Gate Posts Improvement ??
 

It is very common to see the T.V. gate posts knocked down. Virtually every day somewhere.
At times it is hard to see the gate posts in the very bright sunrise/sunset sun.
Recently we visited in Estero, were they have gate posts just like in T.V., but with a big difference!
That is, they have bright Red LED lights on their gate posts. WOW, so much easier (100 x's) to
see when the gate posts are up/down, both in daylight and after dark.
Seems like that would be a great thing to do in T.V., can't believe it would not be that costly.
Not sure how to try to get this done in T.V.??

Current District bulletin has latest gate info.
https://www.districtgov.org/PDFView/...20230413001301

According to the bulletin linked in Post #2, there are approximately 134 gate strikes per month or a little more than four per day. Also, there were nearly as many malfunctions which brings the total to about 8.6 problems each day. With that many incidents it doesn't surprise me that we constantly see a gate down somewhere.

The idea of lights on the gates was raised at the PWAC meeting as recently as this past Monday. The argument against the lights was the cost and the fact that most strikes occur during daylight hours when the lights would be less effective. While the cost per gate might be minimal, the cost for the hundreds of gates throughout the Villages would quickly add up.

Why do gate strikes happen anyway? You mention that they are hard to see but how does that factor in?

- I know there is a gate at each entrance but since I couldn't see it I decided it must not be there and drove through without stopping?

- I know the entrance gate comes down after each vehicle but since I couldn't see it I decided it must be staying up for me and drove through it without stopping?

- The sun was in my eyes and I couldn't see anything so I just drove blindly through the entrance while hoping for the best?

I have noticed that entrance gates are down far more often than exit gates. Is that because exit gates don't always come down between each vehicle so a second car can go through without stopping and without hitting the gate? If so, this just gives more reason to believe that the problem isn't being able to see the gate, the problem is making the choice to go through the gate without stopping.

I had personally asked for a YELLOW (or similar bright color) triangle sign to be added to gates so they could easily be seen under ALL lighting conditions. At the time I was told "these are COUNTY roads and therefore subject to FDOT requirements, and because of this the sign could NOT be added" or something very similar, I gave up.
The EXIT gate a Pinellas plaza has a very LONG wait time to closing. I have seen several very close calls as people approaching this gate ASSUME it is stuck up, and continue at speed, barely missing or actually hitting the gate as it is coming down. My point there needs to be CONSISTANCY in the operation of ALL of the gates.
There have been many comments previously about the RED and White gates blending into the background under various lighting conditions. I know this is true, after cataract surgery I have 20/15 vision, and YES these arms do disappear under various ighting conditions.
While the CDDs may have some limited say on the gates, it appears that any major changes need FDOT approval.

Most frogs know how these gates work from the number of times that they are coming and going.
That leaves most part-time visitors that are confused.

Honestly, when we first moved here, no body told me there should only be one car at time going
though when the gate is up.

Stonecrest has the lighted gates that seem to work better, but I suppose they get hit also.

:bowdown:
(Thanks for the giggle)

Duval Gate at 3am stopped working. Wouldn’t let me out to enter to BV. Just as I was backing out. Community Watch pulled up, and started removing the gate. In all the years we have been in TV, this past year seems to have had more gates stop working,either to enter, or exit.

More importantly I have seen multiple gates, just fall down, in the past year, no need to strike them

There are gate arms at all the entrances to the different villages. If someone can't remember that, they shouldn't be driving a motor vehicle. A prudent person slows down, stops and waves their card in front of the sensor or pushes the red button. If you can't see the arm at that time, get off the road. It's about 10 feet in front of your face. If you can't see a gate arm at 10 feet, how are you going to see a bicyclist, a golf cart or pedestrian walking along the road? If you can't see a gate arm 10 feet in front of you while stopped, you are selfishly endangering a lot of people. Get rid of the car and get a golf cart.

We must comply with the Manual
for Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) standards. MUTCD
requires gate arms to be marked
with alternating red and white 16-
inch sections of reflective tape. We
use Type 2 Retro-reflective Medium
High Intensity, often referred to as
“super engineer grade.” Again, gate
arm visibility is not the major cause
of gate strikes, it is drivers not paying
attention, speeding and failing to
brake in a timely manner.

Gates are way to see. People need to slow down, pay attention and only One car thru the gate at a time ( as posted at each gate ).

traffic lights instead?
 

Why not just install traffic lights lights like they have on metered highway entrances? One time cost vs continuous replacement (except for bulb costs). If someone runs it, not a problem since nothing gets broken.

A simple solution is to add a speed bump and increase the gate strike fine to $1000. TV might as well make some money off these people.

Best reply ever! You nailed it!!

Instead of a round tube gate arm, have a flat arm, pick a width, instead. More to see when approaching, does not blend into the background.

Except maybe the golf cart or bicycle crossing the road