How can I get Google Maps attention?

[Music Lover]

I'd rather open a gate than have trespassers.

Another option is 2 higher posts with a chain across at a height just above the top of your vehicle so you can drive under. Put a decent size sign on the middle of the chain that says "private property".

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Maybe a nice cease and desist letter drafted and sent to Google legal:

internationalcivil@google.com

Google Legal Investigations Support
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
Phone Number: (844)383-8524 or (650)417-9011

 

[meierlde]

I'm hesitant to put in a gate or barrier because it would be inconvenient for us to open and close the gate when we come and go. BIL has something like that at the entrance to his farm to keep the animals in and it is a PITA. We also have family and friends nearby that visit regularly and they would have to do the same.

From what you say you have little traffic coming from the louis lane side, so put the gate at the property line there. Tell friends and service folks to use the road entrance, and you could put a sign in the middle of the gate saying that to access this house enter from clark road.

 

[homestead]

I had a similar problem on our property with our long gravel driveway. Our driveway ends about 100 ft from the next street. Cars would occasionally come down our driveway thinking that they could go to the next street over. They had to drive 100 ft across our lawn to do it however. Even saw a UPS truck do it one time. So I bought a sign off Amazon that states "Private Drive" and posted it at the beginning of our driveway. Haven't seen another one do it since then. My neighbor even asked if it was still ok to walk down our driveway to the next street over and a guy on a bicycle knocked on the door and asked if he could ride across the the yard too.

 

[pb4uski]

Boy, I wish I had your neighbors! We do have people walking, or walking their dogs on our driveway occasionally. It doesn't bother me much but it does bother DW more.

I recall last year she saw someone running on the driveway and informed him that it was a private driveway and he insisted that he had been doing it for over 20 years, but we know for a fact that the driveway didn't exist until we put it in 2008.

I am going to get more and bigger signage indicating that it is a private driveway and not a public road and see if that helps.

Maybe I should get a sign that says "Private Driveway... Google Maps Sucks... Use Waze!"

 

[gayl]

The problem you have could backfire on you if not done right the first time. With gates, fences and blockage of some sort you could be in court from injury/property damage etc..

I'm ignorant. Why couldn't someone put a gate on private property? Several houses on Clayton Rd (major road in my town) have installed those automatic ones as have a few developments. Google has deeper pockets than OP so will just ignore notices

 

[fancy free]

I'm hesitant to put in a gate or barrier because it would be inconvenient for us to open and close the gate when we come and go. BIL has something like that at the entrance to his farm to keep the animals in and it is a PITA. We also have family and friends nearby that visit regularly and they would have to do the same.

Since you virtually never use Lois Lane, I would put a yellow plastic chain across there with a "private drive" sign, then put two prominant pots of flowers or some other driveway-indicating items at either side of your Clark Lane entrance with another "private drive" sign prominantly displayed. If you know you're going to be home, you could block the end of the drive with something easy to relocate, like a wheelbarrow.

Hopefully after several people report it to Google Maps, the problem will go away.

 

[jollystomper]

Maybe I should get a sign that says "Private Driveway... Google Maps Sucks... Use Waze!"

Maybe have add to your sign "Complaints? Please contact Google Maps at (contact information)...". Then maybe they will get enough feedback.

 

[Golden sunsets]

I had a similar problem on our property with our long gravel driveway. Our driveway ends about 100 ft from the next street. Cars would occasionally come down our driveway thinking that they could go to the next street over. They had to drive 100 ft across our lawn to do it however. Even saw a UPS truck do it one time. So I bought a sign off Amazon that states "Private Drive" and posted it at the beginning of our driveway. Haven't seen another one do it since then. My neighbor even asked if it was still ok to walk down our driveway to the next street over and a guy on a bicycle knocked on the door and asked if he could ride across the the yard too.

+1

 

[pb4uski]

I thought you have a bit of room from the end of Lois Lane to your home.

From what you say you have little traffic coming from the louis lane side, so put the gate at the property line there. Tell friends and service folks to use the road entrance, and you could put a sign in the middle of the gate saying that to access this house enter from clark road.

No, its pretty tight... lakefront property so a bit showhorned in.

I just looked at a picture that I happened to have... its less than 35'... my bad... probably slightly less than 30'. Plus, the driveway comes down and you have to do a ~100 degree left turn to enter the garage. So looking at the picture it is ~10' from the garage to the edge of the driveway closest to the garage, ~12' for the driveway (~10' wide driveway but it flares out a bit where it meets the parking area in front of the garage) and ~8' from the far edge of the driveway to our southern property line (and the end of Lois Lane).

So if I back straight out of my garage so the front of the truck is even with the middle to far edge of the driveway to then turn left to go up the driveway, the back of the truck is well onto Lois Lane.

Thus, if I had a chain across Lois Lane I would need to move it each time we exit the garage. Plus, visitors wouldn't have much room to turn around.

 

[pb4uski]

I'm ignorant. Why couldn't someone put a gate on private property? ...

+1 There's no reason that somone can't put a gate on their private property.

 

[gayl]

Google will not change Google maps so how can you make it better? [I know this bc they still list a locked road as the bypass to Livermore]

 

[pb4uski]

... I might also ask the county/city for a Dead End sign(s).

We did ask the town for a dead end sign and they approved one and I think even ordered it, but our neighbor from hell did a petition with the other neighbors on the lane asking that there not be a dead end sign and the town put the request aside. They tried to claim that we couldn't request a dead end sign because our address is Clark Road. They also said that a dead end sign was unfriendly. Just BS.

The fact is that Lois Lane is a private dead end road. The fact is that we have deeded access via Lois Lane so that gives us standing. The fact that we don't frequently use Lois Lane is irrelevant... the main reason that we don't use it is to avoid bothering those same neighbors since we can just as easily access our home using our driveway. Though that may soon change.

 

[Lewis Clark]

... They also said that a dead end sign was unfriendly. ...

Perhaps a sign saying "No Outlet" would be friendlier than "Dead End".

 

[NW-Bound]

No, its pretty tight... lakefront property so a bit showhorned in.

I just looked at a picture that I happened to have... its less than 35'... my bad... probably slightly less than 30'. Plus, the driveway comes down and you have to do a ~100 degree left turn to enter the garage. So looking at the picture it is ~10' from the garage to the edge of the driveway closest to the garage, ~12' for the driveway (~10' wide driveway but it flares out a bit where it meets the parking area in front of the garage) and ~8' from the far edge of the driveway to our southern property line (and the end of Lois Lane).

So if I back straight out of my garage so the front of the truck is even with the middle to far edge of the driveway to then turn left to go up the driveway, the back of the truck is well onto Lois Lane.

Thus, if I had a chain across Lois Lane I would need to move it each time we exit the garage. Plus, visitors wouldn't have much room to turn around.

I cannot picture how your garage and driveway are situated, but from the description above, it sounds like someone going across your property to go from Clark Rd to Lois Lane or vice versa cuts fairly close to your home or garage.

I certainly would not like it. I would put up all kinds of signs to tell people to turn back.

 

[gayl]

Maybe leave your car in the middle of your driveway? I bet the biggest offenders are anonymous neighbors

 

[RobbieB]

Just sell the place and move on.

 

[street]

I'm ignorant. Why couldn't someone put a gate on private property? Several houses on Clayton Rd (major road in my town) have installed those automatic ones as have a few developments. Google has deeper pockets than OP so will just ignore notices

Lol!! I'm ignorant also. The wrong word was used by me. A gate would be fine as far I been told by my attorney. What I was trying to say any other obstacle that could cause badly injury to an intent to harm, a trespasser or someone coming down that road would show negligence on owners part.

Sorry for the miss interruption of words.

Thanks for bring that to my attention.

 

[ERD50]

I like the "GOOGLE MAPS IS WRONG - TURN AROUND. Complain to GOGGLE!!!" sign approach.

For additional security if you want, rather than the complication and expense and hassle of a remote control gate, how about a passive option? Put that sign (and/or another "STOP" sign) on a pole in the middle of the drive that is spring loaded or weighted to just fold back and spring back up when you drive over it? Other people would not know that, and would stop.

You'd need to make sure it can't catch anything on the bottom of your car- maybe two fold down posts spaced at your cars tire track width, and long enough (high enough when up) to stay down between the front/rear tires?

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

Hmmm... How about a red light strung over the driveway, just high enough that you can drive the pickup truck underneath? And a Private Property sign with it too?

Surely, nobody has seen this on public roads. I would not drive under something like the above, would you?

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

+1 There's no reason that somone can't put a gate on their private property.

Unless they are subject to the rules of an HOA.

Hmmm... How about a red light strung over the driveway, just high enough that you can drive the pickup truck underneath? And a Private Property sign with it too?

Surely, nobody has seen this on public roads. I would not drive under something like the above, would you?

There is a covered bridge in the 'burbs of NW ATL that has been there for YEARS and the county has gone to extensive lengths to keep people driving "too big" vehicles from trying and failing...and the ONLY thing that has worked was big arse metal beams that the vehicles hit before the bridge. Flashing lights, signs, A TURN AROUND, and dangling warning streamers hanging above didn't work. Never underestimate the power of stupid.

 

[sengsational]

For additional security if you want, rather than the complication and expense and hassle of a remote control gate, how about a passive option? Put that sign (and/or another "STOP" sign) on a pole in the middle of the drive that is spring loaded or weighted to just fold back and spring back up when you drive over it? Other people would not know that, and would stop.

Building on that idea... I've got a cheap solution that might be workable.

You buy one of those orange cones. They're rubbery. You put it in the middle of the road, on the property line. Then nail it down with landscaping spikes. You drive over it routinely, of course, but many others will at least pause and read the sign about how they would be entering private property if they continue. A sign, alone, would probably get ignored most of the time, but drivers here are somewhat respectful of orange cones.

 

[CRLLS]

I would put up a large formal looking sign that reads "

All vehicles must stop and pay a $1 toll. If you have any questions, please call (and list the Google's customer service telephone number

. "

Along with this, I would place a wicker basket attached to a post for collecting any tolls paid. I'm sure it will soon be rectified.

 

[Music Lover]

They also said that a dead end sign was unfriendly.

Trespassing is unfriendly too. If people complain that they're offended by factual signs, that might encourage me to put more of them up.

 

[street]

This topic has some interest to me because trespassing is an issue for me at the ranch. I have cameras out in areas of access for one reason only is for theft if it happens. I have not of my knowledge ever had one thing stolen from my place or destroyed. I have turkey, big game, fishing and pheasant hunter trespass but I never press charges and If I can see them I ask them to leave or make sure they don't leave and junk behind.

I have had less to nothing since I put up a few sings saying Cameras in Use. I also have no hunting/trespass signs also, along with Cameras in Use.