The golf cart is king at The Villages, but ...
 

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The golf cart is king at The Villages, but the grass isn’t all green

Three weeks ago a story posted on Slate carried the subhead, Why golf carts—golf carts!—are a transportation mode of the future. It cited a Harvard Business School study from seven years ago that concluded a “souped-up golf cart” offered transportation’s “most transformative potential.”
“Indeed,” said the Slate story, “these puttering vehicles, most often associated with leisure and affluence, just might provide a pathway toward safe, affordable, and entertaining rides for the masses.”
The Villages, the massive Central Florida retirement community that uses golf carts as the main source of transportation for its 130,000-plus residents, has been on top of this trend for some time. In September of 2005, Villages residents strung together 3321 carts in what the Guinness World Records lists as the largest golf cart parade. Even then, that was a drop in the bucket compared to how many carts were in the Villages.

And how many are here now?
It’s impossible to tell. They don’t have to be licensed, so an accurate number is elusive. A story from last October in the developer-owned newspaper The Villages Daily Sun (the Villages developers also own an oldies radio station and a TV station) tried to come up with a number. It asked Christopher Laufersky, director of sales for The Villages Golf Cars, which boasts four dealer locations:

Let’s say that each occupied home in The Villages—69,529 as of Sept. 30—has at least one golf cart, with only a small percentage of the population not owning one, he said. Then consider that many residents actually own two golf carts per home. “It’s got to be somewhere between 70,000 to 80,000 golf carts,” which easily makes The Villages the world’s number one golf cart community, Laufersky said. “Our manufacturers who have relationships in other communities say there is nothing to this scale.”
Richard Brooks, of The Villages Discount Golf Cars (three locations), disagrees. “There has to be almost 100,000 golf cars here,” he said. “No question.”

Indeed, most everything you need on a daily basis—from groceries to doctors to movie theaters—can be accessed by the 100 miles of cart trails that pass through cart-only tunnels and over multiple major cart-only bridges that span the Florida Turnpike and U.S. Highway 441.

Debbie Swann
Three weeks ago a story posted on Slate carried the subhead, Why golf carts—golf carts!—are a transportation mode of the future. It cited a Harvard Business School study from seven years ago that concluded a “souped-up golf cart” offered transportation’s “most transformative potential.”
“Indeed,” said the Slate story, “these puttering vehicles, most often associated with leisure and affluence, just might provide a pathway toward safe, affordable, and entertaining rides for the masses.”

The Villages, the massive Central Florida retirement community that uses golf carts as the main source of transportation for its 130,000-plus residents, has been on top of this trend for some time. In September of 2005, Villages residents strung together 3321 carts in what the Guinness World Records lists as the largest golf cart parade. Even then, that was a drop in the bucket compared to how many carts were in the Villages.

Debbie Swann
And how many are here now?
It’s impossible to tell. They don’t have to be licensed, so an accurate number is elusive. A story from last October in the developer-owned newspaper The Villages Daily Sun (the Villages developers also own an oldies radio station and a TV station) tried to come up with a number. It asked Christopher Laufersky, director of sales for The Villages Golf Cars, which boasts four dealer locations:
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Let’s say that each occupied home in The Villages—69,529 as of Sept. 30—has at least one golf cart, with only a small percentage of the population not owning one, he said. Then consider that many residents actually own two golf carts per home. “It’s got to be somewhere between 70,000 to 80,000 golf carts,” which easily makes The Villages the world’s number one golf cart community, Laufersky said. “Our manufacturers who have relationships in other communities say there is nothing to this scale.”
Richard Brooks, of The Villages Discount Golf Cars (three locations), disagrees. “There has to be almost 100,000 golf cars here,” he said. “No question.”

Indeed, most everything you need on a daily basis—from groceries to doctors to movie theaters—can be accessed by the 100 miles of cart trails that pass through cart-only tunnels and over multiple major cart-only bridges that span the Florida Turnpike and U.S. Highway 441.

Steven Cole Smith
“There’s really no reason to own a car unless you need to go out of town,” said Rose Leary, a Boston resident who is staying with friends in The Villages while she shops for her own home. “They lent me one of their golf carts, and I’m having a ball riding all over the place. My car hasn’t moved since I got here.”

