Village Gate Crashers made news

[jebartle]

click below:


www.wftv.com/news/news/local/villages...gate-crashe/nSq9w/

[ajbrown]

Villages cracks down on golf cart driving gate crashers | www.wftv.com (http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/villages-cracks-down-golf-cart-driving-gate-crashe/nSq9w/)

Not just golf carts either, I see cars occasionally tailgate through the gates also. Can be quite dangerous for us golf carters who are 'expecting' the folks to stop and let the gate go down. Be careful out there.

[Trayderjoe]

Villages cracks down on golf cart driving gate crashers | www.wftv.com (http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/villages-cracks-down-golf-cart-driving-gate-crashe/nSq9w/)

Not just golf carts either, I see cars occasionally tailgate through the gates also. Can be quite dangerous for us golf carters who are 'expecting' the folks to stop and let the gate go down. Be careful out there.

Good point! People shouldn't assume their safety, they need to own it.

Will the potential fines help? There is no identification on golf carts (I can imagine a $10 "registration fee" coming.....), so are they relying on someone recognizing and turning in people? :posting:

[paulandjean]

So many people who did not stop.Why is that?At that age they should know better.

[SoccerCoach]

Perhaps manning the gate house at random times would help a bit. At least Identification would be positive.

[gomoho]

First of all if you are in a golf cart never ever assume you can beat the car before the gate goes back up.
Second I would not hesitate for a minute turning someone in that intentionally crashed a gate - we are paying for their stupidity and they need to be held responsible.

[Taltarzac725]

Seems like someone crashes through one side or the other of the Belvedere Gate at least once a month. This is unmanned as it is just a gate and its housing.

Rarely see other gates I go through though with broken gates like Morse South.

I have heard from one of these gate keepers whom I know that they charge $300 to those people who crash through gates.

[Golfingnut]

Replace the gates with those pop up steel posts like they use at the pentagon.

[BobnBev]

Who do I email regarding a question about the gates---email address and name if you have it. Thanks

[Taltarzac725]

Who do I email regarding a question about the gates---email address and name if you have it. Thanks

VCDD Community Watch (http://www.districtgov.org/departments/Community-Watch/community-watch.aspx)

They have an e-mail contact at the bottom left of this linked web-page. The web-page says that Community Watch is responsible for manning the Villages' gates.

[BobnBev]

Great...thank you!

[justjim]

I see gates down all the time in TV. You have to wonder the cost but I suspect it is being paid by us------the residents. For residents in golf carts, what is the point or purpose of having to go through a gate----security, safety??? In other words, could not the approach be designed to go around the gate in a golf cart? Of course, that does not solve the bigger problem of people driving their cars through the gates.

[Taltarzac725]

Great...thank you!

You are welcome.

[sueandskip]

Replace the gates with those pop up steel posts like they use at the pentagon.

Can't do that...These are public roads , not private property ...

[dkrhardy]

Not so sure about the public road thing. Once you turn toward a Village, I think they cease to be public, that is why they can have barriers.
One was down today at St. James gate.

Don

[Bryan]

SueAndSkip are correct - the roads are public and you can't keep people out. That is why most have a button to press that will raise the arm. We (The Villages) are allowed to "monitor" access through cameras and gates but not control or restrict access. One other thing, the $250 fine mentioned on Channel 9 - NO WAY is that a fine. The Villages have no policing authority, no "laws", no courts, and no authority to levy fines. They can charge them for repairs or gate replacement though - and that seems to be $250 if Channel 9 is correct, but they have to identify the gate crashers first.

[Indydealmaker]

SueAndSkip are correct - the roads are public and you can't keep people out. That is why most have a button to press that will raise the arm. We (The Villages) are allowed to "monitor" access through cameras and gates but not control or restrict access. One other thing, the $250 fine mentioned on Channel 9 - NO WAY is that a fine. The Villages have no policing authority, no "laws", no courts, and no authority to levy fines. They can charge them for repairs or gate replacement though - and that seems to be $250 if Channel 9 is correct, but they have to identify the gate crashers first.

