How Friendly and Helpful are Villagers Really?
 

As luck would have it, my 2023 Gas Yahama Cart without warning, completely shut off while coming out of a tunnel under Meggison, just south of the Brownwood bridge. Has a full tank of gas. A kind lady was behind me and assisted me in pushing it away from the tunnel entrance, and near the ramp of the path. I called Villages Golf Carts, who advised me I was still under warranty, and called my cart tow insurer (American Golf Cart Association), who were very punctual, sending out a tow about 25 minutes after my call.

While waiting for the tow, I thought it would be interesting to track how many cart drivers would check-in with me or offer assistance while I was broken down at the entrance to the tunnel. Almost 100 carts passed me during this waiting time. About two-thirds of the carts either stopped or asked if I needed help as they passed me. Several offered me water. Several were willing to wait with me until the tow came. One offered to meet me at Villages Golf Carts and drive me back to my home.

Of the remaining third, half of that group did smile and wave at me, but kept on driving. The other half of that third did not make eye contact with me and kept driving past me.

Overall, I was very impressed with the friendliness and willingness of the vast majority of those who came upon me while I was waiting for a tow. This is truly an extremely friendly and caring community. I don’t think you’d have that many good samaritans stop in other places in this country. I’m very grateful to those who stopped and offered their encouraging words, and I am so blessed to be here in The Villages. It truly is America’s Friendliest hometown!

Nice post Michael!

Nice to hear.

That’s why I LOVE TV!

Right on the money.

I walk a lot on the MMPs and scarcely a time goes by, especially on the hotter days, when someone doesn't offer me a ride. Usually several someones. They'll offer water also. Men and women.

Can you think of any other place this size in the country where older folks, both genders, offer a complete stranger a ride? I certainly can't.

Pretty sure there are 'developments'....not just in FL, but across the country where good deeds are practiced on the daily. It's ok to appreciate what you have but unless you've visited/talked to/researched them all....the opinions here are purely subjective. To correct the OP....the correct trademarked marketing slogan is 'FL Friendliest Hometown'....not 'Americas Friendliest Hometown'. The latter...distinction is widely reported as Savannah GA*

*Conde Nast Traveler

It sucks that good deeds seem to be unexpected these days. When I think back to rural America in the 60s and 70s, if you were sitting on the side of the road someone stopped without fail.

I still carry jumper cables and a tow strap just in case someone needs a little help.

Nice feelgood story

[QUOTE=Topspinmo;2349459]I assume the good samaritan law offers some protection from litigious folks. The way things are going these days there may not be a good sam law any longer?

[QUOTE=LeRoySmith;2349468]I don’t know, personally about the Good Samaritan Law for roadside assistance.....I do know you have ‘protections’ under GSL for medical emergencies

Very true
As has been stated many times....this (FL) has been teetering at the top for years as the most litigious in the nation. Not exactly synonymous with being ‘friendly’!:1rotfl:

The Villages is not always representative of Florida as a whole, or vice versa. Generally, I think "villagers" are pretty nice.

In many ways TV resembles an earlier, kinder time in America than it does 2024.

Back in the day (1960s, far northern rural Minnesota) hitch hiking was a normal part of things. If you played high school sports, with practices held after school hours, you needed to pretty much find your own way home. For me it was 20 miles one way. Few kids had cars and few parents were available to transport, so if nothing else came available we just hit the road with our thumb out. It rarely took me more than an hour to get home. One time I rode my thumb home from Minneapolis in just over seven hours (the driving time was something like six).

An earlier post mentioned carrying jumper cables and a tow strap. As a former Minnesotan I still do that: old habits are hard to break. Not too far back (already here in TV) a woman visiting across the street came out to find her battery dead. I was doing yardwork and she came over to ask if I could recommend a towing service. I told her I had jumper cables and could probably get her going. She didn't know what "jumper cables" were but agreed, and got her going in a few minutes. I also told her to go straight to a garage w/o turning off the motor to ascertain what was wrong. She did, returning a couple of hours later w/a new battery, and very appreciative for my help.

