"Many farmers have field roads or shortcut routes across their land that they let neighbors and others use freely in the spirit of neighborly cooperation. However, if the road or shortcut remains open for too long those neighbors may acquire a "right" to use that access and the owner loses his right to farm or do anything else, with it. As years go by, land that was originally left open as a neighborly gesture can become public domain.
"The best way to maintain such property rights is to seal off access roads with a locked gate," according to the Tread Corporation, Roanoke, Virg. The company sells a security gate kit that'll establish rights to a particular access route and avoid the high cost of fencing. The gate kit can also be used around farmyards or anyplace else you need to lock up.
The kit
consists simply of a clam-shell lock with a lock pin and cylinder, a rotary
hinge assembly, pipe clamps, and all other needed hard-ware. The buyer must
supply lengths of 2 and 3-in. pipe as well as concrete footings to anchor the
posts.