Why do people think gated communities protect them? (wild, good, fence)

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

It is jelousy and class envy that leads people to denigrate the benefits of a "gated" community. Nothing else. The OP specified a gated community that had a live security guard. Whether he is paid $9 per hour or more does not matter. He comes with communications and almost certainly cameras. If you locate that community in Haiti, it will be a target, but in suburban Florida or New Jersey, or elsewhere in the civilized world, those residents will be safest people within miles. Any claim to the contrary is just . . . well . . . sour grapes.

Jealousy? The gated communities in my area have houses built one on top of the other, my neighborhood has homes on 1/2 acre and 3/4 acre lots.

I'm not envious of people who have less than 12ft between their houses. Were you could take a broomstick and stick it out your window and touch their house.

My point was(which seems to have gone over your head) is that in a SHTF scenario like an economic collapse living behind a 4 ft wall with a security guard who makes little more than minimum wage will not protect you.

You think a $9 an hour security guard is going to make any attempt to defend the gate...LOL..and why should he.

One of the gated communites butts up against a trailer park loaded with redneck white trash(sorry but that is what lives there).

My belief is that the "have nots" would head towards a gated community with the assumption(which may or may not be true) that it would be the best place to loot from.

Quicker then they would areas that are hiding in plain sight.

That's all.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by manyroads

I think YOU are the one who needs to "get with the program", Wilson. Can I ask what makes you such an expert on gated communties? Have you ever lived in one yourself? As I stated in my earlier post, my parents lived in one, and I in fact lived in the same gated community for a short period of time, so I think I can speak with some authority about the (un)effectiveness of having a guard there.

What I don't think you realize is that not all gated communities are the same. There are small gated communities that only have one entrance/exit with a gate and possibly a guard. In these types of communities, the guard will normally stop visitors and ask the purpose of their visit, and call to verify that they are in fact expected by the person they claim they are there to visit.

In other types of gated communities, such as the one my parents lived in, there may be several entrances and exits to the community, some of which require only an access card that is swiped to gain entrance, while other entrances have gates that are manned by guards.

My problem with the particular community my parents lived in was the deception of the sales people at the community in giving prospective residents the idea that the community was only accessible to residents and invited guests, and not telling them that in fact the streets were public and were available to whomever wished to use them. That's not a "theory", it's a fact.

If a gated community is going to have a guard at its gate(s) and does not bother to check who is going in and out of the community, then what is the point of having the guard there in the first place? I do think that people still need to take responsibility for their own safety and security inside a gated community by not leaving doors unlocked, even when they are home, possibly having an alarm system in their home, and by being generally aware of their surroundings.

I agree with you that most criminals are lazy people, and don't want to go out of their way to rob someone. They will go for the easiest target. But your notion that living in a gated community somehow makes you almost immune to being a victim of crime is just wrong. It's not that difficult for someone to get into a gated community to rob a house if they want to. One doesn't need to drive a car or other vehicle through the gate to get into the community. There are always other ways of getting in, such as just jumping over a wall (if in fact there are any), or walking through the woods or other property adjacent to the development to get in, bicycling in, etc. Thieves are going to be after small items such as jewelry or cash, not large things that they're going to need a truck to carry out. So for even your common, lazy thief, it's really not that big of a deal to rob a house in these types of developments. The idea that living in a gated community makes you safer is just nonsense. Like someone else said earlier in this thread, it's really more of a status thing than anything else. If I were to consider moving into a gated community myself, it would only be because of the amenities that the community offered, such as a pool, clubhouse, golf or tennis, etc., and not for the so-called security.

I also disagree with your assertion that people who talk down gated communities are engaging in some sort of class envy or jealousy. I was raised in an upper middle class family in an affluent suburb of NYC.

I agree. I grew up in a very nice community on Long Island and without gates.

Lived in Southern CA for over 20 yrs, no gates. Have family who are still in La Canada, CA an upper middle class community about 15 miles north of downtown LA(no gates).

Currently in the southeastern section of the country and seems to be more of big deal down here.

While a gated community will keep out door to door solicitors, and may discourage some robbers, IMO in a SHTF situation it could be more dangerous than a non gated neighborhood.

There are also many snowbirds here, and a few years back a gated retirement community was targeted and many homes were robbed, and involved was one of the security guards who knew who was out of state at the time.

