Mardi Gras
 

Just left lake sumter an hour ago. most of the tables already have chairs tipped up with a rope around the whole table. Personal lawn chairs filling up around the gazebo too. better hurry and get down there with your heavy duty rope and empty weighted walmart bag to leave on top of the table

This seems to be an accepted practice, in TV. The only way this will ever stop is for the Entertainment Dept. to put a stop to it. They would need folks in the the square to stop folks from reserving tables and then leaving.

Not worth getting upset over.... If you want a table, go early and rope off your own.

Just left there and the scenario is true. I don't know why it bothers me but it does. We went to Mardi Gras for a couple of years and I am not interested in going again.

I guess it is what it is. When in Rome, rope 'em up. Que sera sera.

When you get to the square if you see an empty seat just sit in it til the "owners" come to claim it. I decided to do that a while ago, no one showed up til almost 7 PM ! I had a nice two hours in their chairs which they "positively identified" as their Walmart bags ! Yeah, right. Decided not to cause a scene so moved on. It's a very annoying practice and selfish too I might add.

The "reservist" might discover
 

that the Villagers that occupied their seats temporarily might be their VERY BEST FRIENDS before the event is over, and probably a whole lot more fun...

Gracie Girl--It bothers me too. My husband rides his bike every a.m. to Sumter Landing--Leaves here at 9 a.m.--came back and said the same thing. Those deck areas completely roped off---just think it is rude and so inconsiderate. Life is too short and precious to spend one minute of it worrying about things I can't control.

If they disappear during the night then it prob. won't happen a 2nd time.
Midnight Raid anyone?

THIS IS "B.S."

What gives people the right to do this.

Rude, Crude and Sociably unacceptable !!!!!!!!

Grow some vegatables folks and put a stop to it. Sure wish I was there right now, I'm sick of this mess....

:boxing2::boxing2::boxing2::boxing2::boxing2:

I may get kicked off here, but I had to speak my mind ...

Normally I'm not a violent person, BUT !!!!!!

I admit I am confused. How does tipping a chair secure property rights?

I mean if resident A travels to LSL at 9:00AM and tips all the chairs around table X what prevent Resident B and his party from showing up early and securing (sitting at Table X)? I just asking.....doesn't first come first serve rule apply?

Maybe this type of reservation system should be covered as question in the annual survey.:Screen_of_Death:

Sounds like chair hogs on a cruise ship. LOL.

i wasn't going to bother going...changed my mind...am gonna go and sit in somebody's 'reserved' seat...am bringing my posse watergun, too! spanish springs - watch out! :22yikes: :smiley:

Imho
 

One fanny in a seat = reserved.

Ha,...I love it!:a20:

Sounds like the Neighborhood Watch SWAT Team better start getting their gear together...

Possession is 9/10 of the law....Wouldn't that apply here?:police:

Butt in chair trumps any rope or Walmart bag. :a20:

The selfish practice of reserving chairs and tables at the squares could lead to conflicts. The conflicts could reach a level requiring intervention by law enforcement. At that point we could see the media (read a certain "investigative" reporter on an out of town newspaper). This could ultimately lead to a "black eye" for The Villages.

I would hope the recreation department will rethink their practice and possibly stop supplying tables at special events. I don't see how they could police the use of tables without causing more conflicts.

The rec dept is in a lose/lose situation. If they stop the practice they make a lot of people unhappy as well as admit we may not be the friendliest hometown. If they continue the practice the events will be dominated by selfish individuals as a lot of people may elect to not attend. Some of those who do attend may choose to occupy seats that have been "reserved". That is when the conflict will rear its ugly head.

It is a shame there are so many people willing to spoil a good thing.

You're right. This practice abounds on cruise ships and at resort pools and beaches. "Go out at 7 AM and put shoes on a chair. Take the day to tour the city, but you know when you return to the resort at 5 PM, your chair will be available and waiting for you".

What secures property rights on tipped chairs? Probably people like me, I guess. I am not into confrontation and arguing about chairs. So I leave the chair tippers alone, and avoid the crowded venues. I figure life is too short to get bubbles in my pee.

What if.........someone were to go take pictures of the reserved tables/chairs and then go back when they are occupied and take pictures of the same tables/chairs with the perpetrators and post said pictures in an album labeling them as appropriate.

I like it!

I would label it>>>>GOT YA<<<<!!!!!!

Personal Chair/Chairs!
 

This practice will never stop and is really out of control during bird season. I admit at times I go to LSL and reserve a spot with my own personal chair/chairs..! Sometimes you have to do what you have to do if you want to enjoy that particular nights entertainment! As far as the tables go, I think the VCDD should have a lottery system going. Put your name in a hat and on the day of the event, draw names!!! :icon_twisted:

I think the simplest solution would be to post signs saying that reserving tables/chairs is not allowed. It wouldn't take long for people to figure out that going down to the square at 7 am and tipping chairs and depositing bags was a waste of time. Confrontations and "reserve" claims could be easily diffused by pointing to the posted signage.

