| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
So, I look out my window this morning, and some squirrel decided to slide their vehicle across the front of my property, taking out a number of trees. No note, nothing, just tire tracks, shredded trees, and a big f'n mess. My thought is....boulders. (actually, my first thought is "fu(k the human race...") Curious if anyone here has done that - I'm talking big enough to stop a car, possibly for good if they hit it hard enough. I plan to talk to local quarries to see if they do anything like that (probably cheaper than landscape companies...) I've got about 50 yards of frontage and I want them close enough together that a car can't fit between them, so probably...ten? Right on the road, so they only need a lowboy with the rocks, and some sort of mover to place them. Anybody here done something like this? Any tips? I guess I'll probably have to call County Roads as well... | ||
| Chauly |
I've done this. Just make sure there is space enough between them to fit your mower. They also don't have to be BFR's;mine were about 2 feet across. My #1 grandson still managed to park his car on top of one! | ||
| Ratbuell |
That's my plan - big enough to stop whatever it is, in its tracks, and require a call to a tow truck. Which gives me time to call the cops. Not too worried about the mower, I can plant shrubs. There's already a line of spruce that I planted, to shield the house from the road eventually...I only need to fill it in with something between now and the time they are fully grown. I live in the mountains, so "rural" plantings would look just fine. Doesn't need to be a manicured hedge. And, I have a good string trimmer. | ||
| Buellish |
For the last year or so I've had delivery drivers (Amazon,Fedex and UPS) use my yard as an off road course. I've thought about putting in split rail fencing so it would F-up their vans. | ||
| Tootal |
My father took railroad ties and planted them 6 feet apart. He had bored a 2" hole in them and then strung a ship rope through them to make a fence. A friend of mine came home drunk one night and ran into it. Car stopped, RR tie didn't move. Dad did cool things with rope, seems he was a Bosen Mate in the Navy. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
I had a trespasser a few years back. She somehow made it past the 2 rows of mature pines to end up in the 3rd and 4th rows that I had planted a few years before. She was on her way to work and missed the 90 deg. turn in front of my house. I don't know that I would have wanted her to hit a boulder or two but the bastards that keep tossing their trash out in my front yard.... they deserve steel cable about 3 foot off the ground.  | ||
| Hughlysses |
A guy in my former neighborhood lived on a heavily trafficked corner and people were frequently missing the corner and running into his yard. Now the speed limit was only 25 mph, but probably 90% of the traffic entering that side of the neighborhood made the turn at this guy’s house, so it happened a LOT. He had 4 brick pillars built at the edge of his yard adjacent to the street. They were probably 2’ x 2’ x 4’ high. They were successful for about a year before someone blew the turn and sheared one of these pillars off about a foot above the ground. The homeowner somehow got the broken portion back on top of the base but he didn’t bother to repair it, so it was still functional but not pretty. I suspect you might be cleaning up scattered bricks every week or two and rebuilding brick pillars if you went this route. | ||
| Buellish |
A friend of mine in Cleveland,Tn had a long time friend who went missing on the ride home from another friend's house.His friends and family searched for him for days when a woman went into the backyard she seldom used and found him dead on his bike,having run through the thick and tall hedge beside her house in a curve.I believe I recall he had a heart attack. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Yeah, I don't want to "build" anything. Fences get run over; pillars get broken. I'm thinking just big ol' boulders. Hit 'em hard, they may move a couple inches. My neighbor's mailbox looks like a 4x4" post...but it's actually a 10' long 4x4" iron box beam, filled with concrete. You can only see 4' of it above ground, the rest is sunk in a concrete base. We live on the outside of an uphill curve - if(when) squirrels spin tires and slide out of the road...they're in our yards. I have a stone home though...boulders would "fit" my property. And they'll be visible enough to make people pay attention. | ||
