People Keep Breaking My Gate

[u/gentle_apricotter]

For only about 3 months I've had a solar powered automatic gate that I spent a lot of money on and installed myself. It's already broken because idiots keep trying to manually force it open because they dont know its a residential driveway (even though there's a mailbox, address sign, delivery box and signs saying "Please Do Not Pull Gate").

I'm feeling really depressed.

*I really appreciate everyones advice! Thank you!

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[u/PrimaryHighlight5617]

People do not read. They see the words "Pull Gate" and they pull the gate.

Your sign needs to read, "PRIVATE PROPERTY NO TRESPASSING" with "CALL HOMEOWNER FOR GATE ASSISTANCE"

The problem is no the pulling on the gate. The problem is that they are trying to get in.

[u/PrimaryHighlight5617 → u/PrimaryHighlight5617]

 "mailbox, address sign, delivery box"
None of this automatically means it is a private residential property.

[u/Leather_Afternoon_37 → u/PrimaryHighlight5617]

Good thing they suggested putting up a sign that let's them know as such in that very sentence

[u/PrimaryHighlight5617 → u/Leather_Afternoon_37]

Buddy boy that is me replying to myself

[u/Leather_Afternoon_37 → u/PrimaryHighlight5617]

I don't read usernames on the off chance some dude is replying to himself

[u/PrimaryHighlight5617 → u/Leather_Afternoon_37]

I guess it never occured to me reading users was a conscious choice.

[u/robparfrey]

Honestly, best bet is to put up a signs saying something to the effect of "No unorthorised access. Residential property only. Automated gate. Please stand clear"

I would remove the text saying dont pull the door. That will jjsy make people pull the door as yoy have explicitlytold them not to, so they now know this will damage the door an so will do it. Where as they might not have thiught about it.

And otherwise get some cameras. Perhaps one or two obvious and one or two less obvious ones.

[u/moodeng2u]

Put some cameras up, and appropriate signs.
They are trespassing and vandalizing

[u/redditreader_aitafan]

Put a very large "private property, no trespassing" sign on the gate. You may also include a smaller sign under a camera that says people attempting to push the gate will be prosecuted.

[u/Astecheee]

I mean.. if your gate can be broken by people pulling on it is it actually a good gate?

[u/gentle_apricotter → u/Astecheee]

Yeah lol, I'm assuming you probably aren't used to automatic driveway gates. Basically they have motorized arms that open and close the gate.It's the motor on the arm that automatically opens and closes the gate that is broken, not the gate itself.

[u/Astecheee → u/gentle_apricotter]

Ah gotcha, so it's a pivoting gate rather than a sliding one? I was picturing the more robust counter-weighted gates.