Cart Driver who hit bicylist Cited
 

Reported in Daily Sun today that the cart driver who hit the bicycle rider near Ternberry and Buena Vista on the cart path was cited for careless driving.
The driver, from Oxford, told deputies he was under doctors orders not to operate a motor vehicle after receiving care for a brain injury. He said he didn't consider a golf cart a motor vehicle. According to the report he was wearing a headset and listening to music at the time of the collision.
The bicylist was listed in stable condition at an Orlando hospital.

I guess one never knows what is coming down the cart path towards you!

Unbelieveable.

Beyond my comprehension.

Horrible for sure.

Reminds me of a story where a man was golfing as a "single". Asked the folks he was put with to tell him where his ball went as he was 'legally blind'. After the game was done he was observed putting his clubs in a car (not a cart) and drove off!!!!!!! THAT too is what we're up againest here!!!

Ever wonder why the fence is out on the multi-model path over by the hospice on 466?? It's on one of the curves.... Someone going too fast could have done it but that too is scarey!

Sheesh! Thanks for the update, Bogie - - -

Bill :)

There is much more of this than what you know. My better half is a local optician and has made mention that there are many patients driving themselves in to eye appointments who should not be driving anything,....cars or golf carts, so yes, this is exactly what you're up against every time you venture out. Be careful out there! :22yikes:

The driver is from Oxford? Who's cart was he driving?

I just read this Bogey and I was gonna type the whole article. Your summary is much better. The man who was driving the golf cart is 47 and from Oxford? That isn't in The Villages. And the article also states that when he came back on the path and drove over the bicylist lying on the ground that he was "unaware of what he drove over". The cart had to be lifted off of the bicylist who is a villager and is 68 years old.

OMG Realy????? This guy isn't playin with a Full deck North of his ears:22yikes:

The Oxford address did raise a question in my mind too. But it could just as well have been somebody from Orlando just visiting. Then again, I don't think it would be too difficult to drive a golf cart from Oxford into the Villages.

Your Right
 

Isn't the family section N/O 466 in Oxford. Their GC trails are accesable to TV thru the tunnel system.

Parkwood is in Oxford, but I believe Buffalo Ridge is in The Villages. Buffalo Ridge can easily access the cart paths, but isn't Parkwood down the road a bit...making it just a tad less easy to get to the cart paths?

The accident was terrible and I do hope the person injured continues to improve.

Bison Valley is in Oxford,, does have cart access, and the Village of Parkwood use the sidewalks to drive down thru Bison Valley to use their cart access to The Villages...

Bison Valley,,,,,thank you, not Buffalo, my bad.

Also, the paper said the cart was an LSV, so, it might have been tagged for street legal, which would open it up to Parkwood, Lakeside Landings and some other adjacent neighborhoods.

Regardless, it was a awful set of circumstances.

I see lots of folks wearing headphones while driving. I can't imagine operating a car or cart and being totally tuned out to emergency vehicles and other roadside noises.

There May Be SomethingAwry Here
 

People who live outside The Villages may or may not have legal access to The Village streets via a street legal vehicle. However they are not paying amenities fees,miaintenace fees, etc for access to the cartpaths and hence do not belong on them. I suggest those of you who are POA and VHA members need to have this issue addressed. Apparently no one including Community Watch is bothering to check to see if non-residents are entering illegally and using our facilities. Exactluy how many more breaches or the like have been committed? Who is suppose to watch for such violations or breaches? This incident would have never happened but for someone's failure to do their job.

Now pray tell, how in the world would this be accomplished?
Where do you propose the check points should be?

er...he was on the street in an LSV. The roads in the villages are county roads. He can legitimately use his LSV on the road. :police:

As Bogie pointed out, it would be impractical to limit access to the amenity fee-supported multimodal paths to just residents and guests. Think how many transitions there are from tax-supported streets to multimodal paths.

I would guess that non-resident, non-guest use of the multimodal paths is well less than 1%. As has been stated many times, the Villages is not a true gated community. The streets are public and can be accessed by anyone.

This was a horrible, unnecessary accident caused by someone who should not have been driving. He just so happened to have been from outside the Villages. Could just as easily have been a Villager, renter, or guest.

I don't think we revamp access to our multimodal trails based on this incident. Stuff happens.

My heart goes out to the cyclist who is the unfortunate victim. I hope his injuries heal quickly and completely.

Well said.

The cyclist is a neighbor of mine and thank God he had no internal injuries to organs but he broke 20 of 24 ribs. In extreme pain but doing a little better.

So sorry he was hurt but glad he is going to be okay. Thanks for the update

So, an LSV can go faster than a golf cart, right? They go too fast for the multimodal trails, in my opinion. The speed limit is 20. I think they should not be allowed on the multimodal trails as long as there is an alternate roadway for them to use.