That's the thing. For many in this day and age that is a rarity. But for many of us Villagers, coming of age when we did, it would be unthinkable NOT to do it.

Michael, what was wrong with your cart? Hope it is all fixed.

I keep hearing from folks on this forum that carts that are broken down on the side of the road are mostly electric because the cart ran out of "juice".

I will post once I have a diagnosis - so far no word - my tow reached Villages Golf just before 5pm - Service had already gone home, but sales put me in a “loaner”. I showed up to service dept at 9am this morning to sign authorization, as of 2pm Friday, still waiting for word.

I had the same experience several years ago when our almost brand new 2015 Club Car’s starter/generator belt snapped on the Multi Modal path running parallel to 466 and Palmer. I was amazed at how many people stopped to offer help. I also fondly remember when we first rented in the Villages many many years ago. We were learning our way around via golf cart and every time we pulled over to look at a map we couldn’t even get the map open before people driving by would stop and ask if they could help us with directions. Those were the good old days, before everyone had an app on their phone telling them where to go and still used a map. It’s wonderful being in a retirement community, where the residents are generally very friendly and are not time constrained and stressed out working full time jobs and raising a family.

Update - turned out something called my “quick disconnect line” to my battery became loose, which caused the power to my cart to die. Apparently, they see quite a few cases of this with their 2023 Yamaha models. Easy repair (basically just reconnect and tighten) - glad it turned out to be something so minor, and glad I had the tow coverage.

Thank you for posting your story, Michael. I previously wrote about how great my neighbors were (and continue to be) after my husband’s sudden death. I hardly knew them before, but suddenly almost everyone on the street, either came over, invited me out, offered food, doggie walks around the block and so on. As Villagers, we really are very lucky to be part of such a caring community.

Velvet
*The Village of Mallory*

Guess it is a manufacturers defect. Take a tool with you in the future so you can do that

So what did they find with the cart, LOL?

See post #17. Electrical issue. Easily repaired.

Michael, there are a lot of posts about an electrical issue on 2023 cars. Ask them before you take it back if that was the issue. There is a known fix and I am sure they will say that is how they fixed it.

The OP wrote post 17.

Sorry I saw post 17 after I wrote post 22.

I bought my home in TV about 14 years ago before we all had GPS. I can remember driving my golf cart with a map all the time and usually got lost. Every time people would see me on the side of the path or road looking at a map they would stop and ask where I was trying to go and help me out. That happened every time I got lost. One guy saw me down by the Havana Country club one night trying to figure on a map how to get to the Village of Buttonwood. He tried to explain how to get there and then said forget all those directions and just follow me. He took me almost to my house. I thanked him and asked him where he lived in Buttonwood area and he said I don”t live around here I live down by the Havana Country Club. I said you drove all that way just to help me, someone you don’t even know and he said yes because that’s what we do in the Villages. He said your day will come when it will be your turn to help someone. He was right! I have never forgotten that night and the kindness that guy showed me so I am not at all surprised the kindness the OP received mentioned in this post.

On my 24 Yamaha Drive 2, the battery quick disconnect was an option (which I did not get). I do not believe it is a Yamaha product, but instead aftermarket, so should not be a widespread issue with the Drive 2.

Carts have a fair bit of vibration, and that can loosen many fasteners, especially if not torqued correctly from start. I would suggest that the OP find where the lose connection happened, then check it once in a while in the near future. If it begins to loosen again, might consider some loctite Purple or at most Blue to help keep it tight. Do NOT use high strength (Loctite Red) as it becomes semi permanent.

I don’t believe that kindness is unique to the Villages at all. Most “age restricted “, “old” communities of people offer to help. Sounds like plenty just drove by

Widely reported? Are you kidding? Come on now....Savannah is a city - no comparison. The Villages is a special place with a lot of special people, 99% who are super friendly. I've lived all over the U.S. and nothing compares to what we have here with the 150,000 people who are enjoying life and each other.

