Is this trespassing?

phil675 · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:27

So I'm going around on my motorbike going nowhere in particular on country roads, I see a narrow road I haven't been down before. Some way down I get to a wide wooden gate, which is all the way open. There is a sign saying the name of the place with private property and also a Caravan Club sign. So I guess it must be a caravan site or something, I decide to see what's down there as the road goes on quite a bit.

Half way down a car is coming the other way so I stop to let it go by, a woman gets out and asks what I'm doing there, takes a photo of me and bike plate, says she'll report me to the police, I just say ok I'll get going then, turn around and go. I'd understand if I was on a dirt bike wearing trackies but that wasn't the case.

Now I'm led to believe that if somewhere has an open gate and a road that is connected to a public road it's not really trespassing, does anyone know about this?

Nix · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:32

Private property is private property. The sign was your cue to turn around.

I think the woman's overreacted a tad, mind, and you've probably saved yourself a load of grief by just turning around and leaving amicably like you did.

If the police do come knocking, it's probably best just to tell them you got lost and when you realised your mistake you apologised and turned around, etc.

Tom0 · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:33

It's like driving up around on someones drive way in front of their house. This just happened to be a very long drive way.

Danthus · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:35

Would a Caravan Club be private property?

FoxEye · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:35

Nix said:
If the police do come knocking, it's probably best just to tell them you got lost and when you realised your mistake you apologised and turned around, etc.

Police have doubtless got better things to do, tbh. Would be amazed if a) she actually did report it and b) the police did anything at all apart from logging the call.

Raymond Lin · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:38

phil675 said:
Now I'm led to believe that if somewhere has an open gate and a road that is connected to a public road it's not really trespassing, does anyone know about this?

Who led you to believe this?

doofer · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:41

Don't take it personally, Rural areas suffer lots of crime and they are more than several minutes away from Emergency Services help, she was probably suspicious of you turning up on a motorbike and thought you were there scoping the place out. I'm sure if you'd had a Caravan on the back she would have been much friendlier. Don't sweat it.

The farmers around here would have blocked you in at the very least until Plod turned up.

Tefal · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:41

why would you drive to a caravan site randomly??

phil675 · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:42

Raymond Lin said:
Who led you to believe this?

If somebody had to go down there to talk to the people living there or something then they would have to use that road to get there and it's connected to the public road so you have an implied right of access or something like that?

I would have thought using their road is a different matter to snooping around in their fields.

JBuk · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:43

Tefal said:
why would you drive to a caravan site randomly??

I decide to see what's down there as the road goes on quite a bit.

Raymond Lin · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:46

phil675 said:
If somebody had to go down there to talk to the people living there or something then they would have to use that road to get there and it's connected to the public road so you have an implied right of access or something like that?

I would have thought using their road is a different matter to snooping around in their fields.

Was that your intention? To go down there and talk to the people living there?

Or was your intention to go check out the place and see where the path leads?

You already stated it is the latter so yes...I would say technically you had no valid reasons to go into their land.

JBuk · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:48

Raymond Lin said:
Was that your intention? To go down there and talk to the people living there?

.

Come one you know the score , first rule of caravan club is nobody talks about caravan club

Tefal · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:49

JBuk said:

There is a sign saying the name of the place with private property

he already knew what was down there, even the name.

dowie · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:49

yup, sounds like you were trespassing, though the police are unlikely to do anything - tis a civil matter and you didn't hang around

OldCoals said:
Would a Caravan Club be private property?

erm yeah... they don't tend to set up in public parks etc..

phil675 · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:49

Tefal said:
why would you drive to a caravan site randomly??

I just like to look at stuff.

dowie · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:51

phil675 said:
If somebody had to go down there to talk to the people living there or something then they would have to use that road to get there and it's connected to the public road so you have an implied right of access or something like that?

I would have thought using their road is a different matter to snooping around in their fields.

but you weren't going down there to visit anyone

you can go up someone's driveway if you have something to deliver to them etc.. you can't just go wandering up someone's driveway because you're feeling nosey

C.R.A.Z.Y · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:53

phil675 said:
I'd understand if I was on a dirt bike wearing trackies but that wasn't the case.

You really do come across as a prejudicial plonker!

Raymond Lin · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:53

If OP was in America, where people like Trump is around, he would have shot the OP on the spot

C.R.A.Z.Y · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:57

Stand your ground :rolleyes:

OP would have shot himself even though he wasn't suicidal

phil675 · 19 Jan 2016 at 19:58

You know I think I heard gunshots near that tower but I'm sure nobody would do a thing like that.