[Wondering]

First of all why would you have your insurance pay for the damage and then have your rates go up? Secondly, I believe the cost to repair/replace is $250. Lastly, the gates are a joke. The roads belong to the county and anyone can have access to the community, so the gates don't serve a security purpose, just a window dressing.

[brianherlihy]

y do we have gates we all can get in not . just push the red dot and drive in

[mminternet]

They need to have flashing lights on the gate arms! Some stop signs have flashing red lights throughout the Villages. Why not the gate arms???

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

Perhaps gate visibility may be part of the problem.

Well, if they can’t see the gate they DO NOT need to be driving.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Wondering

First of all why would you have your insurance pay for the damage and then have your rates go up? Secondly, I believe the cost to repair/replace is $250. Lastly, the gates are a joke. The roads belong to the county and anyone can have access to the community, so the gates don't serve a security purpose, just a window dressing.

You don’t drive a cart, do you? Carts crossing the streets where gates are at least gives them somewhat of a chance to not get run over by the crazies.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Mrfriendly

Is it possible this Repair system is set up to be a moneymaker for The Villages? Some people seem to think $250 repair is way in excess of actual cost to replace gate.
$250 X 10… Hmmm

When I posted the original post, that was in the back of my mind, but no one seemed to pick up on it ... which is why I asked about Auto Insurance picking up the tab. I suspect a lot of people just turn it over to their insurance company and they probably get a big bill from TV.

Food for thought.

[Gizemo33]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

Besides paying the cost of a new gate, the guilty party should also pay for admin fees, a hefty punitive fine, and be ticketed as well.

Michael,I am so happy you weren’t on my jury. You sound like a “hang them high” guy.

[Rodneysblue]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Yesterday coming from UPS store and square one in golf cart stopped to push the gate button.

Gate started up hesitated At moving 2’ then back down. Pressed the button again gate slowly went up and they proceeded to swing sideways and fall across the road. Good thing I didn’t rush the gate.

This would be the third gate in a week that I have watched fall down all by itself. Wonder if they count those 10 gate crashes are in the numbers he spoke of. When in reality it could be the bolts just giving away, or poorly installed bolts. So yes gate crashed, but no vehicle involved.

The camera will pick up car plate, but carts have no I’d, so once a year TV posts the pics and ask for help to Id carts. Last post fee was $250. But that been awhile

Previously hit but didn’t fall off completely.

[Nancy@Pinellas]

Each gate crashes gets billed $250. This happened to our neighbor and he had reported that he did it.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by paulajr

I almost got hit by the gate yesterday, when the person in the lane next to me exited their gate..then decided to STOP and wave on golf carts…which caused me to be stuck under MY gate! I panicked as it started coming down..but luckily went back up. The guy behind Him/her was also trapped. 🤬

I've only been in TV for 3 years, but this is something that always aggravates the heck out of me. Automobiles have the right of way. When someone stops to let me pass in a golf cart, I always wave them through. I don't want to take the chance if they change their mind or not paying attention.

I think the average "visitor" to TV, believes golf carts have the right of way and I think that causes a lot of problems.

Yesterday's "access gate" problem was on Morse Blvd (near Barraza Ct), where you need to drive your cart on Morse to get up to Tierra del Sol. There's some dope manning the gate with a "Stop Paddle", waving cars through. It's like a 3 Ring Circus, trying to make the left turn to get back on the MMP. One day last week, there were at least 6 carts sitting in the middle of Morse Blvd, while the on-duty "guard" was completely oblivious to what was going on.

Just my opinion, but when operating properly, the gates do their intended job. When there's an "attendant" on duty, potential disaster sets in.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by Michael 61

Besides paying the cost of a new gate, the guilty party should also pay for admin fees, a hefty punitive fine, and be ticketed as well.

Hyperbole , I hope Michael

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by GizmoWhiskers

Just curious, I didn't know of a Village south of 44 since 2007. But then my brain fog cleared up to realize that would be outside of The Villages (?) which would mean you have seen a lot of the growth in T V.

I do think the reference posted referred to new people to the area maybe not reading, and/or accepting and/or adhering to the signs and/or honoring what is posted. They then don't see or bum rush (or not) the gates.

Gates falling down shouldn't happen for sure!

I have a great inexpensive Garmin dashcam. I love it. It would catch a falling/broken gate like it caught a man and his wife that almost caused me to t-bone them as I passed toward a gate coming out of the roundabout. He did not even look left. His wife did. I can still see the look of terror on her face and so can my camera!

I have a friend who owns a driving school outside of the Bubble but does most of their business in the Bubble and for good reason.

We started renting in Caroline in 2007, (LSL was newer, SS very established) went to Mallory in 2008. We bought in Pennacamp, 2010, Fernandina, 2012 Duvall 2014, and built in Richmond 2023.

I travel while pretty much everyone else is sleeping, newspaper guys, community watch, and I wave to the Wildwood leo sitting at 44 and Buena Vista.

Sometimes gates almost look like they’ve had too much to drink when they start wobbling back-and-forth then swing sideways and fall off. My guess would be that one of the bolts has fractured and the other one just barely holding on. Since January have watched 4 gates fall all by themselves. Usually I am the second car waiting. As I said the gates weigh more than you would expect them too.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Sometimes gates almost look like they’ve had too much to drink when they start wobbling back-and-forth then swing sideways and fall off. My guess would be that one of the bolts has fractured and the other one just barely holding on. Since January have watched 4 gates fall all by themselves. Usually I am the second car waiting. As I said the gates weigh more than you would expect them too.

I would guess that's ripe for a lawsuit against TV. If I gate fell on my car, I'd have my lawyer on the phone, before I got the rest of the way through the gate.

[bsloan1960]

Originally Posted by BrianL99

I played golf last week, with someone who works for Community Watch. He told me that we average 10 "gate crashes" per day.

I went to a dog park today. Of the 3 gates I went through (or around), 2 were under repair. There's a gate in front of the Mallory Club House, that seems to get broken at least 3 times/week.

I assume the "crashers" get billed? I assume their insurance pays? Are there really 10 per day? How much does the crasher get charged? How much does an average repair really cost?

I assume this has been going on since The Villages began? Maybe it's time for a different solution?

Perhaps equipping the Guard Shack attendants with Paint Ball guns?

Skin in the game: Have strips made of an abrasive material hang from the gates. You try to dash under the gate as it closes and this material scuffs your car's paint. Some entitles people will only modify their behavior due to self interest.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

Well, if they can’t see the gate they DO NOT need to be driving.

Fog, rain, lost against the background, etc. Lots of reasons someone might miss seeing the gate. Even old eagle-eyed individuals (I assume you're ne by your comment) may have missed a few things over the years, and probably never realizes it. Just mho.