golf cart safety and common sense

[travelguy]

Some nice reporting of accidents involving golf carts in the latest issue of the POA bulletin. What really caught my eye was an open letter to all from one reader observing a woman holding an infant on her lap and an arm around a toddler while riding on the rear facing seat on a golf cart....and no seat belts in use! This is so irresponsible. That is why we have allowed so many regulations in our society, because our common sense has been allowed to wither. Maybe we really do need some enforced rules on the use of golf carts in our community. Auto seat belts are mandatory, no matter what speed one is going...why not mandatory on golf carts....? Infant seats...maybe that is necessary also. And enforcement of the speeding laws and reckless driving laws? The time for warnings is long over.
Thank you.
:clap2:

[Parker]

Travelguy, sadly perhaps you are right...

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Some nice reporting of accidents involving golf carts in the latest issue of the POA bulletin. What really caught my eye was an open letter to all from one reader observing a woman holding an infant on her lap and an arm around a toddler while riding on the rear facing seat on a golf cart....and no seat belts in use! This is so irresponsible. That is why we have allowed so many regulations in our society, because our common sense has been allowed to wither. Maybe we really do need some enforced rules on the use of golf carts in our community. Auto seat belts are mandatory, no matter what speed one is going...why not mandatory on golf carts....? Infant seats...maybe that is necessary also. And enforcement of the speeding laws and reckless driving laws? The time for warnings is long over.
Thank you.
:clap2:

Here's the thing no matter how many regulations you have you can't fix stupid

[justjim]

Here's the thing no matter how many regulations you have you can't fix stupid

I agree! I'm not in favor of more regulations----"Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves". Ronald Reagan

[red tail]

i for one have no desire to 'buckle up' every time i hop in my cart to go somewhere. the next thing people will want cart inspections and helmuts and it goes on and on. just a little common sense is all thats needed and we dont need regulations to get it!

[NotGolfer]

Here's one for you'all. Today on the Morse Bridge by Lake Sumter....met a golf-cart with 2 adults riding and 2 adult men "standing" where the golf bags go hanging on the roof with HUGE smiles like little kids would have. All that was missing was the "wheeeeeeeeee!"

Add this to the other posts on less than safe behaviour. I'm not sure why folks think that golf-carts are just like regular cars and can be driven with gusto (so to speak). I'm just amazed there aren't MORE accidents here in T.V. As another poster said "you just can't fix stupid!"

There is THAT expression......"I never thought something like this would happen to us (whatever "the something" is)....it always seems to happen to other people!" Well there you have it!!!

[paulandjean]

i for one have no desire to 'buckle up' every time i hop in my cart to go somewhere. the next thing people will want cart inspections and helmuts and it goes on and on. just a little common sense is all thats needed and we dont need regulations to get it!

Think from the other posts about this,people are saying that 4-seaters are not safe. The same stuff,people will fall out and get run over by cars and trucks.

[graciegirl]

Today going across the Morse Bridge we saw a Villages Watch truck with emergency lights blinking...( I didn't know they had them) slowly following a NOT street legal golf cart in the car lane. The cart driver seemed completly unaware he was being followed for any purpose.

My friend told me that yesterday she and her husband saw a golf cart crossing the Morse bridge on the sidewalk.

Makes you worry.

[Trayderjoe]

I read many posts that talk about common sense and the lack thereof when driving golf carts. I personally stopped using the term "common sense" when I realized that common sense is actually the sum of our experiences and culture. Quick example, one of my previous neighbors was an auto mechanic. He heard something in the engine of a truck I owned (way back when), diagnosed the problem and told me it was common sense. I am absolutely NOT an auto mechanic and I didn't have a clue.

I post my example as a lead into these questions. How many people do you think actually learned to drive a golf cart BEFORE they moved to the Villages? Did they seek out an opportunity to learn once they got to the Villages and before they "took off for the squares"? Perhaps they are just jumping on the cart and relying on their "common sense" to figure it out? Maybe instead of golf carts we should be driving bumper cars? :smiley:

[DENNIS G]

i for one have no desire to 'buckle up' every time i hop in my cart to go somewhere. the next thing people will want cart inspections and helmuts and it goes on and on. just a little common sense is all thats needed and we dont need regulations to get it!

