[Challenger]

Originally Posted by gadaboutgal

Take the ridiculous gates down--they were purposely put up so that The Villages could claim to be a "gated" community. I would really like to know where the legal authority is granted to The Villages to put up the barriers on public roads. Would someone be able to point me to the law providing them this right? And if the gates are on public roads, then why are the citizens of The Villages required to pay for their upkeep? Why are they not funded by the government?

Leave the gates alone. It is hard to imagine how many serious accidents would occur ( crushed golf carts) without them. Would like to see statistics on amounts collected from those who smash into the gates???

We have two carts and travel everywhere (in TV) in our chariots. I shudder to think about the results if they are removed.

[RVRoadie]

It is time to set all the gates to "auto open", just like they do in the new construction areas. You drive up to the gate, stop, and it opens automatically. Enough of the red buttons and swiping gate cards.

[Uptown Girl]

I think the gates should have spikes... BIG ones.... and exploding bags of dye that permanently mark the vehicle, so we can all see who the jerks are that break gates and keep going. International Orange would be a good color to use....

I used to think the gates should have electric voltage running through them, but I have mellowed a bit.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by RVRoadie

It is time to set all the gates to "auto open", just like they do in the new construction areas. You drive up to the gate, stop, and it opens automatically. Enough of the red buttons and swiping gate cards.

I agree, it's so hard to push that red button at this age and those cards, can't they make them out of something lighter. Since we are old, pushing buttons and swiping cards are becoming so difficult.

[TV-4-2]

When the developers construct a village they produce a deed for that village. The deed stipulates whether or not there should be a gate, where to place it, and whether it's manned or unmanned.
When the deed is turned over to the VCDD they have to honor the deed and cannot change what is in it.
Maybe someone can get the developers to change the deeds to be less restrictive in future Village building, but I doubt it.
As far as training drivers or changing their attitudes - good luck.
Larry

[Johnd]

I am the original poster and my premise was that the gates at Stillwater and Canal are consistently broken more than any other set of gates in the villages. I have not seen that challenged. Since August 1st, the a resident gate has either been on the ground or reset at a ridiculous angle. The nonresident gate is out of order and set in an open position. This is not unusual. I am going to speculate that one or the other of these two gates is broken more often than both work.

I think it's probable that being the first gates South of Lake Sumter landing contributes to the problem. It might be strictly traffic volume leaving the landing. It could also be that some of the drivers are not as coordinated as they were when they went into the square.

If you make a challenge to my claim of worst gates, please supply details.

[trimmingthevillages]

well put! couldnt agree more.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

I think the gates should have spikes... BIG ones.... and exploding bags of dye that permanently mark the vehicle, so we can all see who the jerks are that break gates and keep going. International Orange would be a good color to use....

I used to think the gates should have electric voltage running through them, but I have mellowed a bit.

I'd pay good money to see that show! Just another example of impatient people.

[Jim Stickel]

Barber pole red stripes on a bright white background is nearly impossible for some old folks to see. Unless one is looking for the gate to be down there's a good chance one will bang into it.
The most difficult gate is the golf cart only gate on Belvedere (the 1st gate south of 466). If one's golf cart wind-shield is up, one's expected to look through Lexan and detect a red stripe against bright white ...in bright sun, unless you're expecting the gate to be there, you're toast.

[Jim Stickel]

Barber pole red stripes on a bright white background is nearly impossible for some old folks to see. Unless one is looking for the gate to be down there's a good chance one will bang into it.
The most difficult gate is the golf cart only gate on Belvedere (the 1st gate south of 466). If one's golf cart wind-shield is up, one's expected to look through Lexan and detect a red stripe against bright white ...in bright sun, unless you're expecting the gate to be there, you're toast. A yellow stripe (ADA approved) might help

[Vicsterme]

My husband came to the gate on 466 and Morse Blvd - North and he did not see that a tandem bicycle was coming through the gate with him. The bike went through while my husband was going slow and the gate came down and put 4 big dents in the roof of the Caddy. Get rid of the gates

[MDLNB]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

It they can't see the gate ? How that going to stop people from not stopping? Gates And speed bumps would work better IMO. Something that would rattle you teeth out it you were going over 5 mph entering the gate

Excellent idea! Never thought about speed bumps. That will slow down most folks.

[MDLNB]

Originally Posted by Vicsterme

My husband came to the gate on 466 and Morse Blvd - North and he did not see that a tandem bicycle was coming through the gate with him. The bike went through while my husband was going slow and the gate came down and put 4 big dents in the roof of the Caddy. Get rid of the gates

Not such a good idea. If a shopping cart causes a scratch on your auto, are you going to suggest the store get rid of shopping carts? The damage to the vehicle was caused by inconsiderate people, not the gate's fault. The gates do not keep people out, but they do work as a deterrent against those seeking an easy target.

[MDLNB]

Originally Posted by Gerald

YOU ALL ARE REALLY SILLY. THE GATES GET knocked down mostly by people trying to rush through with the person in front of them. Sometimes a large truck is pulling a unit behind, and that hits the gate. there are cameras that records the incidents. People are charged for the damage. 99% of the people in the villages have no problem with the gates.

[MDLNB]

Originally Posted by dillywho

Why would the OP assume that it is only "impaired drivers coming back at night from LSL"? Our Summerhill gate is down quite often and it has to do with primarily impatient, not impaired, drivers. My big question for anyone is "why do they feel the need to piggyback through the gates?". They can't spare an extra maybe 10 seconds to reactivate the gate? Don't have your card? Push the button. Easy. Don't have time for the exit gate to go up? Too bad.

Our exit gate was inoperable yesterday and they had a stop sign in place. I stopped, effectively irritating the guy behind me, and then when we got to the corner and I was going to turn left, he came up to turn right and blew right through the stop sign on CR101. Think he would have stopped at the one at the gate had he not been forced to do so by my stopping??? Neither do I.

I agree. I see golf carts blowing through stop signs EVERY day. They don't even slow down or hesitate. Always in a hurry. I get the idea that most of them did not drive much up North and have forgotten the rules of the road when driving golf carts down here.