He could have been dead.
 

Today at 12:30 I was driving toward Buena Vista on Hendry when I almost hit a golf cart near the Collier Pool/Mail station.

The driver would have been dead. Here's what happened:

1. He was wearing 2 ear buds
2. He made a left turn from the Golf Cart lane
3. He did not look to his left AT ALL!
4. He did not signal

I was directly beside him driving my Prius in the vehicle lane when he basically turned left into me as he turned left from the golf cart lane in to the Mail Center/Pool. Luckily I was able to slam on my brakes in time and missed him by bare inches.

I laid on my horn after the near miss, that is when he to glance at me, not knowing what had just happened.

I thought for sure I was going to hit him. I really don't know how I didn't! It was that close! I am still shaking.

I turned into the other entrance to the Pool/Mail station and stopped at his cart and told him what had happened. He had no idea how close he was to having this day be his last. He was very casual and nonchalant as I reminded him:

Please signal before a turn,
Please enter the traffic lane before turning left
Please look over your shoulder before initiating a turn
Please do not wear both ear buds.

He said "I'm not going to get into an argument with you." I replied, "I am not here to argue with you, just to ask you to be cautious and to let you know that I could have killed you."

He had his name on a club name badge he was wearing, which I will not name here.

Golf Carts are fun, they are everywhere, I love mine and use it every chance I get. But Golf Cart drivers need to be smart and defensive. Obey the rules of the road. Don't forget where you are.

I think his decision to turn into the mail station was a spur of the moment decision. At least I hope it was. But this man had no idea that he could have died today. He was just oblivious!

Be safe and drive defensively out there!!

Good move Dottie, been there done that--If your car ties with a golf cart-guess who loses?

Congratulations on your quick reflexes!!

Obviously the gentleman wasn't being mindful, and perhaps was too embarrassed to deal with it politely.

Have a nice cup of tea to relax you. You earned it.

Surprisingly a LOT of people assume that the golf carts have the Right of Way! The Collier Pool/Mail stations is just crazy dangerous. One really needs to pay attention around there. I don't know if the other Pool/Mail stations are the same or if we just have more idiots in Collier.

My guess would be that the idiots are evenly distributed

Dotti, glad everyone was OK

An adult reply instead of "I'm not going to get into an argument with you" to Dotti (who approached him because she cares about human life even if acting stupidly) would have been:

"I am ashamed of myself for not paying better attention and I'll try to be more careful. I'm glad we didn't crash".

Wow! Was just on Buena Vista near Lopez and this lady was in her cart heading south on Buena Vista. Quite sure it was not street legal. I don't think she had a clue that she should not be on the highway. Ironically, the cart path was 10-20 feet to her right and easily accessible. Hope she made it safely.

Well said.

But forgive me if I don't hold my breath waiting for THOSE words to ever fall out of someone's mouth after pulling a stunt like that

I think I passed her on 301 south of Ocala:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

You saved the guys life Dotti, and, based on his attitude, I can guarantee you he still has no idea he did anything wrong!!

I hope he comes on TOTV....although probably not. He needs to realize how brainless his actions were.

Thank goodness you didn't hit him Dotti.....mainly because of how you would have felt for the rest of your life. You did good!!!!

It's that time of year.

I can see this thread spiraling into another you know what abyss. I'm outta here and no I won't pass you the popcorn.

Are wearing music ear buds legal in car or cart? I think that is a very dangerous behavior and am amazed at how many golf cart drivers do this. Why not have a Bluetooth speaker? You need your ears to safely operate a vehicle.

Yipsters!
 

I read a story this morning that recommends that ALL seniors should ONLY make right turns, isn't that what UPS routes do????? Suppose to contribute
to living to a ripe old age, Yipsters!

I got myself a dash cam that I can move between my car and golf cart. The camera doesn't lie. The cost was $100. Maybe I'll post video's of the crazy things I see.

When I was in high school, my friend was killed in a car accident. A dog ran in front of the car and the driver tried to avoid it and hit a tree. I swore I would slow down if an animal ran in front of my car, but I would not swerve to either side. to avoid it.

A few years later, I was driving with my future wife one evening and a dog ran in front of us. I slowed down but did not swerve to either side, and I hit the dog really solid. I probably killed it.

If we move to The Villages I guess I will adopt the same policy with golf carts that suddenly appear in front of me. Slow down, but do not swerve.

But I love today's technology but, it can make cameras lie.

That is pretty much what my wife and I do.

I have heard that some states have made it illegal to use both ear buds. Probably due to situations like this.

We need full use of all of our senses to ensure that we are safe behind the wheel. Why take the risk?? It is our lives were talking about protecting!!

Ya dun good, Dotti,

When you used that teachable moment, I bet he heard every word you said and it's all filed away for future reference. I sure hope so, anyway.

Of course, he should have thanked you and apologized profusely. But some people either don't process right away or can't admit being wrong.

You sound classy. I probably would have done a little berserko dance at the mail station.

You didn't stop to find out if you killed the dog? Please tell me you did stop!!!

