Originally Posted by jwilkin558@aol.com (Post 1864557)

That’s the whole problem with the Villagers, you think you’re privileged!!!

Originally Posted by Pairadocs (Post 1864507)

Press the RED button, this is not a private community and you don't need a "card". At manned gates, they absolutely have no legal right to refuse to let you in ! YOUR tax money pays for "our" roads as does "our" tax money pay for yours. It's only to "slow" traffic down a little, and frankly, the way double tandem landscape trucks, furniture delivery vans, and others just finding a shorter way to work who use this a a "cut through" and regularly do over 40 mph, the gate "illusion" does not do a whole lot, seen so many close calls, trucks trying to pass at 40 on very narrow streets, huge rigs with landscape equipment, big mowers better suited to farms than the majority of small lawns here, but helps some I suppose.
I think that is why so many are killed in golf carts, NOT because people come from other retirement communities and over whelm so much that accident rate is so high. MANY years ago, there were WARNINGS posted to automobiles: Caution, you are entering a GOLF CART community, Golf Carts have the right of way ! That was when we were still in our careers and rented directly from The Villages. Once we bought a lot and built here, those signs (sadly) began to come down until all were removed. I think that might help cut down some on accidents and deaths.... don't think it's folks from other retirement communities. Bet all the stores like Barnes & Noble, Target, City Furniture, on and on would not be here if these streets and roads were "private" ! ?

Originally Posted by asianthree (Post 1864385)

You must have missed the part that the owner pays amenities fees 12 months per year, even if they only use the house 3 months. That does not change even in death, until the house is sold. The renters $50 is just more icing on the cake. I am surprised as a resident you didn’t know how amenities fee works

Originally Posted by jwilkin558@aol.com (Post 1863944)

I live in Spruce Creek South and I am able to drive my car everywhere in the Villages but can’t drive my golf cart there. Why? Because I would need a key card. Can someone please explain the rationale about this?

Originally Posted by shut the front door (Post 1864612)

Maybe read the replies on this thread before you start yelling? If you had, you'd know that this gate does not have a red button.
And outsiders tax money does NOT pay for upkeep of multi modal paths, RESIDENTS DO.

Originally Posted by KRM0614 (Post 1864241)

The issues with the carts are getting worse and worse ! The accidents deaths etc are probably higher than we know. I won’t ever get a cart and avoid them and anywhere they park.

Originally Posted by Pairadocs (Post 1864505)

That doesn't really make sense either ? This is far from a "private" community, (as around Orlando) I have friends in two of them, they are FAR above the financial ability of most (not all of course) of the people who live here. They pay nearly 10K a year for private roads ONLY, that is not their many other costs and fees. ALL of our roads are public, therefore why someone from S.Creek would have to live here and pay fees makes absolutely no sense to me, but, not on here to posture and pretend to be an expert ! I would think anyone could come in the auto or golf cart until such a day that this becomes some kind of private, exclusive, community.... doubt that's going to happen with the majority of "middle class" (?) people retired here. The "gates" are for optics only. At a private community, landscapers, appliance service people, EVERYONE stays OUTSIDE the gates, EVERYONE, until the home owner is called and present. If anyone has lived in one of these knows, this is true. In the block of my village, one half of the residents have golf carts, and exactly the same number of homes do not. Don't play and don't care to drive around in the open air or with roll downs or club cabs, prefer their own autos. There are no fees for carts unless one intends to run them ON the golf courses, so, don't think anyone has to live here or pay anything to come here. I think it's possible they just don't know the WAY to come from some of the nearby developments like Spruce C.

Originally Posted by gdennis317 (Post 1864626)

Key card for what?

If you mean the gates, just push the red button to open them.

Originally Posted by shut the front door (Post 1864648)

See the dozens of posts in this thread that explain that this gate does not have a red button.
Does anyone actually read a thread, or do they get so excited to comment that they just jump on that reply button. It's really getting annoying.

Originally Posted by jwilkin558@aol.com (Post 1864557)

that’s the whole problem with the villagers, you think you’re privileged!!!

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 1864647)

Sorry, but I don't buy that argument. Yes, the roads are publicly funded, but the MMPs are NOT. Why should someone get to use a path that they did not pay for, and it's ridiculous to state that makes Villagers "entitled" (not your statement). The nearly 10K/year in a truly gated community, of which there are plenty in Florida, is not just for private roads. It is a HOA fee that covers the private gates, the roads, the clubhouse/rec center, the common area landscaping and just about everything else that we pay for in TV, only more expensive. When you go to a movie and pay for a ticket, and someone sneaks in and sits next to you, are you "entitled" for thinking they don't belong there? For thinking if they want to use this theater they should pay for the privilege? And not everyone who sneaks in from the outside intends on spending money at the stores----they are sneaking onto exec courses after they close and using pools, again without paying for the privilege.
If people want everything to be "free", and to have "equal rights" and the same standard of living, I would suggest they consider emigrating to North Korea. We are a capitalist nation and as such there will always be those that can afford a better home, golf course, community etc.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1863953)

Over the last decade and more, more than twenty people have died from golf cart accidents in The Villages, and dozens more were seriously injured. Who ever is in charge of keeping golf carts out from other communities has my support. I would have to guess that almost all of the households have at least one golf cart, many have two. We are hovering now at 140,000 residents. That is lots and lots of golf carts with the potential for many accidents.

I imagine the reason you can't get IN, is because you don't live here and pay fees.