[eweissenbach]

IMHO the traffic issue in The Villages is monumentally overstated by some. Compare the traffic here with any large metro area in the country and it is laughable. We have spent the past 10 winters in TV and find the traffic very manageable and stress free. Also, IMO many overstate the ability to get into restaurants in high season. A wait time of 15 to 30 minutes is about the upper range that we experience in the busiest meal times. Further, I play a lot of executive course golf and almost always get a tee time in my favored time frame on a favored course. Do not let fear of overcrowding or "snowbird mania" cause you to make a bad decision. The Villages may or may not be the best place for you to settle, but make your decision based on facts, not fantasy.

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by Midnight Cowgirl

I have previously lived on the east coast and drove in traffic every day from the Ft. Lauderdale area up through parts of the Palm Beach area. I also lived in Sarasota for a number of years. Traffic in both areas was heavy but always moved except for problems on the Interstates.

Overall, I have found traffic worse here because the counties have not kept up with the roads due to the population increase. Our two-lane roads with no shoulder are too narrow and mostly impassable. Also, within The Villages, the circles do nothing to help with the flow of traffic, particularly in season and the gate cards in many areas also slow down the ingress into some communities. Just last week I was about the 10th car in line waiting to go through the Sanibel gate.

In any major town or city in Florida, particularly in season, you can expect to have heavy traffic. We just have to grit our teeth, smile and deal with it!

I live in Sanibel and go through the gates every day and I've never had any more than two cars in front of me at the gates.

[seoulbrooks]

There is no traffic in the Villages worth talking about. Wait until you drive in Seoul, Korea or Tokyo, Japan, then we can have discussions on traffic delays. Blessed we are!

[John_W]

I grew up in St. Petersburg/Clearwater, graduated from St. Pete High in '68. I love it there, but after living in TV for eight years, I don't think I could live in regular society anymore. I can't imagine going to the movies on a Saturday and having a 100 kids and their mothers waiting to go the latest animated film. Going to the golf course and being paired with 3 young guys who are drunk by the 9th hole. Having a neighbor who paints his house pink. Most important, not being able to drive to the golf course in your own golf cart.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by seoulbrooks

There is no traffic in the Villages worth talking about. Wait until you drive in Seoul, Korea or Tokyo, Japan, then we can have discussions on traffic delays. Blessed we are!

I was stationed in Korea for 13 months '70-'71. Once we went to the USO Club in downtown Seoul and decided to go to the zoo. We had asked our houseboy how to say, take us to the zoo. We stood out on the curb of a huge square with cars going in every direction, and the cabs were polished and professional looking with drivers wearing black uniforms. Not one cab would stop. We paid a little Korean kid a nickel to get us a cab. When the cab stopped and the kid opened the backdoor, we ran out and jumped in. We told the driver 'take us to the zoo'. He was a little upset, but took off. We knew from our houseboy it was a short trip, maybe 300 yen.

Twenty minutes later as were looking out the back window at the city, and all we see is rice paddies, the cab gets a flat tire. He stops and we get out and the driver starts cussing. We walk up the road to the village and find a typical cab, a beat up Shinjin. The seats have covers over them, sides and doors are dented, the paint is faded, the tires wobble. We say, take us to the zoo. He drives 25 minutes and pulls up to the zoo.

[trekker954]

Consider the west coast of Florida had 18 months of blue algae killing all the sea life and sickening many residents from fort Myers to st. Pete. You couldn’t even breathe the air. Businesses in Sarasota closed. You couldn’t swim at the beaches. I’d think twice before buying there and do believe it’s affected home sales. I’m spending a lot of time here in TV now free house/pet sitting instead of I use to spend long periods in Sarasota. I will buy here eventually but for now testing out which of the many areas to chose

[Braddock]

8 years in Winter Park, 7 in TV.
Sold my house in April.
Looking at Estero/ Naples
Like the diversity of ages and family and no restaurant monopoly.
Just my choice

[graciegirl]

First trip to Gainesville for medical appointment yesterday. Saw a couple in elevator and he had on a "Top of the World " shirt. I smiled and asked...The Villages or Top of the World?? SHE said...The Villages. He just smiled.

[Bay Kid]

There is no where close to TVs for fun everyday.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I live in Sanibel and go through the gates every day and I've never had any more than two cars in front of me at the gates.

Same at the Mallory gate. In fact, I usually don't have any cars ahead of me entering Mallory. I frequent the Odell Circle south gate also and have had no more than two or three cars ahead of me going through the gate.

[John_W]

Those seniors living on the east coast of Florida right now, must be wishing they had retired to The Villages. Live near the coast and the word Hurricane means boarding up your windows and evacuating. I know, I lived in St. Petersburg 17 years, Pensacola 6 years and Savannah 8 years. Lived through at least one hurricane at each place.