An Accident Waiting to Happen
 

Dang!! That driver must've skipped her meds this morning. Glad you made it through unscathed, Kathie!

Bill :)

Glad your o.k. its a jungle out there....

I still pray before entering a roundabout in the Villages. I have been here since July of 2005.

On Saturday on a trip from Sunset Pointe to home depot in which I went through 5 roundabouts, in EVERY one of them, someone entered and went 3/4 the way around in the right hand lane. People are idiots. And yes, if you're one of those who stay in the right lane going 270 degrees around any roundabout your an idiot. You ask those same people "would you come to a four lane traffic light in the right hand lane to turn left?" And they all say of course not. "Would you enter an intersection without yielding to traffic already in the intersection?" And they will say of course not. And yet the idiots do exactly that when using a roundabout.

The way she was driving, maybe she does not want to wait till Christmas to meet Christ. Sorry, bad joke and I don't want to make light of this situation. It doesn't seem to matter what size car you are driving either. I drive a BIG RED Dodge Ram 2500 diesel and was cut off in the roundabout near Virginia Trace by a Honda Civic! I cannot believe that the driver "didn't see me". Unbelievable how everyone is in a damn hurry in a retirement community!!

Kathie, I have to use that roundabout twice a day every day and trust me, no one waits or yields. Can't tell if they're in a tearing hurry to get to Publix, or just reckless, but I've learned that someone is ALWAYS going to butt in front of me.:loco:

Everyone!...read what this man just posted. He is completely right.

They have to be in a hurry, they might die before they get there, and the way some of them drive, that is what is going to happen to them. I can hardly wait for Summer to get here and things return to normal.

I'm glad you're okay, Kathie! THere's lots of traffic this week, seems like more than I've seen all winter. We all have to be extra careful...but some make it extremely difficult on us....they're compromising our safety as well as their own, through their selfish behavior. They're idiots, there I've said it and I mean it.

I'm not getting that "friendliest hometown" feeling folks.

Our regular home is in North Palm beach. This kind of driving happens all the time, especially in high season. The other day a guy in front of me made a left turn from the right lane and cut off two lanes of left turn traffic. Hot shots see an opening in the oncoming traffic, and just zoom around someone else who's waiting to make the turn. Sometimes a driver waiting in the left turn lane suddenly decides to go straight or even make a right turn instead. People are just nuts, and it's getting worse every year.

Rant over.

Its still here, you just have to put up with the crazys that winter here. They try to pack to much in to little time. Just back off, give them room and soon they will be gone and we can enjoy all the great things about living here.

I lived in Bonita Springs (South Florida) for 6 of the last 8 years. During "season" the traffic was terrible....forget going to restaurants....way too busy. It was a miserable time of year. I am moving to mid Florida (TV) in hopes of avoiding some of this....now I'm wondering if it's maybe just as bad....:cryin2:

Totally agree with you Figmo!! The "snowcrabs" will be leaving soon and TV will get back to normal!!:wave:

[QUOTE=Posh 08;469501]I'm not getting that "friendliest hometown" feeling folks.[/QUO



"Friendliest hometime", seems to have disappeared about 30,000 people ago!

Before we purchased, hubby and I rented a villa in the Chatham area. On the kitchen counter were laminated television listing, rules of the road, small map of TV (before Sumter was built) and golf cart instructions. We often wish that todays rentals had items like these available for some of the "snow flakes". Of course, would they read them and understand what they mean?

Friendliest hometown only seems to apply to folks you meet while taking walks anymore.

Hoping to see the lighter side during our June visit. I feel confident that we will. Another visit during the Winter........maybe not.

The drivers around here are getting worse. I was on Buena Vista today going 35 mi. and a car was right on my tail and then shot out and started going about 70 mi and hour. What is everybody's rush. Life is too short people. DRIVE SAFE. I intend to be around for awhile.

I was having issues with these roundabouts and I wasn't driving..the ones I'm used to has the inside lane continuing round and the outside lane exits and people enter...so having two lanes enter / exit is scarey!! I'm not surprised there aren't more accidents!

Hmmmm, "putting up with the crazys that winter here". Figmo, I'm disappointed with your sweeping generalization. :ohdear:

Hi Anlashokna,
You raise an important point.

It is also true though that some traffic light intersections have multiple turn lanes. Some interstate entrances/exits are on the left instead of right, or have multiple lanes that merge. Some have multiple lane entrances with alternating stop lights.

The point is that when driving in unfamiliar territory, we all need to use more caution not less; and we need to learn the local traffic pattern, which might differ from the ones we are used to.

Kathie, Kathie! Please be safe. The night life would die around here without you. Whatever would we do?

Wow!
 

We have been coming tothevillages for about 5 years, and are now owners. The first time we came there and approached a roundabout.My comment was oh my god what to do now. It was not like anyother roundaboit I had ever seen. We figured it out and are now very cautious and approach each time with the attitude that someone will not do it right, and often we are not disappointed! That may not be her problem,but we are sure it is an issue for new folks first time. Be careful and assume the worst. It will save your fenders and more! LB &LB

You are right, Bare. For every inconsiderate snowbird, there are probably at least tenfold more like you-- fabulous part-time residents, or guests, who bring joy and friendship on their trips down.

