Pedestrian passes

[Chatbrat]

On the unnamed online news source, I was saddened to see that the pedestrian who was hit by a golf cart has died.

People stop walking in the got cart paths please--she was way too young to end her life !!!

[billethkid]

On the unnamed online news source, I was saddened to see that the pedestrian who was hit by a golf cart has died.

People stop walking in the got cart paths please--she was way too young to end her life !!!

Many, MANY of us walk the multi modal paths every single day. I do. And have been for for 15 years.

The death of this individual is most certainly a tragedy, however it was not where she was walking that took her life.

[Polar Bear]

Many, MANY of us walk the multi modal paths every single day. I do. And have been for for 15 years.

The death of this individual is most certainly a tragedy, however it was not where she was walking that took her life.
She was walking on the path next to a sidewalk along a street. IMO, definitely not good...an avoidable tragedy.

[billethkid]

She was walking on the path next to a sidewalk along a street. IMO, definitely not good...an avoidable tragedy.

I did not know that. 100% agree!

[Arctic Fox]

Whether you are walking on a multi-modal path or at the edge of a residential street, if the golf cart driver isn't paying attention then you are out of luck.

This incident reinforces the fact that a golf cart is potentially a lethal weapon, and as much care should be taken when driving one as for any other vehicle.

[photo1902]

Whether you are walking on a multi-modal path or at the edge of a residential street, if the golf cart driver isn't paying attention then you are out of luck.

This incident reinforces the fact that a golf cart is potentially a lethal weapon, and as much care should be taken when driving one as for any other vehicle.

Very nicely put. Regardless of where this person was struck, driver inattention was the cause.

[spring_chicken]

She was walking on the path next to a sidewalk along a street. IMO, definitely not good...an avoidable tragedy.

Not only was she walking in a cart lane next to a sidewalk, she was walking with her back to traffic. 2 BIG mistakes led to a tragedy. Her friends who were on the sidewalk weren't hit, so yes, it was totally avoidable.

[justjim]

Unfortunately the pedestrian was walking with traffic and was hit from behind. Always, always walk against traffic so you can see what’s coming. I have seen walkers that were walking the wrong side of paths multiple times here in The Villages.

[villagetinker]

I see walkers walking on the wrong side (with traffic) all the time, then to compound the error they are wearing headphones! I even tried to call to a couple of them, and they appeared to not be able to hear me.
When walking always walk facing traffic, when riding a bike, always ride with traffic.

[Jim 9922]

And then there are those street and path walkers at dusk or after dark who wear dark clothes, neglect to wear a reflecting garment and refuse to carry a flashing light or operate a flashlight.

[Fredman]

If the cart driver was paying attention the accident could have been avoided. You hit a pedestrian you are at fault period

[ajbrown]

If the cart driver was paying attention the accident could have been avoided. You hit a pedestrian you are at fault period

Spot on, pretty simple IMO.

[Topspinmo]

So sorry to hear, this shouldn't of happened. Did you see the photo of the street where she got hit. Did you see the curve. Golf carts have blind spots and glare for sun, that's why you don't walk with flow of traffic in the street AND ESPECIALLY three abreast yanking and NOT aware of your surroundings. Even if you are right by regulations, don't be dead right by not be attentive able to jump out of the way in case vehicle driver don't see you. Even if they do that don't mean their going to stop in time. IMO Of the rules on walking where sidewalks are available She was breaking regulations walking in street with flow of traffic when side walk was available. Nothing going to make it right for her.

I don't think the golf cart driver seen her, otherwise they would of stopped? You can bit$h all you want about golf carts in this golf cart community. there not going away or the dangers that come when vehicles, walkers, bicycling, and any other form of transportation collides. Only you can try to stay safe

Such damn shame people's have to die when it could of been prevented. Yes, by both parties involved.

[CFrance]

I did not know that. 100% agree!
Another fact was that she was walking not facing traffic. It was a horrible set of circumstances. Too sad for her, the friends walking on the sidewalk next to her, and for the woman driving the golf cart, whose lives are now changed forever.

[Fredman]

Driver said she was watching the white line and police said she was inattentive. No mention of sun glare. I don’t care which wat she was walking the driver was at fault.

