Idiot grandparents
 

Coming back form LSL tonight, there was a woman driving a 2 passenger golf cart with 2 small children in the front seat with her, another one in the basket, and 2 more, each sitting on a rear fender, not attempting to hold on as they were too busy waving at everybody! I followed her through Sweetbay's parking lot and through the Caroline tunnel. I couldn't stand it any longer. I pulled up next to her and told her that she should be ashamed of herself and obviously wanted to hurt her grandchildren. She sheepishly replied that she knew that she shouldn't be doing it, but the kids wanted to do it.
Now I ask you, was she supposed to be the adult in charge?:shrug:

GOOD FOR YOU FOR SPEAKING YOUR MIND and shame on that grandmother...another classic example about not thinking it through before doing....
accidents can happen in a split second a quick turn to the left or right to avoid another vehicle/dog/squirrel and off one of those kids goes..possibly being ran over by another vehicle. Lives changed forever.
Safety first always...save a life..save a family.

Oh brother. I would like to shake her.
 

One of the reasons for so much trouble with young people is just that. So many people aren't strong or wise enough to realize that showing love is protecting and caring for the children placed in our care by denying them instant gratification sometimes.

It ain't easy being a parent...or a grandparent at times.

Some grandparents - and parents - just don't know how to say no. And sometimes they make a foolish promise, trying to get kids to eat or pick up toys or whatever, and then feel they can't go back on it. I hope those kids didn't get hurt.

I think I see more parents than grandparents doing these stupid, dangerous things. It is not unusual to see a young family in a golf cart with mom and dad in front and kids hanging all over place and a toddler sitting on dad's lap STEERING. Just visualize what happens if toddler errs and dad slams on brakes. Kids flying all over the place and toddler crushed between dad and steering wheel.
Good job, Mac9. Many people witnessed her actions but you had the sense to bring it to her attention.

I agree
 

We where not the worlds greatest parents, I know but at least I can rest easy that we taught our son to think before he acted even if not before he spoke. I remember when he was not quite 6 and a neighbor was riding with her daughter on the handlebars of her bike so couldn’t see properly and came to an abrupt stop in our driveway and the girl fell off. He ran up to them and before I could say anything the hands went on the hips and he stomped his foot and said “That is against the rules, where is your helmet, you could die you know” It is parents and grandparents responsibility to explain that the rules are for safety not just a show of power.

I respectfully disagree. I see far more grandparents allowing kiddies to drive the cart, and most times in really dangerous situations.

Friends of ours recently had an experience where they witnessed a grandfather with four kids in the cart. She politely made a comment about that being an unsafe situation. The grandfather promptly jumped out and got in both of their faces pointing his finger and in no uncertain terms telling them to mind their own business.

What a wonderful picture that must have been for the grandkids.

Sooner or later there will be a fatality or two, little ones run over, one going through the windshield, another possibly with terminal internal injuries from slamming into the steering wheel. The list of potential disastrous situations is endless. But, what the heck, the kids had fun up until that point and grandpa/ma was happy to make the kids smile. And, of course, any tragedy will be someone other than grandpa/ma's fault. After all, they were just having fun with the grandkids...

As Dr. Einstein said,"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."

Wouldn't this be a good topic for the TV Public Safety Director to have on Channel 2 and in the Daily Sun?

Actually I've seen both in about equal numbers, but what difference does it make?
At the end of the day some child will be seriously injured, the lawsuits will fly, and there will be more than enough outrage, finger pointing and blame to go around. Calls for more regulation and enforcement will be heard throughout the land and nothing will change.
Why you ask?
'Cause you can't fix stupid!

Amen Sister

Steve, I agree. The Villages Management is being very remiss if they don't emphasize this topic in every media. Often. It shouldn't be necessary, but obviously some grandparents would prefer to expose their grands to danger rather than be unpopular by saying "no".

I applaud anyone who addresses this unsafe behaviour to the adult in control.

I'm not sure I agree with "remiss." We're talking about people from 55-80+ years old, and by now they should have some common sense. They act like this is some land-locked cruise ship, and stupid behavior is okay because this really isn't "home" yet, and they can act stupid with no repercussions.

Oh well, at least we have a good hospital to fix the less serious of the dumbness. If that's not enough, the morticians will ship anybody anywhere.

