AITA For building a Fence and blocking my neighbours from the road, forcing them to take a massive detour?

A user on Reddit recounted how they erected a sizable stone barrier around their land. This action was prompted by neighbors who had begun to treat their private drive and field as a convenient cut-through and impromptu parking lot. At first, the Redditor was tolerant, but their patience wore thin after numerous unsuccessful efforts to resolve the issue. These attempts varied from amicable discussions to arranging for vehicle removals. Ultimately, they chose to construct the fence, which prevented the neighbors from continuing to use the shortcut, thus obligating them to use a considerably more extended path.

Although some nearby residents expressed regret, others, particularly those known for their confrontational behavior, are currently insisting that the barrier be taken down. The user on Reddit is experiencing internal conflict because the measure also has consequences for the more amiable residents in the vicinity. Is this considered a disproportionate response, or were they right to proceed with this course of action? The initial account can be found below.

‘ AITA For building a Fence and blocking my neighbours from the road, forcing them to take a massive detour?’

I own a substantial home with extensive grounds. Five years ago, when I purchased the estate, the closest residence was at least a five-minute drive away. However, due to the expansion of nearby villages and towns, residential developments have begun to appear adjacent to my land.

Initially, I didn’t mind since there wasn’t much I could do anyway. My land is substantial enough that it shouldn’t have been noticeable, or at least that’s what I thought. It’s worth noting that when I first arrived, I removed a number of trees and built a makeshift gravel road to give myself quick access to the main road nearby, rather than taking the long way around.

Soon after the residences became occupied, I observed that individuals were primarily utilizing my small street as a shortcut to the adjacent main road, and children were using my field for football games. I was generally fine with this as it didn’t cause me any trouble or inconvenience.

I started noticing that my street and the adjacent field were overflowing with vehicles whenever there were parties or get-togethers. Eventually, some individuals began utilizing it as a regular parking spot. I engaged in numerous conversations with these individuals, and the responses varied from sincere apologies and immediate vehicle relocation to outright hostility and vulgar language directed at me.

I reached my limit and started towing vehicles, which caused people to direct their anger at my girlfriend especially, so I constructed a substantial stone wall encompassing my whole property. Subsequently, several neighbors, even the confrontational ones, expressed regret and requested that I dismantle the barrier, lamenting the inconvenience it caused, as they essentially had to lengthen their commute to work by 15 to 20 minutes without using my property as a shortcut.

I instructed them to engage in sexual activity with themselves and to remove themselves from my land, adding that if they trespassed again, I would release my dogs. This situation creates internal tension, as it affects the well-being of my considerate neighbors.

Here’s the comments of Reddit users:

Starfleet_Auxiliary −  NTA. Your property, your rules. Also, if you DIDN’T do this, you could potentially have ended up giving them a right-of-way easement without realizing it depending on your local laws. Don’t budge. Leave the fence. Maybe they’ll think in the future about asking permission in the future instead of forgiveness.

GulagCumshot −  NTA and as for the nice neighbors that’s life, people take advantage of good things and ruin it for the rest of us. Part and parcel of turning small rural communities from a place everyone knows everybody and is accountable to their actions, into exactly what you’re seeing with people telling you to f**k off because you don’t want your land turning into a s**t hole.

strawberry_ren −  NTA. It’s your private property. You were doing your nice neighbors a favor by letting them use your shortcut, you don’t owe them the use of it. I get why you feel about it, since you seem like a generous person for putting up with so much for so long. But I think what you did is completely reasonable since you were having so many issues with people trespassing and then getting aggressive when you told them to leave.

[Reddit User] −  NTA. It’s your property and you have every right to do what you want to it. You were not the problem, it’s the entitled assholes who were taking advantage of your good nature. I would let everyone know the reason who the culprits were in locking down access.

If you’re feeling generous, you might put up a gate with a combination lock and share it with the friendly neighbors. But really, I wouldn’t do anything at this point. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.

Jackniferuby −  NTA – As someone who owns acreage myself , these are NOT nice neighbors and never have been. They have disrespected your property since day one. That is not their road and they didn’t pay for it. They did NOT purchase the field from you to use as they please and they don’t pay to maintain that field.

You were completely justified in erecting the fence. Do not take it down. Should a neighbor express dissatisfaction in the future, suggest they construct their own access road on their property and acquire additional land for parking. If you haven’t already, construct a fence along the boundary of your properties, obtain an official document from your county’s appraisal office clearly outlining the property lines for your neighbor, and deliver it to their mailbox.

If problems persist, contact your local sheriff’s department and report them for being on your property without permission. They give the impression of being urban residents attempting to live a rural lifestyle, seemingly oblivious to the significant costs and labor involved in maintaining large tracts of land. Coming from Texas, I can attest that entering someone’s property uninvited is simply unacceptable. Had this been our land, it wouldn’t have occurred again. Assert your rights as a property owner and refuse to be taken advantage of – in any sense.

[Reddit User] −  This isn’t real. I can’t grasp how this works physically. How does your driveway, that goes from your house to a main road result in a shortcut for neighbors when you’re on a property so spacious that you don’t even notice encroaching development? There’s no physically reasonable way that this is true. The stone fence is kind of the illogical icing on the cake. You have a *huge* property, and you put up a masonry fence?! Not fuckin likely.

[Reddit User] −  I’m going to say you’re a troll that didn’t agree with the earlier post about someone using the footpaths on someone else’s property and have changed just enough details to get the answer you want. Must be sad life you lead.

the-tinman −  I think Reddit requires a MS paint sketch of the properties and the road draw on it so we can all see what is happening

[Reddit User] −  NTA. That’s private property people have begun treating like public property, it won’t be long before they are completely trashing s**t. I say good on you for nipping it in the bud!

foxxservo86 −  NTA. You were super nice by letting people not only use your private road, but play on your land. You know those rude ones are not really sorry, they are just sorry they are having to face the consequences of their actions.

Was the Redditor right to erect the fence to regain their land, or did they overreact, negatively affecting the amiable neighbors? What would your course of action be if someone were encroaching on your property? Your opinions are welcome in the comment section!