If my wife and I had our belts buckled, (we were sitting on them) we would not have permanent injuries when a person in a Caddy ran the stop sign and ran into us. Luckly I turned enough for a glancing hit, but was knocked from the cart to the groung between his car and our cart, I thought he was going to run over me. (He totaled our custom golf cart). Use the belts all time now.

[Scoops]

After reading about all of this careless and irresponsible behavior of owners, guests, grandkids, etc, I sometimes get concerned that the State of Florida will revoke our priviledge of being called a 'golf cart' community. If that were to happen that would be a big disappointment for all of us residents.

[memason]

After reading about all of this careless and irresponsible behavior of owners, guests, grandkids, etc, I sometimes get concerned that the State of Florida will revoke our priviledge of being called a 'golf cart' community. If that were to happen that would be a big disappointment for all of us residents.

Not gonna happen....

For all the gnashing of teeth and name calling on here...ie stupid, idiots, morons, etc. There are very few cart accidents, considering there are probably more than 35,000 carts in the Villages.

This is all much ado about nothing

[Joaniesmom]

Our house is adjacent to Nancy Lopez. Yesterday, while sitting in my back yard, I looked up just in time to see a golf cart make a fairly tight left turn and the passenger literally flew out of the cart and landed on his back on the course. I would have gone to his aid, but several other golfers ran to assist him.

Fortunately he seemed to be OK, but gee whiz, cart drivers take it easy out there. Passengers, hold on to something in the cart.

I also wonder if a little alcohol may have been involved. Just sayin'

[ilovetv]

Our house is adjacent to Nancy Lopez. Yesterday, while sitting in my back yard, I looked up just in time to see a golf cart make a fairly tight left turn and the passenger literally flew out of the cart and landed on his back on the course. I would have gone to his aid, but several other golfers ran to assist him.

Fortunately he seemed to be OK, but gee whiz, cart drivers take it easy out there. Passengers, hold on to something in the cart.

I also wonder if a little alcohol may have been involved. Just sayin'

That is exactly why seat belts are a good idea when not playing golf (getting on and off the cart a lot). A person doesn't have to be drunk to be thrown like that. There are many accounts of people being thrown (and often killed on the pavement or concrete curbing) because they were riding and the driver had to make a sudden, unexpected maneuver.

[Meddick]

I played a golf course where the rear bumpers on the carts were replaced with platforms about 6" deep. Our 2 caddies (which were called player assistants) would ride on the cart, standing on the platform and holding on to the rear edge of the roof. All of the player assistants were women and they all wore a uniform (not unlike nurse's scrubs) and cone shaped wicker hats.

Fortunately, they did not allow the carts off of the cart path - that would have been quite dangerous.

The assistants were very good at calling out distances (I think they had the sprinkler heads memorized) and reading putts.

[paulandjean]

Not gonna happen....

For all the gnashing of teeth and name calling on here...ie stupid, idiots, morons, etc. There are very few cart accidents, considering there are probably more than 35,000 carts in the Villages.

This is all much ado about nothing

I agree with you..................

[gomoho]

Not gonna happen....

For all the gnashing of teeth and name calling on here...ie stupid, idiots, morons, etc. There are very few cart accidents, considering there are probably more than 35,000 carts in the Villages.

This is all much ado about nothing

Have to agree with you memason; however, it gives folks a chance to talk about how stupid everyone else is!

[HMLRHT1]

I recommend that if you are that paranoid about being in a golf cart that does 20 mph or so that you just stay home and lock all ur doors and windows. Next you all will be requiring that helmets be used and seatbelts have to be a harness type. If people are that dumb and can't drive a golf cart without throwing someone out on the road, oh well. That's how nature gets rid of the stupid people and the smart ones stay alive.