I wonder if the county and/or Lady Lake and Wildwood could issue arrest warrants (provided ID can be made) for leaving the scene of an accident.

[Taltarzac725]

I wonder if the county and/or Lady Lake and Wildwood could issue arrest warrants (provided ID can be made) for leaving the scene of an accident.

That will probably depend on how the FL Criminal Law statutes and the cases interpreting define the various terms involved in leaving a scene of an accident.

Also police priorities would come into play.

[Villager Dude]

I think justjim has a good point . If the gate arm was long enough to restrict a car from going thru but short enough to allow a cart to go thru on the right side would we lose anything ?

[F16 1UB]

....

[blueash]

Legal question. As these are public highways and are not owned nor maintained as private restricted roads, what is the legal basis for the villages to obstruct the flow of traffic on a public road by installation of a traffic gate?

316.2045(1), F.S., providing that it is unlawful for any person or persons willfully to obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of any public street, highway, or road by impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding, or restraining traffic or passage thereon. And see, s. 861.01, F.S., which provides that whoever obstructs any public road by fencing across or into the same or willfully causes any other obstruction in or to such road or part thereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

[Mikeod]

I think justjim has a good point . If the gate arm was long enough to restrict a car from going thru but short enough to allow a cart to go thru on the right side would we lose anything ?
The gates used to be shorter allowing carts and bikes to pass through when they were down. But a new federal law required that the gates be long enough to impede all traffic, so they have been lengthened.

[Mikeod]

Legal question. As these are public highways and are not owned nor maintained as private restricted roads, what is the legal basis for the villages to obstruct the flow of traffic on a public road by installation of a traffic gate?

316.2045(1), F.S., providing that it is unlawful for any person or persons willfully to obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of any public street, highway, or road by impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding, or restraining traffic or passage thereon. And see, s. 861.01, F.S., which provides that whoever obstructs any public road by fencing across or into the same or willfully causes any other obstruction in or to such road or part thereof is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.

I believe the gates are classed as traffic control devices like lights and signs and not considered to hinder normal use of the roadway.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

I think justjim has a good point . If the gate arm was long enough to restrict a car from going thru but short enough to allow a cart to go thru on the right side would we lose anything ?

Problem is then you would have some cars trying to squeeze through the opening for a cart. I can see it now

[PaPaLarry]

I see gates down all the time in TV. You have to wonder the cost but I suspect it is being paid by us------the residents. For residents in golf carts, what is the point or purpose of having to go through a gate----security, safety??? In other words, could not the approach be designed to go around the gate in a golf cart? Of course, that does not solve the bigger problem of people driving their cars through the gates.
I guess there's a possibility, of people trailering some carts in The Villages, and unloading in parking lot, and go on their merry way!!! But then again, I guess, motor bikes and cycles can get thru without stopping. Hmmmmmm????? Without the gates, there would be no system, and probably plenty of accidents. Right now we are at peak season for traffic.

[EdV]

I believe that the real purpose of the gates is to maintain the illusion of TV being a gated community. I have little doubt that thousands of TV residents purchased their home here thinking it was a true gated community only to find out later that it is not.

I know they had me fooled the first time I toured the area.

[Mikeod]

I believe that the real purpose of the gates is to maintain the illusion of TV being a gated community. I have little doubt that thousands of TV residents purchased their home here thinking it was a true gated community only to find out later that it is not.

I know they had me fooled the first time I toured the area.

I understand that feeling, but I believe the purpose of the gates is to meter traffic through areas where carts, pedestrians, and bikes must cross, as well as monitor access into the neighborhoods. Can you imagine the problems crossing some of these streets in a cart during the high season if cars were able to just enter each village without anything to slow them down a bit?

My sales agent was very open about this not being a gated community. When we visited, he told us how to use the button to visit any village we wanted.

[mulligan]

It also slows traffic enough for a photograph. There are cameras at the gates.

