking bikes on my lawn

(83 Posts)
Thegrandmarniter Sun 25-Apr-21 14:10:17

I live near a Millennium Greenway. I cycle or walk on it almost every day. However I don’t like it very much when cyclists from elsewhere stop outside my house, park their cars outside my living room window and then lean their bikes against the tree on my lawn, or walk across my lawn or mend their bicycle chains on my lawn.....Need I go on. I have put a little sign against one of the trees saying , ‘Private Garden, please keep dogs off the grass’ because, of course I have found little doggie dollops by the tree as well. If I go out and ask them politely to get off my garden they usually do but I’m a bit upset today. There were a group of 6, standing outside my window, a bike propped against each of the two trees and a third being mended on the grass. I politely asked them to move. One actually started laughing, another muttered something about 1st world problems, a third tried to make a joke about thinking it was a patch of Council grass. The final straw was when one said, ‘Oh, you’ve got a sign here, you haven’t cut the grass so I didn’t see it.’ Exasperated I said that maybe I’d get my bike out and follow them home and park on their lawns. One said, ‘If you did love I’d invite you in for a drink.’ The implication that I was being unreasonable was clear. The incident has left me a bit upset and shaky. Any advice Gransnetters?

CrazyGrandma2 Tue 27-Apr-21 13:29:14

After an issue of vandalism in our front open plan garden - years ago - the local policewoman advised me to put a low level link fence across the garden. Walk down the driveway ok but come in over the garden and trip on fence tough luck as they would be trespassing!

djgmpg Tue 27-Apr-21 13:52:55

Let their tyres down. They’ll soon get the message.......

Amberone Tue 27-Apr-21 14:09:09

Part of the problem is that they don't realise that 100 other people a day are doing the same thing - we have the same problem with people using our drive as a turning circle at the end of a cul-de-sac. I've been told I'm petty and a miserable bitch for asking people not to do it but I'm pretty sure they would soon get fed up with loads of people driving up to their front window. Like litter louts too. "Chill out. It's just a bit of paper" - but 100 bits of paper makes a right old mess.

Good luck with your fence - hope that works.

Namsnanny Tue 27-Apr-21 14:10:07

I like Wwmk2 sprinkler suggestion, as another person said, possibly connected to a motion sensor?

TrendyNannie6 Tue 27-Apr-21 14:21:19

I’d be furious, so I really sympathise with you, I’d be putting a chain fence round, it would really stress me out dogs doing their business on my lawn it’s disgusting! You are not being unreasonable at all Op

grandtanteJE65 Tue 27-Apr-21 14:22:34

I would check with the local council about fencing the property.

i camot imagine that you are not allowed to do so, but check to be on the safe side.

Scotland has no law of trespass, so you can't object to people crossing your land, but you cam reasonably object to them sitting on your front lawn.

I have no idea what English law says on the subject of people walking onto private property, but I imagine it would need to be fenced - after all, how else would strangers know it was private?

If people parking outside your house can see in, I would consider blinds, curtains or one-way film, so you can see out of your windows, but they cannot see in.

Surely you can't be the only person inconvenienced in this manner by inconsiderate visitors to the area?

Perhaps you should try discussing with your neighbours what you can do about this.

Kamiso Tue 27-Apr-21 14:35:17

I suppose barbed wire or broken glass topped wall is a step too far? The motion sensor sprinkler sounds best, as long as you remember that it’s on! Or you could wait until they settle down on your lawn then turn it on.

People used to walk right past our front window but we now have a large plant blocking the way. It is a bit disconcerting when people do this I know.

GreenGran78 Tue 27-Apr-21 15:08:47

Some nice prickly shrubs should act as a deterrent.
This theme reminds me of a complaint we received about one of our paperboys. They are instructed to stay off lawns. The resident actually brought in a photograph of bike wheel tracks in the dew on his lawn, as evidence.
Another customer phoned us, asking us to tell the paperboy not to lean his bike on their new brick wall, in case he scratched it!
Your complaints are completely justified, GM, but some peoples’ are unbelievably petty.