Here we go again! Last evening I saw an older man pulling a young boy on a skateboard with the golf cart. I am assuming it was grandfather and grandson. There were others in the cart - I even think it was the boy's mother sitting on the back seat of the cart. The boy was holding onto the rail of the rear seat. IDIOTS!!

As a kid we used pick-ups to tow our bikes....That wasn't too smart either, but somehow we survived :-)

They'll be doin this next.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost-riding

The post shows legitimate concern for our fellow man or child but each of these posts comes off sounding like old, meddling, crabs trying trying to fix the world. Let it happen and let the chips fall where they will. This site is starting to to sound like Archie Bunker Night in TV. People have free will so let them use it and find out what the consequences are. Enjoy TV and "let live and let die". Sorry, just tired of reading complaints about everything.:shrug:

Irish,

May I add an addendum?

The same folks comment on this over and over and over......

Venting is fine.... but if want to solve the problem come up with a way to fix it... hold a meeting, hand out fliers, etc etc.

:shrug:

Two things one people think these golf carts are toys they are not real and two could or would the police stop these people if they saw them because could this be child endangering. My wife saw some teens with rental carts in the parting lot near Toojays at LSL playing tag in the lot there today.They really do need to police it but how and where will the money come from. Maybe volinteers could be the answer.

amen

Not a complaint, just a statement of fact.

"let live and let die" is fine, however when someone does die there will be hell to pay and we all might have to buy that second car.

When you reach the point in life where you feel no obligation to speak out to protect the lives of innocent little children, you have, indeed, relinquished your social responsibility. You are unfairly labeling a bonafied social ill as "complaining." I would suggest that if you don't want to be a "meddling old crab" then you should remain silent. You can bask in the knowledge that you could have done something helpful but it "wasn't your job" to say or do anything. If on the other hand, you wish to join the chorus of individuals who still want the fight the good fight and shine a light on an ongoing dangerous practice in our community, then Talk of The Villages is the place to be.

"Live and Let Die" "Let them find out what the consequences are" How sad is it to feel that way. The lives of these precious little children are too valuable for us to turn our backs and "let the chips fall where they may."

Posting here on Talk of The Villages is a powerful way to steer the current of change in this community. It is the only unified voice the residents have. If we don't post it here, for thousands to read, then how will the word be spread? Don't ever underestimate the power of the "new" press.

TH,

I really see your point on this... However, to a degree, posting the same topic here over and over and over again is preaching to the choir.

TOTV was instrumental in the RDOG group getting a new dog park - and for those opposed to it to voice their concerns and have them considered. But they also took action. If this is your passion and you really want to affect change, posting may not be enough.

JMO

Kate

Talk Host - I will be quiet from now on but some of your personal issues have been posted here and to be perfectly honest, they sound like a petulant kid. This was a good site to get information a couple of years ago but it has become a political venting site and a place for whiners to spill their guts. Enjoy your "bully pulpit". I really don't need it.

I guess the shoe fit you a little too tight. Additionally, I don't see anything "political" about this topic.

Never become silent on an issue of such great importance. I have taken action, I have spent thousands of dollars and thousands of hours creating the loudest voice in The Villages. Remember, this isn't a private phone call, TOTV is a loudspeaker that continues to hammer important information until the decision makers hear it. The Villages authorities know about the problem of children driving carts on public roads. It is up to them to do something about it. If they don't take action, they will bear partial responsibility for the outcome. They are very quick to tell you to remove decorations from your yard to to move a trailer from the driveway, perhaps they can become equally as concerned about babies driving golf carts. I know they are concerned about any public image that may tarnish the "paradise" aura of The Villages, but some action has got to be taken.

"The pen is mightier than the sword."

Talk Host, I agree with every word you have written in your recent posts on this subject. It is a shame that people want to bad-mouth you for doing a good job. On many occasions I have wanted to post but have declined because of the "high volume posters" who always find some way of disagreeing with other posters, just to get their daily number of posts. It even looks as if some of your critics don't even reside here in TV. How can they possibly have a knowledgeable opinion of what is good and what is bad for residents of TV. Keep up the good work.

TH,

I by no means disagree - and I acknowledged that this forum can be a powerful voice for change. I also know that you have devoted countless hours making it a success. Additionally, I understand that this is a business enterprise for you - so encouraging dialogue is important to the continued success of TOTV.

