Cars always have the right of way at gates.
 

It is not a good thing to pause to let golf carts cross in front of you at gates. Cars always have the right of way and it could encourage new people driving carts to pull out in front of cars and for someone to be rear ended who is driving a car too.

Rubicon...I think you were trying to make this point in the Bonifay thread so I thought I would start a thread for that reason.

Please everyone, jump in here with your thoughts.

Where I grew up you always let the bigger of the two go first. You would'nt cut off a train, kind of a no brainer and helps with self preservation

safe travel for golf carts
 

It kinda seems to me that since TV is a golf cart community, better care would have been taken to make the roads safer for the carts. Riding on the side of the road in a cart lane seems almost as dangerous to me as riding a bike in the bike lane here in upstate NY. I would have thought that carts would have their own paths off road. I have seen some off road but not many. And at bigger intersections you'd think there would be a bridge? Just thinking of safety.

Along with cars having the right of way at gates as opposed to golf carts, bicyclists need to be aware of that too.

Today, as I was going thru an exit gate on Canal Street, a bicyclist in the oncoming (entrance) gate lane decided to do a U-turn to her left, and as my exit gate arm lifted and I drove thru, this bicyclist zoomed in front of me in her U-turn toward her left. She never looked to her right where I was approaching, at all. I almost hit her....could not see her behind the entrance gate on the other side of the control boxes etc.

I've never seen so many bicyclists who appear to think they can't be harmed in a car/truck-bike crash as I've seen here in TV.

Yield the Right of Way
 

One of of the things that has made me apprehensive about coming to TV has been the number of Villagers who seem to be in a hurry to go in my opinion - no where in particular (rec centers, club activities, shopping, lunch, ) I have been surprised at the cars honking when someone proceed cautiously thru a gate.

I ride a bike a lot up north and while I know cars are bigger than me. I watch carefully. I try to obey the rules of the road. (not all bikers do this) There has been a great deal of emphasis on yielding to people in cross walks and on bikes. I am amazed when i see people ignore stopping for people in crosswalks. Reading here it sounds like there is an anger with anyone who has something smaller than a car getting in the way. Help me understand why more people are not considerate of others when in the car. (especially when TV bills itself as a golf cart friendly place..) I say to folks "RELAX! " Take your time, consider others and let everyone enjoy their retirement.. You earned it!!!

I don't think the paths or roads are unsafe, or less safe than they need to be. That presumes both car and cart drivers are paying attention to the task at hand and driving at an appropriate speed. In almost six years here I have not had any problems in my cart, but will admit I drive defensively and stay well in my lane on the roadways. I always assuming the other guy is not paying attention whether I am in my car or cart has served me well.

:agree:

[QUOTE=graciegirl;447086]It is not a good thing to pause to let golf carts cross in front of you at gates. Cars always have the right of way.

Thank You for posting this reminder, Gracie.
I have seen people in cars stop at the gate, smile and wave at me to cross my cart.... without considering that there are multiple vehicles coming upon them from behind...and carts ahead are congested between the two gates, so there is no place for me to go, and yet they keep waving me on!!! When I shake my head "No" and motion for them to proceed, they get annoyed and huffy!

My solution has been to hang back (from the gate intersection) about a foot or two when I see traffic coming. The cars keep going and are less likely to try to 'wave me on'.

It all boils down to common sense but there really ARE people who just don't have much of that, no matter how long they have been here.

I wish everyone had that mindset. As a motorcycle rider I could'nt agree with you more.

Danger!
 

Ditto That! nothing worse than you go no you go noooo you go ok I'll go as you go. CRASH!

I sat at a crossing in my golf cart and purposely stayed where I was and waved the car on to accept his right of way and to proceed and they won't go. I then turn my head from him and look down and away and wait.

I've had other cart drivers honk and yell at me to proceed and I refuse to move. The car then proceeds and looks at me like I'm a complete idiot.

This has happened off the Morse Ave circle just at the top of Lake Sumter Landing with cars backed up into the circle as the idiot car driver is trying to give me the right of way.

Incredible.

Well for one thing, there are paved MULTI-MODAL PATHS for bicycles and golf carts here in TV, but many bicyclists refuse to use them. They ride in the traffic and even in the roundabouts when they could be safe on the multi-modal paths. On Sunday I saw several aggressive bicyclists going thru the roundabouts on Morse, and it reminded me:

Why is it that non-street-legal golf carts are prohibited from using the roundabouts (rightly so) and car lanes on the boulevards like Morse and Buena Vista......but bicyclists do it all the time?

And on this, "I am amazed when i see people ignore stopping for people in crosswalks".......states have varied as to when they implemented the "cars yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk" laws.

