[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

I agree with you. Less fumbling at the gate has to be good. No rolling down windows, reaching for a card, etc.

Or, eliminate the need for cards. Keep the gates. Just have them on a 1 or 2 second delay so vehicles have to stop and be photographed. Then gates can open automatically. Wadayathink?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Or, eliminate the need for cards. Keep the gates. Just have them on a 1 or 2 second delay so vehicles have to stop and be photographed. Then gates can open automatically. Wadayathink?

What is the purpose of the photo?

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

What is the purpose of the photo?

Hint: it ain't to see how pretty you are.

Every vehicle coming in now is (supposedly) photographed. Aids to law enforcement, etc.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Slainte

As a new resident who has been loose in the Villages for an accumulated three days, I admit I’ve done everything wrong mentioned here & then some, while driving in the Villages. For new twits such as me, who have never driven amid golf carts and never in continually gated areas & had no idea how to use the card (waving it at the person at the stand) I would suggest that the Villages provide a sign such as Student Driver so TV people are aware we’re liable to make dumb mistakes. That, and a class on driving within the Villages explaining the gates, golf cart parking, roundabouts, etc including a paper map. Of TV with gates notated would be grand. I apologize to those I endangered/annoyed…

Welcome!

We were all there once. Just as long as everybody survives. Enjoy the best place on Earth.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Really?
Your position is that we shouldn't even try to make traffic control devices optimally visible because doing so would "enable" people with less than optimal vision to continue to drive?
Really?

Yes , REALLY!!!!

I take it you disagree

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Welcome to The Villages, where traffic control devices are designed with the idea that you should just memorize what you are supposed to do, (after all, "we all know they are there"), and with less than optimal visibility in order to cull the weak-visioned from our ranks.

You are going to love it here!

Now you've caught on!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

I agree with you. Less fumbling at the gate has to be good. No rolling down windows, reaching for a card, etc.

So now the current excuse for plowing into a gate that's 10 feet in front of you that you know is there is "distraction from rolling down a window and waving a card" UNBELIEVABLE!

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Yes , REALLY!!!!

I take it you disagree

NO, you have me convinced.

in fact, in order to speed the process up, we should make the bars camo.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Laker14

NO, you have me convinced.

in fact, in order to speed the process up, we should make the bars camo.

When there is ANY credible reason to believe that gate visibility is a contributing factor then it might be worth looking into painting them pink with purple polka dots. However, there is no evidence today that visibility is a factor. Yes, there is a lot of, "I think it must be..." but that is speculation, not fact.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

When there is ANY credible reason to believe that gate visibility is a contributing factor then it might be worth looking into painting them pink with purple polka dots. However, there is no evidence today that visibility is a factor. Yes, there is a lot of, "I think it must be..." but that is speculation, not fact.

Agreed. It’s likely most a beat the gate game and impatient drivers. There is the occasional oversized load in construction areas though.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

So now the current excuse for plowing into a gate that's 10 feet in front of you that you know is there is "distraction from rolling down a window and waving a card" UNBELIEVABLE!

If you follow the thread, it was a tangent. Two Plane said the card added distractions which could contribute to problems, with which I agreed, after having made clear that even the nifty transmitter in the mirror would not stop the real problem, which is not visibility, or the access card, but people running the gate, trying to get through on the prior car's dime.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

If you follow the thread, it was a tangent. Two Plane said the card added distractions which could contribute to problems, with which I agreed, after having made clear that even the nifty transmitter in the mirror would not stop the real problem, which is not visibility, or the access card, but people running the gate, trying to get through on the prior car's dime.

Sure, but if someone is rolling down their window or fumbling for their gate card, then they absolutely, positively KNOW the gate is there, and they are probably 10 feet away from it at a dead stop. We could put fireworks displays and loudspeakers with barking dogs and train whistles on the arm, and these clowns would probably STILL hit it.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

When there is ANY credible reason to believe that gate visibility is a contributing factor then it might be worth looking into painting them pink with purple polka dots. However, there is no evidence today that visibility is a factor. Yes, there is a lot of, "I think it must be..." but that is speculation, not fact.

Obviously, gate visibility is considered important, hence, the law (state and federal) that mandates they be marked with reflective tape. We don't really need "evidence" beyond common sense. If you can't see it, or you don't see it, you are more likely to hit it.

