Why you should not wave to golf carts to cross in front of your car at gates

[Indy-Guy]

WHEN I AM IN MY GOLF CART PLEASE DON’T STOP YOUR CAR AND WAVE FOR ME TO CROSS IN FRONT OF YOU

When at a gate in your car please don’t wave for me to cross in front of you with my golf cart. Below is why I prefer you just get out of the way. You are not doing me a favor and please don’t tell me you are just being neighborly.

1. Cars have the right of way so do what you are supposed to do.

2. You are driving an vehicle that averages 4,500 LB vehicle in weight. And you are most likely around the age of 67 or so and you want me to pull my 500 LB golf cart in front of you while you still have your vehicle in drive with your foot on the brake inches from the gas pedal and your vehicle is aimed at where you want me to go.

3. The 67 year old person in their car coming up behind you could be a multi tasker and is looking at their phone and doesn’t see you stopped. They hit you your foot comes off your brake and you hit me.

There may be more reasons but these are the ones that I have thought of.

[bagboy]

If someone does that to you, simply wave them on. Easy solution.

[collie1228]

I can't remember a time when I've let a car waive me ahead - I always give the driver and smile, a head shake and a wave. I, like you, value my life and don't trust anyone else with it.

[JerryLBell]

According to a sheriff from Wildwood I talked to, stopping at one of the gates to let a golf kart through is considered obstructing traffic.

[DeanFL]

WHEN I AM IN MY GOLF CART PLEASE DON’T STOP YOUR CAR AND WAVE FOR ME TO CROSS IN FRONT OF YOU

When at a gate in your car please don’t wave for me to cross in front of you with my golf cart. Below is why I prefer you just get out of the way. You are not doing me a favor and please don’t tell me you are just being neighborly.

1. Cars have the right of way so do what you are supposed to do.

2. You are driving an vehicle that averages 4,500 LB vehicle in weight. And you are most likely around the age of 67 or so and you want me to pull my 500 LB golf cart in front of you while you still have your vehicle in drive with your foot on the brake inches from the gas pedal and your vehicle is aimed at where you want me to go.

3. The 67 year old person in their car coming up behind you could be a multi tasker and is looking at their phone and doesn’t see you stopped. They hit you your foot comes off your brake and you hit me.

There may be more reasons but these are the ones that I have thought of.


TOTALLY agree with all said - with the exception that if there is a line of 4 or more cars waiting at the gate, I will accept the wave and cautiously move our cart onward.

[Chatbrat]

Remember the golf cart has a "STOP" sign, the vehicle going straight should not yield to a vehicle that has a "STOP" sign; also & this is a big ALSO, unless you are a qualified traffic control officer in the state of FL, you have ZERO authority to direct traffic--therefore; you are violating the law when you wave a cart across a path

[Challenger]

Amen, and Amen

[Topspinmo]

IMO This extremely dangerous when there two lanes, you don’t have control over the lane beside you and to car 🚘 that may be coming can’t or has obstructed view due to you’re car 🚘 hiding the cart that might be dumb enough to cross when there multiple lanes to cross. IMO you’re good deed backs up traffic and could get someone injured or killed.

[Topspinmo]

Remember the golf cart has a "STOP" sign, the vehicle going straight should not yield to a vehicle that has a "STOP" sign; also & this is a big ALSO, unless you are a qualified traffic control officer in the state of FL, you have ZERO authority to direct traffic--therefore; you are violating the law when you wave a cart across a path

Ok, now let’s put the shoe on the other foot. When you pull up to gate to enter neighborhood villa off Main road YOU have stop 🛑 to scan gate to get thru. Now you have yield if any traffic in the road to you’re left that blocked by the bushes or guard shack. If some one has already enter the road on the right you have to yield. You just don’t pop out thinking you have the right of way when traffic (cart, biker, walker) are already in the intersection.

IMO, as usual majority think stop sign is yield signs and just run right through, especially at 4 way stops, you’re NOT in line till you stop behind the stop sign. Or the nasty white lines painted across the road that nobody knows why there their.

[JoMar]

I will continue to appreciate respectful and courteous drivers that help traffic move by waving carts through. I will continue to do the same when in my car.

[Nucky]

I have found that not making eye contact with the person who may be trying to cut me a break works great. When I'm sitting there waiting my turn I'm still aware of my surroundings and am aware of what's going on but not looking at them doesn't let them become the Director!

Lot's of solid info here so far! I like it. Indy-Guy was very good. You probably saved a life.

[kcrazorbackfan]

WHEN I AM IN MY GOLF CART PLEASE DON’T STOP YOUR CAR AND WAVE FOR ME TO CROSS IN FRONT OF YOU

When at a gate in your car please don’t wave for me to cross in front of you with my golf cart. Below is why I prefer you just get out of the way. You are not doing me a favor and please don’t tell me you are just being neighborly.

1. Cars have the right of way so do what you are supposed to do.

2. You are driving an vehicle that averages 4,500 LB vehicle in weight. And you are most likely around the age of 67 or so and you want me to pull my 500 LB golf cart in front of you while you still have your vehicle in drive with your foot on the brake inches from the gas pedal and your vehicle is aimed at where you want me to go.

3. The 67 year old person in their car coming up behind you could be a multi tasker and is looking at their phone and doesn’t see you stopped. They hit you your foot comes off your brake and you hit me.