[GoodLife]

If the cart driver was paying attention the accident could have been avoided. You hit a pedestrian you are at fault period

Actually not always, there are several cases in which the pedestrian can be at fault.

Jaywalking or crossing outside of the cross walk
Crossing against traffic control signals
Crossing freeways/highways and other road ways without traffic controls, and
In a non-emergency situation, walking along freeways, highways, bridges, and other areas where pedestrian access is prohibited by law.

I believe Florida is a "comparative negligence" state. This means that in a lawsuit, both driver and pedestrian can be ruled to have a percentage of total fault. In this sad case, the walker should have been on sidewalk, and the driver was not attentive. A judge might rule they both have 50% responsibility.

[dirtbanker]

The elephant in the room: a person old and blind, with the "50 second delay that afflicts so many, that should not be behind the wheel of any vehicle...ran over a pedestrian and killed her!

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[EPutnam1863]

Actually not always, there are several cases in which the pedestrian can be at fault.

Jaywalking or crossing outside of the cross walk
Crossing against traffic control signals
Crossing freeways/highways and other road ways without traffic controls, and
In a non-emergency situation, walking along freeways, highways, bridges, and other areas where pedestrian access is prohibited by law.

I believe Florida is a "comparative negligence" state. This means that in a lawsuit, both driver and pedestrian can be ruled to have a percentage of total fault. In this sad case, the walker should have been on sidewalk, and the driver was not attentive. A judge might rule they both have 50% responsibility.

Correct. The driver must always watch out for what may be around the curve. I hit a parked car that was around the curve because I was looking at a house.

[twoplanekid]

According to the Daily Sun, “was walking in the golf cart lane as the carts approached, the report said.
The first golf cart passed Colonna. The second cart, driven be a 70-year old Villages woman, then hit her, according to the report”

I pray for all of those involved in the tragic accident. Be safe out there!

[Taltarzac725]

Villages resident dies 13 days after struck by golf cart, FHP says - Orlando Sentinel (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-villages-resident-struck-golf-cart-dies-20180131-story.html)

Sad stuff.

[Trayderjoe]

Driver said she was watching the white line and police said she was inattentive. No mention of sun glare. I don’t care which wat she was walking the driver was at fault.

Spot on, pretty simple IMO.

If the cart driver was paying attention the accident could have been avoided. You hit a pedestrian you are at fault period

Actually not always, there are several cases in which the pedestrian can be at fault.

Jaywalking or crossing outside of the cross walk
Crossing against traffic control signals
Crossing freeways/highways and other road ways without traffic controls, and
In a non-emergency situation, walking along freeways, highways, bridges, and other areas where pedestrian access is prohibited by law.

I believe Florida is a "comparative negligence" state. This means that in a lawsuit, both driver and pedestrian can be ruled to have a percentage of total fault. In this sad case, the walker should have been on sidewalk, and the driver was not attentive. A judge might rule they both have 50% responsibility.

Both the pedestrian and the driver were at fault. Presuming that we were to place all of the blame on the golf cart driver and allow that the pedestrian was "right", unfortunately she would have been "dead right". Cold sounding? Maybe, but about the only reasons I can see a pedestrian walking in the road (when a sidewalk is present) is if there is a dog in their path (and they are afraid of or perceive that the dog is aggressive) or if there is a sprinkler system going off that is spraying onto the sidewalk. The pedestrian then has the responsibility to stop and wait for the roadway to be clear before stepping off the sidewalk and then should get back on the sidewalk ASAP once they pass the issue. Walking with your back to oncoming traffic assumes your safety, it doesn't own your safety. A tragedy? Yes. Avoidable? Heck yes.

Another fact was that she was walking not facing traffic. It was a horrible set of circumstances. Too sad for her, the friends walking on the sidewalk next to her, and for the woman driving the golf cart, whose lives are now changed forever.

I feel more for her friends and relatives as cold as it sounds. She made a decision to place her life on the line by not using the sidewalk and compounding that decision by not facing traffic and paying attention when she was walking. I am by no means absolving the golf cart driver for her part in this tragedy.

The elephant in the room: a person old and blind, with the "50 second delay that afflicts so many, that should not be behind the wheel of any vehicle...ran over a pedestrian and killed her!