| Kmbuell |
Neighbor near the new place, at a “T” intersection has had a few cars up under his double wide. Last summer he put a row of big boulder across the area . Somebody ran into one a few weeks ago. Rock didn’t move, house didn’t get hit. Car went to junkyard. Late model Challenger. Local drag strip is on the road that ends. Lots of testosterone on that road! I think your idea has merit. | ||
| Hootowl |
Boatswain. | ||
| Hootowl |
Some of these devices may be illegal booby traps. The steel post that looks like a 4x4 meant to wreck cars may subject you to wrongful death lawsuits, especially if it was put there in response to previous activity, since it implies you knew it was likely that someone would hit it. Boulders meant to high center or flip cars may be the same. Check local laws. Better safe than sorry. | ||
| Griffmeister |
Mafia blocks would work too, but not as pretty. I agree with Hoot though, check out all of the legal avenues first. | ||
| Shoggin |
"FRONT towards enemy"  | ||
| Court |
I used to always enjoy the Claymore humor | ||
| Ratbuell |
A guy at the gun show back in Oct. had masks made up to look like claymores. I don't think that would go over well at work though. For the boulders - I'm not 'threatening' anyone or 'hoping' anyone will hit it. I am merely protecting my property. If people simply stay on the road...there won't be a problem. | ||
| Hootowl |
I strongly urge you to seek legal advice before doing so. | ||
| Ourdee |
 | ||
| Ratbuell |
I was - during my back spasm festivities this weekend - watching the History channel. That show "mysteries of the abandoned" is actually really cool! They had a segment on the German "dragons teeth" from WWII. Those...could be effective. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=german+dragons+teeth&ia= web | ||
| Tpehak |
 | ||
| Tootal |
Checking local law is a good idea. Here in the People's Republic of Illinois your mailbox has to be able to break off in case someone hits it. Not too many people follow that rule but it is there. If someone gets hurt hitting your mailbox you can be held liable. That's just crazy to me. You trash my property and I'm liable? Welcome to government overreach! | ||
| Ratbuell |
Mailboxes by definition have to be within the road's right of way. I plan to have my ...decorations  spaced well back from the right of way. | ||
| Hootowl |
I used to have issues with people driving on to my lawn and breaking my sprinklers. The lawn, at night, due to its position in relation to the ditch, and the pattern of other driveways in the area, can appear to be a driveway if you're not paying attention. I moved my mailbox across my driveway to the street in front of said section of lawn. Haven't had a problem since. Different situation, I know. Just sharing. | ||
| Aesquire |
Checking local codes is cheap insurance against ruinous lawsuits. And you want to think about "ramp" effect launching a car into the house. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My driveway is 1200' and I live on 4 acres. If they launch that far...there's other issues. I emailed MDOT, asking "how far from the lane stripe do I need to place them?" and mentioned they'd be sitting, not dug in. We shall see. And good luck on a lawsuit - you're out of control, driving off a marked roadway and onto private property. My rocks did not jump in front of you, you should keep under control on a curve. There's a sign posted 100 yards before my property...they have no excuse. | ||
| Ourdee |
My neighbor parked in front of my house and got side swiped. Straight street. | ||
| Aesquire |
No excuse? Ha! We've lost several great hang gliding sites from moron suits. Posted land. Fence. Gate with lock. Signs warning to keep out. Signs warning hazard to life and limb. Sign saying Beware of Cliff. Keep out, this means You! Land owner still got sued. Doesn't matter if the judge tosses it out, still lost time and money. Not worth it to keep letting us fly. Admittedly there's an attractive nuisance issue that doesn't apply to your yard. Note I'm NOT against the idea. I just say CYA in advance by checking local rules and attitudes. A close friend has the Town Code Complainer as a back neighbor. Pity him. Otoh, my friend likes his firepit and blacksmith hobby, so... | ||
| Greg_e |
I bunch of red reflectors just off the shoulder of the road might go a long way to protecting you too. How fast do fast growing evergreens grow? Need to get to about 4 inches thick as fast as possible. (Message edited by Greg_E on December 21, 2020) (Message edited by Greg_E on December 21, 2020) |