Golf carts have been part of The Villages since before it was formally founded in 1992. When the basic community started in the 1960s, it was essentially a group of trailer parks that featured free golf. There are 57 golf courses now.

The most recent U.S. census said in 2021 that The Villages was America’s fastest-growing community, and the number of carts has skyrocketed along with the population.

Regardless of the actual number of carts, The Villages has long been studied as a model community for the transportation future. The Villages stretches into two counties, and at 32 square miles, it is larger than Manhattan. On top of that, it has acquired thousands more acres into which it can expand.
The population is centered around 17 villages-within-The Villages, each a separate community (or “special purpose district, established pursuant to Florida State Statutes,” says a Villages website). Crime in The Villages, aside from domestic disputes and the occasional drunken bar fight, is minimal, though the community’s cart world isn’t entirely rosy. In 2017, for example, a golf cart chop shop was busted, thus explaining multiple cart thefts in the area.

The carts can be dangerous, too. A study by the Taylor & Francis Group “compiled information about golf cart crashes in The Villages between 2011 and 2019. During the observation period, a total of 875 golf cart-related accidents occurred, representing an average of 136 crashes, 65 hospitalizations and nine dead or disabled annually. Of all crashes, 48 percent resulted in hospitalization, severe trauma, or death. Of these, ejection occurred in 27 percent, hospitalization in 55 percent and death or disability in 15 percent of crashes,” said **************.com, reporting on the findings.
The study concluded that seat belts, which are not mandatory, could save lives. Nothing much is mandatory, it turns out; though some carts are outfitted with belts, turn signals, brake lights, satellite radio, and even rear-view cameras. Lights are required if you drive carts at night. Insurance on carts is available, but again, optional.

Two laws are on the books. One is that you can’t drive a cart unless you are at minimum 14 years old, the importance of which was underscored by a recent crash where a woman let her nine-year-old granddaughter drive. The cart rolled over, and the grandmother was ejected and hospitalized.
The other law is that carts cannot exceed 20 mph, enforced by an engine governor to prevent faster speeds. No one advertises it—and there are indeed dozens of cart-related ads in The Villages Daily Sun—but it seems everybody knows someone who is mechanically inclined and willing to bypass the governor. With that change, perhaps plus some mild engine work, different gearing, and bigger tires, there are reportedly carts here that can top 40 mph. And people do get tickets for speeding, but it’s rare.

The Villages has also seen arrests for carting while intoxicated, and you can lose your driver’s license for that. “Even seniors who have no business driving anymore zip around like teenage joy riders, say residents. Crashes are not uncommon, and visitors are warned to watch out for bad drivers—and drunk ones,” said the New York Times in one of its multiple stories about The Villages and its golf carts.

While most of the carts are the typical ones you see on a golf course, a surprising number of Villagers look for personalization, often ending up at Village Streetrods, where general manager Brandt Bell has a showroom full of new and used carts that resemble hot rods. Dennis Williams owns a Streetrod cart, purple with flames. “It’s something different,” he said. “I like it.” Another advantage of the Streetrod is that most have a “frunk” in the front, good for carrying home groceries from the seven Publix grocery stores in The Villages. Prices average about $25,000 for a new Streetrod.

Williams’ cart is electric, but most in the community are gasoline-powered. “Ninety percent of what I sell is gas-powered,” Bell said. “The range is so much better.” The fuel of choice is 90-octane ethanol-free gasoline, because ethanol is tough on small engines, especially if you keep your cart frequently parked. There are carts with new lithium-ion batteries, though, that have increased the range per charge.
Rose Leary, the future Villages resident, started her (gasoline-powered) cart, and motored away, possibly part of the transportation future. “If we’re ready for it, a better future of mobility is right there waiting for us,” said Slate. “You can catch a glimpse at your local golf course.”

If that future does indeed arrive, we’d best take a real long look at The Villages.

If they are going to look at the Villages for insight, I would question three things in this article.

