I blocked the road with cones and turned back all members of the public yesterday, but it was extremely boring, so I can't wait for the signs to come in. That's for the advice.
Most people said they didn't know it was a private drive, even though there was one sign saying so at the entrance.
The drive is 18 feet wide so I can make large letters.
I'm thinking of putting down a big "stencil" on the road of something like: "PRIVATE DRIVE | NO PULIC ACCESS"
I wonder if it would be worthwhile to get some sort of small flashing light to put by your sign. It might get folks out of the auto pilot mode some enter while driving. Do you have an address sign for your place? Maybe something to draw attention to that would be worthwhile.
Can you put a chain or cable across the road with a "keep out (etc)" sign hanging from the middle ? Having the writing on the drive may not be a big enough hint for some ... but a chain/cable/gate is kinda hard to ignore . "Trespassers will be shot" signage might help too . Gotta ask , where does this road go that people want to be ? Lake , river , or some other place ? Is it a "shortcut" to somewhere ?
I think you have to be clear and to the point. Otherwise curiosity seekers and no-goods will ignore signs. Check with the local police for their advice on words. Maybe.....
Private Driveway ("Drive" implies it's not a residential road) No Trespassing City Code 12345 (Small letters)
I don't understand your question about having an "address sign" for the place. The drive serves a handful of homes only but there are trails at the end that a lot of bikers and hikers use that skirt out back behind people's property (all in private land). Eventually it connects to a public park, so most of the traffic is people coming from the public park in the opposite direction of cars which would be going down the road just to 'explore' it (since it's a dead end of only about 1/2 mile long).
There "is" a standard-looking street sign, put up by the county, at the junction with the public road and a 30x30 amber rectangle (mounted with the points up and down and to the side) saying "No Through Traffic".
I was thinking of replacing the No Through Traffic sign with a "No Public Access" sign, but the back of the sign has a sticker saying it's a county sign and that it's a criminal offense to remove the sign.
I don't understand your question about having an "address sign" for the place. The drive serves a handful of homes only but there are trails at the end that a lot of bikers and hikers use that skirt out back behind people's property (all in private land). Eventually it connects to a public park, so most of the traffic is people coming from the public park in the opposite direction of cars which would be going down the road just to 'explore' it (since it's a dead end of only about 1/2 mile long).
There "is" a standard-looking street sign, put up by the county, at the junction with the public road and a 30x30 amber rectangle (mounted with the points up and down and to the side) saying "No Through Traffic".
I was thinking of replacing the No Through Traffic sign with a "No Public Access" sign, but the back of the sign has a sticker saying it's a county sign and that it's a criminal offense to remove the sign.
I was picturing a single driveway leading to a single residence. Farms and rural residences have addresses similar to what town people have. It was set up that way for emergency responders. Responders using directions from a town could miscount miles, miss turns, or whatever else might happen to delay them.
Water over the dam perhaps, but did you consider contacting the county highway engineer, explaining the problem you're having and asking him to review and perhaps come up with more appropriate signage?
That has the potential of having the county engineer explain "No, it is not a private road." Some people around here hang private road signs as a bluff.
Today, a set of foul-mouthed bikers came up from the county park (it's the only place they could have come from) about 5 miles away. The county park has a sign saying that it's an unmaintained trail and that no bikes or vehicles are allowed, but that's it.
Then, about 3 miles out from that sign, there are at least five to eight (or so) private owners, none of which are signed, and then the trail comes to my paved road, which isn't signed at that end.
When they got to my little roadblock they refused to turn back:
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They told me I could take my private road and shove it up one of my anatomical parts. Right in front of my kids, they used foul language, and I tried to videotape them but my camera was dead so I just faked that I videotaped them.
They went right past me, and then they called the cops who showed up. The cops said they used foul language with them and that they said I knocked them off their bikes (I never touched them) but they couldn't show the cops any injuries and the cops didn't believe them.
Anyway, the cops said the road doesn't show up as private on their maps (so I need to fix that somehow) and that section 602L of some California code says that the no trespassing signs must be at least three to a mile and at the entrance and exit to trails and roads.
EDIT: Found this:
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The cops said that they'd have a hard time arresting someone for trespassing because it looks like a county road as it's about 25 feet wide at the widest and about 18 feet wide at the thinnest and it's well paved (although not as well as the county roads are).
So, they suggested two things: a. Don't get in the way of the bikers - just let them pass and call them if they refuse to get off the land. b. Put signs up at least to the 602 code for no trespassing signs saying that only written permission will allow anyone on the land.
I was surprised at the written-permission rule, as even the lawyer I talked to didn't mention that.
The police came by because someone called them saying I was illegally blocking the road (they said I knocked them off their bikes, but I didn't - I simply told them to turn back and they didn't).
The cops said that their maps don't show it as a private road, but, that it sure looked like one to them (I think that was an insult!). :)
They suggested we follow California Penal Code 602L for signage which we are not currently following:
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" (l)Entering any lands under cultivation or enclosed by fence, belonging to, or occupied by, another, or entering upon uncultivated or unenclosed lands where signs forbidding trespass are displayed at intervals not less than three to the mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering the lands without the written permission of the owner of the land, the owner's agent, or of the person in lawful possession, and "
It's most certainly a private road, but, the police were called by a biker who refused to turn back who said I accosted him and knocked him off his bike (I never touched him or his bike).
The police said that their maps don't show it as private, but, that it is marked private only at the entrance and that in order for them to arrest someone, we need to sign it according to California Penal Code 602L, which basically says we need signs at the entrance and exit and along the borders and along the road at a density of at least 3 per mile.
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(L) Entering any lands under cultivation or enclosed by fence, belonging to, or occupied by, another, or entering upon uncultivated or unenclosed lands where signs forbidding trespass are displayed at intervals not less than three to the mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering the lands without the written permission of the owner of the land, the owner's agent, or the person in lawful possession, and any of the following: (1) Refusing or failing to leave the lands immediately upon being requested by the owner of the land, the owner's agent, or by the person in lawful possession to leave the lands. (2) Tearing down, mutilating, or destroying any sign, signboard, or notice forbidding trespass or hunting on the lands. (3) Removing, injuring, unlocking, or tampering with any lock on any gate on or leading into the lands. (4) Discharging any firearm.
It seems that 602N may also apply: (n) Driving any vehicle, as defined in Section 670 of the Vehicle Code, upon real property belonging to, or lawfully occupied by, another and known not to be open to the general public, without the consent of the owner, the owner's agent, or the person in lawful possession. This subdivision does not apply to any person described in Section 22350 of the Business and Professions Code who is making a lawful service of process, provided that upon exiting the vehicle, the person proceeds immediately to attempt the service of process, and leaves immediately upon completing the service of process or upon the request of the owner, the owner's agent, or the person in lawful possession.
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