Snowbirds are also great for The Villages and the Florida's economy. Snowbirds aren't the problem. Inconsiderate people are.

I don't have that problem I just go round those darn roundabouts:1rotfl:

There are foolish drivers who visit, there are foolish drivers who live here full time....there are foolish drivers that live full time or part time in near by communities....right now, all of us are seeing some pretty reckless drivers in and around the area. I'm still ready to get a paint ball gun and "mark" cars and carts that just ignore stop signs, red lights, shouldn't be driving because even reading a sign as simple as YIELD is difficult.

I have many friends who are snow people...birds, flakes, some who are seasonal and am thrilled when they wing their way back to Florida. We can't blame all the poor driving on them, we can't blame all the poor driving on newbies...what we can do is try and make sure we observe the rules of the road, keep our eyes open, pay attention and watch out for the other guy/gal.
As bad as the traffic is here, believe me, if you came from a large city, it was many times worse there. We are busy, we still tend to rush, but making sure we allot enough time to get to our destination should be something we do first and foremost.

Everyone stay safe.

I'm stepping off my soapbox now...sorry for the rant, but I do feel better.. :)

Thanks PT, you're a pal. For the most part, in my humble opinion, seasonal residents are really responsible homeowners who pay taxes and amenitites all year long, and don't rush about causing accidents when they're in residence.

This is true, and I don't think anyone is picking on any specific group of visitors or owners. I think it is simply the inflated amount of people who are here during the winter season. When you have an increase in population, you get the increase in accidents because it's so much more congested. Sort of like Disney or beaches at Spring break. You are correct about Florida needing the Snowbirds. I believe the whole state would fold without the seasonal's. It's life here in Florida.

Kathi...I'm just glad you are ok!

PDF helpful! If you read it!
 

Gracie I bet most never reviewed the PDF available online that teaches how to drive in a roundabout!

I read it and was sure glad for the information.

Impaired driver
 

The other day The Hub and I came out of a store that's off 466, to get in our golf-cart. A woman had just pulled up in hers and seemed to have a great deal of difficulty getting out. When she did, it appeared to me that she had been a stroke victim as she had a limping, or rather, dragging gate and both arms/hands seemed to have been affected as well as her face and her speech. I might add it appeared she was alone. Now I'm not dissing on someone having a stroke, however she had great difficulty in navigating herself and even said she had to wait til we backed up so she could pass over to where there was no curbing. My thought was..."does her disability also transcend over to her driving ability?"!! I think of all the folks who are on medications, have other issues with their health etc. and multiply those with the traffic issues we all are seeing each day. I do hope that "someone", here in The Villages will somehow do something to make our community a safer place for all of us. We as residents, of course, can each do our part rather than just complaining about it. Driving is a privilege and not a right---we ALL need to drive defensively and watch the other person as well as ourselves!!!

I drive the roundabouts very often to get to work on BV and Morse.I have more problems with contractors and their trailers NOT even slowing down as they enter the circle than any car.... When I see a pick up with a trailer of tree branches I just KNOW they aren't going to yield so play it that way. Going North to south or back I usually just check to see if anybody is coming round the bend and then go HOPING those who want to enter will yield but always play the game as if they won't.....

I hear a lot about yield signs and yet I see many people every day that do not know what a yield sign is! A yield sign indicates that each driver must prepare to stop if necessary to let a driver on another approach proceed. Note the 'if necessary'. If another car is coming from your left in the roundabout you must yield right of way, if not you may enter the roundabout without stopping. It is just as much a traffic hazard when entering an empty roundabout to have some idiot in front of you STOP at a yield sign!

Morse & Stillwater
 

I still think the biggest problem is when you are heading east on Stillwater and entering the Morse circle. Over half of the vehicles in the right lane travel 3/4 around the circle so they can be in the right lane for the bypass of the next circle.

I have been reminded several times that without the snowbirds TV as we know it could not exist. It is the crowds in the winter that enable the restaurants and shops to stay open in the summer. The snowbirds pay amenities fees year round, if they didn't our fees would be sky-high. I know all this, and yet I still fume when I have to wait 5 minutes to get onto Odell or Morse. My bad.

Yeah...this is true and I'm right there with you!!! I need to tone my attitude down a bit!! I think we ALL knew this would be the case as the community builds out (the crowds would be larger). So guess we need to batten down the hatches and just be vigilant when we're out and about!!!

I don't think they should have a Yeild before entering the circles, it should be STOP...glad your ok Kathie!

That would defeat the purpose of having the circle. Got to use your smarts when driving into the round a bouts. Pay attention and never assume that the other drivers are paying attention. And it helps to understand the Round a Bout.

Small "price" to pay for a wonderful hometown....IMHO
But I DO enjoy the quiet of summer....soon come