rethinking golf carts,accidents

[tommy steam]

I am hoping to be in TV before the end of the year,just waiting to sell my home. Reading about these golf cart accidents has made me think I might not want one. I have visited TV twice in the last year and have see many drivers not doing the right thing on the roads. I dont know why people are in a hurry. Maby a small sports car like a honda s 2000 might be better than a golf cart. Cars will always win in a accident with a golf cart. My neighbor who moved down there 5 years ago told me you have to be super careful when going around the traffic circles..

[2newyorkers]

Whether I am driving my car or golf cart I use the theory I learned when I was 16 years old and taking drivers ed. Drive defensively; everyone else is an idiot and you are the only safe driver on the road.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Tommy, just to make sure there's no confusion: The only golf carts permitted in the traffic circles/roundabouts are the street legal ones.

My thoughts: Yes, there are golf cart accidents, due to a variety of issues/circumstances. Proportionally, though, I think the number of accidents that occur are small when looked at as a whole (there are a LOT of golf carts in TV). Not downplaying the seriousness of the accidents by any means, though! If people are careful about what they do and are watching/anticipating the potential moves of the other things around them (other carts, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc.), they can pretty effectively keep themselves out of trouble.

Personally, I wouldn't let things dissuade you from getting a golf cart......or at least wait til you're in TV for a while to decide. But you've gotta do what you're comfortable with!

Bill :)

[NotGolfer]

Whether I am driving my car or golf cart I use the theory I learned when I was 16 years old and taking drivers ed. Drive defensively; everyone else is an idiot and you are the only safe driver on the road.

This is exactly how we should drive!!! I was going to post a similar comment on another post then thought better of it....but this is a very good theory and one that I also learned. Apparently however, others did not learn it, or think it doesn't apply to them!!

[n8xwb]

Get the golf cart. I have been here for five years and have a golf cart and a mazda Miata. I have Near Misses in the circles almost every time I take the Miata out. Seems half the drivers dont know the rules in the circles and the others drive SUVs and don't look for anything smaller than a Hummer! Also, if you buy a standard golf cart you can't drive in the circles.

[pooh]

I am hoping to be in TV before the end of the year,just waiting to sell my home. Reading about these golf cart accidents has made me think I might not want one. I have visited TV twice in the last year and have see many drivers not doing the right thing on the roads. I dont know why people are in a hurry. Maby a small sports car like a honda s 2000 might be better than a golf cart. Cars will always win in a accident with a golf cart. My neighbor who moved down there 5 years ago told me you have to be super careful when going around the traffic circles..

Don't discount buying a cart, tommy. This is a community of over 80,000 people, continuing construction and many guests....much like any other city in the US. Places we came from are not without accidents. Well, maybe not golf cart accidents, but still, stuff happens and we have to do our best to make sure we are safe. There are some people who don't think the rules of the road apply to them, some aren't familiar with roundabouts, some just can't READ signs.... ;)

Drive carefully and defensively. Once you're here, you'll see that getting around by cart is easy, fun and generally safe.

When Mike and I were living in Boston eons ago, the traffic reporter always said he was going to get a paint gun and shoot at the cars being driven stupidly while cruising and reporting from his helicopter...that way the State Troopers could easily identify the idiots and get them off the roads... ;) Maybe we need paint ball guns around here... ;)

Good luck on the sale of your home and hurry on down.

[Yorio]

Don't give up on golf carts! It is such a wonderful experience and it is the culture of TV. Besides, if you are a golfer, you need a golf cart. Don't expect to get one at golf courses. By the way, for those golf cart drivers who forget to turn the turn signals after turning, please get a beeper. I did because when I had the rental I was an absent minded professor on occasion. From my personal experience, I believe more ladies are culprit than men IMHO. My pressure goes up when I diligently follow a golf cart with a turn signal and realize, the cart goes merrily along straight.

[PennBF]

It would be nice to have very large signs at every entrance to The Villages
from outside areas say "This is a Golf Cart Community. Please drive carefully and be courteous to all traffic and our laws" Signed: The Residents:wave:

[Applepie]

Can't imagine living in The Villages without a golfcart. It is what makes the Villages different from every other 55+ community. Besides if there were no
golf carts think of the number of cars on our roads. It would be a traffic nightmare. There would be more accidents than there are now.

[Uptown Girl]

If a person operates a golf car with disregard to others, odds are they will probably operate a car in the same fashion, push a shopping cart that way, or lean on you in a crowd with equal disregard.

If you really read all the posts about golf car accidents, you might be relieved to find there are actually very few by percentage.... including some that have been single vehicle incidents, not involving others.

[John_W]

...By the way, for those golf cart drivers who forget to turn the turn signals after turning, please get a beeper. I did because when I had the rental I was an absent minded professor on occasion...

