Bad driving habit
 

I live very near the St. James gate. Yesterday around noon, it took me 12 minutes to get to Sea Breeze, which is about a half mile away.
The main problem was the traffic coming down St. Charles heading to the St. James gate. The cars were backed up from the gate down St. Charles so far I could not see the end of the lineup.
The main reason for the back up was due to almost every car stopping before the arm at the gate to let the golf carts pass through. This caused a huge backup in traffic. I spoke to a police man recently and he explained that is exactly why we should NOT stop and wave the golf carts through........simply because it messes up the traffic flow and everything gets backed up. While talking to my friends at cards, some of them said they thought it was rude not to let the golf carts in, but had never thought of what a problem it causes.
I hope that some of you will read this and quit waving golf carts to go ahead of you at the gate so we can eliminate this problem.
My rant for the day is finished! lol

a good rant-you're exactly correct !

It seems like backups occur ar various places at this time of the year for many reasons,
but I deal with it by thinking how fortunate I am that I live in a nice environment
and that I really don't have to rush anywhere!
We might not be able to do much about the traffic,
but we can change our thinking!

My position on this issue for many years living here.
"The road to ruin is paved with good intentions"
Follow the rules of the road ( right of way (ROW) etc.

I'd imagine we will have some golf cart users who will chime in about the long line they have to wait in to cross these intersections, if not for the occassional driver in a car waving them across.

St. James is a horribly designed gate, could be so much better. That said, you're absolutely right!

There is another problem, as soon as you wave a golf cart, car, bicycle, etc. across, you are directing traffic, and YOU are doing something illegal. Only uniformed police (possibly EMS, Fire, etc.) are allowed to direct traffic. You are in 'control' of only one lane, if a car comes the other way, of if there are 2 traffic lanes, and a car comes up in to other lane, YOU have no control, and you would be causing the accident. No idea if or what you could be charged with, but bottom line it is dangerous to try to control traffic.
While I completely understand the desire to give someone a break, please consider the possible consequences.

[emoji1303]

Brings up an interesting question if you stop to let someone cross, although I would think someone rear ending you would more than likely be charged. Also an interesting point is the temporary stop signs used when the gates are inoperable, or completely gone. Are they enforceable, or even properly placed?

The golf carts have stop signage before they can cross St. Charles--nuff said !!!

Which, to play devils advocate, is completely unenforcable.

Just so long as they do not put an untrained elderly person there to direct traffic...

It gets even worse when many new residents think golf carts have the right of way..:ohdear:

Me first, me first, me first. The American way.

Please passengers don't wave the golf cart through Let the driver I will not pass unless the driver waves me on.

That was the first thing stressed to us when we moved here. Cars have the right of way over golf carts always. (It's also in the literature they give you.) Which is why the people who thought Colony should be closed to auto traffic so golf cars could exit the mmp more easily were "driving down the wrong path."

JohnN, I'm interested to know your thoughts about how it could be designed better. We use that gate a few times each day, and it does seem to be very congested. Even in the off season that roundabout is heavily traveled.

A car in front of me on Morse (above 466, 2 lane) went from 30 to complete stop to let a car turn left out of a neighborhood.
Don't they understand that by being nice to 1, they are being rude and dangerous to many behind them?

That's because they can't see you behind them. They get their warm fuzzies by the grateful wave from the person they just let in (and this time of year only about half the folks will wave). I hate being behind the same kind of person at a short duration light and they start letting someone who just pulled up to a business exit out while I've waited through two to four cycles of the light.

Where the golf cart path crosses St. Charles, do you think there should be stop signs for both the car traffic and the cart traffic?

In our neighborhood in Virginia, there were two intersections where one direction had thru traffic and the other direction had stop signs. Both intersections were changed to four-way stops and, at least to my wife and I, traffic moves very well.

People are almost always very considerate. If I reach the 4-way stop at the same time as another driver, the other driver usually waves for me to go.

How do the carts get across if none of the cars will let them cross? Don't the cars have to wait for the gate to open each time, anyway?

Exactly!

It's not a rant, it's only sensible NOT to allow golf carts go in front of cars, it's dangerous.

So let me get this straight. I pull up to a gate in my car. I use my gate pass, the gate raises, and before I move, or move forward only a couple of feet, I wave and allow a golf-cart to cross in front of me. Now I'm "directing traffic, causing a traffic hazard, and causing senseless delay of all the cars behind me?" Wow, welcome to Florida's Friendliest Hometown. UFB

That is my understanding as well. When someone waves me on while in my cart, i just sit there and shake my head no.

The problem is primarily with the traffic through the exit gate where the gate does not close as long as cars are approaching it. It's only the entrance gates that close after each vehicle.

You've been very active on recent threads regarding traffic involving golf carts vs autos. The basic rule is very simple: autos have the right of way. You can suggest all the rules you wish, but many of the stop signs for carts are simply reminders that autos have the right of way. As others have noted, an auto driver waving on a cart is acting illegally since he/she cannot direct traffic.

I'm beginning to wonder why you are having such difficulty with traffic rules. I would suggest the traffic in your VA neighborhood is unlike that here. You need to take that into consideration.

The purpose of the gates is to give carts an opportunity to cross auto lanes between cars.

I never stop in traffic to let a golf cart go across. This so called kind act reinforces the golf cart drivers to think they are entitled in the future or that they have the right of way.

I do occasionally allow carts to cross, BUT ONLY when no cars are coming up behind me, especially if there are several carts waiting to cross. I know the reply will be why bother, but it just seems friendlier, just like holding a door open for someone and letting them go in first. I don't think I'm directing "traffic" in that case, since there is no other traffic there to "direct"

The very first automobile crash occurred in the 1890's between a car and a bicycle. I'll bet the bike rider thought he had the ROW.

My slogan on cars when in my golf cart is "might makes right". I've got a lot more to lose than they do.

The path intersection at Buena Vista and Old Mill Run is like a video game to cross (think Frogger). Sometimes vehicles will stop to wave golf carts through without checking for oncoming vehicles. So still be diligent when a good Samaritan is a traffic director. I have seen many close calls there.

Instead of wondering about me and my understanding of traffic rules, I would appreciate it if you could address my question.

I just looked at that intersection on Google Maps and it does look dangerous, especially because there is no median to give the cart drivers a breather. There does not even appear to be a way for a cart rider going north on Buena Vista to avoid that intersection.

Do you think that intersection should be a 4-way stop?

It is dangerous, no doubt. A four way stop won't work because of the proximity to the roundabout at Buena Vista. The solution would be an underpass like the one at Stillwater Trail and the a Buena Vista path.

Listen everybody, VA is right.
Yes, most of us had concerns over the type of house, the neighborhood, the lot, amenities, location of shopping etc. and there hasn't been much concern posted on TOTV about making left turns on essentially residential streets, but if that is his concern, please respect it and address it appropriately.
My concerns were golf, other activities, and lot placement---but I didn't discover TOTV and join until more than a year after I bought. I'm not sure how I would have reacted to negative comments about my concerns. After all, one of the main benefits of this site is imparting information to new and prospective Villagers (that, and of course joking with little rofl emojis (sorry PB) and extorting lobster on bets (sorry BF):1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:). So let's give VA the benefit of our experience without editorializing

I give... who is PB?

I suspect Polar Bear.

I already have. Sorry you took unnecessary offense. I find that if I can sometimes understand the background behind a person's question I can provide a more specific or appropriate response.

hint: It's white, big, lives in cold climates and hibernates in winter

Must not be a polar bear since they do not hibernate. Hibernating and Denning | Polar Bears International