1.Safety? Lol- Where does one begin?
2.Affordable? Some cost the same as a small car and many even more.
3.Entertaining? Personally, I can think of better things to do with my time than drive in a putt-putt cart whose maximum speed is 20 mph.

Keep the golf carts where they belong-
On the golf course! Hence the name, GOLF cart. I won't begrudge if you use one occasionally to run errands, but always? NO!

There are many older residents who move to TV, not for the entertainment, not for golf, but for the availability of having golf cart transport. They no longer own a car, and use their cart to go to appointments, grocery, and visit friends and relatives.

So your golf course only theory doesn’t pan out for how many use their cart. Our aunts, and parents moved here around “07”, no car, just a 4 seat cart. They choose not to have the expense of car maintenance, and insurance, and never had issues. They took day trips with travel companies, cruised, and if they need a car, just rented. When didn’t keep a car here until 2019, we flew in used only our cart, and worked very well for us

I prefer my golf cart except when it's rainy, or if I need to drive a longer distance with limited time constraints. One really NICE days, I'll drive from my house in the Historic Section to Odell for a club I'm in, but if it's muggy, or looks like it'll rain, or very windy or cold, or if I'm running late, I'll take the car.

I actually enjoy the slower pace of the cart, and the sensation of being "outside" when I'm driving it. Three years living here and I still get a mini-thrill driving over the golf cart bridge across 441.

I don't own a golf cart because I would need to share the road with cars, SUVs, trucks, and large commercial vehicles. To me, this presents a dangerous situation. Also, they are too slow.

If I can reach it by cart then that's what I'll drive. My wife too, that's why we own two carts.

The other day, during the heavy downpour, we took the car. Very atypical.

I understand and appreciate golf carts are a necessity for some. The article talks about making golf carts the MASS TRANSPORTATION of the future. That is what I responded to.

How about a Hy-bred, the best of both worlds and a lot of saver then golf carts.
Runs on batteries for limited miles, has AC, and you're storing one vehicle.

Agreed about the dangerous situation. But even on the MMPs there are a lot of dangerous situations caused by cart drivers who are ignorant of how carts handle, or of the law, or both.

In my opinion people who may have driven cars all their lives but are suddenly driving a cart in an environment with a whole lot of other carts are suddenly playing a game that they think they're familiar with, but aren't. Golf carts are NOT cars and do not handle like one. For one thing golf carts have a high CG and a narrow (and short) wheelbase. It doesn't take much to roll one: a couple of seconds worth of inattention or hitting a turn at too high a speed can upend you even if another cart, or person, is not involved. Another thing is that those one-cylinder four cycle engines don't accelerate well. Many times we've seen one cart try to pass another, where the cart being passed is going only slightly slower than the passer, and because of the slow acceleration and/or top speed you end up with two carts abreast for far too long. I've had to take the grass more than once to avoid two carts bearing down on me.

Second is the ignorance of the laws and rules regarding cart use. Snowbird season is coming and it is a guarantee that TV will be flooded with people who THINK they know how to operate a cart within the law, but don't. We'll see it here in TOTV. We always do; folks expounding on their version of how carts must be operated that very often are not just advertisements for their ignorance but if engaged in, endanger not only them but others as well.

Remedies? Why not, when the snowbirds pick up their gate cards or IDs, mandate a short video on how to operate a cart in the Villages environs? There are other things that could be done too, but won't be.

On our roads the same can be said about
many auto drivers!

I agree, but cars are larger and heavier, and they are equipped with thousands of dollars worth of mandated safety features.

Endlessly the same topic. Might be useful to create a changing game that you must get a minimum score to be able to run a golf cart in the villages.

Terms of drivers, we notice the fools not the safe drivers. Accidents is truly a false term. Since, almost all accidents are avoidable, an accident is HEY what you did CAUSED an issue.

IMO Villages not good example cause it is golf cart community. Naturally going to be high number of golf carts where you have specific paths and rules on road for them. As far as safety goes, that depends on operators. All years I been in villages I still see golf cart drivers trying to turn left from golf cart diamond lanes. Disaster waiting to catch up with them. IMO golf cart on roads/path provided lot safer than bicycles on road. But, again it’s the operators.

