another golf cart accident
 

There was a golf cart accident on Morse and San Marino Sat. 10 AM. Does anyone have any specifics? The driver was transported to Ocala regional

Did not see the accident, BUT............
 

I have never had to use Morse Blvd in the Northern end of TV to get anywhere until very recently and I have now had to travel from 466 onto Morse and take a right hand turn off Morse onto Rio Grande to reach my destination. The first time I took this route I could not believe the turn set up - you actually have to cross the golf cart path on the right to get to your turning lane before you make the actual turn. It was early in the morning, the sun was in my eyes and the golf carts were tailgating it on their designated lane - it was very nerve wracking.

If you are using a golf cart on this route please be aware that you cannot easily be seen. If you see a car coming up beside you indicating that they are going to cross your lane into the turning lane, give way. If you have an altercation with the car on your left hand side you are going to lose.

Would you rather be right or DEAD right?

I have no idea how to make it safer to travel Morse, but please slow down in these right turning areas if you want to get home in one piece.

On a recent thread I indicated there are several places just like you described where I hug/straddle/use/block the golf cart path so I know a golf cart is not beside me when I make the right hand turn. Not saying it is legal or right, but it works.

Not to change the subject but the cart lane on Rio Grande is way to narrow and angled toward the curb. To make is worse the surface is split between blacktop and cement which makes for a dangerous surface.

I think the whole of the early part of Morse Blvd is very dangerous. On entering the gate you immediately merge from two lanes into one. Morse Blvd itself is narrow, and then add in the golf carts and cyclists etc., it's a death trap. I believe it was built when TV was much less crowded, the golf carts were just that, and not golf cars as they are now, and the age group of retirees was someone higher than now.

I'm very glad it's not my job to worry about how to make the road safer, and I am happy to say I am done traveling that area.

There are no "multi modal" paths north of 466 in the Spanish Springs areas. They were built before The Villages was busy enough to make it necessary. I sure wish they would build a separate multi modal path along Morse. I know it would be very expensive, but it would be nice. :gc:

You are so right

I think....the other site said that this accident was caused by a car turning right in front of this golf cart and knocking it on it's side.

Actually it was not reported by the online news, but below please find a post from someone who claims to have seen the accident after it happened;

This location is Sumter County.
I saw the wreck just after it happened.
The car driver was turning right off Morse onto San Marino into Rio Ponderosa village and struck a golf cart which was in the cart lane on Morse next to the car.
There is a traffic light there.
The golf cart was on it’s side.
The problem is that car drivers do not always look for carts when turning there.
The usual way to control this hazzardous situation has been to force all vehicles to merge into one lane before entering the intersection.

There are multi modal paths north of 466. About the only place where there aren't any is from 466 to Rio Grande. Yes Rio Grande is scary, to narrow for cars and carts. It's a different vehicle world today than when that road was built.

Golf cart safety seems to be all about striping the multi-modal trails but the really serious accidents are not along the trails but with collisions with cars. Sorry to say even fatalities. Maybe that money on striping would be better spent on How to separate golf carts from cars along roads like Morse Blvd. north of 466. Expensive---yes---but perhaps the expense could be split between the County, Developer and residents.

Not just to Rio Grande. All the way to 441. The whole length of Morse north of 466 has a golf cart lane on the street next to the car lane.

When coming back from visiting The Traveling Wall we were stopped at Rio Grande and Morse waiting to turn left onto Morse. A car was turning right from Morse onto Rio Grande from the right turn lane and another car was turning right on Rio Grande from the no turn lane....they missed by inches...lots of horn blowing. They also missed hitting our cart by inches. Seems that some drivers also have trouble seeing cars that are making a turn.....and it's only just begun.

What is the other site?

Try villages dash news dot com

For some reason we are unable to list their website.

This morning's printed newspaper The Sun listed the golf cart accident. It pretty much said what Gracie wrote in her post:

The car driver was turning right off Morse onto San Marino into Rio Ponderosa village
and struck a golf cart which was in the cart lane on Morse next to the car.
There is a traffic light there. The golf cart was on it’s side.

According to the DS, I would like to add the driver was thrown from his golf cart and hit his head causing a serious injury. I hope this person recovers fully.

Just another reason I have seat belts in my cart.

BTW - I think this stretch of road, (Morse Blvd), is dangerous and try to avoid it, if at all possible. A separate golf cart path would be the best possible solution. IMHO

I think so too, and it doesn't seem that it would be TERRIBLY difficult or expensive to do. But the lines were going to cost a king's ransom. I may be naïve.

SIPDE for safety
 

I'd like to share this acronym I picked up in a
motorcycle safety (defensive) riding course.
It is SIPDE
S = Scan
I = Interpret
P = Predict
D = Decide
E = Execute
I have found that to keep this in mind,
whether I am riding a motorcycle, auto or golf cart
has served me well, and I felt it is worth sharing
with anyone that hasn't heard of it.
The scanning part applies to what is going on
behind you as well as what is in front.
Don't want to be negative, but I always predict the worst

A thoughtful solution. Even though it's for the "greater good", I doubt that residents who don't use a golf cart on Morse will want to pay a special assessment for a separate multi-modal path to run beside Morse.

