[DavidK]

I have been told that the staffed and unstaffed gate arms are there for the safety of the golf carts and pedestrians crossing at busy points in the villages where the normal flow of cars would not give carts and pedestrians enough time to safely cross. The gates also allow the drivers of the cars to slow enough to see the crossing traffic. The attendants at the staffed gates should coordinate both types of traffic to keep the intersection safe and flowing. To just wave without checking for slower crossers is careless.

[Philipd411]

Originally Posted by schwarz

Looks like potential improvements are being made in the gate system. Currently all for Boone gate appear to be down, and have been for some time. Every time I drive in through the gate or view others doing that, the attendant waves if they do anything at all, except for one lady who trys to slow folks down. Seems over the 16 or so hours the building is being staffed, we are paying around $200 a day to get waved at, while little or no attempt is made to enforce the stop sign that is prominently there. The intersection there has always been dangerous and is worse now than ever.
Put in a series of speed bumps and eliminate the staffing expense. We would all be safer that way.

Speed Bump are the answer. Put in speedbumps get rid of the gate arms.

[LAFwUs]

Originally Posted by Philipd411

Speed Bump are the answer. Put in speedbumps get rid of the gate arms.

No, actually they are not. Multiple reasons why.

The entire staffed gate house, card reader, crossing arm &/or apparent lack of crossing arm 25% of the time or during "storms", is a very -very antiquated, personnel dependent system that should have/ could have been replaced decades ago.
Doing so would have saved substantial $$ over time, yet they keep putting in the same platform/system over & over, refusing to innovate, leading to the same issues, failures and discussion over & over.

I'm guessing it all has to do with $$$, whose making it and wanting to keep it that way...

[PJackpot]

Originally Posted by starflyte1

Sorry, I am against speed bumps. Any speed bump at any speed is very painful to many people with bad backs.

I agree. And it would only be a matter of time before someone runs over the speed bump at thirty miles and hour, and then tries to sue The Villages.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by PJackpot

I agree. And it would only be a matter of time before someone runs over the speed bump at thirty miles and hour, and then tries to sue The Villages.

First one must ask, who owns the street.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by starflyte1

Any speed bump at any speed is very painful to many people with bad backs.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by DavidK

I have been told that the staffed and unstaffed gate arms are there for the safety of the golf carts and pedestrians crossing at busy points in the villages where the normal flow of cars would not give carts and pedestrians enough time to safely cross. The gates also allow the drivers of the cars to slow enough to see the crossing traffic. The attendants at the staffed gates should coordinate both types of traffic to keep the intersection safe and flowing. To just wave without checking for slower crossers is careless.

At the Boone Gate and possibly others - as long as the gates are functioning, it is like a corner with 4 stop signs. There is plenty of time for Golf Carts to cross and very few pedestrians cross there anyway. I believe that one of the original reasons for the staffed gates was to give directions and hand out a small map to visitors that had their friend's or relatives' home addresses but needed additional help. Also, commercial vehicles might need directions.
.........Today most people put an address into their smartphone and receive directions. So, having STAFFED Gate Houses may be redundant today. I would be fine with sensed mechanical lift gates and cameras would be nice to give tickets to people who try to sneak 2 cars through with one gate opening.
.........Staff people could be better utilized in patrol vehicles to discourage crime.