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Where did you see that this driver was "old and blind" and should not have been behind the wheel? I haven't seen anything like that reported. Driver inattentiveness, yes, but why mislead with what appears to be non-factual information?

[billethkid]

folks can continue to offer their take on what , why, how, who.

Rationalizations, opinions, etc., when all gets said and done, just like in an auto accident the one doing the hitting is at fault.......

[Happydaz]

Blame the victim, unbelievable! The woman who was out with the young man and fell out of the cart and died was blamed by some for being there. They forgot he dragged her into the bushes and left her there. No thought to calling 911 for immediate medical care. This other poor woman was hit by a golf cart driver who obviously was not paying attention as she drove her toy car into the woman’s back.

Let’s face it golf carts have killed over 20 people in the last ten years. You just have to drive, walk, or bicycle on the multimodal paths to know why. Most carts have no seat belts, people drive over 20 mph, they pass on blind curves and endanger the walkers and bicyclists as well as the cart coming the other way. People drive these things like they are toys but they kill more people, just in The Villages, than all the snakes, spiders, and alligators in Florida. Everyone is afraid of alligators yet no one in The Villages has been killed by one. No one is afraid of riding in a golf cart, yet 20 people have been killed in the last ten years.

[Polar Bear]

...just like in an auto accident the one doing the hitting is at fault.......
What?!!?

How about...a person slams on their brakes to avoid a kid chasing a ball across the street. A tailgaters hits the braking vehicle.

I can't wait to hear who you say is at fault.

[CFrance]

What?!!?

How about...a person slams on their brakes to avoid a kid chasing a ball across the street. A tailgaters hits the braking vehicle.

I can't wait to hear who you say is at fault.
The one doing the rear-ending in this situation is at fault. Your responsibility is to drive a safe distance behind another vehicle.

My friend was rear-ended when she stopped to let a firetruck exit the engine house. The woman complained to the cop that my friend shouldn't have stopped because no siren was on. The cop said, "Lady, if she stops to pick her nose and you hit her, it's your fault!"

[billethkid]

What?!!?

How about...a person slams on their brakes to avoid a kid chasing a ball across the street. A tailgaters hits the braking vehicle.

I can't wait to hear who you say is at fault.

It is never that simple.
However, rhetorically you admit the hitter was tail gating....guilty.
If they were not tail gating they would still have to defend how they did not avoid hitting the vehicle in front of them...distance...speed...control...distracted...e tc...all boil down to he said they said, the hitter needs to prove they were unable to stop while they were in control of the vehicle....not as easy as it sounds.

[GoodLife]

What?!!?

How about...a person slams on their brakes to avoid a kid chasing a ball across the street. A tailgaters hits the braking vehicle.

I can't wait to hear who you say is at fault.

Poor example. A better example where the "hitter" is not as fault would be

Car runs stoplight, gets tboned by another guy with green light. The "hitter' is not at fault.

Guy driving speed limit and not impaired hits and kills child who runs out between parked cars into street. Driver is not at fault.

There's many more situations where the "hitter" is not at fault. Saying the hitter is always at fault is ridiculous.

[billethkid]

Poor example. A better example where the "hitter" is not as fault would be

Car runs stoplight, gets tboned by another guy with green light. The "hitter' is not at fault.

Guy driving speed limit and not impaired hits and kills child who runs out between parked cars into street. Driver is not at fault.

There's many more situations where the "hitter" is not at fault. Saying the hitter is always at fault is ridiculous.

OK so the hitter is at fault just most of the time!!
Also depends on the lawyers involved which means everybody is game (not fair game).

[Chatbrat]

based upon my observations of golf cart drivers--most of their attention is directed @ their passenger with whom they are involved with very important conversations, operating the cart is secondary @ in this era of being politically correct based upon my observations most of the culprits are not men--ladies . stop turning your heads in order to be so polite and show attention, to your passenger I know this is going to open up a can of worms-- but its true

[Polar Bear]

Poor example. A better example where the "hitter" is not as fault would be

Car runs stoplight, gets tboned by another guy with green light. The "hitter' is not at fault.

Guy driving speed limit and not impaired hits and kills child who runs out between parked cars into street. Driver is not at fault.

