UPDATE: I want to thank everyone for their posts. I have to admit that if people are going to be abusing the amount of time that they are leaving the saved seats empty while others could be sitting there, it would be very frustrating to others. I imagine that the villages will continue to have this problem as long as it is allowed and inconsistently controlled. People on both sides of the fence are not happy with how it is being handled. New owners and renters are joining this community every day. I believe that people are willing to follow any rules put to them. We must all be patient with each other. No one is meaning to be rude, just to find a way to enjoy.
I have mobility issues and therefore prefer to save seats at the square so I am assured of being able to sit. My husband and I saved two seats about 3:30pm at Mardi Gras at Lake Sumpter. We went to get a bite to eat and returned to find our "seat savers" under the bushes and two other people in our seats. We were told that a Village Personnel man took our "seat-savers" off of the chairs. We spoke to the supervisor about it. He admitted to doing it. Basically it came down to "what right do we have to save "village-owned seats."
So...what do you all think about this? Our thoughts are......
We couldn't "save" seats, but....
1. Others seem to have the right to be able to bring their own chairs and save an optimal space on the "village-owned property" that others could put "village owned" chairs upon. They have that right according to the supervisor.
2. Others have the right to come early and just sit and wait in "village-owned" chairs. Why does my physical rear-end have to be in the chair vs. my "seat saver" other than to protect our chairs from the supervisor?
3. What if we want to save our seats and get up to shop the vendors around the square? One would have to be sitting there to save the other seat according to the supervisor as he was still going around checking seats as entertainment was going on.
4. What if we want to save our seats and get up to dance? One would have to be sitting there to save the other seat to be safe from the supervisor.
What right do we have to "save our seats?" We have the same right that anyone else has to come down early and save seats. First come first serve. That is our "right." We are not taking away anyone else's right to do this.
What "right" does anyone have to disrespect our "right" to be there first?
(Sarcastically) Why don't they just gate everything off with policemen and make everyone go in at the same time? Oops! People would be upset because somehow someone got closer to the gate then they did. Or....let's just make the rule that no one can leave their house until 30 minutes before an event. Oops! Some people live closer and that's just not fair! Perhaps the villages should just eliminate all "reservations" at restaurants or buying tickets in advance.
Do you think that this is micro-managing just a bit too much? After all…we are adults. There are always going to be "childish" adults who cause problems. Let the villages focus on them and leave the rest of us alone.
What do YOU think?