Now, to put this whole thing into context: I never said it was the ONLY factor, nor do I believe it is the main factor contributing to most gate crashes. I was agreeing with someone who said something like "some of the gates are hard to see", and it's a plain fact, that in certain lighting situations, and with certain gates that are beat up and not that reflective anymore, they are difficult to see. They could be made more visible.

I also disagreed with the idea that making them more visible would "enable" drivers with vision problems to continue to drive, and hence, making them more visible is a bad idea.

I did not say it would be worth the effort and the money to change all of the gates to make them more visible and more reflective. I merely agree with the statement that some are hard to see at certain times. In my opinion, it probably would be a good move to periodically examine the gate arms, starting with the oldest ones, and put some fresh tape on them.

The saving grace here is that the gates aren't there to protect motorists from a life threatening situation, such as a railroad train crossing, nor are the cars going very fast when confronted with a gate they may not have seen, so the issue is confined to small damages that are easily repaired.

I have seen a handful of videos of gate crashes, and from the few I've seen the main cause seems to be approaching a gate arm that is in the "up" position, and assuming it will stay up, not slowing down or stopping, and getting caught by the descending arm.
Why anyone would try to sneak through as the 2nd vehicle is beyond me.
I have approached the gate arm that is up for no apparent reason, with no previous vehicle in sight. I hate that. Sometimes they stay up, sometimes they come down.
I approach those gates very slowly.

I also disagreed with the idea that it's ok if they are hard to see because "we all know they are there". As demonstrated by one of our new members, we have drivers unfamiliar with the set up here.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Laker14

Obviously, gate visibility is considered important, hence, the law (state and federal) that mandates they be marked with reflective tape. We don't really need "evidence" beyond common sense. If you can't see it, or you don't see it, you are more likely to hit it.

Now, to put this whole thing into context: I never said it was the ONLY factor, nor do I believe it is the main factor contributing to most gate crashes. I was agreeing with someone who said something like "some of the gates are hard to see", and it's a plain fact, that in certain lighting situations, and with certain gates that are beat up and not that reflective anymore, they are difficult to see. They could be made more visible.

I also disagreed with the idea that making them more visible would "enable" drivers with vision problems to continue to drive, and hence, making them more visible is a bad idea.

I did not say it would be worth the effort and the money to change all of the gates to make them more visible and more reflective. I merely agree with the statement that some are hard to see at certain times. In my opinion, it probably would be a good move to periodically examine the gate arms, starting with the oldest ones, and put some fresh tape on them.

The saving grace here is that the gates aren't there to protect motorists from a life threatening situation, such as a railroad train crossing, nor are the cars going very fast when confronted with a gate they may not have seen, so the issue is confined to small damages that are easily repaired.

I have seen a handful of videos of gate crashes, and from the few I've seen the main cause seems to be approaching a gate arm that is in the "up" position, and assuming it will stay up, not slowing down or stopping, and getting caught by the descending arm.
Why anyone would try to sneak through as the 2nd vehicle is beyond me.
I have approached the gate arm that is up for no apparent reason, with no previous vehicle in sight. I hate that. Sometimes they stay up, sometimes they come down.
I approach those gates very slowly.

I also disagreed with the idea that it's ok if they are hard to see because "we all know they are there". As demonstrated by one of our new members, we have drivers unfamiliar with the set up here.

Now most of that post makes a lot of sense!

Hard to argue with the minimum cost of new reflective tape, but I still maintain that we would be enabling drivers who need to turn their license in. Perhaps the gates could act as a "road test" to see who still passes the exam

And like you posted, the gate arm is hardly a life and death situation, UNLESS: One crashes through the gate into a golf cart or cyclist. Also, if one doesn't see the gate arm at Village entrance or exit at 5 mph, will they see that RR crossing arm at 45+ mph????? Or your grandkid who ran out into a street? Or the line of stopped cars in the left lane of I-75 as they are probably going 50 mph, having entered that left lane as soon as they got on and refused to move over in accordance with the law, creating a hazard for everyone else.

The only other disagreement with that post is that "they know they are there". Ok, I'll modify that to 99+% of drivers know that they are there. This is not rocket science, it is not even advanced driving skills, it is basic operation of a motor vehicle. Unless the gate is protected by a Klingon cloaking device, everyone should be able to see it. (Yes, I know should and do are totally different things, especially among drivers in TV)

[JGibson]

Speed bumps and cameras with the ability to photograph a moving car.
Easy peasy.