Is this fair?
 

Today after golf we went to Lake Sumter Landing for lunch. As we turned into the square we saw lots of tables and chairs set up for tOctoberfest, I saw a man sitting at one table and I remarked, "gosh people are here 4 hours early to get a good spot". Then I looked at the other tables....every single one of them had something on them, a small cooler, a jacket or two, anything and the chairs turned into the table. Obviously saving the tables for this evening. I don't know it just seems a little to much to me to be there at the crack of dawn to save tables, that's jmho. As for us, we'll go to Spanish Springs, who knows may be the same thing is there too. We'll find a spot and enjoy.

It bothers me too.

I'm afraid this is fairly typical of events in TV. Seems like a lot of people have too much time on their hands.

My guess is that those items were there at the crack of dawn.

Same thing happens on a cruise ship, saving chairs.

There are ways of stopping this though..........

Anybody gonna take this one on???

No problem with me. If I wanted a table and chairs I would get there early also.Seems like a 4th grade problem.

Inconsiderate people !
 

IMHO is is very rude and it should be the responsibility of the Management to prohibit that action unless a real person is physically sitting in one of the chairs :shocked:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------I agree. If some people have the time to swing by to throw items on chairs, they should have the time to get their early if getting the best seats is important to them. If I person is handicapped, I could see someone trying to accomodate a friend or a family member.
IMHO - Getting there early and sitiing on a chair is the right way to do it and no-one has to get annoyed.
I'm still a wannabe but when I move to TV, I will have to resign myself to the fact this is a frequent occurrence.

I would think an occurence of this nature should be filed under the thread of,
"what I don't like about TV", (Sorry that I don't remember the exact thread off the top of my head0.

I still ascribe to the "Golden Rule"...being "do unto others as you would have them do unto you!" I 1st learned this btw in public school back in the 50's. BOY have we digressed over the years.
You will also see this at resorts by the pool...people up at the crack of dawn,scoping out their chairs--reserving them with towels. THEN never showing up in the afternoon so they were doing it "just in case". I've seen alot of behaviors here that mirror junior high school. Wish people would just "chill" and go with the flow. I personally won't be down near the squares due to much of this.....

We were here last year for our lifestyle visit at the time of the lighting of the Christmas tree. People came and roped off whole rows of chairs as they were being set up. Then they didn't show up until late during the entertainment, so there were several rows of vacant seats throughout the night. What bothered me were there were a lot of disabled people who were standing while there were so many empty chairs.
Maybe this year one of Santa's elves might just have a pair of scissors in their hip pocket!

Simple solution. Just put the item that was saving the table on another saved table and let them duke it out. I have never had the guts to do it but I might someday.

I've seen the "saving places" occur at car shows in the past. Someone gets there a bit early and puts out chairs, etc. to save a couple of spots for his/her buddies who will arrive later on. But I've also been to some shows that are advertised as "No saving parking spots" and they DO enforce it - people putting on the show will remove any chairs. It does work when enforced!

Don't know how well that would work at a TV event, though....

Bill

Selfish, ignorant people and their "I got mine" mentality are everywhere, not just in TV. They rely on sheeple like me not to challenge them. Maybe,someday soon, the old crazy Dominick will resurface and cause a real nasty scene.

Honestly---I don't worry about what "others" do---don't think it is fair--but figure if they want a table bad enough to set up a schedule so that "someone" is always sitting there---they have more time than I do--and it means more to them than it does to me-----Most of the "special nights; i.e.; Italian American Night, Octoberfest, etc,. are basically just like every night at a Town Square--other than the stilt walkers--maybe a parade---and LOTS MORE PEOPLE. I have company --- we got the dinner to go from Red Sauce--picked it up at 4:00---therefore, we could walk around---not get in any lines---know our dinner was at home--ready to be heated and wonderful---Our company enjoyed the walking around and our chicken parm. and ziti from Red Sauce was really good.

:beer3: ROTFLMAO Maybe the old crazy me will join you!!!!

I also saw a big round table with all chairs leaning against the table as if "saved". There was a gallon of water on the ground and a smaller one on top. If I had wanted that table, I would have put the chairs back in place and removed the bottle of waters next to a garbage can...or hid them. I'd like to see someone remove me from that table???? Try prying me off a chair....you just try it!!! I have had it with rude people and there are alot of them in TV. They literally just don't care. hahahaha...and I don't either...hahahahaha... :evil6:

Tweety, I like the way you think. Maybe I'll even join you!

This is kind of activity is the "unintended consequence" of trying to offer free entertainment, which by virtue of being free, cannot pay for sufficient management to offset today's "me and me only" culture. The Golden Rule is not only tarnished; it is corroded.

WHOA!! Call in the guys with the white coats........... :1rotfl: Ha-ha!

Bill

We were here last year on our lifestyle visit at the time of the Christmas tree lighting, too. I seen all those roped off tables and thought that management had done that. Now I'm really peeved.:grumpy:

Ideas????
 

I'm not one of the abusers and don't usually attend these events so I was unaware that there were even tables.

Reading these strident posts, however, I did not see many ideas for more equitable, safe way for table selection.

Somehow, I don't see "concert seating" working here, that is opening the tables at a set time and letting everyone rush to grab a table...survival of the fittest??

Anybody have any reasonable ideas to provide equity...maybe lottery table reservations.

Lets get the positive ideas flowing so recommendations can be made to management

Very simple
 

First come, first seated. No reserving or "saving" seats.

You should rattle those "spectators" !!

You Own this table? get atta heah!
 

"Hey Vin, deze guys tink dey own it, and someone left us some cold ones in a cooler!"
Ha , fuhgettaboutit"

Or feeling a little more mellow?
Take the Gump way...
Enjoy the food someone left you, try on the sweaters, and tell em thanks when they return and you're deeeelighted to meet some friendly folk.

