Farm Location Map

Recently I received in the mail-box (a freebee) a Farm Location Map for the area which lists my name, rural/rapid fire number, street name and shows on the map the property I own.

I have concerns about this on a number of issues and would like your opinions on how you feel.

A couple of years ago we had a rash of breakin's in the area and when analised we realised that every house that had been broken into had their rural number listed in the phone book. The bu**ers had sat at the bottom of each drive, rung the home phone number and when their was no answer whipped up the drive and robbed the place. Apparently this is quite a normal practice with them. The houses without their rapid number in the phone book were not broken into... coincidence??? I don't think so...

I feel that this particular map is basically just a burgler's shopping guide!!! .. I'm appalled that my details can be published without my say so, plus the rapid number (which I don't have published in the phone book).

How do you all feel about this..?? It is apparently published throughout NZ so no-one is safe....

Hi Nancy

We got one too but we weren't listed in it, although most of the Te Miro community was. I certainly wouldn't want my details given to all and sundry. Having said that, we have a Te Miro map and phone list which is the same on a smaller scale and is great - but it's only given to people who live here.

It is a security risk, in my opinion. Have you contacted the publisher of the map?

Cheers
Kate

That sort of info is publicly available anyway so I doubt if you could stop anyone publishing it. Our council has aerial maps on its website that shows property boundaries, owners, rapid number and of course the roads.

It was worse when people put their names on their letterboxes, then it was easy peasy finding out their phone numbers. Anyone can access council records which will show names of owners of properties - but not their postal addresses. But if you live at the property you own, then obviously your address is there on the property location.

Contact the publishers and see what they say...the reality is there are a heap of places this information can be obtained from, but this is certainly handing it to them on a plate.

Go unlisted in the phone book. Or in this case, not in the phone book,

I went through this last year when my name was not included but The Staff was listed. As the breeder of bulls, it would be sensible for my name to be there - for buyers, contractors, and so on. But I was also aware of the security issue. In the end I asked that our RAPID number not be included in the listed address in the index section of the map which is delivered in the area.

Whats a RAPID number?

When we bought our place, we had a fire to clear scrub which was done all legally .... but one of the neighbours didn't get contacted so she phoned the fire brigade. Only one of the 3 appliances found us - the others got completely lost and never turned up.
The maps that have been done by MAF (I think) are also used by ambulance, fire, police and they show the land occupier, where the residence is, and where a helicopter landing site might be. I consider this to be of vital usefulness because farming is very dangerous, so getting help fast might be much safer than your privacy. Remember that if you die from injuries then it does not matter much, but if your family or friend/s do how guilty would you feel !!!
The maps done by your local Council show the land OWNER. I doubt that you can get these made private, and anyone can view and copy them.

quote:Originally posted by Clods

Whats a RAPID number?

Your house number in a rural area. The number refers to the distance in metres that you are from the beginning of the road.(divided by 10)

We only have a RAPID number as the address, no farm/house name

quote:Originally posted by moggy

quote:Originally posted by Clods

Whats a RAPID number?

Your house number in a rural area. The number refers to the distance in metres that you are from the beginning of the road.(divided by 10)

We only have a RAPID number as the address, no farm/house name

try multiplied by 10

quote:Originally posted by GBpeter

try multiplied by 10

No GBpeter, Moggy is correct, it is the number of metres divided by 10.

Example: We are 52.84km from the start of our road i.e. 52,840m.

Our RAPID number is 5284.

Cheers,
Grant.

Rural Appliance Property I D

Designed to route fire engines which are called in beaurcratese Appliances. Dunno what one would look like in the kitchen with the other appliences

Rural Address Property ID

We get one of those maps delivered free once a year - I have looked at the map its self which has names on blocks of land but never noted any rapid numbers or road names listed - unless they are on the back and I didnt look that far. In fact I used the map to track exactly where a member of this site lived as I was curious.

I dont worry as we are not shown on the map (possibly as we only have a very small block) and as we are unlisted and confidential with Telecom no one can get our phone number anyway.

As to rapid numbers, we are all getting new numbers in the next six months and the information from the council says we will be using them as street numbers for postal purposes - at the moment I just put the name of the property, the road and our RD delivery number, and dont include the rapid number.

It looks like we are being urbanised into formal proper street numbers.[V]

for anyone who has ever tried to find someone in the country RAPID numbers are the best invention ever. My job often involves finding someones property down a country road. I used to have to cruise the whole road checking letterbox names at times. Now with the Rapid number I can set the odometer when I turn into the road and know I can find it on or about the place it was meant to be. For emergency services they must be a godsend.