You have reconfirmed my belief in a dashcam
 

I'm so sorry to hear about what happened. You have reconfirmed why I have a dashcam for my car and golf cart. I just don't trust the way people drive and want this as protection in case I am not as fortunate as you were.

Reply
 

I love the golf carts but we just sold our electric cart because the area we are in requires us to go onto the busy road with traffic to get to the center and to Publix, the two main places we frequent. After a couple of frightening outings, we decided to sell it. Carts have little if any protection for riders but on designated paths and golf courses, they are fine. It's a bit of a trip for us to get to the above two places and keeping the cart to go a block to the pool didn't make sense, so for safety reasons, it's gone. Seeing the elderly with less than good reflexes making dangerous turns and crossings makes me so very cautious driving and especially in parking lots when they back up without looking behind first. Please be careful out there.

And here is the topper, Sunday, leaving Spanish Springs on Avendia Central, a lady in a motorized wheel chair comes out of the shopping center (to my right), ACROSS stopped traffic, to the LEFT turn lane for 441!! I would have stopped, but I was in traffic, no idea what she was doing. Hope she made it to where ever she was going.

I do hope it was a LSV wheelchair and not just the run of the mill motorized chairs. Did it have plates?
But seriously, let's all hope she didn't get hurt

No plates, and it was one of the typical HOME wheel chairs. Looked like it might go 10 MPH.

People walk at 3 mph.

"Many people tend to walk at about 1.4 m/s (5.0 km/h; 3.1 mph). Although many people are capable of walking at speeds upwards of 2.5 m/s (9.0 km/h; 5.6 mph), especially for short distances, they typically choose not to. Individuals find slower or faster speeds uncomfortable."

No, we did not stop. We had spent the day at Crescent Beach and were driving back to Gainesville and I hit the dog a little east of Hastings. It was getting dark and it was a busy narrow road with a ditch on the right side. I kept driving.

If I had swerved, I might have hit an oncoming car or drove into the ditch.

Dotti, Good but scary posting - and must commend you for handling the situation as a wise adult. Not sure if my temper could have been diffused. 2 quickies:

1. Yesterday going to the postal station. Was in GC lane following a relatively slow cart ahead of me. About 50' from the left on the road to enter the PO, I signaled and went into the car lane to make the left. About 15' from the turn the GC guy whipped right in front of me and made his left - probably never saw me. It was close but...I didn't confront him in the lot. I saw the driver was in 40s and had his grown son with him - they were going to play bocci...didn't want to start anything, probably a short-term renter or guest...

2. Walking our pooch this afternoon on our street (no GC lane), saw a newer cart with an "older guy" traveling quite slow - like 8mph. Saw him 2 more times, maybe he was going around the block. Then he stopped by me and asked if he should get gas. I was a bit dumbfounded, said I have an elec cart. Then I asked him what his gauge read - got a blank look back. Long story short, he just got here with his wife - renting a house and the cart came with it. He said he was going to Winn Dixie. Well, that would mean he rides on neighborhood streets then Pinellas with GC lane to a tunnel etc etc. I told him that it was a bit complicated to get there but his tank was 1/2 full. Nice guy, but when he putted off I was hoping that he (and others) would be OK. Now I have second thoughts if I should have been more helpful or been strict with him. oh oh. oh well.

Further proof that landlords providing a golf cart (probably uninsured for liability because insurers will not write rental golf cart policies) is the dumbest thing ever! The renters do not know what they're doing, and then they'll let their 10-year-old grandkids drive it with 3 other kids hanging off the sides and back with no seatbelts.

It takes weeks to navigate one's way under roundabouts and thru tunnels and come up and go in the correct direction, and to know the kinds of pitfalls there are to driving a cart here, amongst cars, giant trucks, and trucks with trailers.

I think that is a very good post. Based on what we saw on our 4-day visit in November, we have no interest in driving a golf cart around The Villages. A small car like a Civic will work just fine for us.

While we were there, the guy driving behind us on 441 got read-ended by a Mack truck and his vehicle got pushed into us, doing a considerable amount of body damage.

Was driving home tonight on Buena Vista and passed a regular golf cart, no street legal plate. It crossed the intersection with 466 after I turned and kept on going.

Hard to fix "Stupid"

Hence, the reason for ambulance chaser highway billboards. Back in the day I preferred the beer & whiskey ones.

I was coming home after visiting Oxford Oaks going east on 466, when I was shocked to see a golf cart in front of me. I thought maybe the person had gotten lost and was heading back to The Villages, but that person made a left onto 301 heading north. :22yikes:

A couple of nights later we were heading home from Spanish Springs and had a car heading toward us on the golf cart path. It was dark, so I am sure the lady driving had visited someone at one of the facilities over there, and thought she made the street.

Try to be safe out there!!!

No doubt in my mind that cars are safer than golf carts in TV. Why? For all the reasons others have already posted on this Thread. I've seen some of the same "things" myself after almost 10 years in TV. This time of year---January-April----it behooves us to be aware of our surroundings while driving both our golf cart and our car.

Well said. The traffic does seem to be getting worse and worse with each passing year since we moved here in June 2005.

:ohdear:....I am at a loss for words (at least the ones I can post on here)!!!