Several years ago my cart developed issues and stopped on the MM along Morse but before Odell. I was still a ways from home. Tried calling for help without success. A woman stopped and asked if she could help PLUS asked where I lived. She told me she was having lunch at Mallory but would be happy to take me home, which was past there quite a ways. So she took me home. I don't think she told me her name but I was so grateful. Another time my cart stalled in a tunnel and several came and pushed me to the grass at the top and I think that time took me home as well. There are so many helpful people who live here!!

I would like to share my "friendly Villager's" story. Our first visit (Life Style Visit) we jumped on our golf cart in Brownwood area to meet friends in Lake Sumpter who said it's about 1/2 way for both of us to meet. Well....no GPS, never been to the Villages, a map that was confusing and we were riding around lost. Every time we pulled over, someone stopped and asked to help. A man stopped after another of the many times we pulled over and had us follow him all the way to Sumpter. After the evening's events we thought "we can get back ourselves". . Hours later, driving on the road, through golf courses (I kid you not)...and cell phones dying; we saw a house with a man outside. We pulled up and told him our situation. He offered his home to charge our phones. We asked him how far Brownwood was and he said about an hour by cart! This was probably 10 pm. We asked him if we could leave the cart at his house and pick it up in the morning. We called our friends who picked us up in their car and took us back to the rental. The next day we did get the cart and got it back to the rental. The man was so kind, took care of the cart and we were on our way. I was ready to leave and never return. The kindness of everyone we encountered was wonderful. We have returned and now 5 years later, rent every April and have become pretty good at getting anywhere on the golf cart.......thanks to the GPS app too! It is a wonderful place to be and 90% of the people are always helpful, cheerful and kind.

Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Violent Crime in the Villages is 1 IN 3,766, a 0.03% chance.
In Savannah it is 1 in 45, a 2.2% chance.
You are about 100 times more likely to be a victim of a violent crime in Savannah.

You have a very different view of friendly than I have. To each their own, though.

I agree with some of the others who said The Villages is like America 60 years ago. Maybe the tag line America's Friendliest Home Town helps to self select helpful & friendly people who want to be with others like them.

We have the same issue with our 2023 cart. The connection loosens up so just keep an eye on it. We forget to check it and once in awhile the cart just dies or doesn’t go when we hit the gas pedal. We just pull up the seat and tighten the connection and we’re good to go.

We’ve been on both ends of needing help and provided help numerous times. It’s nice to know someone will probably offer help if/when you need it.

What a nice post! Thanks for sharing and hope your cart is all good soon! We share your perspective on feeling blessed to have a home in TV 🎉

Just wait until a bush dies or something on your property. They'll be out there taking pics and sending complaints.

My wife and I have travelled by car since the early 80's over much of the US and Canada.
We are not city comfortable types and stick to the small towns, open highways and countryside.
We have some wonderful memories and stories of the people we have met, unsolicited help and hospitality from total strangers, and sites we have seen
We once even had an escort of over a dozen hairy great lumps of terrifying looking Nomad Bikers escort us to our overnight stop, when we were a little off course.
Over the years, we have found that if you greet people with a smile, a friendly word, good things happen.

Savannah GA! Not even close. Crime is terrible, gangs all around. Used to be a very nice place to visit many many years ago. Check what people and the mayor have to say about Savannah;

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson responds to claims of gang activity | WSAV-TV

https://youtu.be/CLo8bb9rAJE

The fact that they may not like your property going to the dumps does not mean they won’t be there when you are in need. Completely different situations.

Really nice to see posts like this. Thank you for posting Michael.

No comparison? Savannah pop. is 2K less than TV (148K). Pick your own source....OP called the TV "America's Friendliest Hometown"...the other poster asked if there was any other place in the country like TV...so based on those posts, you will see that Savannah tops most lists using those search specifics. As far as you vouching for '99%' of 150K Villagers 'super friendly' mannerisms and their opinions on quality of life....i'll let that one stand on its own 'merit'!

Nobody is arguing that TV is a 'special place'....but enough with the 'ive lived everywhere in the country' and 'this is the friendliest place in the country' narratives. Enjoy your life and stop marginalizing areas....and people you've never lived....or met.