Keys And Locks
For the second time within a year the locks are being changed on the gates in Truman Annex. Why? It's not because this is needed to ease the residents' worries about the burglaries occurring in Key West, but because the maintenance on the locks has become too expensive. Of course, until the locks are changed burglars in the Annex knew they could leave their crowbars behind. They didn't need them to pry open the Truman Annex gates at night since there are at least 2000 keys to the locks installed on the Annex gates (see the post titled "Not Enough Pedestrian Gate Keys"). There are only 267 household members of TAMPOA, so there are enough keys out there for every burglar currently in town.
So let us understand this. We've had normal ordinary keys for the pedestrian gates for way more than a decade, but because we've given a key to almost 10% of the population of Key West, we've decided to get new locks because the current ones get busted too often. Of course it never occurred to anyone that the reason the locks are busting is that there are too many keys afloat and being used by too many people.
The real reason for getting new locks is not maintenance, it is because too many people have keys!
As for these new locks they will be a newfangled kind -- an orbital lock set. Of course once the Key West sand and dirt from the Court House and other construction gets in these they'll gum up too.
So let us understand this. We've had normal ordinary keys for the pedestrian gates for way more than a decade, but because we've given a key to almost 10% of the population of Key West, we've decided to get new locks because the current ones get busted too often. Of course it never occurred to anyone that the reason the locks are busting is that there are too many keys afloat and being used by too many people.
The real reason for getting new locks is not maintenance, it is because too many people have keys!
As for these new locks they will be a newfangled kind -- an orbital lock set. Of course once the Key West sand and dirt from the Court House and other construction gets in these they'll gum up too.
Labels: Gates
posted by Conchette at 7:47 AM
11 Comments:
Your paranoia is getting tiresome. The locks were changed to install locks that were less prone to breakdown.
And the keys? They were given out to half te town because . . . ?
The keys were given to owners. If that doesn't make sense to you let's hear your suggestion!
It is funny to see TAMPOA management dealing with 19th century technology to solve problems for which 21st century technology offers a simple and very cost-effective solution. Instead of changing the locks yet again, a system of electronic locks (tied into electronic video monitoring) could be very effective in providing security as well as improve property values, and certainly would be more effective than the current system that allows virtually any handyman, housekeeper, and pizza delivery person to potentially be a key holder to our community. I notice that such a modern wired/wireless system was proposed by someone at a recent TAMPOA board meeting and was promptly shot down unanimously by Mr. Tukey and the rest of the Board.
To anonymous who wants suggestions: here's a thought: There aren't 2000 owners, so someone screwed up and gave keys to almost 10 times the number of owners, like the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker and anyone else - perhaps burglars on holiday - who wanted a key. What's the point of replacing the locks if we're going to repeat that mistake, unless our goal is to create extra revenue for key makers.
Once again, the locks were replaced because of maintanance issues and not because of the numbers issued. The keys were changed because the locks were changed. The keys were issued to owners to let them open the locks. I know this is a difficult concept.
WOW! So let me get this straight. You're saying it doesn't matter one wit that there are 2000 keys out there when only 267 owners should have them. But when that is discovered, no one worries about it. All they are concerned with is that the locks don't work for those 2000 keys. Seems like there are some misplaced priorities in that decision-making.
Here is a concept that is not difficult to understand:
If the number of keys outstanding really is not a problem and only the locks themselves are a problem, then it is really not a challenge for a good locksmith to simply install the few new locks that are keyed for the existing keys rather than reissue 200 or 2000 keys. Hmm, maybe the issue really is uncontrolled key proliferation?
Once again, what is your reference and source of this information or is this just your imagination?
It defies common sense and logic to believe that with 2000 keys out there and only 267 Annex households, the number of keys did not play a role in the lock replacement decision. If, as you, and some close to the TAMPOA Board maintain, the Board didn't or hasn't paid any attention to the number of keys outstanding, then perhaps the Board ought to do so (which was the point of our post in the first place).
How comfortable are Annex residents knowing that there are enough gate keys floating around out there for every burglar, mugger, and wanna-be criminal in Key West? And the Annex is supposed to be a secure "gated community?"
And to the anonymous one seeking our sources: We don't think you were born yesterday, so don't think we were either. We don't reveal confidential sources, period.
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