Article in today's Daily Sun: Courtesy not always a good thing

[Villages PL]

This article was in the car section today (June 1). That's section E page 6.

This was a great article describing how people stop their cars to give other cars the right of way. In doing so, they wave them on. And it is forbidden by law, which I didn't know. It's called "directing traffic".

It would be difficult to describe with what little time I have now. Maybe someone else can. Please read the article, if you haven't already.

[missypie]

if someone is tailing me I wave them on and let them go. I have seen more people get pulled over because I gave them "permission".

[BogeyBoy]

This article was in the car section today (June 1). That's section E page 6.

This was a great article describing how people stop their cars to give other cars the right of way. In doing so, they wave them on. And it is forbidden by law, which I didn't know. It's called "directing traffic".

It would be difficult to describe with what little time I have now. Maybe someone else can. Please read the article, if you haven't already.

Very interesting, reminds me of all the people who stop and wave golf carts to cross the road.

[rubicon]

I echoed those same thought on these pages for the last two years. People while having good intentions are creating some very dangerous situationsbecause they are changing normal traffic flow with their good intentions.

[rirlam]

I echoed those same thought on these pages for the last two years. People while having good intentions are creating some very dangerous situationsbecause they are changing normal traffic flow with their good intentions.

I greatly agree. Although well intentioned, this creates a situation where none of parties involved can be sure of the actions or intentions of the other parties involved. If everyone involved just followed the rules as they are legally required to do, then everything would work out safely and smoothly!

[Mikeod]

I saw a potentially tragic result of this a few days ago. A car exiting at a gate stopped to let a cart go across. The cart driver proceeded and turned toward the car to wave "Thanks" not noticing that the entrance gate was opening. If his passenger had not yelled, he would have hit or been hit by the landscape truck coming through the gate.

[borjo]

Wonderful article. PLEASE car drivers, you have the right of way. Do NOT wave a golf cart across the street. The car behind you will be angry and if another car is rounding the corner, he'll not expect a golf cart to be zooming across since once you wave the cart on they often don't look anymore. You could cause an injury being nice. Actually I don't think it's nice, it's stupid.

[redwitch]

It really gets ridiculous. I've had cars stop and wave me on in my golf cart. I refuse to move and tell them to go -- they have the right-of-way. This can go on for two or three waves before the car gets the message to move. To my mind, they're not doing me a favor, they're endangering me and I'm not willing to take the risk.

If there's no cars behind the car, there's no reason I can't wait the few seconds for the car to drive past me. If there are cars behind the car, then there's a risk of getting rear-ended and the front car being pushed into my cart.

The only time it makes sense to me to go when a driver waves me on is when there is a long line of cars waiting at the gate and everyone is pretty much stopped anyway. Then, I believe, it really is a matter of courtesy to let the golf cart scoot across.

[skyguy79]

I agree with the idea that not waving golf carts at gates makes the most sense. However, I do have a few comments I'd like to throw out:

When you stop your golf cart at a gate crossing, does your head directly face the cars going through the gates? If you do you may be sending an unintentional signal to the car driver that you're looking for a courtesy wave through. IMHO, it would be better to take a quick look then face a bit away from the vehicle but watch with your eyes. That my be seen by them as you're waiting for them to proceed first as it should be. It may or may not work, but it's something to ponder. Alternately you can look directly at them, but the moment you see them wave, immediately look away and not move your head back until you see their vehicle proceed. They may then think you didn't see them and move on!
If you're behind a vehicle at the entrance gate that signals a golf cart to go, and you proceed to hit that car at the gate or a vehicle behind you hits your vehicle, it's not the signaling vehicle driver at the gate or the golf cart drive who is legally at fault. It would be you and/or the vehicle behind you that would be held accountable or could include a subsequent vehicle that initiated the contact that created the accident. It's unlikely that the actions of the signaling car or golf cart driver will relieve you or those behind you of that responsibility. So the best thing we can do is to always be alert and PYA against what happens in front of you and focus less on the shortcomings of others... which you have no control over. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

[cquick]

I agree that the golf carts need to wait for the cars.....automobiles are bigger, and it's sometimes hard to see around them. I know it can cause a bit of a backup for the golf carts sometimes, especially around the squares.....but safety first!

[robertj1954]

I echoed those same thought on these pages for the last two years. People while having good intentions are creating some very dangerous situationsbecause they are changing normal traffic flow with their good intentions.

The old adage; "No good deed goes unpunished" seems to apply to these good intended but misguided intentions.