[Nite Ryder]

I think a gated community is probably safer than the average suburban or city home as long as there is not a collapse of our government. If there is a collapse that same house could be a trap you couldn't escape from possibly if you needed to. No house is safe from every possible intrusion a professional burglar might try. In the past the police have just burned a house down to get the people out of it when all else failed, so no home is completely secure. I feel safe in my home because of the firearms I own and because I have been trained to use them, also because of the electronics around my house to give me some early warning. But could I stop a gang of 20 or 30 people trying to get into my house, probably not. I won't have to worry about that unless we have a real breakdown in our country. If that happens we won't have any police to protect us, we will have to rely on ourselves to be cunning and smarter than the next guy.

[ognend]

Originally Posted by Nite Ryder

I think a gated community is probably safer than the average suburban or city home as long as there is not a collapse of our government. If there is a collapse that same house could be a trap you couldn't escape from possibly if you needed to. No house is safe from every possible intrusion a professional burglar might try. In the past the police have just burned a house down to get the people out of it when all else failed, so no home is completely secure. I feel safe in my home because of the firearms I own and because I have been trained to use them, also because of the electronics around my house to give me some early warning. But could I stop a gang of 20 or 30 people trying to get into my house, probably not. I won't have to worry about that unless we have a real breakdown in our country. If that happens we won't have any police to protect us, we will have to rely on ourselves to be cunning and smarter than the next guy.

When I lived in south Florida, one of the "head honchos" of the company I worked for had a beautiful huge home in an expensive gated community. His wife didn't work but she went out shopping. When she came back, she found their home robbed, in the middle of the day, they even took their two huge plasma TVs and carried them out in broad daylight...

[SifuPhil]

If I were of a criminal mentality during a SHTF scenario, I'd see gated communities like a cat sees a backyard pond filled with fat koi ...

Yes, they keep salesmen and the occasional bum out, but then this isn't the "Salesman / Bum Forum".

[SCGranny]

I think of gated communities more as the sheep or cattle theory. Keep them in their fences, safe from wandering about and injuring themselves or others. Let them become proprietary, comfortable, and confident behind their fences. Sure the coyotes run through occasionally, but they can be stopped or mitigated (donkeys help). Let them get fat and content and happy, secure in their beliefs that nothing will harm them, that they are protected. Provide them with everything they need, from flu shots to food, and they will enjoy their neutered existence, even flee to it on purpose when storms or bad things erupt.

It's so much easier to load them into the transport trucks and haul them off that way; trusting, fat, dependent, and happy to be cared for. Stress-less happy sheep and cattle are so much easier to put down than those wild ranging longhorns or buffalo.

FYI - I had a choice to either move into several gated communities that I helped get financing and amenities for and build - or sell out, and move 1700 miles to a 60 acre farm in the middle of nowhere. Guess which I chose? (See location above) Jealous? Sour grapes? Nope.

[lcole07]

Originally Posted by SCGranny

I think of gated communities more as the sheep or cattle theory. Keep them in their fences, safe from wandering about and injuring themselves or others. Let them become proprietary, comfortable, and confident behind their fences. Sure the coyotes run through occasionally, but they can be stopped or mitigated (donkeys help). Let them get fat and content and happy, secure in their beliefs that nothing will harm them, that they are protected. Provide them with everything they need, from flu shots to food, and they will enjoy their neutered existence, even flee to it on purpose when storms or bad things erupt.

It's so much easier to load them into the transport trucks and haul them off that way; trusting, fat, dependent, and happy to be cared for. Stress-less happy sheep and cattle are so much easier to put down than those wild ranging longhorns or buffalo.

FYI - I had a choice to either move into several gated communities that I helped get financing and amenities for and build - or sell out, and move 1700 miles to a 60 acre farm in the middle of nowhere. Guess which I chose? (See location above) Jealous? Sour grapes? Nope.

