security gate locks me out of my complex and management is unhelpful.

[Just Blue]

I unfortunately do not have the time or resources to poll the several hundred residents of this complex to find out their experiences with the gate.
To open the gate, one simply places the keycard on the receiver, and the gate is supposed to open. That is why I categorized it as ridiculous that I am somehow at fault.

Has your keycard been reviewed to see if it is scratched or damaged in some way? That might be causing the problem. Just a thought.

 

[mrp5117]

Nothing personal, but that the volunteers are knowledgeable seems, from my current viewpoint, apocryphal at best. So far, the only advice I have received is to send a registered letter to the property mgmt.
Nothing about my original question, which was if the management has a responsibility to insure access, and what recourse is available to me if the situation continues.

 

[mrp5117]

Perhaps you should call your wife to come and open the gate from the inside so you won't need to wait long. In fact, you could develop a group of neighbors that let each other in when it happens.

Unfortunately, my wife was accompanying me on both occasions. As for calling neighbors, the problem happened very late at night/early am, and I am hesitant to disturb them.

 

[justalayman]

I unfortunately do not have the time or resources to poll the several hundred residents of this complex to find out their experiences with the gate.
To open the gate, one simply places the keycard on the receiver, and the gate is supposed to open. That is why I categorized it as ridiculous that I am somehow at fault.

Ok, make it simpler:


have you ever hear or seen ANYBODY else having the same issue you have?


and how it can be your fault:

without knowing the specific system cannot say with any certainty but if you have a magnetic based data storage on/in the card, you can damage those or deprogram them by exposing them to a degausser or any magnetic field (like they do with the magnetic security tags at stores).

Heat can affect them as well.


if it is an rfid card, there is less chance of it being your problem but there are still a few things you can do to damage the card.

so, is your card programmed specifically for an individual or does it have a preset id code within? The first means it is likely magnetic storage, the latter means likely to be rfid.

if magnetic, do you ever go to a store that uses a deactivation device for magnetic based security tags? Do you work anywhere or go anywhere you might be exposed to a magnetic field?

how is the technician fixing the issue? do you end up with a new card? Does he even use your card while diagnosing the problem?

 

[mrp5117]

Has your keycard been reviewed to see if it is scratched or damaged in some way? That might be causing the problem. Just a thought.

On both occasions the prop. mgr. checked my card and said it was ok. I asked for a different card, and was refused.

 

[justalayman]

Unfortunately, my wife was accompanying me on both occasions. As for calling neighbors, the problem happened very late at night/early am, and I am hesitant to disturb them.

does she have a keycard as well? Did you try hers?

and yes, based on your responses here, I believe it is a question that must be asked.

 

[Just Blue]

Nothing personal, but your assertion that the volunteers are knowledgeable seems, from my current viewpoint, apocryphal at best. So far, the only advice I have received is to send a registered letter to the property mgmt.
Nothing about my original question, which was if the management has a responsibility to insure access, and what recourse is available to me if the situation continues.

As the member who advised you to send the letter is an attorney...Perhaps you would feel ...better by consulting a local attorney. Best of luck

 

[mrp5117]

Ok, make it simpler:


have you ever hear or seen ANYBODY else having the same issue you have?


and how it can be your fault:

without knowing the specific system cannot say with any certainty but if you have a magnetic based data storage on/in the card, you can damage those or deprogram them by exposing them to a degausser or any magnetic field (like they do with the magnetic security tags at stores).

Heat can affect them as well.


if it is an rfid card, there is less chance of it being your problem but there are still a few things you can do to damage the card.

so, is your card programmed specifically for an individual or does it have a preset id code within? The first means it is likely magnetic storage, the latter means likely to be rfid.

if magnetic, do you ever go to a store that uses a deactivation device for magnetic based security tags? Do you work anywhere or go anywhere you might be exposed to a magnetic field?

how is the technician fixing the issue? do you end up with a new card? Does he even use your card while diagnosing the problem?

The only thing I can say with certainty is the girl in the office saying "We've had some problems with the cards".
I do not know RFID from Mayberry RFD (see, I'm old too). I leave the card in the car, so I feel it unlikely it has come into contact with anything that would negatively impact it.
They've checked the card and said it was ok, what, if anything, they've done I do not know, they take the card to some back room.

 

[mrp5117]

does she have a keycard as well? Did you try hers?

and yes, based on your responses here, I believe it is a question that must be asked.

one car, one card

 

[mrp5117]

Ok, make it simpler:


have you ever hear or seen ANYBODY else having the same issue you have?


and how it can be your fault:

without knowing the specific system cannot say with any certainty but if you have a magnetic based data storage on/in the card, you can damage those or deprogram them by exposing them to a degausser or any magnetic field (like they do with the magnetic security tags at stores).

Heat can affect them as well.


if it is an rfid card, there is less chance of it being your problem but there are still a few things you can do to damage the card.

so, is your card programmed specifically for an individual or does it have a preset id code within? The first means it is likely magnetic storage, the latter means likely to be rfid.

if magnetic, do you ever go to a store that uses a deactivation device for magnetic based security tags? Do you work anywhere or go anywhere you might be exposed to a magnetic field?

how is the technician fixing the issue? do you end up with a new card? Does he even use your card while diagnosing the problem?

Your point about heat is well taken; this is Florida, after all. However, it appears to me that this being Florida, the heat should have been taken into account before issuing the cards to residents.

 

[Zigner]

Your point about heat is well taken; this is Florida, after all. However, it appears to me that this being Florida, the heat should have been taken into account before issuing the cards to residents.

Or, perhaps, residents could handle their cards much as they would a DVD or a cell phone. By that I mean they should't leave it in the car. Additionally, leaving your gate key in the car presents a security risk.

 

[justalayman]

Your point about heat is well taken; this is Florida, after all. However, it appears to me that this being Florida, the heat should have been taken into account before issuing the cards to residents.

they buy what the security company sells them. they are probably just as amazed at the magic contained in the cards as you are

 

[mrp5117]

Or, perhaps, residents could handle their cards much as they would a DVD or a cell phone. By that I mean they should't leave it in the car. Additionally, leaving your gate key in the car presents a security risk.

How precisely does it present a security risk? If the car is outside of the complex (and the card has no markings identifying it's place of origin), how could it impact security? If the car is IN the complex, the security breach is in the complex, too, rendering said risk moot.
In any event, as my wife and I both use the card, it is logical that the card stay with the car, so that one of us doesn't end up carrying it off, and it being unavailable when needed.

Further, there was no warning given with the card that it could be impacted by heat.

 

[mrp5117]

they buy what the security company sells them. they are probably just as amazed at the magic contained in the cards as you are

I do not doubt that you are right. My friends live in a community that apparently reads the card inside the car without the necessity of placing it against the reader, and automatically opens the gate. Which is a much more security conscious way, imo.

 

[Zigner]

How precisely does it present a security risk? If the car is outside of the complex (and the card has no markings identifying it's place of origin), how could it impact security? If the car is IN the complex, the security breach is in the complex, too, rendering said risk moot.
In any event, as my wife and I both use the card, it is logical that the card stay with the car, so that one of us doesn't end up carrying it off, and it being unavailable when needed.

Further, there was no warning given with the card that it could be impacted by heat.

We don't even know that it's the heat. I was just pointing something out.