If I'm visiting another state, I wouldn't go walking out into a crosswalk with cars coming, and expect drivers to automatically stop. I'd yield to what's bigger and more powerful, assuming some drivers might be from out of state and don't have the same law--especially here in TV.

We were taught at an early age to not walk out in front of moving cars. Better safe than run over.

It's an every day problem! Most car drivers wave golf carts through. If you don't proceed to immediately cross the street in your golf cart, not only is the car driver annoyed, but the golf cart behind you honks and yells. :ohdear:

I may be wrong here But have you tried to cross Morris at the 466 gate, If cars didn't pause to let you cross over you would still be their, The guards at that gate open it and just wave the cars threw, If someone didn't stop to let the carts cross you would never cross their. Design flaw if you ask me.

I think you're referring to the area north of 466 where southbound carts have to cross northbound Morse traffic to continue south. While carts may get backed up waiting for a chance to cross, it still is a bad idea to have cars stop to let carts cross. It reinforces in some cart drivers that they can expect cars to stop, and in some car drivers that they should stop to let carts pass. This, to me, is a more dangerous situation.

They changed the lane markings in that area to create a left turn lane for carts that makes it safer than it was before. The problem primarily exists when the light at Morse and 466 is green for Morse traffic and two lanes of cars are coming through the gate and having to merge into one lane. The gate attendant has to be aware of backing up cars onto 466, so it is incumbent on him/her to expedite traffic through the gate. I haven't experienced them holding the gate open so cars stream through and don't think they should do that either.

No Contact-No Foul

I've seen them waving visitors thru without putting the gate down which is a problem. At least the residents have the gate go down between cars. This is a bad intersection.

John

Precisely the point. I have lobbied against multi-modal paths from day one but obviously its for naught. So one has to be in a defense posture on a continuum here. this is coming from a guy that spent his entire career in helping insureds learn how to reduce their chance of an accident occurring

Call me an idiot, but I don't see the problem with someone being "courteous" and letting you go through an intersection; make a left turn; whatever. If waved through, I go immediately and wave a big "Thank You"...

Just saying . . .

Hi jmac,
Although I personally haven't experienced Villagers honking and being rude and in a hurry, I'm sure it happens much too often; and that's a shame. (It might even happen "up north" too.)

The opinion that we are going "no where in particular (rec centers, club activities, shopping, lunch,) seems a bit insensitive. Golf, club activities, meeting someone for lunch, etc. are scheduled events for which considerate people would be on time. Just saying.

I thing the reason posters emphasis that other type vehicles must yield to autos (especially when TV bills itself as a golf cart friendly place) is, not only is that the rule here, but it is the safest approach to having managing a routine flow of auto, cart and bicycle traffic through the community.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Agreed
Further I have two other pet peeves
1. Walkers and runners in street cart lanes when pedestrian lanes are provided(known as sidewalks)
2. Bicycles riding on sidewalks
:blahblahblah:

1. I've never been honked at during the close to 3 months I've been here
except once by a contractor truck in a hurry. Even accidentally I
stayed momentarily on a regular car lane with a golf cart turning left.
Cars behind me were patient. People in TV are generally polite and
patient.

2. At intersections when golf cart and cars merge, I noticed that if golf
carts are ahead a little, cars tend to slow down and let golf carts go
first. This courtesy, I have taken to heart and do the same. People
in TV are generally considerate.

3. At the exit gates where golf carts are crossing, I see cars slowing
down and signaling a cart to move on. I thank them and cross.
Especially when the carts are backed up, this is a nice gesture.
A car will not and should not come to a complete holt but this
allows to ease the cart congestion. I do that if I am in a car.

4. Coming into the gate and when the gate goes up, i know cars have
the right of way and will not stop for golf carts. My only concern is
for cars coming from visitor gate merging on to one lane. Who has
the right of way?

Idiot. :shocked:

(You KNOW I'm just kidding!!!) :jester:

To me, it's a judgement call. If nobody's getting held up and the driver is just trying to be nice, I don't see it being an issue to go ahead.

Danged if you do, danged if you don't sometimes, though.

Bill :wave:

The concern would be the driver behind the "courteous" driver not anticipating someone stopping, when they should not be stopping. A rear end collision so a golf cart can cross the intersection? Most golf cart crossings have a stop sign and a yield to vehicles sign........thats what all golf carts should do.

That's the way I see it too

Ouch!
 

Like I said before, why didn't they put a bridge over 466? I believe it's a highly traveled road and there's bound to be accidents. I just don't want to be in the golf cart when it does.

There is a golf cart tunnel under it, Happinow. It is by Laurel Manor rec center.

Oh. Apparently those gaits you are all talking about are the problem. I have been through the gait on Morse blvd (I believe) to get to Sumpter where the carts were backed up. It seemed like a real cluster.

