following on from my moan... another wwyd

CharliesAngel

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2010
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wondering what you would do?

our house is up its own track and when we moved here we put gates across the end to make it safe for my little boy going up and down on his bike, safe for our dogs and also safe for ponies and livestock. We breed shetland ponies and are often moving ponies about including youngstock and stallions; I have 2 highlands that I ride about the croft plus my little boy rides his pony. Finally we have sheep that we are often moving from the fields into the barn or into a fresh field. So all in all , its important to me that these gates are kept shut, everything else on the croft, all the fields, open into the yard here and the only access onto the road is from the track.

Without giving out our actual address, our place is ******** farm. We have a sign on the gate that says this. Further along the road is ********* of thingymabob cottage. The first word is the same as our farm name. Recently we have been getting all their amazon parcels left in our parcel box which is at our gates. The first couple of times i took their stuff along but it kept happening so we both complained to Amazon and the neighbour was really apologetic about it. See my thread here -
http://www.newrider.com/threads/amazon-couriers.250004/

Since then though I have various delivery vans appearing up at my front door! Various couriers and delivery vans looking for this house, open our gates and ignoring the house name on it. At the weekend my little boy was playing on his bike and we were literally round the corner doing some gardening, it was blowing a gale so we didnt hear the engine of the van coming up and my little boy came running round to say there was a van and a man walking about the yard! Today I just sat down to a quiet lunch and all hell broke loose with the dogs - there was a massive flatbed lorry in my yard - looking for this other house. I said to him, look there is a sign on the gates with our farm name ?!?! and he said oh yes i saw that but i couldnt see another property so i thought this must be it. He barely got turned to get back out and back down the track and all my chickens were clucking about risking being run over. Every time this happens these drivers leave the gates wide open!!! The infuriating thing is that we never have drivers coming up to the house for anything for ourselves, any deliveries for us are left in the box. I know I sound yet again like a moaning old bat but im seriously tempted to stick a chain and lock on the gates when im at home. I figure anyone who wants me can either walk up or will have my mobile number!
 
We have a house near us that is right by a plant nursery. This has a big sign outside saying (and I paraphrase) "This house has nothing to do with the nursery. Please do not call on nursery business" and it has the phone no of the nursery. Could you put a sign saying no connection with ******* cottage (and maybe directions)

The possible downside is that they only see the name of the cottage and it makes it worse!
 
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Is it worth getting an intercom and automatic gate opener? They surely must have a gadget that you can wear about the place so you can answer the "doorbell" when you are not necessarily inside. Tiresome and expensive but it may prevent a nasty accident.
 
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thanks both, good ideas to think about. I hate being such a miserable, moaning old cowbag haha but we have good reasons for keeping the place secure
 
Definitely a sign that says "This is not ********* Cottage" and a phone number and directions to the cottage.

Also a sign that says "CLOSE THE GATE"

And preferably a lock. Or an automatic gate.
 
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They've just installed an automatic lock system on the gates at our yard. They're now opened by ringing a telephone number. It will only open if called by a mobile no programmed into the system, so liveries are all programmed in, muck trailer emptier etc. They have a notice on the gate saying for entry call this no (YO's but it could be anyone who has access) and she can then ring and open them from wherever she is if she chooses to let them in.

Hope you find a suitable solution - sounds a nightmare for you.
 
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I would stick a chain and padlock on. Just in case someone comes and accidently leaves the gates open. It would be awful if your little lad got injured or even any of your animals escaping. If you are expecting a delivery you can just unlock it in readiness. If you have a parcel box then that's that sorted.
 
thanks all, im glad you dont all think Im being miserable. Ive ordered a sign for the gate (there is already one that says all deliveries to go in the box and gates to remain shut) with our house name on and ‘no deliveries for ****** cottage’ with an arrow pointing along the road. Im going to get one of those bike chains with a code on it as well.
 
Few ideas.
Please shut the gate. See how you get on.
Then something whereby the gate is on a spring and shuts behind itself.

You can get intercom that rings you on a mobile and shows you who us standing there. So if you are not in, you can still look like you are.

Is the cottage difficult to find? Do they have good sign.
 
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thanks, yes we already have a sign that says Animals Running Loose Please Shut The Gate, all Deliveries In Box :/

The other cottage is a bit tucked away and hard to find. Id love an intercom!


Mr CA is not keen on me locking the gate but he’s not the one at home 99% of the time when this is happening :( Think one of the bicycle locks with a code might be in order. Ive ordered a new sign as well
 
I disposer my only worry would be the emergency services can't get in. It needs you to be in position to unlock. So something automatic would be good, though have no clue on costs.

A few places here have done that. Spooks the cob as the gates just open and no one is there! But I wonder if it's too stop stray couriers. They are self employed so it's not like your local postie.
I don't use couriers. I find it annoying.
 
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