Golf cart are not allow on road over 25 MPH. Not like they’re going down I75 with hundred years of vehicle accidents naturally safety has improved.

IMO the problem in most instances are inpatient vehicle drivers speeding, cutting off golf cart in diamond lanes, and driving off the back bumper of golf cart. Go head or give room.

Might as well get use to idea of golf carts in golf cart community. It’s only going to get worse as population increases.

I do not think golf carts are the 'king' in The Villages.

We have been here 7 years and own two nice cars but no golf cart. We can go anywhere we want in our cars and every time we have to cross an MMP we have the right-of-way.

Every so often, we sense that a person on the MMP thinks they have the right-of-way, so we honk at them and keep honking until we are well past them. We have never hit a golf cart, at least so far.

Not entirely true. If the gate is missing and a stop sign is displayed in the gate lane that would make it a 3 or 4 way stop intersection.

"Golf carts may be operated on roadways that are designated for golf carts with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less."

Low Speed Vehicles - Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Probably would not make much difference but I've wondered why stop signs are not installed at the gates?

I generally agree. We have a newer cart that we use from time to time, but not daily. Unless we just want to go for a ride on a nice day or evening or have some other good reason, it is a waste of time (in my view) for any distant drives. I value my time, and do not wish to spend it driving a golf cart. Also, I do not think the MM paths are necessarily safer than the streets. With competing traffic on foot, bike, electric bike, other carts that are often oblivious to speed limits, and drivers who are often as bad as any on the streets, the MM paths can be treacherous to drive on.

Now let us cross 466/441 at the traffic light and drive on Rolling Acres Rd.

Just which traffic light on 466 would you allow a cart crossing??? Morse??? BV????Belvedere???? Oh, wait, there are tunnels at each of those.

Cross 441? OK, there's only one crossing via the bridge, but you can get everywhere on that side from there.

Drive ON Rolling Acres? Why??

Now, narrow it down to finding some way to cross Rolling Acres to get to the additional shopping areas and you're talking.

Totally agree. Love the golf cart experience even after 11 years of owning them in The Villages.

Our current SUV has about 20,000 miles on it. Our current golf cart about 13,000 miles on it. Both 2019s. Saving a lot of miles off our SUV & having fun doing it. One of the main reasons for living here. We enjoy shopping & nearby dr appointments by cart.

Yes, a lot of dangerous drivers here for both modes of transportation. “Ya can’t fix stupid”, no matter what one drives.

I don't think most people would interpret it that way. The only cross traffic is golf carts and other vehicles always have the right-of-way. Are you saying that when they have a stop sign on the ground at the gate, that the golf cart has the right-of-way when they got there first? Personally, I don't think they should ever install stop signs at the gates. Too confusing.

If they can put speed bump at tunnel entry when you have to make 90 degree turn then big speed bumps should be at gate entry. Majority don’t even slow down when gate is down.

Mainly because of the requirement of Florida's department of transportation but if they were people would blow thru them like they do where gate arms are missing or coming off the side streets!:laugh:

I realize this is confusing, but golf carts don't ALWAYS have to yield the right of way (just most of the time). When on a roadway where they are permitted, a golf cart is considered a vehicle under the law (so is a bicycle). So, let's just move this away from a gate crossing and into a residential neighborhood. A golf cart arrives at a 4 way stop sign intersection 2 seconds before a car----the golf cart has the right of way, NOT the car. Same is true of a bicycle. Another example----a golf cart is in the bike and cart lane approaching a merge point and has a 150 foot lead on a car----the cart may merge---he is NOT cutting off the car and is NOT required to yield. In fact, most signs in the merge zone require cars to slow to 20, which if obeyed would never allow a car to close the distance on a cart going 20. Of course we all know this is not what happens---most of the time the car driver speeds up to 40 to beat the cart to the merge (Usually the same driver that gives a single finger to a car driver that does the same thing to him when HE is the one in the cart:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:)

Now, back to the gate crossing. WHEN there is a stop sign for cars, this is now a 4 way stop and the vehicle arriving first (or furthest right in the case of a tie) has the right of way (in theory)---Also something that we all know doesn't happen. Adding to the confusion is the fact that the stop sign for cars is only occasionally present. I suppose if they put up permanent stop signs at all gates it would be clear (maybe). The worst are those gate crossings where the visibility of oncoming cars is blocked by shrubbery or the gate house and the gate is removed. Inch forward carefully, since even if there is a stop sign and even if you have the right of way, you might end up being dead right.

