[Maker]

I think the Morse/466 gate needs to be a separate issue, independent of what happens to all other gates. They are two vastly different discussions.
For all the other gates, either have them auto-open or get rid of them (my vote). I think the piles of stuff in the median cause more problems than gates "solve". The line of sight is blocked. Many places carts cannot see approaching cars. That alone should be justification for removal of gates and all those obstructions.

[TalkTalk]

Originally Posted by MikeVillages

I vote to keep the gates. They are also needed to help protect the golf carts.

YEP! Absolutely needed. 100%.

Some of the entryways make it impossible to see cars coming to know when it's safe to cross in a golf cart. MOST, actually, due to the neighborhood signs blocking the view of cars coming.

Why aren't those signs higher up or farther from the golf cart crossing or something, so it's safe for golf carts to cross?

You can usually see from your golf cart if a gate is up or down, though, even if you can't see the actual car stopped behind the gate. Those gates are so valuable for crossing in a golf cart.

Anyway, I imagine these gates save people from countless car/golf cart accidents, including some deaths.



Also, WHY would they be talking about getting rid of this life-saving feature after all of these years? I think the usual "follow the money" theory explains this. Only reason I can see is so there's more money in the pockets of the people who sign the checks to pay the bills due on the gates.

And the homeowners surely won't ever see the CDD ("CDD"?) fee go down in accordance with that money saved.

[Switter]

Coming from the perspective of a bike rider, I'm grateful for the gates. Depending on the direction you're coming from, the attendant building blocks your view from seeing if there's a car coming. If I can see the gate is down I know I can safely cross. I don't care either way about having attendants. If they got rid of the gates altogether they would have to get rid of the buildings for visibility reasons. I know people hate them but speed bumps would be another option. They'd have to be reasonably aggressive though, as another poster mentioned, to force people to slow down. Personally, I prefer speed bumps over a gate. Then you don't have to mess with finding your card and rolling down your window.

[RcCalais]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Apparently some of the CDD’s are considering possible changes to the current gate system utilized in the Villages.

From what I understand, there are three options being discussed.

1) Keep as is
2) Eliminate gates
3) Keep the gates, but get rid of the attendants

Perhaps there are other options being considered that I’m not aware of?

Based on the three options listed I’m curious what option others favor?

Personally, I would favor keeping the gates, but getting rid of the gate attendants. I feel the gates are necessary to slow automobile traffic so golf carts can safely get through gated intersections. However, I don’t really see any benefit of having the attendants. In fact, I think having a gate attendant at the 466/Morse gate is a detriment. The attendant typically just holds the gates open waving cars through as fast as possible, alternating between the two gates, leaving no openings for golf carts. Without the attendant, automobiles would have to stop and either waive their gate card or push the little red button, leaving openings for golf carts to cross. I suppose the only time I could see the gate attendant as being helpful would be if the gate was temporarily broken, so they could hold up a stop sign to slow down automobiles not being constrained by a gate.

Might be a little awkward w/o an attendant. Two lanes into one at the same time in such a short distance has to end up with problems.

[La lamy]

Another vote for keep gates, no attendants. Unless it's a traffic hazard to not have an attendant, i.e. Morse and 466.

[Road-Runner]

I keep hearing others say that the card readers have been "repaired" or "improved" somehow, but I can 100% confirm the readers entering Bradford almost have to be struck with the badge to work. By far the worst readers we've ever used after living in several different "gated" communities. Fix them or get rid of them, I'd prefer the former but the latter works.

[Nealg]

Keep the attendants and UPGRADE TO A TRANSPONDER SYSTEM

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Switter

Coming from the perspective of a bike rider, I'm grateful for the gates. Depending on the direction you're coming from, the attendant building blocks your view from seeing if there's a car coming. If I can see the gate is down I know I can safely cross. I don't care either way about having attendants. If they got rid of the gates altogether they would have to get rid of the buildings for visibility reasons. I know people hate them but speed bumps would be another option. They'd have to be reasonably aggressive though, as another poster mentioned, to force people to slow down. Personally, I prefer speed bumps over a gate. Then you don't have to mess with finding your card and rolling down your window.