There may be more reasons but these are the ones that I have thought of.

Props for the good post. I will not pull out in front of a vehicle at the gates. Too many times I've seen people involved in crashes with the foot slipping off the brake.

[Polar Bear]

I will continue to appreciate respectful and courteous drivers that help traffic move by waving carts through. I will continue to do the same when in my car.
Irrespective of good intentions, those waving carts through rarely “help traffic move”.

[mtdjed]

Remember the golf cart has a "STOP" sign, the vehicle going straight should not yield to a vehicle that has a "STOP" sign; also & this is a big ALSO, unless you are a qualified traffic control officer in the state of FL, you have ZERO authority to direct traffic--therefore; you are violating the law when you wave a cart across a path
Can you site the law that is violated? There are a lot of things you are not authorized to do, but you are not in violation of law if you do them. So then, it becomes an issue of judgement that may be cause of a lawsuit but not a criminal offense.

[JoMar]

Irrespective of good intentions, those waving carts through rarely “help traffic move”.

Not cars, but carts, pedestrians and bicycles.

[Chatbrat]

Chapter 316, section 123-212--you must be a police officer or a traffic control device

[Polar Bear]

Not cars, but carts, pedestrians and bicycles.
Nope.

“Rarely helps traffic move” applies to them all. And it’s always illegal regardless.

[JimJohnson]

I totally agree. :bigbow:

[coffeebean]

If someone does that to you, simply wave them on. Easy solution.

I have waved on the car driver and the person won't move until I proceed. I wave and wave and they won't budge. Now what I do is not make eye contact with the car driver and actually look the other way. Eventually they get the message that I'm not moving.

Cars have the right of way at the gate crossings. Please don't have a stand off with a golf cart driver.

[coffeebean]

I will continue to appreciate respectful and courteous drivers that help traffic move by waving carts through. I will continue to do the same when in my car.

As another poster already mentioned.....the golf cart driver has a stop sign. The car driver does not have a stop sign. Why confuse the issue?

[OCsun]

If car drivers would be a little more patient and wait for the gate to fully come down before they swipe their entry card, the gates would provide the safety to golf carts as they were intended. This goes both ways!

[Chi-Town]

There are times when a car will stop to wave you on, but there is a car coming in the opposite direction.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[mulligan]

And you would be wrong every time.

[BobnBev]

I will continue to appreciate respectful and courteous drivers that help traffic move by waving carts through. I will continue to do the same when in my car.

I think you don't have a clue. They are not helping traffic move, just the opposite, they are holding up traffic behind them. :ohdear::ohdear:

[zonerboy]

Intelligent people recognize that the main reason we have gates at all is to slow motor vehicle traffic down so that golf carts, bicycles and pedestrians using the multimodal paths can traverse these major intersections with a reasonable degree of safety. If you travel about frequently in Village neighbor hoods, you will come to know that some of these gated intersections have minimal traffic (including some with manned gates) while others are very, very busy. The one closest to my residence is one of the busy ones, particularly at obvious times when many drivers are out and about. At such times it is not unusual to see 5 or 6 golf carts lined up waiting to cross. In these situations I will often come to a complete stop and wave a cart or two to cross ahead of me. I have a rear view mirror and I use it to determine what sort of traffic is behind me. If judgement tells me I am being tailgated or approaching cars are speeding, I will not do this. Every action in life involves some degree of risk, including the risk that cart divers may succumb to impatience and attempt to cross at inappropriate time. If cart drivers do not wish to cross, they indicate their wishes and this is fine with me.

[Chatbrat]

Two of the worst are Bailey Tr and Buena Vista--&--St Charles & Buena Vista, some of the biggest offenders are contractors, who don't want to offend potential customers, by making them wait !!!

[Bogie Shooter]

I will continue to appreciate respectful and courteous drivers that help traffic move by waving carts through. I will continue to do the same when in my car.
Did you read the previous 9 posts?

[GoPacers]

Did you read the previous 9 posts?

Not sure I see the relevance of this comment This thread is full of folks who don't want to see carts waved (or "waived") through (someone explain to me where these waivers can be obtained). Context matters here and not all gates are created equal.

I was waved through multiple gates today and appreciated every one. No accidents, no issues, no hurt feelings and lots of thankful expressions exchanged. A normal day for most of us in The Villages.

[roob1]

Did you poll the drivers behind the persons who waved you through to determine if they were happy and thankful that some fool at the front of their line broke the law and created a dangerous situation by stopping in the middle of the road?


Not sure I see the relevance of this comment This thread is full of folks who don't want to see carts waved (or "waived") through (someone explain to me where these waivers can be obtained). Context matters here and not all gates are created equal.

I was waved through multiple gates today and appreciated every one. No accidents, no issues, no hurt feelings and lots of thankful expressions exchanged. A normal day for most of us in The Villages.

[billlaur]

eye contact, 99% of the time you cant tell who is driving...

[Bogie Shooter]

Not sure I see the relevance of this comment This thread is full of folks who don't want to see carts waved (or "waived") through (someone explain to me where these waivers can be obtained). Context matters here and not all gates are created equal.

I was waved through multiple gates today and appreciated every one. No accidents, no issues, no hurt feelings and lots of thankful expressions exchanged. A normal day for most of us in The Villages.

Big assumption here...…………….