I do not know exactly how the law is written, but if a golf cart is going to make a left, they are required to MERGE into the traffic lane and turn left from there. Using the SAME LOGIC, if I am in my car and making a right across a golf cart lane, I use my turn signals, MERGE RIGHT (after making sure there are no carts there), and then turn right. I do not allow my car to enter the golf cart lane for any other reason, like going around a car in front waiting to make a left turn.
IMHO, if everyone would slow down, take their time, look around, and give the other person some room, we would have a LOT less accidents.
As stated above, you must drive (GC or car) defensively.

Bare & GG - I live south of 466A. Having said that I think the addition of an MMP along Morse north of 466 would benefit all Villagers. I would have no problem if all districts were to contribute along with the county(s) and developer., or through an assessment.

You are describing a "perfect world" and this is not - it's TV where the greater majority of us have never lived and driven in a Golf Cart Community. The attitude here seems to be "after me you're first" and that applies to both Carts and Cars.

Commonsense has to tell you that if you have a very big (actually humongous) SUV bearing down on you from the left, or the right, you slow right down and let him/her go because you are encased in a fiber glass capsule and you are not going to win. At that point I don't care whether I have the right of way.

I would hope that all residents feel the same.

:agree: Nice to see you posting again.
It can't be said too often, always drive defensively, especially in roundabouts and where golf carts and cars interact.

Please read the signs. People think that the lined area on the right in the older section going to spanish springs is for golf carts. People try to drive in a lane too small and never meant for carts. Note the speed in the area, and the signs that say the side lined path is for bikes and walking.
Carts should use the roadway until the road is widened or the side lane is made wider for carts.
Of course that does not include morse which has wide cart lanes.

If anyone has better information please post it.

Use the roadway? Oh my.......it will look like a destruction derby!

It makes no sense whatsoever to have golf carts drive on Morse north of 466. It would be terrible for traffic. Carts need to stay on the side in the cart lane. Besides, it would probably cause more accidents instead of reducing them.

Those "narrow" lanes on Rio Grande and Delmar are golf cart lanes, and most likely for bikes and pedestrians. On Rio Grande in Sumter County the lanes were widened, which is an improvement.

We drive the intersection at Morse and San Marino almost daily. Concerned and wanting to do the right thing when in our car, hubby made two separate visits to the Sheriffs annex to find out the best way to deal with a right turn up San Marino. He was told twice to check for carts traveling south in the golf cart lane, yield to them if they are close. If they are back in the lane he was told to move over, essentially blocking the golf cart lane, then make the turn up San Marino. I do not think that many realize that this is the proper way to handle this dangerous intersection but it is what we were told to do...twice.

This is exactly what I have been doing since moving here, thank you for passing along the info.:bigbow:

:agree: I'm constantly watching my mirrors not only in our carts, but also in our vehicle. Just tonight, a Honda Odyssey turned left onto Morse from 466A right in front of me. I locked the brakes and, by the grace of God, missed the Honda by less than a foot. There are a lot of IDIOT drivers here now.

while it makes good sense, and is certainly safer for all, is it a guarantee that one of his deputies won't stop you for crossing a solid white line? I think it would make sense to them as well. A large part of traffic safety is making your intentions known to others, like using signals. some people think their signals are for them and are too lazy to use them defeating their purpose of letting others know your intentions, moving over prevents misconceptions as to your next move and makes everyone else that much safer,

:gc: :gc: :gc:

Just a couple of quick observations. First, I was traveling north on Southern trace in the golf cart. The two carts in front of me were stopped. Low and behold, the first one turned left from the golf cart lane in front of a car going south. The cart swerved back into its lane, but then started to do it again! Be a pain in the butt, tell people they should not turn left from golf cart lanes. Merge into traffic and then SAFELY turn left.

Lastly, I think someone has already mentioned this, but there seems to be sufficent room on Morse Blvd. north of 466 for a multimodal path. There are already "cart and bicycle" lanes on both sides. I am sure 5 or 10 feent could be taken from the easements. There is all ready one tunnel the Hacienda CC. Another could be added furhter south. Who knows what the cost would be, but I'd chip in a few bucks to have this done.

Unfortunately, I had to be on this piece of road again yesterday afternoon. I was going towards 466. Approaching the gate the golf carts in their lane gradually came into the car travel lane behind me and out of nowhere a MAN, yes guys, a MAN came racing down the right hand side of all of us in line and decided to cut across in front of my car. Oh Buddy, you chose the wrong person to do that to :ohdear: ................ I did get the finger and a mouthful of filthy language, but I can live with that.:)

WHAT DID YOU DO, Madelaine Amee????? I want to do it too.