[QUOTE= Three years living here and I still get a mini-thrill driving over the golf cart bridge across 441.[/QUOTE]

Do you put your hands in the air as you go over? I do.

Do you scream as well????:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

I wonder how bad emissions are from the carts. We might see new requirements slapped on them like most gas powered machines, bumping the cost up even more.

[QUOTE=retiredguy123;2255352]I don't think most people would interpret it that way. The only cross traffic is golf carts and other vehicles always have the right-of-way. Are you saying that when they have a stop sign on the ground at the gate, that the golf cart has the right-of-way when they got there first? Personally, I don't think they should ever install stop signs at the gates. Too confusing.[/QUOTE


You're basic premise is wrong. Golf carts have a the same r-o-w as the other vehicles on the road. Delmar and Avenida Central which has a 4 way stop. If a golf cart stops first they have the right of way. If you truly believe what you are saying you are a menace on the roads.

Aren't these "Golf Carts of the Future" available today under the name Smart Car? Not exactly a "smart" option on an interstate, IMO. However, there are many foreign cities that have restricted zones in the city center where only electric (or low emission) vehicles are permitted. I find these fume free locations delightful to spend time in.

No, it’s too narrow , I keep my hands on wheel.

Menace on the roads? That may be a wee bit of exaggeration, no?

Retiredguy was referring to golf cart crossings near neighborhood entrance gates. At these crossings the golf carts do not have the right of way, the automotive traffic does. As mentioned in another post, placing a stop sign for automotive traffic at these crossings could give the appearance of a three-way stop (there is no oncoming traffic). The driver of the automobile might believe the golf cart that was already at the intersection has the right of way though that is not normally the case.

I do believe something needs to be present when the gates are down. There needs to be some way to control the speed and intensity of automotive traffic to make the crossing safer for carts, bikes, and pedestrians when the gates are not present. A temporary stop sign, while often ignored and potentially confusing, is better than nothing.

While traveling on a roadway, either in the lane or in the separated golf cart lane, the golf cart is subject to the same rules the automobiles are. At a four-way stop, if the golf cart stops first then the golf cart has the right of way.

Your comment is way, way to long to read a simple answer would do. Like 4 yrs. ago there were 70,000 carts in TV!

Is it your assertion that the traffic code treats a 4 way stop at a gate crossing differently than any other 4 way stop???? If so, please cite the statute.

They problem I have with that is when I had our golf cart a 2012 for 5 yrs.I put 25,500 miles on it & only put 5,000 miles in 5 yrs. on our car & used the fraction of gas in our car. But that’s your business what you drive. I’m just saying most of The Villiagers have out voted you. I still drive my car that I had 4 yrs. ago when we lived in TV. I’m guessing you already wore out you car & stating on your 2nd or 3rd car! Just saying but it your opinion!

I believe traffic code deals with four-way stops where two roadways intersect. In the case of the the MMP crossings, one of those intersecting is not a roadway.

The MMPs are also not crosswalks, or at least the guidance we have been given (drivers should not stop and signal pedestrians to proceed) do not treat them as crosswalks.

Except for railroad crossings and movable bridges, gates are rarely installed on public roadways.

I wouldn't be surprised if traffic code did not cover this situation at all.

Most golf cars do not have AC, I bought a new Yamaha when we moved here, I don't golf, didn't find riding around in the heat very comfortable, had several near accidents that would not have been my fault, got rid of it and don't miss it at all. I would much prefer to be in a car with AC to go where ever I feel like going. For golf, there are rentals available.

Point made. So, consider this scenario: An exit from a parking lot (NOT a roadway) has a stop sign, but so does the road. Can the car on the road just go ahead and assume he has the right of way?????