[EdV]

....Can you imagine the problems crossing some of these streets in a cart during the high season if cars were able to just enter each village without anything to slow them down a bit?
....

A speed bump would take care of that problem without the annoyance and expense of these gates that people keep crashing through.

[downeaster]

At one time the gates could only be opened by the use of the card or remotely. The county stopped that (the roads are maintained by the county) but they allowed them to remain with the addition of "red button" which gave everyone access. Removing them would create serious traffic hazards mainly due to golf carts passing in front of them.

I am not sure replacing them with speed bumps would do the job as well as the gates. It would be up to the county to make that decision. As a resident, I am perfectly satisfied with the gates.

I have never heard anyone, outside this forum, say they were under the illusion this was a "gated" community.

[downeaster]

Interesting article on gated communities here: security training | security officer training | security guard training | International Foundation for Protection Officers (http://www.ifpo.org/articlebank/gatedcommunity.html)

[EdV]

At one time the gates could only be opened by the use of the card or remotely. The county stopped that (the roads are maintained by the county) but they allowed them to remain with the addition of "red button" which gave everyone access. Removing them would create serious traffic hazards mainly due to golf carts passing in front of them.

I am not sure replacing them with speed bumps would do the job as well as the gates. It would be up to the county to make that decision. As a resident, I am perfectly satisfied with the gates.

I have never heard anyone, outside this forum, say they were under the illusion this was a "gated" community.

Well the exclusive use of a required card in the initial implementation certainly shows the intent to create the illusion. And dkrhardy in post 15 above thinks the roads behind the gates are private. He is certainly not the first resident to make that claim on TOTV.

[gomoho]

I believed it and was actually told I had to pay to $50 guest charge as a renter to get a card to access the gates.

[NotGolfer]

I believed it and was actually told I had to pay to $50 guest charge as a renter to get a card to access the gates.

I think this could be true but not in the sense that you're talking about---security that is. Renters need to pay that fee to be able to live here as owners do.. ALL of the amenities. I'd suspect they also get a card to go thru the gates. BUT that being said, you don't need a card to do that...all you have to do is press the button. If the gate has an attendent, just go thru the visitor's gate.

If you were told the gates were here for security you were given false information. They're purely to slow traffic and help with it's flow.

[downeaster]

Well the exclusive use of a required card in the initial implementation certainly shows the intent to create the illusion. And dkrhardy in post 15 above thinks the roads behind the gates are private. He is certainly not the first resident to make that claim on TOTV.



I have no way of knowing the intent. Back when the card was required it could be said it was a gated community. The county put an end to that and a great deal of publicity followed.

In my post I said "I have never heard anyone, outside this forum, say they were under the illusion this was a "gated" community". Maybe I should clarify that by saying I have read on this forum comments from some who think the intent was to create an illusion, however, I have never heard this in any conversations I have had and I was here when the transition occurred.

It could be said it was the intent to have a gated community but due to later circumstances it was no longer possible to continue that goal.

[Mikeod]

A speed bump would take care of that problem without the annoyance and expense of these gates that people keep crashing through.
The carts that hit the gate arms were all trying to get through on the previous driver's card swipe instead of using the button or their own card. It's nothing more than being in too much of a hurry to do the right thing.

We bought a third card to keep in our cart. The other two are in our cars. It was only $15 to get the card, far less than the cost of replacing the gate arm.

And what about these people owning up to their damage? I thought we took pride in being a generation that takes responsibility for our actions.

[BobnBev]

The carts that hit the gate arms were all trying to get through on the previous driver's card swipe instead of using the button or their own card. It's nothing more than being in too much of a hurry to do the right thing.

We bought a third card to keep in our cart. The other two are in our cars. It was only $15 to get the card, far less than the cost of replacing the gate arm.

And what about these people owning up to their damage? I thought we took pride in being a generation that takes responsibility for our actions.

:agree: with everything above. I cant imagine NOT owning up to damaging a gate.

[paulandjean]

Getter bigger and a lots of folks getting older, you will see many many more gate-crashers. Just get use to it.