I'm taking my Yamaha in tomorrow to the Villages Golf Car store, they have small turn signal indicator lights they can put on the posts by the rearview mirror that are at eye level for $50. Also, I have the large side mirrors and they actually have a blind spot when you're turning, so I'm having those lowered about 5 inches so I can see above them.

[Ohiogirl]

I'm with n8x. . . (I forgot the rest). I feel much safer in my golf cart than in my car. Only thing I can't control is a car behind me or beside me drifting over into the golf cart lane when I am not on a multi-modal path. And probably the other cart driver heading toward me in a tunnel. And on the bridge. And cars/carts backing out into me. On second thought . . .

[Irish Rover]

Ok, how about this? A drivers test before you can operate a cart. This will probably p--s people off but this place needs a set of defined rules for cart operation. Some people operating carts are not able to get a drivers license. There are more carts here than anywhere in the USA and the odds are you will have a cart related accident sooner or later. Just a thought so don't send a hate reply. Aloha from Sumpter Landing!

[scottiee]

I have been to TV 3 times the next time will be this Fri. I drive slow. That is safe while at TV I am not sure where things are so I go SLOW. Please wave as you pass me.:wave

[jsw14]

I have been to TV 3 times the next time will be this Fri. I drive slow. That is safe while at TV I am not sure where things are so I go SLOW. Please wave as you pass me.:wave

ZZooooooooommmmmmm, Zooooooommmmmm:wave:

[graciegirl]

Ok, how about this? A drivers test before you can operate a cart. This will probably p--s people off but this place needs a set of defined rules for cart operation. Some people operating carts are not able to get a drivers license. There are more carts here than anywhere in the USA and the odds are you will have a cart related accident sooner or later. Just a thought so don't send a hate reply. Aloha from Sumpter Landing!

There is no pee in Lake Sumter.

[CFrance]

But there might be a golf car in Lake Sumter...

[Gretch298]

Could someone post what the rules of those round abouts are? I must admit I am confused and would love to hear the "right" way to make my turns and such. Thanks for the help....:eek:

[CFrance]

In the latest POA magazine, it was stated that you may remain in the right hand lane of a roundabout if you are taking either the first exit OR continuing on through on the same street (i.e., the second exit). As in, if you are on Buena Vista and enter a roundabout but wish to continue on BV and it's the second exit, you may stay in the outside lane. This is different from what has been heretofore reported, but has been confirmed by the DOT.

What they suggest, then, to be safe, is don't enter a roundabout in parallel with another car in the inside lane, especially if you are exiting at the second exit. Try to stagger your entrance.

It's a crap shoot! My friend calls them Roustabouts.

[graciegirl]

Could someone post what the rules of those round abouts are? I must admit I am confused and would love to hear the "right" way to make my turns and such. Thanks for the help....:eek:


As a start to understanding.....please read this brochure.

Go to www.districtgov.org (http://www.districtgov.org/)
Near the middle of the page is Sumter County Roundabout brochure

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Bogie Shooter.............where are youuuuuuuu?

:popcorn:

Bill :)

[hedoman]

Whether I am driving my car or golf cart I use the theory I learned when I was 16 years old and taking drivers ed. Drive defensively; everyone else is an idiot and you are the only safe driver on the road.

Right on! And here I was thinking yu and I are the only sane drivers out there but I have my doubts about you...LOL

[graciegirl]

:popcorn:

[EdV]

Tommy, just to make sure there's no confusion: The only golf carts permitted in the traffic circles/roundabouts are the street legal ones......

One exception to that is the roundabout at Morse and El Camino. The cart path is not in the roundabout but it runs parallel to it and there�s no cart tunnel so you have to cross the roads right in the path of vehicles exciting the roundabout. Even worse is the possibility of following a cart when all is clear but they stop half way across and leave you stranded in the road waiting to get T-boned in your cart.

You have to look at the Google Earth aerial photo of this roundabout to understand what I�m saying here.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

One exception to that is the roundabout at Morse and El Camino. The cart path is not in the roundabout but it runs parallel to it and there�s no cart tunnel so you have to cross the roads right in the path of vehicles exciting the roundabout. Even worse is the possibility of following a cart when all is clear but they stop half way across and leave you stranded in the road waiting to get T-boned in your cart.

You have to look at the Google Earth aerial photo of this roundabout to understand what I�m saying here.

True true!

Bill :)

[Bill-n-Brillo]

:popcorn:

Pass it on down, please!! :D

:popcorn: :popcorn:

Bill :wave:

[zcaveman]

One exception to that is the roundabout at Morse and El Camino. The cart path is not in the roundabout but it runs parallel to it and there�s no cart tunnel so you have to cross the roads right in the path of vehicles exciting the roundabout. Even worse is the possibility of following a cart when all is clear but they stop half way across and leave you stranded in the road waiting to get T-boned in your cart.

You have to look at the Google Earth aerial photo of this roundabout to understand what I�m saying here.

I never follow the cart until it has cleared the next section. And those behind me can beep all the want.