And that's fine if you are riding on the MMP and crossing the road at the gate. What do you think of this scenario that happened to me last month: Halfway across waiting for cars to pass at the Hillsborough/BV gate, turning left onto Hillsborough from south BV MMP, I watched the gate close (gatehouse blocks view of cars approaching), started to turn when a cyclist blew full speed right AROUND the gate from BV. I have the feeling that even though that cyclist was a moron, I would be liable if there was an accident.

[Justputt]

I see a few issues, one being speed control which I think could better be handled by speed cameras set with maybe a 5 mph buffer (e.g. 35 in 30 ok, 36 ticket), which is a lower setting than usual. Nothing slows people down like tickets in a state with high auto insurance rates!! The second issue is traffic control for carts/bike, and while the gates help somewhat throttle the flow, they're far from enough. For example, any busy evening trying to cross Meg at Sawgrass can be difficult because the traffic going through the two proxy gates going south and the 2 trip gates going north leave them mostly open one direction or another preventing safe crossing. At the busy crossings put in a "Walk" button to freeze the gates closed for carts/walkers/bikes for X-seconds would be better, since they would work like other street crossings that have buttons.

Lastly, transponders would be a much better solution so Emergency Vehicles could just have the gates open as they approach, and the same for the rest of us for the gates where the proxy card reader is less sensitive or when it's raining.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Exactly my point.

Because the attendant keeps the gate open, the traffic keeps flowing and does not back up to 466.

If you get rid of the attendant, then every car has to stop to wait for the gate to lift, and you would then see the traffic backed up to 466.

Having the attendant prevents that from happening, which is why you have never seen it.

Exactly my point as well. If the traffic never backs up even close to 466, why are the gate attendants too lazy to turn around and check for golf cart backups behind them. Since automobile traffic never backs up near 466, why not periodically hold up the cars for a few seconds and let a few carts safely crossover?

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Exactly my point as well. If the traffic never backs up even close to 466, why are the gate attendants too lazy to turn around and check for golf cart backups behind them. Since automobile traffic never backs up near 466, why not periodically hold up the cars for a few seconds and let a few carts safely crossover?

I just heard confirmation today that the attendants are supposed to stop each car before it goes through the Visitor gate. Perhaps that is happening at 466 but my guess it is not and instead, as I have seen happen, the attendant simply waves the entire line through.

Even if they didn't periodically look at the carts waiting to turn, if they stopped each car coming in through the Visitor gate, or better yet, if they held up each car such that traffic through the two gates was staggered, it should really help the situation.

[coffeebean]

I would like to see the exit gate at Morse and 466 removed. What is the reason for that gate anyway? The gate is beyond where the golf carts cross northbound Morse Blvd to make their left turns. The gate at this location does nothing to help golf carts.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

I don’t know how I have survived my 20+ years as a Villager, getting soaking wet all those times.

I don't mind getting me wet but I do mind getting the buttons on my driver door wet when the window is open and it is raining. This is why I never open my window to get through the gate. I hold my gate pass to the window and rest it where it won't fall. I'm glad the gates open every time. I just have to pull up close enough to the reader and that is not a problem as I have been doing that for several years.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

If that were the case, why are there attendants at only -some- of the gates?

I agree. What do people do when driving around and there are no gate attendants to answer their questions? Isn't that what map apps are for?

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

I would like to see the exit gate at Morse and 466 removed. What is the reason for that gate anyway? The gate is beyond where the golf carts cross northbound Morse Blvd to make their left turns. The gate at this location does nothing to help golf carts.

Actually, that gate does help. Since the cars have to slow down approaching the gate, it allows southbound golf carts a better opportunity to cross from the golf cart lane on the far right into the center median, where they again have to crossover against the northbound automobile traffic to get to the MMP. Golf carts face two separate and potentially dangerous crossovers going south.

Now, if that gate was moved in front of the golf cart crossing into the median strip, instead of well after it, that would be even more helpful.