......

It means they had someone sitting at the table all day long to reserve the table for the evening.
I think that is better than going to the square at 7AM and tying a loose rope around a table and plopping a cooler on the table........to me that stuff should just disappear.

I had a wonderful time at LSL tonight. Yes it was very crowded...no I didn't get a seat. I counted my standing and walking as my exercise for the day. I had a wonderful dinner made by The Villages HS Culinary students. :mmmm: Not only was the food fantastic but the price was amazing! Not sure I really ever figured out how to eat the craw-fish they put on top of my Shrimp Creole though:confused: I met some wonderful people, danced some and waited to get my Margaritas till after Happy Hour was over so there was no line. The weather was perfect and I loved seeing all the different "costumes". :jester:

All that said I am very happy that by next Mardi Gras there should be a third square with celebrations going on.

Suzanne

We just got back and it was GREAT!! Why would you want to sit at a table in the middle of the street anyway and miss the action, the Porch Dogs were Fantastic!!

We got there about 3pm and I got a BBQ plate and my wife got a Chick Filet sandwich and we walked over to a table that had 2 people sitting there and the other 10 or so chairs were all tipped up, and I said to the guy in the Red Sox hat, were just going to sit here while we eat, he said fine. We sat there and ate and then we got up and tried to get as close to the stage as we could, it was 3:45 and the place was packed. Luckily I had brought our own chairs and we got up close but on the side of the stage.

The band played canjun music and during breaks different dance groups came out and it was the best time I've ever had at the square. We stayed until 9pm, which I never usually do. Everyone was having a good time.

The only problem was once about 8pm during an intermission and the Gem Stones or something like that, came out to dance during an intermission and 30 of us on the side moved around to see the show and people started yelling "down in front", so we all sat down on the ground, no problem. But one big guy, probably weighed 300 pounds kept standing and a guy from the seats came up and told him to sit down, and he said, if I sit down I can't get back up. The other guy said something else, I was sitting right there, and the heavy guy said, watch your mouth, I thought there was going to be a fight and I was getting ready to jump up, but the smaller guy went back to his seat.

All-in-all, it was a very entertaining evening and short-sleeve weather up until about 8pm, and then we put on light jackets. I never seen so many people at the square. Take the biggest Rocky & the Rollers crowd, maybe 2000. Multiply that by 5 or 6, I'd say at least 10,000 people. Not only was the square standing room only, but you walk out to the street and it was just as packed. It was an unreal sight.

One View.....
 

Here's a view of the square, close to the corner of Redsauce. Actually, lots of folks had already left, by the time I took this photo. But, it was the most people I have ever seen in the square. Anyone know how it was at Spanish Springs ???

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/...son2/photo.jpg

Posting Signs
 

Excellent idea! Also, bringing your own chairs is one thing, but roping off benches, which is PUBLIC property, should not be allowed by TV.

memason - wait til you see St. Patrick's day !

I think the best idea is to move their stuff to the other side of the square. Let them try to find it. Been there,done that.

If there are more people on St Paddies Day you better bring a shoe horn with you when you come!!!!!! Do they serve Irish Coffee? YUM!

Suzanne

Yikes!!! Mardi Gras, no way Jose. I'd rather set my hair on fire and put it out with a hammer. The only thing worse would be finding myself at a New Orleans' Mardi Gras. :loco: Please take my seat.....

I'm with you. We stopped going to anything in the squares during the fall and winter because neither of us likes big crowds. Maybe a reaction to our years in SoCal. :D

We went last year. That was once too many. I didn't mind the chairs being tipped up. We (4 of us) just helped ourselves to chairs which someone had saved. There was nobody around to complain but I wouldn't have cared if there had been. We had as much right to those chairs as anyone else.

I'm with you duffysmom. I'm here to de-stress my life! We took the opportunity to go out to eat at a less crowded country club and then came home to peace and quiet!:wave:

We lived in Japan with 14 Million people (Kansai Area), so this was nothing...

I thought I was the only one that felt this way! I love your fire/hammer reference! :D I attended a couple of Mardi Gras and a few parades. Now I'm very happy to let others enjoy the crowds.

The CDD authorities should post the following sign at the squares

NOTICE

• Reserving tables and chairs in this area is not allowed
• All personal items left unattended will be removed by SLCDD personnel and placed in the lost and found area.

Then prior to the start of the event, have a couple of bouncer type guys periodically go around with a shopping cart and remove the items.