There's many more situations where the "hitter" is not at fault. Saying the hitter is always at fault is ridiculous.
I agree with your examples. But beg to differ that my example is a “poor” one. Care to explain?

Actually, never mind. A tailgater hitting someone who is braking to avoid an accident is absolutely an example of the hitter being at fault. Can’t imagine why you would think he’s not.

[GoodLife]

I agree with your examples. But beg to differ that my example is a “poor” one. Care to explain?

Actually, never mind. A tailgater hitting someone who is braking to avoid an accident is absolutely an example of the hitter being at fault. Can’t imagine why you would think he’s not.

Perhaps I misunderstood you. You replied to this:

Originally Posted by billethkid
...just like in an auto accident the one doing the hitting is at fault......

your reply:

What?!!?

How about...a person slams on their brakes to avoid a kid chasing a ball across the street. A tailgaters hits the braking vehicle.

I can't wait to hear who you say is at fault.

seemed like you were saying "What!" "The hitter is not always at fault" Then you produced an example of a tailgater hitting someone, and yes the tailgater (hitter) would be at fault, so basically gave an example proving billethkids point. Thus a poor example to prove the hitter is not always at fault.

[Polar Bear]

Okay...to all that replied to my tailgating example...MY BAD!!! 🤪

Of course I agree that the hitter is not always at fault! I just gave a bass-ackward, opposite-headed example of the hitter obviously being at fault. DUH.

Actually, I was just testing you to see if you were paying attention. 😜 I’m going to go take my meds now!!!

[kaseydog]

Walk my dog several times a day. I stick to residential streets with little traffic always walking against traffic flow. Most disturbing are commercial vehicles speeding. Lawn service ,FedEx,furniture delivery etc. are the worst.

[johnboy]

Many of the multi-modal paths are only on one side of the road, so walking facing traffic is not possible. This accident was preventable by the golf cart driver.

[CWGUY]

Many of the multi-modal paths are only on one side of the road, so walking facing traffic is not possible. This accident was preventable by the golf cart driver.

:what:

[billethkid]

Many of the multi-modal paths are only on one side of the road, so walking facing traffic is not possible. This accident was preventable by the golf cart driver.

not sure where you are referencing, but the MMPs are two way traffic regardless the location.
And even if there were only one way, a person would/could still walk against the traffic direction.

[Polar Bear]

Many of the multi-modal paths are only on one side of the road, so walking facing traffic is not possible. This accident was preventable by the golf cart driver.
Huh? Example please.

[tagjr1]

The key word to your post is "tailgater", aka "following too closely", a chargeable offense in any state. No where in the news article does it imply that this woman was on a "multi-modal path" ! Google map shows this section of Sunset Point Blvd as having cart lanes along side automobile lanes. Under Florida statutes, a pedestrian must use a sidewalk if one is within 15 feet of the side of the road. Failure to do so is illegal. I have in the past observed pedestrians walking in the cart lanes alongside fellow walkers who are on the sidewalk. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen. The cart driver may be exonerated based on the info that the pedestrian was misusing the roadway by walking on the wrong side of the road and failing to walk on the sidewalk when was was available. Definitely an avoidable incident.

[patfla06]

This is just a sad, sad story.
Let us not sit in judgment and remember someone lost their life.
Condolences to her family and friends.

How about we all SLOW DOWN and pay attention and learn
something from this terrible situation.

[CWGUY]

This is just a sad, sad story.
Let us not sit in judgment and remember someone lost their life.
Condolences to her family and friends.

How about we all SLOW DOWN and pay attention and learn
something from this terrible situation.

:BigApplause:

[DonH57]

This is just a sad, sad story.
Let us not sit in judgment and remember someone lost their life.
Condolences to her family and friends.

How about we all SLOW DOWN and pay attention and learn
something from this terrible situation.

Amen to that brother. Today for example my golf buddy an I were coming down Bichara toward Applkebees in the cart lane. Coming off 441/27 onto La Grande a tractor trailer was in the right lane turning right. A car in the left lane went straight across into our path . His vision was completely blocked as were ours. Luckily we were able to avoid T boning them. Had we been in a car we would have struck them. It just amazes me of how so many of these older drivers in this area have survived to the age they are. Not using common sense walking or driving can get us into trouble really fast.