FYI,...there's also a golf cart tunnel under 466 right by Morse at the Lutheran Church,....You are going to have fun learning all the rec. paths here with your golf cart when you arrive,...new arrivals almost always end up on a road they're not supposed to be on,...we came in 2008,...it took us a few months to get a good handle on all the roads and rec. paths,....we took a lot of exploration type trips on our golf cart. I remember one day I ended up on El Camino Real on my golf cart,....when I realized I wasn't supposed to be there I promptly got the hell off !:)....And when you get lost,...EVERYONE offers to help you figure out where you're going, I actually had someone go out of there way and drive ahead of me one time to show me the way,.....most people are very understanding and helpful when you're first learning the ropes.:icon_wink::welcome:

If you go to Google Maps and turn on the bicycle layer, you can see almost all of the cart trails...

That's the way I see it also. Yorio in post 22 says it well. Bogie Shooter in post 24 also has a good point. Bill's right---danged. :shocked:
The unfortunate part is that not everyone has 'good' judgement even though they think they do.
But if one wants to stick to the rules then
maybe an additional sign for the cars reading: "DON'T yield to golf carts" is in order. That would complement the sign on the cart paths saying to yield to cars. That's called communication. (but that opens up a whole new subject!). :D

Rules of the Road
 

I'm sure I will be corrected if I'm wrong, but isn't it fact that cars have right of way over golf carts, everywhere, at all times, in The Villages ?

I can't quote "chapter and verse" at the moment, but I know I read it somewhere.

It is incumbent upon those who live in and visit The Vilages to know the rules of the road.

Navigating roadways with carts
 

Sounds a little tricky to me. I'll drive the roads first by car to be sure my cart can go from point A to point B safely. It must be scary riding a cart on a road not permitted for carts. Going to have to put a big "L" on my forehead!

memason: Anyone who can map out TV on google is anything but an idiot. But again drivers need to follow the rules of the road, right of way (ROW) being one. This afternoon I was entering my gate following a driver in a Benz. The driver pulled thru the gate could ony go straight and I followed after waving my card. The Benz hadn't travelled 20 feet before stoping abruptly to let a cart make a left hand turn. I again in two days witnessed a drivr set up a potential accident the previous being a woman making a right turn stopped in the middle of a turn to let a stopped cart go straight across the cart path on Morse.

I travel the cartpath before dawn and can't tell you the number of "almost" accidents.

Finally I appreciate and understand the expression "what are you in a hurry for , you are retired"? However, I find many residents who have so many activities planned in one day at various locations in TV. Beside which its plain human nature for many, irrespective of their age, not to slow down.

Good news: Corvettes always have the right of way! :a040:
Drive slowly so everyone can see you in it. :coolsmiley:

No, cars do not have the right of way, everwhere. All travel by cars and carts should follow the "rules of the road". This means at a 4 way stop I have the same rights in my cart as you do in your car. Of course, defensive driving should be practiced here, as every where else.

Rudest Cities in the U.S.
 

Just noticed the infamous 2011 rankings of the ruddest cities in the U.S. No. 1 is NYC followed by Miami and DC with Orlando in the 10th spot. Two cities of Florida in the top 10. Most of the cities are in the Eastern Section of the country. Of the 86,000 Villagers wonder how many are from the Midwest and how many are Easterners(meaning all of the Atlantic coast). Do you think the majority percentages of one area over the other will make a difference of what we are discussing?:)

Only a couple of roads within The Villages prohibit carts, Happi ....466, 466A and 441. ....and if it isn't permitted and you're on a cart, it can be dangerous and it's illegal also. There are cart paths along 466 and 466A, off the road. Fret not, driving around TV in a golf cart isn't difficult, you just have to pay attention to your surroundings and traffic, carts or cars, around you as you do when driving your auto. One thing I do suggest...make sure you have a map of the place...cart paths used to get from point A to point B might follow a slightly different route than when driving in a car. Also, a map opened, in a stopped golf cart, is a way to meet many Villagers. They'll stop to see if they can help you find where you need to go and often times, they'll lead you to your destination... ;) Soon, you'll be the one helping out a perplexed and confused looking newbie... ;)

I totally agree.

Morse/466 gate
 

I find that if I am in a cart turning left off Morse onto the cart path to go south, I have a real challenge with cars coming through the gate in both lanes. It is especially difficult at busy times and if the "guard" keeps letting people through without letting the gate go down completely. The drivers often speed up as soon as they get through and I have to guess which ones will do that. It also creates a challenge if there are carts backed up behind me as I hate holding them up. I am a fairly proactive driver, but I also want to be safe. Maybe as I age the ability to estimate speed starts lagging. Hope not!

LW888