[Indydealmaker]

I have heard that if the "seat saving" does not stop, the entertainment department is going to start charging for seats.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by katsudden

The event person admitted to going around and getting rid of all the "saved" items, cutting the ropes, untying the bags, etc. And yes, he did throw things in the bushes. Ours included. The event person who did this was the supervisor, the guy in blue with the yellow hat. And, yes, he was still doing so when we spoke to him after the event had started. He phrased it to those sitting next to us "Are you with the people saving the chairs?" They answered "no" and he got rid of the "chair savers."

I think the Event Person deserves a promotion. Over 70 posts on this topic, almost all in favour of eliminating seat saving. It doesn't make someone smart to get to a Town Square early, put a sweater on a chair, and go shopping or out to dinner. It just makes them inconsiderate.

[grandma-annie]

This is so refreshing - that someone is finally bringing this problem to a head...
Going to Rocky and the Rollers and finding all the front rows two or three deep tied off is so depressing you just want to go home.... Sometimes people don't show up until 6:00 for those tied off chairs. No one is going to lose their chair by dancing... everyone around you knows that you are present....

[ilovetv]

MINE!!! MINE!!! MINE!!!! MINE!!!!!!

It sounds like two-year-olds at the toy box on their first day of preschool.

The chairs supplied by TV for the entertainment are for community use, first come, first served. But if you're going to take chairs and not USE them for HOURS, then that is just plain selfish and arrogant. Other people who need to sit down end up standing while some selfish seat-saver is off shopping or something that is not watching the entertainment.

The best approach of all is what they do at Brownwood: You're handed a chair as you enter. If you go there ahead of the time, before chairs are distributed, then TOO BAD!! Bring your own!!

Lastly: I am grateful that we even HAVE live music every night!!! There's no place else like this, where there is live music and dancing WITHOUT A COVER CHARGE......every night times 3....free entertainment at 3 squares!

The ingratitude here from a few is appalling and embarrassing.

[DougB]

Not too sure about "live music" every night. I don't consider these one man or even duet private karaoke performances live music. But I do agree with the rest of your post.

[njbchbum]

gracie - great 'photo' of the posse! have resized it to avatar size.

all members should feel free to save to your photos and use as necessary!

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by DougB

Not too sure about "live music" every night. I don't consider these one man or even duet private karaoke performances live music. But I do agree with the rest of your post.

They are "live" singers who are hired and paid (union musicians) to be there and to entertain residents and newcomers for free.

In other places, not even a jukebox is available and if there is one, it is not free.

We ought to be grateful for what we have here.

[villagerjack]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

they are "live" singers who are hired and paid (union musicians) to be there and to entertain residents and newcomers for free.

In other places, not even a jukebox is available and if there is one, it is not free.

We ought to be grateful for what we have here.

i agree. Wholeheartedly!!!!

[JoeC1947]

Originally Posted by buggyone

What type of seat savers did you have on your chair that were cut off? Was it a plastic bag or a nylon rope or what?

As far as the person that suggested (with a smiley face) that lots of people are "packing heat" so we should be careful about saved seats. IF anyone shows their concealed pistol in an aggressive or intimidating manner, they will be arrested for Assault With A Deadly Weapon and face some serious jail time. That has happened at least twice I know of in The Villages and dealt both times with parking spaces. Just call 911 if it happens to you - I know I will!!

You can't really believe that someone is going to pull a gun on you to get a chair?

[redwitch]

I don't have a dog in this fight -- I really cannot tolerate crowds and stay away from the squares for this reason. However, that being said, I totally understand the frustration of saving a seat but not being in the seat.

I liken it to the people who get in lines early for tickets. If they leave and no one is willing to save their spot (even to go to the bathroom), they lose their spot. They don't save a spot for a group of their friends. (I've seen serious arguments over a single friend joining the one in line.) Plain and simple. You want to get there early to save a seat, great. More power to ya! But stay in that seat. Don't go off to dinner or back home for a nap. Don't save seats for folks who aren't there. If you want a seat, you need to get your rear in said seats. Period. There's no excuse for that seat being empty for more than 30 minutes prior to an event (and if there are two or more of you, one person leaves at a time -- get your food to go -- the rest stay with the chairs).

As to bringing your chairs to save a spot, sorry I think the same basic attitude should apply -- you bring the seat, you put your rear in it. Otherwise, the chairs should be folded up and removed to a "lost and found" spot. For some events in the past people were bringing card tables and chairs and setting them up the night before. I believe this practice has been banned.

However, there is no excuse for staff members (or anyone else) throwing items into the bushes. That's called littering and can damage the bushes and hurt the birds and other critters that might try to eat one of the items. I think they should gather up whatever the seat saver item is and throw it away if valueless and make a pile in one area where people can find things of value. To toss them into the bushes is just as wrong.

[Golfingnut]

Does anyone know an entertainment department person. It would be a wonderful Idea to print the link to this thread and provide it to them. If they are in anyway considering making saved seats a true NO NO, this would help in their decision.

[paulandjean]

"Seat Savers" Thats why I like to sit in my cart,drink a few beers,and away from that madness.Have one on me.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by paulandjean

"Seat Savers" Thats why I like to sit in my cart,drink a few beers,and away from that madness.Have one on me.

Did you realize that the police can (and do) cite people for sitting in their golf cart on a public road (and the streets around the squares are public) for the open container law? Last year the Daily Sun carried an extensive article on the citings. It does carry a hefty fine.

[buggyone]

Originally Posted by JoeC1947

You can't really believe that someone is going to pull a gun on you to get a chair?

I can fully believe that some of the people who do carry a gun on a regular basis while in The Villages would pull their jacket open or raise their shirt to show their gun if you took their chair and refused to vacate it. This same scenario has happened over a parking space a couple of times in The Villages. Since it has happened over a parking space - I think some hothead would do that same thing over a chair that they thought was theirs.

[JoeC1947]

Originally Posted by buggyone

I can fully believe that some of the people who do carry a gun on a regular basis while in The Villages would pull their jacket open or raise their shirt to show their gun if you took their chair and refused to vacate it. This same scenario has happened over a parking space a couple of times in The Villages. Since it has happened over a parking space - I think some hothead would do that same thing over a chair that they thought was theirs.

Your beliefs are your beliefs and it's your right to believe that you could be threatened with a firearm over a seat at the square. If you believe that, do you also believe that there are other situations in The Villages where that might happen? Personally, I would not want to live in a place where that might happen and if I really did believe that that could happen and I couldn't or didn't want to relocate then I would carry a firearm at all times when I went to the squares or, just not go at all or, not mess with saved chairs and sit in my cart and have a beer right along side paulandjean. I'd rather take my chances with the police.