In this accident, the driver came around the corner too fast and that's what caused the accident. LSVs shouldn't be allowed on the trails.

I saw a good one this afternoon when coming back from playing golf. I'm going down Tamarind Grove Blvd and a guy is in front of me in his cart with his dog running next to the cart out in the street. Since he was only going about 10 mph I passed him way out in the center because I didn't want to spook the dog. I looked at him and said, "That's dangerous", and he looked at me like, what's your problem. The only problem is the dog will end up getting killed and the owner will blame the other person.

My other favorite, is there are two woman bicycle riders that I see going up and down St. Charles on their bikes in the cart lane with their dog on a leash running next to the bike. Again, these people are not real bright!!

There are also carts that aren't LSV's that go over the intended and lawful speed. I see carts all the time that are NOT LSV's that are going way too fast for the paths. Got passed by one today---left me in the "dust" and I had mine floored at 19.9 or whatever it's calibrated at, on a straight away. I always slow down for the curves and have seen folks (generally a guy) whose really giving it on those.

Bogie Shooter and others,
Thanks for the updates. It's hard to imagine how much pain the bicyclist must be in. My heart goes out to him.

The driver was incredibly irresponsible to drive an LSV after his doctor told him not to operate a motor vehicle. It's tempting to think his driving privileges should be suspended.

And ANOTHER accident this afternoon at the entrance to the Hadley pool on O'Dell. A guy riding a bike (he was a guest) was on O'Dell and I'm told he signaled and began to turn left into the parking lot and was clipped by a car going by. She stopped as did other good samaritans. He wound up with a gash in his head, some abrasions and an injured hip. EMS took him to the hospital for a CT Scan. Don't know who was right or wrong on this one, but geez...the cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet...come on people...let's get smart out there!!!

I agree with others, rubicon - I don't know how this could be totally controlled. A couple of other examples:

- Residents of Stonecrest have gated access to the area close to WalMart on 27/441 and thus to the Historic section via the "over the river and through the woods" path.

- When Sandy and I used to come to visit TV and nose around, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express a number of times. Rented a golf cart, parked it in the hotel parking lot at night, and had direct access to SS and points beyond.

I'd suspect the total number of "rogue" cart users is probably pretty mimimal.

Bill :)

Very sad indeed for the Bike Rider. The Cart Driver obviously was not in ANY control of his Senses.

Gosh driving with a brain injury is not responsible.

???
 

What are we going to do with the other 45k gas carts doing 27+ ??

Until you can enforce the speed and other regulations for the carts, you will not stop the craziness. That is the bottom line.

We may need TV stickers on registered vehicles in TV

What about the gas powered scoots on the cart path should they be allowed.

Liability
 

The driver will get what's coming to him when he finds himself in court. He'll no doubt pay bigtime for his negligence, as he certainly should. I hope the victim has a very good lawyer.

Parker
 

unfortunately, agree. I am not a sue happy person but you know that those healed bones (I sure hope they heal well) will never be like before....ie arthritis and or pain.

OooooooNO,NO, if we keep givin TV ideas they WILL use umm. It will be just another Tax for us too pay!!!!


Sheeeesh!!!!!!!!!

I have an LSV (NEV) and I can't count the times I'm going 25mph on the road and a gas cart zooms by me like I was sitting still. This happens frequently on Canal and also on St. Charles near the Sterling Heights RC. But LSVs have disc brakes, seatbelts, and other safety gear not found in regular carts. I wonder if some of these people could even stop a regular cart doing 30+mph if someone pulled/stepped out in front of them not realizing their excessive speed? I agree, enforce the speed limits!

Good Point
 

Excellent point. The modified Golf Carts are not set up to handle steer or stop at 30 mph.

Yes a Car can have passing power and go much faster as some have argued. The point is while the car can go the speed limit or exceed it. The Car is still designed to stop and steer.

I just don't understand the big hurry. The cart paths IMHO do not appear to be designed or set up for speeds above 25. Just look at how dangerous it is coming into or out of some tunnels.

Golf Cart Lending
 

Sorry to hear about this accident. Regarding this accident are you all aware that anytime a neighbor or friend borrows your golf cart with your permission in florida the owner is 100% percent liable for any property damage or personal injury and if the plaintiff's atty chooses (which they will) you will be sued. I checked this out with our agent. It is even possible that your insurance will not cover if the driver was breaking the law i.e. DUI or speeding. Sorry to side track this thread but we have had to tell many of our neighbors who have asked to borrow our cart while we are out of town... "Sorry we can not risk everything we worked for our entire lives to save you the cost of renting a cart for your guest".

Yeah well I know this person and he is the sweetest person you would ever want to meet and he has no restrictions on driving. He was freaked out when he saw the bicyclist had hit him, panicked, and immediately tried to get to the biker. They were both coming around a curve in the opposite direction so I don't think either one saw the other coming. I know he has been praying for him everyday.