Management not responsible for unattended articles.

Besides the 'sweat payment for waiting in line or at the table/chair/area, some places offer premium seating

Since these are no cost events.....that would be tough

In Bawlmer, if you shovel your snow in front of your place, and place a few chairs out there, people are supposed to let you have that space - but it gets violated - the streets are public and parking is not assigned nor reserved

L and L

Things like this really bothers me-it is so rude and selfish. It may not work, but I would like to see management make the effort to make rounds every 20-30 mins, and throw away anything set on the tables "to reserve" space". It wouldn't take many times for people to lose their things before they stopped leaving things around. OR, Management should have a line roped off instead of letting people sit down, and about 30-45 mins before the event start let people sit down. Also no saving more than 1 seat per person. This is just wishful thinking, and probably too severe for some, but you shouldn't have to ask adults to be considerate to others.

I vote with no reserved/saved seats. If you and your friends want those tables and special chairs, put your rear end in 'em and stay in 'em. I've seen it time and again here -- for Rocky n the Rollers, for the parades, tree lightings, etc.

The first time I saw it, I thought maybe the tables were special seating for which you paid. When I found out they were free, I didn't get it. I would love to see someone reserve a spot at the Rose Bowl Parade and not be in it. Their stuff would be moved in a heartbeat.

As to enforcement, it shouldn't be that difficult. There are always volunteers and Community Watch personnel at these events. They take care of parking, preventing traffic from going through, etc. I can't imagine it would take more than an hourly walk around the Square and removing all items on unoccupied tables and having a lost and found area for them. They could explain to anyone sitting at a table that they can save their seat but not seats for others arriving later -- if the people aren't there, they have no seats. And if someone says their friends are in the bathroom or getting food, it isn't that hard to come back 15-30 minutes later and say, "Sorry, but your friend still isn't here; you'll have to release that seat."

How about if you take a table, there is a container on it where you have to deposit $1.00 for every seat you and your friends are going to use or someone who collects the money and gives you a sticker to put on the chair(s)? This money would then be donated to whatever charity takes center stage that month.

The biggest problem would be those who save the tables. I can hear the screams and wails right now. For some it really is a RIGHT to save seats, spots. The fact that it is not right or fair to others is totally irrelevant.

I've never let this bother me. If I go to the square when there is a popular group and there are empty seats, I just sit in one of them. If someone has the audacity to tell me that it is saved, I just say "thank you for your information" and continue to sit there and stare. Never have had a problem. If it belongs to someone who is up and dancing, then I just move when they return.
I've done the same thing during Octoberfest or any of the other events. If a table is not filled, I just pull up and empty seat and sit. If I'm told that it is saved, I merely explain that that is rude and continue to sit. So many times, no one ever claims the seat. People save them just in case a friend shows.
Life is just too short to be affected by these silly games.

HEY.... HOWS COME KNOWONE EVER SAVED A SEAT FOR SUE AND I AT THE TREE LIGHTING ?chilout

:agree:

A simple policy that says NO saving seats (applied with common sense) is the best way IMO. It is not subjective or personal and is fair to everyone.

PS. This is the rule at Mallory Country Club Happy Hour when the bar is filling up.

It's that simple.
 

Easy policy, easy to enforce, easy for someone else to sit down if not in use.

This happens a lot here in the Villages, we went to see the movie Blind Side and a little old lady had a half of a row of seats saved . The seats sat there until after the show started, oh and the house was full.:BigApplause:

HAHAHAHA.... LOVE it! Another idea...put their STUFF in a lost and found. Lost and Found open ONLY the next day for retrieval. $1.00 per "look" and a $1.00 for retrieval. Money given to a local charity. Picture taken and placed in a lost and found column in the Daily Sun. Jane Doe, Village of Sunny Seat Saver and John Doe, Village of Rude Crusty Cresthaven
:1rotfl:

Big sign "NO TABLES - CHAIRS ONLY" bring your own folding chair or what ever kind of chair you like. If someone leaves more then one chair unattended for more then 15 minutes they will be take to lost and found.

Great ideas. Now we need to have someone type these up and deliver to the people in charge. This could be my very first Village improvement campaign. LOL

Wouldn't that be a shame to put rules like that in place when most people are caring and respectful of others?

I am sure that those folks who do hold chairs never think that it might annoy or inconvenience others.

I think it boils down to how each of us was raised.

I usually agree with most of your terrific posts Graciegirl, but I kinda part ways with this one. I think that the thought of annoying people does enter their minds, but somehow they rationalize it.

Could be Ajack. Winning through intimidation?

I don't have the b.. I mean the courage...

let's hope you don't have b_ _ _ s Gracie! hahaha

[QUOTE=graciegirl;303130]Wouldn't that be a shame to put rules like that in place when most people are caring and respectful of others?

I am sure that those folks who do hold chairs never think that it might annoy or inconvenience others.

I think it boils down to how each of us was raised.[/QUOTE]

Most people are honest and law abidings. But not ALL, that's why we have laws for the few who are not. Some people only see the good side. I try to live and let live until it effects me. then it time to stand up for what right.I think it boils down to how each of us was raised.[/QUOTE]
I do not inconvenience other for my own pleasure

The folks who save tables and chairs at the Square also go to exercise classes where they stake out their territory (and for their cohorts) with water bottles. I have patiently waited in line for a free sales clerk at a busy store only to have some queen push past because she has "just one quick question" (it's not quick). And then there was my morning at a water aerobics class where a woman entering the pool told me to move because I was standing where she always stands. Reserved seating IN THE WATER. Most people are wonderful. But this thread has uncovered the dirty little secret. The "SPECIAL PEOPLE" who live here. Do you suspect they may also be the speed demons in their golf carts? :loco: