What Preps are you doing this week? Part 4

[Deeps]

Just had a visit from the neighbor complaining and telling me that she is going to report my latest DIY efforts to the local crime prevention officer and the parish council. Unbelievable

On the plus side you have a curtain twitcher who'll keep an eye out whilst you're away

I find it strange that you can have as much ugly razor/barbed wire as you like, but you can't use broken glass, nails or electric fence on top of a wall (or WHY).

Arwen: If you've got it wired for remote viewing you might as well set it up for remote recording too, the Cloud has to be useful for something

I'm not sure you're allowed to just string barded/razor wire where you fancy, as an aside, I remember being told years ago that Britain was breaking the Geneva convention by having rusty barbed wire as it was a biological hazard.

[ForgeCorvus]

*Sound of someone retracting a previous statement*


Quotes of the relevant laws:
https://thecrimepreventionwebsite.com/g ... and-gates/

It seems you can have all sorts of nasties on top of your wall or fence. As long as its high enough that people can't jag themselves by accident, they can see the Nasty and you ensure that everyone is aware via signage.... The only problem I can see is you seem to need planning permission for a fence or wall thats tall enough so your defenses don't cause a nuisance

[jansman]

IMMEDIATELY below my vulnerable fences and walls are boards with nails sticking up. " scrap wood officer,not my fault they put feet on them as they illegally entered my property".

Always a way.

[Arzosah]

IMMEDIATELY below my vulnerable fences and walls are boards with nails sticking up. " scrap wood officer,not my fault they put feet on them as they illegally entered my property".

Always a way.

Oh I like that

[jeebus]

Thanks for the info, Arwen Thebard - I will have a good look.

In terms of prepping this week I have recently obtained an allotment, so I have been digging that over in preparation for next year, having a general tidy up, and gathering leaves for leaf mould. I know an allotment isn't much use in a SHTF scenario, but the skills that I will hopefully learn from it will be invaluable.

[PreppingPingu]

I know an allotment isn't much use in a SHTF scenario, but the skills that I will hopefully learn from it will be invaluable.

Lots of us on here have allotments - youngsters and those that have been about a bit. Prepping they are fab as you can grow what you eat, and then preserve and store it. As you said it hone old skills that will be useful if ever there was a shtf event. As far as personal shtf events such as unemployment go - once up and running they are cost effective food production and keep your mind and body busy. Great news that you have been able to get one. Happy growing!

[jansman]

I will second that! Allotments are wonderful places. I would also say they ARE a lot of use in a shift ( damn predictive text!) SHTF scenario. As PreppingPingu pointed out, it only takes a drop in income or it being cut off. To me, that’s SHTF enough! Enjoy your allotment jeebus.

[Arwen Thebard]

Thanks for the link FC.

Ditto the other comments above re allotments.

Like the spikes on ground idea, as an addition to the ones on top of the fence! Just to be sure.

[jansman]

IMMEDIATELY below my vulnerable fences and walls are boards with nails sticking up. " scrap wood officer,not my fault they put feet on them as they illegally entered my property".

Always a way.

Oh I like that

Nasty innit?

[Yorkshire Andy]

Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984
The 1984 Act deals with trespassers on your land and in your home, but only applies to personal injury (unlike the 1957 Act that also includes damage and loss to the visitor’s property). A ‘trespasser’ has a wide meaning and can be a thief about to burgle your home, but could be a child attempting to retrieve his ball.

Occupiers' Liability Act Section 1 clause (3) states the following:

Duty of occupier to persons other than his visitors

(3) An occupier of premises owes a duty to another (not being his visitor) in respect of any such risk as is referred to in subsection (1) above if —

(a) he is aware of the danger or has reasonable grounds to believe that it exists;

(b) he knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that the other is in the vicinity of the danger concerned or that he may come into the vicinity of the danger (in either case, whether the other has lawful authority for being in that vicinity or not); and

(c) the risk is one against which, in all the circumstances of the case, he may reasonably be expected to offer the other some protection.

Importantly clause (5) of the Act states:

(5) Any duty owed by virtue of this section in respect of a risk may, in an appropriate case, be discharged by taking such steps as are reasonable in all the circumstances of the case to give warning of the danger concerned or to discourage persons from incurring the risk.

Therefore clear signage warning of an injurious topping on your wall or fence will limit your liability providing that signage is specific to the risk, e.g. ‘Danger of Injury Do not climb over spikes’ and the danger can be seen. It therefore follows that you should not put injurious toppings on the inside face of a fence or wall (such as carpet gripper) or otherwise hide them, even if you have put up warning signs.

It is largely due to the Occupiers’ Liability Acts that residents tend to use prickly shrubs to deter fence climbing as these naturally growing defenders are outside the legislation.

Finally, don’t lay man-traps as they are almost certainly going to be illegal!