Gated Communities

[oogabooga]

How do shipping companies/garbage pickup/etc get into gated communities?

I recently moved into one and never really thought about it, but my roommate and I were talking about it. We figure the community might report the code to the carrier but what if they don't? Does that mean everyone in the community misses out on their deliveries?

I see a key slot for firefighters, but I sat there stupidly wondering for the first time... how my mail gets to my house. I don't want to have to wait longer for my electronics so I'm wondering if anyone knows how this works

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

There is usually a public access code that shippers/uilities/postal keep on file for each gated community.

 

[mugs]

My father-in-law lives in one... they usually leave the gate open during the day so workers can get in (gardeners, pool guys, etc). I ordered pizza from that house once, and they asked for the code and now it prints out on the receipt every time they get pizza from that place.

 

[GeekDrew]

Depends on the community. There is one gated community nearby that spans two ZIP codes. Postal carriers have RFID readers and bypass passwords to get into the community, to deliver mail. ZIP xxxx7 delivers only to a post office box station inside the community, whereas ZIP xxxx8 has a delivery route (delivers to houses). It's pretty much the same thing with Fedex, UPS, DHL, etc. Some of them have passwords to get inside, and some of them leave the packages at the front gate. In some communities, the front gate delivers the packages within the community, and in some, the residents have to come to the front gate to get it. There's no general "rule" about it... at least not around here.

 

[oogabooga]

My community and from what I gathered from my neighbors doesn't seem to have a code, at least not one given to the residents. Our community doesn't seem to have a front office (Each house is privately owned) so it made me wonder.

The pizza place printing the code thing is kinda useful.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
My community and from what I gathered from my neighbors doesn't seem to have a code, at least not one given to the residents.

Do you mean that they do not use code 'authentication' at the gate, or that they just don't share the code with residents?

 

[helloedchen]

My condo has a gatekeeper, he lets people in who he sees fit

 

[Flammable]

Originally posted by: GideonX
My condo has a gatekeeper, he lets people in who he sees fit

lol

 

[Whisper]

With our community, emergency service workers (e.g., police officers and firefighters) seem to have an access code, as does the postal worker it would seem. However, most delivery drivers, along with cable repair men, usually have to call the front desk--or their customer--to get buzzed in.

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: Whisper
With our community, emergency service workers (e.g., police officers and firefighters) seem to have an access code

That brought to mind a funny story. A man I know is a fire truck driver for a township fire department -- isn't a fire fighter, just drives the trucks for them. A house was on fire in a gated community inside that township. The access gate that is closest to the fire station is operated by remote control, and all of the trucks in this unit are equipped with them... except the gate doesn't open as the truck approached. He starts slowing down, hammering on the remote's button, and the gate doesn't respond. He can see the smoke pouring out of the woods over a nearby hill, inside the community, and it's almost 5 miles to the next closest gate. So... he took the obvious solution. Continued to slow down, but didn't try to stop. The gate broke away from the concrete pillars fairly easily, I'm told. I soooo wish I had been in that lead truck... lol

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: GideonX
My condo has a gatekeeper, he lets people in who he sees fit

Are you the keymaster?

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: GideonX
My condo has a gatekeeper, he lets people in who he sees fit

Do you have an appointment? Ok then I'm going to need you to be a dear and sit right over there for now. Kthanx... /david spade

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
How do shipping companies/garbage pickup/etc get into gated communities?

I recently moved into one and never really thought about it, but my roommate and I were talking about it. We figure the community might report the code to the carrier but what if they don't? Does that mean everyone in the community misses out on their deliveries?

I see a key slot for firefighters, but I sat there stupidly wondering for the first time... how my mail gets to my house. I don't want to have to wait longer for my electronics so I'm wondering if anyone knows how this works

You see even firefighters struggled with my apartment complex. We had to buzz them in at least 3 times when the fire alarm went off.

 

[oogabooga]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
Do you mean that they do not use code 'authentication' at the gate, or that they just don't share the code with residents?

Well some other gated communities I have been to, there is a code you can enter and it just opens the gate. It doesn't dial a house or office, it just opens the gate.

Here you have to dial a house to get the gate open. They don't give/share a code with residents that you can just dial and have the gate open.

Which lead me to wonder if there is no code, how do they get in (hence the OP). Now that I think about it, it would be pretty convenient to learn what the code is. (time to tail the mailman...)

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
... story about firetruck vs gate, firetruck wins....

I would pay good money to see that. In fact, if it were to happen in the community I am in I am reasonable sure I would end up paying good money

Originally posted by: DLeRium
You see even firefighters struggled with my apartment complex. We had to buzz them in at least 3 times when the fire alarm went off.

That sucks, hope it wasn't your apartment on fire...