[red tail]

I recommend that if you are that paranoid about being in a golf cart that does 20 mph or so that you just stay home and lock all ur doors and windows. Next you all will be requiring that helmets be used and seatbelts have to be a harness type. If people are that dumb and can't drive a golf cart without throwing someone out on the road, oh well. That's how nature gets rid of the stupid people and the smart ones stay alive.

at last...........some common sense.

[paulandjean]

I recommend that if you are that paranoid about being in a golf cart that does 20 mph or so that you just stay home and lock all ur doors and windows. Next you all will be requiring that helmets be used and seatbelts have to be a harness type. If people are that dumb and can't drive a golf cart without throwing someone out on the road, oh well. That's how nature gets rid of the stupid people and the smart ones stay alive.

But will the harness type of seatbelt,fit on the dog?

[De Lis]

I bought seat belts for the golf cart immediately and use them faithfully. I get scared when I follow a cart with little kids in the back and they are just hanging on. I stay way, WAY behind.

[gomoho]

Ony dogs driving carts will be required to be belted. This will allow them easy access as passengers to jump out and poop on a lawn.

[travelguy]

Not gonna happen....

For all the gnashing of teeth and name calling on here...ie stupid, idiots, morons, etc. There are very few cart accidents, considering there are probably more than 35,000 carts in the Villages.

This is all much ado about nothing

there are a lot of accidents, just none are reported in the villages daily sun...the good news paper.
:cus:

[travelguy]

Here's the thing no matter how many regulations you have you can't fix stupid

it is more than being stupid. it is irresponsible to put children in harms way. i do not care about the adults because they have a choice to be stupid, but when a child is put into a potentially dangerous position then it is the reponsibility of the entire 'village' to step in and protect those who are unable to protect themselves.
:spoken:

[ilovetv]

I played a golf course where the rear bumpers on the carts were replaced with platforms about 6" deep. Our 2 caddies (which were called player assistants) would ride on the cart, standing on the platform and holding on to the rear edge of the roof. All of the player assistants were women and they all wore a uniform (not unlike nurse's scrubs) and cone shaped wicker hats.

Fortunately, they did not allow the carts off of the cart path - that would have been quite dangerous.

The assistants were very good at calling out distances (I think they had the sprinkler heads memorized) and reading putts.

This is fine for them, if the club's insurance agrees to cover that. Here, the danger is falling off onto pavement and concrete curbing, and under the wheels/bumpers of cars/trucks behind them. It's not like being thrown onto turf of a golf course.

[JohnFromMaine]

I recommend that if you are that paranoid about being in a golf cart that does 20 mph or so that you just stay home and lock all ur doors and windows. Next you all will be requiring that helmets be used and seatbelts have to be a harness type. If people are that dumb and can't drive a golf cart without throwing someone out on the road, oh well. That's how nature gets rid of the stupid people and the smart ones stay alive.

Trouble is, a lot of people driving both cars and golf carts ARE dumb ... or at least thoughtless.

The two most common examples of bad driving that I see are drivers not signaling and driving through stop signs. If I recall correctly, all golf cart drivers are supposed to use hand signals AS WELL AS the cart's turn signals. I believe that less than 10% of golf cart drivers actually do use the hand signals. I do, and often, when I signal a right turn, on coming cars think I'm waving at them and wave back.

I almost rear-ended a golf cart the other day because they didn't signal a left turn and only put on the brakes at the last minute. Yes, I was probably following too close and will be more careful in the future.

Cars and golf carts routinely ignore stop signs here in TV and it's small wonder that there are not more accident because of it. I'm guilty too but I'm trying; If not for others' safety, certainly for my own.

DRIVE DEFENSIVELY! :gc:

When I have folks visiting I routinely show them the hand holds in the roof of the cart and recommend anticipating left hand turns when they might want to hold on.

Personally, I think that there should be mandatory "orientation" on the safe driving of golf carts when you buy one, whether privately or through a golf cart store. But, I realize that might be a logistical and enforcement problem.