[memason]

Originally Posted by LivingLarge

This isn't a question about drunk driving. Everyone knows that's an issue. Everyone needs to stop preaching about it.

the subject of this thread is:

The Villages promotes selling drinks in the squares yet it's tough to know exactly what is allowed visa/vie locations to drink the beverage without incurring a citation. No one wants someone ticketed for consuming a couple of drinks in the square. We just need better guidelines outlined.

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer it could be... In the square, you can have an open container (a drink). If you step off the curb; any curb, you are not in the square any longer and could "possibly" be ticketed.

Seems clear to me. Police officers are not crawling all over the squares, so just chill and enjoy... If you DO see an officer, stay on the square.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by memason

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer it could be... In the square, you can have an open container (a drink). If you step off the curb; any curb, you are not in the square any longer and could "possibly" be ticketed.

Seems clear to me. Police officers are not crawling all over the squares, so just chill and enjoy... If you DO see an officer, stay on the square.

[LivingLarge]

Originally Posted by memason

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer it could be... In the square, you can have an open container (a drink). If you step off the curb; any curb, you are not in the square any longer and could "possibly" be ticketed.

Seems clear to me. Police officers are not crawling all over the squares, so just chill and enjoy... If you DO see an officer, stay on the square.

How come you could make it so clear when others were struggling or talking about the horrors of drunk driving? Thanks for the clarity. That's what we are looking for.

[juneau]

would you really want a group of drunks driving around the square? you may not have been intoxicated, but that's not true of everyone. A rule is a rule, go someplace else if you want to break the law. We don't need anymore accident around here.

[LivingLarge]

Originally Posted by juneau

would you really want a group of drunks driving around the square? you may not have been intoxicated, but that's not true of everyone. A rule is a rule, go someplace else if you want to break the law. We don't need anymore accident around here.

No crap, nobody wants drunks driving around the squares. that goes without saying so let's not say it anymore. 100+ posts to say what MeMason answered in one paragraph!

Again the question posed is not about drunk driving. Again the question posed is not about drunk driving. Again....

[Indydealmaker]

The discussions in this thread are an excellent example of why leadership and/or governance by committee is rarely productive within a reasonable or necessary time frame. Trains are not the only things that get derailed.

[Tweety Bird]

Originally Posted by KEVIN & JOSIE

Glad to hear we have concerned police doing a great job at keeping us safe and keeping The Villages a desirable place to be. Kudos

Concerned? I believe the Villages has a license for allowing drinks to be had in the square. This is quite disturbing.

[Tweety Bird]

Originally Posted by Loveithere

Yes, I feel so much safer now. But what stops the contractors from killing us?

No guarantees for anything in life. Ya gotta go sometime!!!!

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by memason

Honestly, I don't know how much clearer it could be... In the square, you can have an open container (a drink). If you step off the curb; any curb, you are not in the square any longer and could "possibly" be ticketed.

Seems clear to me. Police officers are not crawling all over the squares, so just chill and enjoy... If you DO see an officer, stay on the square.

Well said.

[Loveithere]

Originally Posted by Tweety Bird

Concerned? I believe the Villages has a license for allowing drinks to be had in the square. This is quite disturbing.

Do not understand why you are disturbed.

[ilovetv]

To me, what's "disturbing" is that there is no apparent way a newcomer or lifestyle preview stay person would know you're not supposed to step off the curb of the square with an open drink bought there.

I also don't think people coming here could know that just sitting in a cart that is parked and not running is subject to open container laws.

It seems to me that the law on this should be clearly posted at the bars on the squares, since this is a unique situation not found in other states.

[bkcunningham1]

ilovetv, if you understand that The Squares are private businesses, like a restaurant that sells alcohol, it makes more sense. You can sit outside on the patio of the restaurants on The Squares that serve alcohol and have a drink. You cannot take that drink off premises onto the street without breaking the law. You can't drink in that restaurant on "on The Square" an amount that is over the legal limit without the risk of getting arrested for public intoxication or driving under the influence or worse yet, causing an accident and injurying someone.

Originally Posted by The Villager II

And harassment is just what this was. It is not against the law to have two beers in the restaurant and then drive home in a car or a cart. The open container law is harassment plain and simple. The police officer could have told them the law and left it at that. I am quite certain they did not know it was doing anything wrong. Hold drivers or sitters over the .08 limit responsible and stop harassing some poor individual due to an honest mistake. Drunks are the violators and they are sneaky enough not to get caught unless they crash into someone or something. A BEER or A WINE should be treated no different than A GLASS OF MILK unless the drinker is lactose intolerant in which case they would cause more harm than the wine or beer drinker. Don't punish the innocent just because you are mad at the guilty but can't catch them. Find better methods to catch drunk drivers and leave honest citzens alone.

Some people are well beyond the.08 legal limit after two beers or glasses of wine .

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

ilovetv, if you understand that The Squares are private businesses, like a restaurant that sells alcohol, it makes more sense. You can sit outside on the patio of the restaurants on The Squares that serve alcohol and have a drink. You cannot take that drink off premises onto the street without breaking the law. You can't drink in that restaurant on "on The Square" an amount that is over the legal limit without the risk of getting arrested for public intoxication or driving under the influence or worse yet, causing an accident and injurying someone.

That's fine. But how is a person supposed to know this (that the Squares are a "private business", like the bars with patios) when you move here or do a lifestyle preview stay??

We've never been in a "downtown" where people were walking around with open containers, and so how would we know that the sidewalks across the street by Red Sauce or Haagen Daz are "public" but the walkways on the square are "private"?????

Also, when the bands take their breaks, we always hear the familiar recording saying emphatically that "the square is S-M-O-K-E F-R-E-E". Why doesn't that recording include warnings not to take drinks beyond the curb of the square?? I don't think that's too much to ask, considering how many newbies are always arriving here.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by ilovetv;413***

That's fine. But how is a person supposed to know this (that the Squares are a "private business", like the bars with patios) when you move here or do a lifestyle preview stay??

We've never been in a "downtown" where people were walking around with open containers, and so how would we know that the sidewalks across the street by Red Sauce or Haagen Daz are "public" but the walkways on the square are "private"?????

Also, when the bands take their breaks, we always hear the familiar recording saying emphatically that "the square is S-M-O-K-E F-R-E-E". Why doesn't that recording include warnings not to take drinks beyond the curb of the square?? I don't think that's too much to ask, considering how many newbies are always arriving here.

Great point and an even better suggestion. Why don't the announcements clue people to the limits of the open container area if what people are saying is indeed the law?