New Villager driving question

[Cloud Nine]

Living here a bit over a month now and loving it !

I do have a question about right of way on right turns. When a car and a golf cart in a golf cart lane both want to make a right turn onto a side street who should proceed first ? Assuming both vehicles arrive at approximately the same time ..... should the car allow the golf cart to go or the cart let the car go ?

Any serious answers would be greatly appreciated ....!! :)

[rubicon]

If I understand your question the vehicle closest to or arriving first at the turn has the right a way. Of course we have cars that will try and run you over every time you attempt to merge into traffic from a diamond lane. so you may be ahead of the car but don't bet the farm that the driver won't attempt to accerlate and get by your cart. Psychologically i believe this type of car driver views carts and bikes as pests

[downeaster]

When in doubt give the cart the right of way. Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, the golf cart is very vulnerable. A collision between a golf cart and a car, even at slow speeds, can bring serious harm to those in golf carts.

[blueeagle65]

Were I in the golf cart, the car would proceed first. I was taught early on that the larger vehicle would always 'win' in the event of a confrontation. Of course there is a certain segment of the population here that assumes that THEY always have the right of way regardless of laws or common courtesy.

[aljetmet]

Now I have limited experience driving in TV as I've only been on the roads when searching for our home. I might add when I was on our LSV and drove the cart, I always let cars do whatever they wanted. I was always passed by other carts on Buena Vista cause well you know why.

If the car and cart arrive at the corner at approximately the same time, I would venture to say that the car had to over take the cart because cars travel faster than carts. That being said the odds are the cart driver would think he had the right of away and the car driver should yield probably all of the time. I would think it could get dicey when ther are mulitple carts and cars...

[Mikeod]

If I'm in the cart lane and a car slows beside me to take a right turn, I back off so it's obvious the car is there first. #1 the car will likely travel faster than I on the new road, and #2 the traffic behind the car will be more affected by the car waiting for me than the cart traffic will be by me waiting for the car. It really helps if the car uses turn signals so I know it wants to turn right.

[StarbuckSammy]

If you are driving a car and the cart is beside you on the right, I would let the cart turn first. If Iam in a cart I tend to slow down and let the car turn first to avoid any problems.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

If I'm the one in the golf cart I will let the driver of the car go first everytime. i don't care who has the right of way it's not worth dying to make a right turn or any turn for that matter

[SALYBOW]

Since I was almost killed by a car coming from behind me and turning right in front of my I would suggest you in the cart always yield to the cat. The car is bigger!:bigbow:

[ohhappyday]

One thing I noticed today...golf carts need to get merged into traffic. I had one wait till the last second and I didn't see the merge sign so he was kinda stuck. There had been no one in front of me at that time so he should have merged out earlier. Take the right of way guys...merge...merge..don't wait till the cars are on top of you and you don't know what to do! Waiting gets you hung up or causes a problem.

To answer the question of the OP I believe whoever gets there first...however there are posted signs stating cars are suppose to yield to bike/carts in that golf cart lanes. NOt posted everywhere but have seen them on occasion north of 466. Just think of it as you wouldn't turn right directly in front of a golf cart...they're suppose to go and then you cross that lane. I normally hang back and let golf carts go ahead if they're running in front of me or if there is space I get out ahead of them not to impede.

Of course I'm still fuming over the moron bicyclist this afternoon whom I nearly ran square into because of his actions. ::sigh::..on that note...just watch it...idiots abound.

[borjo]

if you're in the car you never should have arrived at the same time, back off or speed up so you're well ahead of the turning cart. Never cut the cart off. Cart, if you see the car is going to turn and he's ahead of you, let him go.
The left turn is the dicey one. Carts have to go into the car lane to turn left, never turn left from the golf cart lane...MERGE. But again don't make the car slow down when you merge. Just use courtesy.

[sueandskip]

COMMON SENSE ! Someone needs to use it.....

[NJblue]

I always defer to the other driver regardless of if I'm in the car or cart. However, from a legal perspective, I believe an incident like this was reported in a recent POA newsletter (where they try to report on all golf cart accidents). If my memory serves me right, the driver of the car was ticketed for an improper turn ... but, since the golf cart occupant was the one taken to the hospital, my guess is that he/she will avoid that type of incident in the future.

[Cisco Kid]

Don't u hate when this happens in your cart

[gomoho]

COMMON SENSE ! Someone needs to use it.....

and a little COMMON COURTESY would go a long way.;)

[redwitch]

From what I've been told by Sheriffs, etc., the cart has the right of way. It is common that the cart driver cannot see the car's signals if they are side-by-side. Also, the car can usually stop quicker. That being said, I watch hard when a car is beside me and an intersection coming up -- I'm not going to assume the car will stop for me, so, I'll usually slow down enough to let the car get there first.

BTW -- If the cart is going straight and the car is turning, the cart totally has the right of way.

[GatorFan]

The VHA has a golf cart safety meeting the 3rd Wednesday at Savannah Center at 10:00 am every month. Law enforcement is there to answer all your questions.

[Cloud Nine]

Thanks everyone for all your excellent advice. ! I will make it a point to attend that golf cart safety meeting at Savannah center. :)

.

[buzzy]

The VHA has a golf cart safety meeting the 3rd Wednesday at Savannah Center at 10:00 am every month. Law enforcement is there to answer all your questions.

I thought you had to sign up for this, and the class is all booked up for now.

[George Bieniaszek]

I normally slowdown and let the golf cart make the decision to make a right turn or go straight thru the intersection. I always assume that the golf cart will be going straight thru the intersection regardless if the driver is making hand signals or using the turn signals in the golf cart. If I have passed the golf cart and am far enough in front when I want to make a right turn with my truck, I signal and merge into the diamond lane so there is no way that the golf cart can pass me on the right.

[John_W]

When I'm driving the car and making a right turn across the cart lane, I try and plan ahead as much as possible either by speeding up or slowing down so that I'm not abreast of the cart. Once I've determined my position I will move my car slightly over into the cart lane, this way the cart driver will know that I'm following him or he will be following me. It has worked for me numerous times and I was taught this by others here in TV.

Just yesterday coming south on St. Charles the car in front of me was making a right turn onto Buttonwood Run and a cart next to them was going straight on St. Charles. The golf cart froze and the car driver froze and no one did anything for several seconds, had the car driver used my technique, the situation would of never occurred.



.

[HMLRHT1]

I follow just one simple rule here regarding driving a golf cart, be aware of your surroundings and everything else is bigger than you!

[Indydealmaker]

The car should anticipate its upcoming turn. Move ahead of the golf cart; then the car should make its right turn from the golf cart lane.

The key here is THINKING AHEAD.

If there is a long line of golf carts and you cannot safely get out in front of all of them, just slow down, signal your turn and merge in behind them to prevent any other carts from interfering in your turn.

Golf carts merge into traffic for a left turn. It makes sense for cars to merge into golf traffic for a right turn.