BlueSapphire Tue 27-Apr-21 15:39:35

Next door have workmen in and on the first morning I noticed they were using my front grass to park their tools on. Had to go out and ask them not to, and they were swiftly removed.

scourw Tue 27-Apr-21 16:57:34

Love that idea!

scourw Tue 27-Apr-21 17:00:32

Apologies, still getting the hang of this. The previous comment was in reply to Whitewavemark2's suggestion of the sprinkler

minxie Tue 27-Apr-21 18:48:15

I should just turn the hosepipe on them.

Kryptonite Tue 27-Apr-21 19:04:11

themosquito.co.uk/ Apparently this can deter loitering teenagers. Not sure of legalities etc, but perhaps it is a possibility? So sorry your privacy is being invaded in this way. Many people just do not care.

Nanette1955 Tue 27-Apr-21 20:23:16

A small fence, or chain link, if that fails a lawn sprinkler on timer for 5 mins on and 5 mins off. X

welbeck Tue 27-Apr-21 23:25:59

what's the point of having a front garden that is not fenced.
it's neither one thing nor the other.
too publicly available to be private;
not private enough to deter invaders.
it probably does not even occur to them that it's not public.
motion-sensor activated sprinkler worth a try.

yellowcanary Thu 29-Apr-21 18:20:13

Granof412

But what is a millennium greenway???

Looks as if it is a multiuser walkway etc around Chester walks.walkingworld.com/walk/Chester--Along-The-Millennium-Greenway-From-Newton.aspx. We have the Millenium Coastal Path local to me in Carmarthenshire which is a path for walkers and cyclists along the coast.

happycatholicwife1 Fri 30-Apr-21 07:49:36

We used to have that problem. I would turn on the sprinkler. Got quite a few cars with windows down. I especially loved the occasional convertible targets.

CharleyB Sun 02-May-21 08:29:35

What a fantastic opportunity grin)

Pedal cycle parking £10 per day.
Or part thereof.

To be paid in advance.

Non pre-paid for pedal cycles with be removed to a pound.
Release Fee £50.

All donations will go to a local Charity.

Thanks grin)

Alexa Sun 02-May-21 09:30:48

Stop cutting the grass , let the wild dandelions, daisies, clover and so on grow for the pollinating insects. Place one or two plastic dog droppings around the edges

Elegran Sun 02-May-21 11:05:07

That would just encourage the dogwalkers to drop more bags of doggy-do, and the bike and car parkers to believe that it is just waste ground and not someone's front garden. Not helpful.

Elegran Sun 02-May-21 11:14:50

Arrange largish stones to mark the boundary, put some pots of geraniums just inside the stones, and add a notice "Private garden. No parking. Parked cars will be photographed and their numbers reported for clamping and/or removal. Parked bicycles will be impounded, storage fee £50 per day or part thereof." This is legal (but check locally) www.reddit.com/r/bicycling/comments/ctoh0/if_i_lock_my_bike_up_on_private_property_can_the/

Floradora9 Sun 02-May-21 16:36:16

I keep reading that anyone can park on your driveway and you cannot stop them . In Scotland there is no law of tresspass.

marymary62 Sun 02-May-21 17:32:10

Agree with all - delineate the boundary within the limits of what you are allowed small fence is good, any prickly bushes are great (burst tyres ?) or nettles ! Wildflower meadow with lots of nettles. Best for butterflies. Love the most idea too - with sharpened spike on one side.

Tizliz Sun 02-May-21 17:32:39

In Scotland it is a right to roam, but not a general freedom to do what you want:

public access rights do not apply to the following places:

Houses, gardens and non-residential buildings and associated land
Land in which crops are growing
Land next to a school and used by the school
Sports or playing fields (where exercising access rights would interfere with their use)
Airfields, railways, quarries, construction sites and military bases
Visitor attractions or other places which charge for entry

And this is people not cars

marymary62 Sun 02-May-21 17:33:44

But yes I agree it may attract more dog poo sadly. Fence and prickly bushes then