As a new resident I am curious as to why so many gates get damaged
 

As a new resident I am curious as to why so many gates get damaged? Especially the exit gate where no card is required. Are the drivers here that unaware?

No, they are idiots!

Or maybe in a rush, or maybe just having fun hitting things, or really are idiots!!:0000000000luvmyhors

I live in a tourist area up north. We call them Citidiots.

Gate closes after each car then reopens.
Some people try to sneak thru 2 at a time. Just too busy to stop for 5 seconds.

Have you not experienced driving in TV yet? Driver beware!

Many drivers just are too old to see them, some are impatient, some think its fun to knock them down, one has been down now for 2 days.

Does anyone know the statistics on how many are replaced monthly and what is the cost for each replacement? This has to be a large expense out of our amenity fees.

This is the correct answer in most cases. BTW you can get on one of the Villages websites and see video of many of the offenders, or at least you could last time I looked.

I second that!!

It's the Snowbirds.

:D

There is another thread asking if the villagers drink too much....hmmmm
Ya think??? :rolleyes:

see post #7.

It has always amazed me how often these gates take a hit

As to liability I can see where there would be a question of liability (who is at fault if the gate is in motion downward but when the motion is to go up and a vehicle damages it sure as heck the driver was going too fast or was distracted and didn't notice the gate at all. In the latter situation TV ought to make them pay. In the former situation you have some drivers that are wry of gates and panic when approaching the, Then we have the creeps that believe the gate is interfering with my driving and I am not going to stop for it. I'll bet we have our fair sure of this type

It is ... and that is why many of the unmanned gates (if not all by now) that had vid cameras installed, in an attempt to identify gate crashing idiots and recoup the cost of repair.

I think that anyone that knocks these things off should have to pay for them. All the gates should have cameras installed.

all gates do to my knowledge

cause they can???

Has anybody been forced to pay for damage?

Dumb, da dumb da !!! Must be kids or seniors that think they're kids. Just a slice of bread short of a full sandwich.

A few weeks ago I approached a gate and the car in front of me went through. While I was waiting for the gate to go down the guy behind me starts beeping his horn like crazy. When the gate opened I went through and so did he. I watched in my rear view mirror the gate go down on his car. I laughed so hard tears came to my eyes.

OMG! These videos are hilarious--although I'm sure not to the Gatekeepers!
Ever thought about adding some music?? :)

Yes, I think.

An X neighbor of mine owned a company that installed & maintained all types of security gates. He told me that typically he & his competitors bid new installations at almost cost .... just to get the VERY lucrative maintenance contracts.

after you are here for a while you will note that the other driving impediment are the posts on the cart recreational paths that state no cars. The one in our village has been replaced at least once per year for the past 10 years. The entrances and exits to the paths involve all the golfing traffic on the Arnold Palmer courses.

I think there are two contributors to the problem. Too many residents think there are only two speeds on their carts full throttle and stop!!!! And the same number of residents have no concept of the dimensions of the cart (same with driving thier autos).

Drive defensively!!!

Expensive Gates
 

I was told by an employee that repairs begin at $350.00 and go over
$1000.00 depends on damage to motors, and post damages.

We all pay the bill... report everyone you can... so their insurance will help pay the damages...

If we would have had a statute for it, I could have written two full ticket books everyday of people driving stupid.:pepper2: That's why I've been preaching to the wife about watching out for other drivers in TV.

Now THAT is funny! Thanks for sharing.

LOL! Now I would have stopped and taken their photo with my cell phone - after first asking them to "say cheese"!

A few days ago I approached the paradise gate and one cart was starting thru the gate as one was behind trying to tailgate thru and yelling to then to hurry the #$@& up. The tailgater start to get scraped. As he went up the street he had to pass the other cart. My guess is he was late for an anger management class. Some people here are just so impatient.

They have cams at the gates and I'm sure it's to record drivers just in case they knock down a gate. As I understand it ,if they can prove its your car which did the damage, they will make you pay for the repairs. Just in the last few days I have seen two different gates knocked down. Kind of stupid that someone can't wait a few seconds for the gates to open properly.

morons behind the wheel

I was golfing at Redfish last Thursday and an ambassador took out the white lane pillar.....oh my

There are several reasons the gates get ruined so often. First and foremost, people are stupid and impatient. Also there are many people who travel through the gates that are unfamiliar with them, ie. snowbirds, visitors, poor driving because of age or alcohol or just careless. And then those who just don't care about anything because no one in The Villages ever has to be accountable for anything. People here will do anything they want to do because no one ever stops them.

The gate-breakers may also be the same people who back out of their garages while their screen is down. ;)

I don't think anyone would intentionally go thru the gate and damage it and their car. It is very easy when you are not used to a gate or perhaps the sun is in your eye. They should have flashing light on the gates or stop signs.

:a20:

:censored: Ouch! I did that once but never ran into a gate yet. Accidents do happen.

There should be a nice, visible sign posted at every gate that states something to the effect, "Surveillance cameras in use, YOU are responsible for any costs to repair any damage to gates incurred by YOU".

In the short time I've been there, I have noticed some really bad drivers in TV that seem to drive :loco:.