However, posts here alone will not solve the golf cart problem. If your pen can convince posters of the need for action, that is all to the good. But if you are serious about solving an issue you think is vitally important, it seems more action is required. Else, there would be no need for discussion as the problem would be solved.

Unfortunately these are probably the same "idiot Grandparents" that allowed their young grandchildren to stand on the fence and feed the buffalo, resulting in The villages removing the Buffalo from TV.

I fear that when enough tragic accidents occur from kids driving golf carts recklessly ,The same scenerio may occur, forcing us to become a golfcartless community.

I was coming down Canal Street about a month ago behind a cart with a granddad in the driver's seat and a boy in the passenger seat...and then I noticed the granddad had both arms draped on the seat back and the kid was steering from the passenger side. I hung back, luckily, 'cause the cart made an abrupt U-turn (no signal, no looking). So, not only can you not fix stupid...it seems to be hereditary, too!

It's almost as if fate played a role in this. This morning, I was driving west on Calumet at 25 miles per hour. A cart, going in the same direction as me, was in the cart lane. All in an instant, a walker came toward the cart.

The cart swerved out in front of me and I smashed the brakes to the floor board, skidding the tires and sounding the horn. It was one of those stops where everything in my truck slammed into the dashboard and onto the floor.

A 5 or 6 year old girl was driving the cart. Grandpa was in the middle and had to grab the steering wheel in a panic maneuver to pull it to the right.

Folks, I came within inches of killing a five or six year old child today. :cry:

I lowered my passenger side window and looked out at Grandpa. He wouldn't make eye contact with me. He turned his head to the right away from me. Traffic was panic stopping all around me, so I had no time to speak to the grandfather.

I was so shaken that I had to pull onto a side street and stop. I wanted to exit the truck and speak to grandpa, but they were gone.

I called the sheriff and got the answer I expected. Since there was no registration on the cart, there is no way to identify it and there is nothing they can do. :cus:

Oh, I hope not! :sigh: Being able to go anywhere in TV via golf cart is one of the main things that appeals to us about moving there.

It occurs to me that "Golf Cart Community" is perhaps misstated. This is a regular community, with normal highways and streets and "Golf Carts" share the road with regular traffic.

"Golf Cart Community" sounds like the golf carts have the right of way and cars must make way for them.

Ok I don't live there yet so have no right to say anything. But as all residents have to be registered with Ids to use the amenities couldn't there be a Cart Id plate. Like a parking sticker but bigger keyed to the resident Ids. The rental places could be given a set then those who rent their carts could be held accountable also.

Just a thought. Sorry I am solutions oriented a fatal flaw I expect.

Nice observation....did you say anything to granddad?

TH,

I hope you are OK - that must have been unbelievably scary. I came very close to disaster last week in our cart when a large car at a high rate of speed and no turn signal swerved in front of me to enter a rec center parking lot. I was halfway across the entrance when it happened.

I hope that Grandpa looks at himself in the mirror and sees what a loss he might have been responsible for

kate

This is a golf cart community...so why call it anything different. There are very few services one cannot reach with a golf cart. Perhaps a better description would be Golf Cart Accessible Community.
It was designed and built to provide services for the community by motor vehicles and golf carts. That fact was very clear to me when we were "discovering" The Villages. I never made the assumption that either mode of transportation was the correct one, only that one had a choice which mode to use.
Most importantly ...drive defensively and carefully which ever method you use. There is no accounting for people and the chances they take...that fact can be debated till the end of time without resolution.

I think the signs say, "golf cart friendly community." Or something like that.

___________________
What a terrible experience you had! I don't want to imagine what that felt like...to be so close to having an accident with someone. If everyone in TV would take the golf cart safety course before they set foot in their golf carts I bet we would all see a difference in attitudes about letting children drive golf carts. There was a woman in the Golf Cart Safety class when my husband & I took it, and she lived in TV for over 20 years. Never got around to taking the class earlier. She was surprised how much she learned. My husband and I learned a lot of things about safely driving a golf cart in TV at this class. It's too bad it's not mandatory for everyone who drives a golf cart and for passengers too. We can only hope and pray that some day this will happen.

Solution
 

"Grandpa Can I drive the cart,Puhleeeeese". NO!!!!!. Problem solved.Get some backbone.