Just curious.......
 

Whilst taking my after dinner walk this evening, I saw 2 Sumter County Deputy Sheriff cars pull into my Village (which shall remain nameless) at a relatively high rate of speed. It got me to wondering if our law enforcement officers use swipe cards to get through the gates or if they have to buzz in. Does anyone know the answer?

Buzz in. Seems ridiculous to me, especially that EMT's can't get in quickly.

Our Useless Gates
 

Wrong in so many ways.

I am going to guess that you are relatively knew to The Villages. I do agree and wish that we were a true gated community but we are not. However I suggest you watch an observe and you will discover that the gates have their place here

Personal Best Regards:

The most important function of the gates is traffic flow control. Without the gates, it would be dangerous for golf carts to cross at the Village entrances. When you see the gates down, you can safely cross.

Yep. :thumbup:

There area plethora of locations were the gates don't have any relation to golf carts crossing the road...yet they still exist.

They do however, give some people a false sense that they live in an actual 'gated community'...so will probably never be removed.

Since there are cameras at the gates, and one must slow down to go through the gates, to me that's a good thing.

Like others have said, gates also slow traffic.

The OP had a good question....and now we know the answer.

Doubt it. Anyone who "dies" from a 10 or 15 second delay is not going to make it anyway.

A better question might be - why don't the EMT and police have a card? I want them here as fast as possible if we are hurt or my house is on fire or we are being robbed.

Not true. With all of the gates I see knocked down, a cart driver really needs to still be aware of possible oncoming traffic in case someone decides to forego swiping their card, or has a "medical episode" and drives on thru the gate.

So you want to nitpick, fine. No matter what the state of the gate, you can still be killed.

My biggest concern is crossing Bonita at Morse because there are no gates to slow down the cars. That is the only crossing with a round-a- bout I know of on Morse or Buena Vista where there is no gate. I wonder why?

No Gates!
 

I strongly disagree. I rely on the gates so as to allow my wife and I to cross safely in our golf cart.

It's a fact of life that streets everywhere, were meant for cars and trucks.

The onus is on the golf carts. Let them beware.

This is The Villages, Florida. Carts, bicycles and pedestrians are priority.

:agree:

This is what makes The Villages so special and a great place to retire. I think you either get it or you don't.

It's too bad you didn't know The Villages had gates before you moved here..oh wait.

I'm thankful for the nearby gate to slow traffic so I can safely exit our neighborhood by car.

Every EMT and police vehicle should have a gate card. Such a simple thing ,why has it not been done

Community Watch is stationed at a lot of the gates. I would think if an emergency vehicle was coming through they would just open the gate for them.

Scary. Just plain scary.

There are many communities that do not have golf carts on the streets. Perhaps a better choice for some.

I'm the OP. We live in a village with only a Resident Gate. I was just curious if emergency personnel had to buzz in. I think a nice solution would get to equip emergency vehicles with swipe cards.

Aren't there buttons on the gates?

Why should he/she if you are going through a resident gate? So you complain that we have gates, yet you complain that the "guard" doesn't acknowledge when you drive through one of the gates?

Some Things to Expect of Our Guards
 

I'm well aware of the gate attendants (guards, as you call them) responsibilities, I just don't lose sleep if the one at my gate doesn't greet me with the morning paper.

Perhaps the emergency personnel do have cards to open the gates. Has anyone ever asked? I will.

It seems like they do. They are usually through the Belvedere Gate as soon as they can get the cars and other vehicles to pull over to the side.

Not to be political but. When we first moved here it was a true gated community. The county was in democratic control from Bushnell. They only liked the dollars that they received from The Villages, not the people who lived here. They made The Villages install the buttons and make the gates open to all.

I just don't understand how someone can hold so much unhappiness and anger. And over some of life's most un-important things.

Question
 

Assuming you are very well informed on this subject with all the facts, please enlighten me.........

How much do the gates actually cost me in $$$ on a yearly basis?

I suggest we table the discussion for another 10 years.
Should vendors have gate cards to The Villages? - News - Ocala.com - Ocala, FL

Fake news...fake political blame.

The truth of the matter is, that when the maintenance was given to the county (instead of the developer being responsible)...the gates had to (BY LAW) be made public.

It's pretty hard to justify a 'private road/highway' being paid by county taxpayers...don'tcha think?

It really is as simple as that. :shrug:

We are not a gated community but rather a community with gates.