Been reading this form for a while, and find it hard to believe all this misinformation posted here. We live in a Gated GUARDED community of over 650 homes and townhouses. There are four manned entrances to the area. It is patrolled 24hr 7days a week by three vans with paramedic trained security people in each one. As to crime, according to the West Palm Beach Sheriffs office there have been 2 reported "crimes" year to date. One they arrested someone for bank embezzlement the other (according to a neighbor) Dad called the cops when his son borrowed one of the family cars and did not bring it back in a timely manner. SCGranny, the food that is provided at the clubhouse is a little high, a salad going from $9.00 and the dinners from $25 and up, and the flu shots are at the local CVS. I have not seen any donkeys or coyotes but there are a lot of large white birds, and a number of Sand Hill Cranes that could harm you if you annoyed their kids. About the trucks, I don't think they could catch a Ferrari or BMW so no cattle are going to be hurt. My point is until you really look into a subject from all sides. We are leasing here, the owners pay $4,000 a year HOA fee, for non-members and a $7,000 for the full membership in the two golf courses and a bunch of tennis places etc. The reason we are here, my wife is still working at the local airport, and we wanted a safe place for her when she has the midnight shift, as it is a short trip up I95 right into on of the entrances.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by lcole07

Been reading this form for a while, and find it hard to believe all this misinformation posted here. We live in a Gated GUARDED community of over 650 homes and townhouses. There are four manned entrances to the area. It is patrolled 24hr 7days a week by three vans with paramedic trained security people in each one. As to crime, according to the West Palm Beach Sheriffs office there have been 2 reported "crimes" year to date. One they arrested someone for bank embezzlement the other (according to a neighbor) Dad called the cops when his son borrowed one of the family cars and did not bring it back in a timely manner. SCGranny, the food that is provided at the clubhouse is a little high, a salad going from $9.00 and the dinners from $25 and up, and the flu shots are at the local CVS. I have not seen any donkeys or coyotes but there are a lot of large white birds, and a number of Sand Hill Cranes that could harm you if you annoyed their kids. About the trucks, I don't think they could catch a Ferrari or BMW so no cattle are going to be hurt. My point is until you really look into a subject from all sides. We are leasing here, the owners pay $4,000 a year HOA fee, for non-members and a $7,000 for the full membership in the two golf courses and a bunch of tennis places etc. The reason we are here, my wife is still working at the local airport, and we wanted a safe place for her when she has the midnight shift, as it is a short trip up I95 right into on of the entrances.

People like you live in a "gated community" because it is safer. Why anyone would think that it is not safer is beyond me. I said envy above, but with some of these comments I have changed my mind. Its lack of common sense and real world experience. Even a small, unmanned, gate with security cameras rolling would likely cut the theft and vandalism claims by huge amounts. Just because the gate is manned by a guard with a radio instead of a .357 Magnum means nothing. It is the same deterrent nonetheless.

Why is there still crime in a "gated community/" Because there are teenagers who misbehave and in an upper middle class neighborhood half of the crimes are domestic violence and disorderly conduct anyway.

[ChrisC]

In a "normal world," I think your gated community is relatively safe.

In an "abnormal world" (more abnormal than it already is), four rent-a-cops wouldn't even keep a street gang out. Even a little wannabe gang will have full auto firearms and a huge chip on their shoulders. If they wanted in, they'd certainly get in. They just don't want in at this point. But an empty stomach is a strong motivator.

[stonecypher5413]

Originally Posted by lcole07

Been reading this form for a while, and find it hard to believe all this misinformation posted here. We live in a Gated GUARDED community of over 650 homes and townhouses. There are four manned entrances to the area. It is patrolled 24hr 7days a week by three vans with paramedic trained security people in each one. As to crime, according to the West Palm Beach Sheriffs office there have been 2 reported "crimes" year to date. One they arrested someone for bank embezzlement the other (according to a neighbor) Dad called the cops when his son borrowed one of the family cars and did not bring it back in a timely manner. SCGranny, the food that is provided at the clubhouse is a little high, a salad going from $9.00 and the dinners from $25 and up, and the flu shots are at the local CVS. I have not seen any donkeys or coyotes but there are a lot of large white birds, and a number of Sand Hill Cranes that could harm you if you annoyed their kids. About the trucks, I don't think they could catch a Ferrari or BMW so no cattle are going to be hurt. My point is until you really look into a subject from all sides. We are leasing here, the owners pay $4,000 a year HOA fee, for non-members and a $7,000 for the full membership in the two golf courses and a bunch of tennis places etc. The reason we are here, my wife is still working at the local airport, and we wanted a safe place for her when she has the midnight shift, as it is a short trip up I95 right into on of the entrances.

Ha, thanks for a great LOL post!

It was a refreshing reality check.