question, if u are driving in a cart on a street with a golf cart lane and need to turn left at the next intersection 300 feet ahead, do u, 1) stay in golf cart lane and turn left when u get to the intersection, or 2) merge into the car lane prior to the intersection and turn left from the car lane??....gn

When taking a left in a golf cart, I always merge into the car lane with my blinker on AND a hand signal. The key word being merge and I always use a hand signal for this move.

I see this as the same situation in reverse of the one we were talking about with cars taking a right. The car is crossing a lane of traffic (even if it is cart or bike traffic) and must merge. I know people take exception with the word merge, as a car should never be in golf cart lane, but to take a right in front of a cart I must give the cart clearance AND I must ensure the cart will not try to pass as I slow down if they are not paying attention to realize I am turning.

JMO

aj, my point exactly, when i am turning right where there is a golf cart lane i safely "merge" into the cart lane prior to turning (just like the sheriff said we should do) to prevent a cart from trying to pass while i am turning...gn

Yes, by all means, in a left turn situation, merge into the car lane (cautiously!) and use signal lights and hand signal.

I have no problem with the right turn "merging into the cart lane" method. However, I find it is frequently misinterpreted by the cart driver. I tend to pace myself and let the cart get ahead of me and clear the red of the street I am turning into. (Into which I am turning?). I bet nine times out of ten he/she is totally unaware of my presence.

Legality
 

If a unlicensed golf cart is on a public road (as you suggest for a left turn)
they would be breaking the law wouldn't they?

Some intersections are marked with directions to merge... just because it isn't marked, does that mean it is against the law. Aren't bycyclists supposed to do the same thing? I may be wrong, but I don't think you'll be getting a ticket if you use your hand and signal device.

If the car/truck is in front of you, he has the right of way. Basically, you are on the shoulder of the road once he is by you. We see a lot of this type of accident up here when bicycles are involved on Wildhorse Creek road. Be careful.

I have said before I honestly do not know the legal answer, so I am not willing to bet a beer that my way of taking a left in a golf cart is legal :shrug:. I certainly am interested in finding out.

It is the way I do it, and truly believe it is the safest way. At some point I have to be on the public road to make a left, so it makes sense to me to merge instead of crossing two lanes of trafiic at the turn. Merging lets everyone know my intent, cars travelling in my direction, cars travelling against me and cars waiting in the street I am headed into.

Oh, what the heck I will bet a beer, worst case is that I pay for a beer and meet someone for some good golf cart driving talk :beer3:

Automobiles driving in the lane designated for golf carts, walkers, runner and bicyclists is a dangerous idea. Golf cart operations have the right to assume that since they are unregistered and assigned to that lane, that registered automobile traffic will not encroach.

If there are 5 cars waiting to turn right, do they all merge into the golf cart lane? The same question if there 15 in the middle of winter.

Let's reverse the situation. If there are 5 golf carts waiting to turn right, is the automobile going to get in line behind them? (Ya right!)

Those side lanes were put there to offer golf cart operators a place to drive without fear of being smashed by a car. The side lane is either for unregistered golf carts or cars, not both. If cars are allowed to use them to turn right, they will begin using them as drive lanes as well.

Even if merging into the cart lane was a good idea, not everybody would do it. So you would have two or more sets of rules, just like the traffic circles.

I for one, do not want an Atlas Van Lines truck turning into the lane that is designated for golf carts and walkers.

Myself, i will follow the advice of the police officer....gn

Personally I just sit still until I know I can safely maneuver the way I need to. I'm in no hurry or I wouldn't be in my golf cart. Of course there is always a danger of getting hit from behind by another cart, but I'm guessing I can survive that. Cars have the right of way with me regardless of what the law may say.

I saw a good one yesterday. A car stopped and waved the golf cart ahead of me to cross at the traffic circle on Morse. The guy started out and a car in the other lane zoomed through the intersection, making him have to come to a quick halt. The car had the right of way. I wish cars would take their right of way and just let golf carts wait. I blame the driver that waved him on as much as anyone else involved.

That said, I find myself doing the same thing at times. I have to make a conscious effort to go ahead and let the golf cart driver wait his turn.

Today I was in my cart driving north on Morse. All of a sudden a car that was next to me sped up and cut into the cart lane and stopped. I had to stand on the brakes to stop. It seems there was a police car attempting to pull the car over. The police let me out and I went around the car and on my way but I was lucky not to hit the car.

Ah yes, the joys of automobiles using the Golf Cart Lanes. This discussion isn't even a day old and we have an example of what is going to happen. :eclipsee_gold_cup:

The few who choose to drive into the cart lanes will, in my opinion, be putting cart drivers, their passengers, walkers and bikers in harms way.

Merging into the golf lane in a car to turn right is a new one on me.

Whenever I'm in my golf cart and must turn left, I always merge into the left lane using both blinker and hand signal, just as I do on a bicycle with a hand signal. However, when driving a car in TV, it has never occurred to me to merge into the cart lane to make a right turn.

I just looked at TV's golf cart safety brochure to see if these issues where addressed. It doesn't say anything about cars merging into the golf cart lane to turn right. It does say carts should merge into the left lane to turn left.

Here's what is says:

When making a left turn, after signaling your
intention, carefully merge with vehicular traffic just
prior to the intersection and turn using the proper
signal and turn lane where available. Anywhere signage
or road markings provide such direction; golf
cart traffic should also merge with vehicular traffic.

Golf carts should yield to other vehicular traffic in

all cases.

The bold was in the brochure; I didn't add it. (The second sentence in the brochure with the semi-colon doesn't make sense to me. I guess it's a typo and was supposed to be a comma.)

I have never seen a car here merge into the cart lane to make a right turn. So, if cars are supposed to do that, as the deputy reportedly said, it apparently is not well known. It is possible the deputy was mistaken.

Inasmuch as I've never seen it done, I've never seen anything official saying that it's the proper thing to do, it seems awkward to me, and I think it would surprise and scare cart drivers, I do not plan at this time to start merging into the cart lane here when turning right in my car.

If I find out officially that this is the proper way to turn right, I guess I will start doing it.

P by-the-book Turner (except when I'm not)
:read:

Cashman, It would be legal, just as it is for people on bicycles (or a Segway for that matter). In general, bicycles and golf carts operate on the same rules. One of the major safety precautions people ignore is hugging the curb on roads w/o cart lanes. This encourages automobile drivers to try and 'squeeze' by. The result is all too often the bicycle or golf cart getting clipped with potentially disastrous results.

On two lane roads without golf cart/bicycle lanes, drive in the middle or slightly left of the middle of the lane. This is basic bicycle safety and applies equally to golf carts.

Thanks BBQMAN
 

But I thought bicycles and not golf carts were licensed for roads.

Bicycles Licensed?????

I was curious and googled bicycle license requirements. In California (and probably some other other states), there are provisions in the state statute whereby cities and counties may require that bicycles be licensed. Growing up in California I vaguely recall living in an area where you had to have your bicycle safety inspected periodically and engraved. Don't remember having a license though. Joys of living in a nanny state.

If I get my bike going over 20 mph call 911 - I'll need it after 5 min!:)