Destruction of the gate arms......
 

What is it with the destruction of gate arms throughout TV? The last 3 weeks the one at the entrance to St. James via St. Charles has been knocked down 4 times. Today, we went through the exit side of the gate from Morse to 466 and both arms were torn down. With all the money that was spent upgrading the cameras at the gates to HD, will drivers have to pay for these idiot acts?

My turn to state the obvious...over age 55 community...many in their 70's, 80's & 90's. Many still driving when they should not...can't see squat...have the reflex's of a stick and still think they should be driving. Also many people on cell phones, chatting(and when you're older your attention span is sometimes that of a 3 year old).

Now go on...add it all up and it's a wonder there are not more accidents. The gate arms should be made of nerf and the posts at some of the cart intersections should be that flexible flat plastic that just bounces right back up when run over.

Now I could get into the bazillion meds people take. Many that tell you not to drive/operate heavy machinery(some folks don't think a 3000b car is heavy machinery)while on them. Many say they can cause dizziness, blurred vision and sleepiness.

So you're probably getting the picture now. Lastly take into account all those renters who come here to party and think....woooheee...I'm in the villages and I don't live that far...few cops around...lets drive home drunk...whooop! Was that a gate arm I hit? Nah...didn't feel a thing.....

Thanks for stating the obvious, I started to but decided to dial it down. These are probably part of the same group that the online news runs an article about every couple of days that also can't park without taking 2-3 slots. It's sad to think this person is still driving, but there was a gentleman that brought his garage door opener into a golf shop the other day to see if they could get it to start working because his wife's opener worked and his wouldn't.

Sad but true, but also true for many pre-seniors!!

I go through the St. James gates several times a day, and you are right, it seems like it is always down. I personally love the people that pull up to a gate which is knocked down, with a big red stop sign in sight and there they are, swiping their card up and down. I swear, one of these day I may have to just drag one of them out of their cars. Of course I'm kidding but ....

One complaint I have about the gates is they don't reflect very well at night because they are higher than the standard headlights on a coupe or sedan. I have a very hard time seeing them at night because of this.

But you do know a gate is there right? So stop!

///

I agree. The arms on the gates will be broken repeatedly in January, February and March. It is a capitalist plot. It keeps the gate repairers in work. It is done by drunken folks under fifty and some folks who are in a tearing hurry who don't live here and pay amenities. There are some old geezers in the fray too.


Please, OP, use the search function above and type in broken gates. This will bring up the opinion by many that we don't need them. I say they slow things down so golf cart's can cross in many instances and that we can tell our snooty cousins we live in a gated community.


If you want to amuse yourself, there are links to the cameras showing folks breaking the gate arms, somewhere. They SHOULD pay, but folks SHOULD stop in a hit and run too, like they used to. The world is becoming very strange indeed.


Good morning all. We didn't have a tornado. I'm tired, I didn't sleep well.

Maybe we need these: https://goo.gl/Ym0Opx

Now THAT would work. The only issue I see though is that it apparently takes out the driver as well as the vehicle. Of course, that could also prove to be the long term solution for dealing with people who drive through the gate arms.

Good job finding that!

nope, just look at some of the videos.95% of the gate breaks are from people too lazy or stupid to stop, instead they try to fly through while it is still open from the person ahead of them. the only age correlation is that younger people may be just as much to blame as are older.

I've watched the videos, and oddly the overwhelming majority of them appear to be over 60. The one who crashed the Morse gate was also over 60, because I watched it happen and know who they are. They actually went past the open gate on a golf cart, realized they made a mistake, and then BACKED into the gate arm, breaking it off. The gate attendant walked out, picked up the broken gate, and directed them which way to go in a golf cart. Didn't even ask for name.

IMO, the gates going south from Morse to 466 are unnecessary. There is a stop light there.

I know a 94 year old TV gentleman who told me he didn't feel safe driving a car anymore and then got in his golf cart..woosh!

The arms should be made out of a rubber material so they just bend. The only thing damaged would be the car.

Are there tornado sirens in the Villages?

I've seen and posted the videos.
I want to know if they get caught and fined. Fined enough to pay for the damage and maybe a little something extra.
I like the nurf idea too, to install something non-destructive. I used to be a HS shop teacher. We would spend a bit of time on inventions. This would be a great assignment:
build a scaled down gate system that is non-destructive but does force the driver to come to a stop.
Maybe that's the solution. Send the assignment to all the HS shop teachers in the state and see where it goes. hmmmmmmmm

Are there tornado sirens in the Villages?:shrug:

Looneycat: You are correct about cars flying through a gate while it is still open from the car in front of them. I almost got "creamed" a couple days ago from a car in the resident side of the entrance to St. James. If I hadn't been alert we would still be in the hospital . Be careful out there.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...-sirens-38289/

Does not look like it.

I see they are putting more cameras in at various gates.

Maybe they only take names of younger people who break the gates????




Someday...way too soon, you will get old too. Then what?

:popcorn: what gate?:)

Not for the gate arms

Destruction of the gate arms......
 

NO. Why are you shrugging on a thread about gate arms? ::shrug::
::jester::

the overwhelming majority of residents are over 60, that's a surprise to you? they only are more frequent because they frequent the gate more. a single instance hardly sets the tone considering how often and in how many places gates are knocked off.

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

well, they will flap wildly...:pepper2:

See post #2, last line. Do you know my son, DB? He never reads past the first two sentences of any communication.:shrug:

Destruction of the gate arms......
 

Oh! Mom. I've searched everywhere for you. I miss you so much.

I'm broke. Please send money. :)

What was that, again? I didn't read the last line...:evil6:

I read it that time. CF, you are a card! Thanks for the laugh.

This has been said before. There is no cure for stupid.

gates thats a joke.

Maybe a garage door would be better at every gate????? :) :) :) :)

Gate entrances
 

just because people are old (elder) does not mean rudeness and disrespect are acceptable -- behavior at the gates by many really sour the idea of the friendly hometown of The Villages---------a little respect toward rules, property and fellow human beings should be the rule of every day --- if you are guilty of speeding, ignoring road / path instructions and being nasty--JUST STOP IT ALREADY

Gate destruction
 

I really think the "Nerf Gate Arms" is worth exploring!

Not just gates
 

My wife parked at the Colony health center ,inside the white lines. When she came out ,some a--hole had hit her new car. It was only 8 days old. $1800 damage. The a--hole didn't,t leave a note or even go inside to tell the ladies at the front desk. The rudeness and audacity of these a--holes is rediculous.. What ever happened to being upfront and honest. Guess that leaves people when they move to the villages. Fed up with this sh--. Wake up people.

I really like the idea of the "Nerf Gate Arms!"

On the news, hit and runs are way too common. Even with injury or death.


I wish that one parent could stay home with their small children until they are five. That is when right and wrong is established.


The world is becoming increasingly unruly and uncaring.


I am so sorry to hear about the damage to your wife's car, and I know that whoever did it was probably raised when ethics were taught routinely.


I don't know why people act the way they do.


I do believe that there are more ethical people who are of our age than those now running around the earth under 40. I do believe that.


I think some people are born with tendencies toward selfishness and thinking they can do whatever they please. Good parents can modify some of that but they have to be there 24-7. A lot of good people hand over their toddlers to people they wouldn't trust with their car keys.