Plainfield family frustrated as people drive through their yard
PLAINFIELD (WISH) — A family is angry and frustrated after having drivers continuously go right through their front yard to get to a parking area.
The family has tried using rocks and cones to stop the drivers from taking the short cut. They even started recording it happening. The family showed News 8 what they captured on camera at their Hendricks County home.
Jessica and Donald Fultz told News 8 the latest driver drove right through their front and side yard. “Just straight through the middle.”
“Just not caring, just like ‘Hey, we’ll build our own road.’”
The Fultz family said they’ve dealt with this for years at the Plainfield home they rent.
“I’m trying to protect my dogs, my kids. I can’t bring my son out to play because I’m afraid somebody’s going to drive through the yard and hit him, not see him because he’s so little,” Jessica said.
Their home sits on a usually quiet street corner between Central Elementary School and Van Buren Elementary School down the street. At school pickup and drop-off and during events, people often park on this strip of land, which is owned by someone else. The problem: People are driving through the Fultz’s front yard to get to it.
“There’s a major problem,” Donald said. “People seem to think that our front yard is their path to drive through to the park over there where the student parking is at. They drive through our yard, right by our front house. We have boulders up to deter it. We’ve got a fence up to deter it. But, they still just do not care and drive through our yard.”
The Fultzes have even placed these large stone blocks to try to dissuade drivers. There’s a small fence up, but it doesn’t cover the entire yard. The family even hung a sign clearly stating “Smile, you’re on camera.”
In fact, it’s gotten to the point where they have to have traffic cones in their own yard. Donald told News 8 that a Plainfield police officer placed a dozen of cones along their property line Sunday to prevent people from driving through their yard.
“It’s just getting overwhelming and ridiculous. I shouldn’t have to buy and pay for a fence just to keep people out of my yard,” Jessica said.
“I just want people to have respect. Just do not drive through my yard,” Donald said.
Donald told News 8 that police told him they would come back Monday to put more cones in their front yard to try to keep people from driving through it.
Statement
“As a school corporation we cannot control the actions individual drivers take on public roads. The home in question is situated between two schools, so we understand that there are many times when traffic and parking are problematic. Our School Resource Officer works tirelessly to manage the traffic flow during arrival and departure, and continues to search for new alternatives to minimize the effect on neighbors. We do not support anyone who drives or parks on private property without regard for the law and for property owners, and we greatly appreciate the support of the Plainfield Police Department for their role in helping resolve the scenario.”
Sabrina Kapp, director of communications, Plainfield Community School Corp.