This Makes Me So Sad
 

Less than two hours ago I was riding my bike on the very nice cart path along El Camino Real. I always ride on the right side and very close to the edge of the path. As I approached an oncoming golf cart, I could see a another golf cart approaching from the rear. This cart coming from the rear did not slow a bit as the three of us passed side by side. I would call what he did "threading the needle".. Anyway this jerk coming from the rear passed me with less than two feet to spare, I yelled MOVE OVER to which he slammed his brakes on immediately in front of me and asked what was my problem. I told him that he nearly hit me, to which he replied, "well I didn't did I "? I said to him that he should have given me more room, to which he replied, "GO F**K YOURSELF, WHY DON'T YOU F**KIN GROW UP". He drove away. Now, I have lived in the Villages for more than 15 years, and those first ten years something like this happening was unheard of. I hear more and more of instances lkie I decribed and It make me so sad to see this change when one resident would verbally assault another resident in such a vulgar way. What was such a wonderful place to live is no more.. My wish is that that moron who nearly hit me, reads this post.

I guess you cannot be sure it was a resident, either way this is one of those assh*)&^ that slipped thru the gate late at night.

Warren, I've seen some of these jerks. The one thing that makes me continue to love TV is the simple fact that the jerks are so much in the minority -- more so than anywhere else I've ever lived. For every fool you see yelling and cursing, you'll see nine people stopping to help a stranger, smile and wave at a child, just do something kind and unexpected.

Just last evening there was an electric golf cart stopped 1/4 of the way on the bridge going across 441. We could have just had them roll backwards and park on the side. Instead, 6 of us pushed the cart to the top and watched it roll home on the other side, cheering as it rolled into the driveway. The best part is the owner flagged us down and we all stopped and had a drink and chat. What a great way to meet new people and make new friends.

(Oh, and no one was complaining or honking that was stuck in the line waiting to go up the hill.)

So, don't get too downhearted. There's still a tremendous amount of good here.

Redwitch....this is why I wish we had a "like" button on TOTV!!! I'm sorry Warren, for your experience! The guy was a jerk for sure and the fact of his behaviour doesn't elevate him to acting like a grown-up! Can you imagine living with this person? Or being his child and being brought up with that kind of attitude?? I still think our community is THE VERY BEST thing since sliced bread! We're totally blessed to live here! Too bad there is a minority that has to spoil it for the rest of us...only when we encounter them....the rest of the time it's lovely here!!!!!

That's exactly the spirit that makes me look forward to leaving the crowded subways, buses and city streets to join the good folks in TV! (Just waiting for the school year to end, a few more cold and snowy months!)

That is terrible and unacceptable behavior...the good news is that his "road rage" stopped with an oral assault only. I remember about 3 years ago when at the gate at Bridgeport at Lake Sumter a guy got out of his golf cart and punched a woman in the face while she was sitting in her car.

Warren - the guy knew you were right and he was wrong. But his inflated self-worth prevents him saying he was sorry and instead takes it out on you. As a professor of mine used to say. 'Well, that classifies him".

A Big Thank You
 

I appreciate the supporting comments. I suppose I want morons like this guy to be like the other 99% of us. This fool had ample opportunity to avoid this situation, all he had to do was slow for a second until the approaching cart has passed and then safely pass me. You can imagine how tight it was, two golf carts and a bicycle side by side across the path, it did leave much room for my smaller bike. One thing for sure, he has a nasty mouth...

3 sides
 

I get entertained reading these stories. Like my friend the Judge taught me years ago, "Theres three sides to this story. Yours, His and the Truth." Let's all be happy that no one got hurt and let's all play nice together!

The rest of the story
 

I assure you the incident happened just as I described. Sadly my near miss is not all that unusual. Bring up the subject among any group and I assure you will hear many instances of almost Walking, Biking, and Golf cart accidents.

I totally believe this exactly as described because it's happened to me numerous times while I've been out running. I am shocked at the anger and vulgarity aimed at me because they may have to go around me (not really) while running. The majority of people are kind and friendly but there are still quite a few who could really benefit from some sort of anger management instruction.

If a person was a jerk when they moved here why would they change?

Wow! some one else has seen bad behaviorhere in the Villages--we have seen these jerks more than once-Rudness We California people vary rarely see--We brought our golf cart from California "Battery powered as California does not allow gas carts"
Our cart goes around 20 miles per hour and are passed all of the time by the gas carts-We got the finger more than once while the people in a hurry, pass us and speed up to show off their speed--Once a cart passed us and almost hit a man on a bicycle--brakes screeched as the man came to a stop--red faced as we passed the cart and the bicycle --the cart never passed us again--I think a little embarassed to say the least!

I am sad to hear this too. I hope to live there in the not to distant future and hope that it is not full of the people I was hoping to get away from.
I know, I know, jerks are everywhere but in the past my experience there has been of nothing but great people that know how lucky they are.
EB

Nope, those idiots are few and far between here. That's why they are so noteworthy. I've been here over 6 years and my encounters with such people are infrequent and easily dismissed. I refuse to let them affect my day or attitude. They're the ones with the problem and can't transfer it to me.

I am sorry to hear this happened. I too was hoping I would avoid this type of scenario.

I usually "don't let people rent space in my head". :smiley:

I seriously doubt a person like that reads at all!

It's those dang gum tee times that's everybody in hurry to get to. Wait till the baby boomer becomes the majority. As once said " you an't seen notha yet"

Sad, But IMO some golf cart drivers need to CHILL!

I todays world, I would not recommend yelling at anyone on the road. You never know what kind of nut you are dealing with or what weapon they may have. You will not correct their behavior anyways and will only escalate the situation. Better to just let it go and not let it ruin your day.

Good Advice
 

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Not entertaining to me
 

This year I will be counting my 16th year as a Villages Resident. I believe that qualifies me to offer my opinion that verbal assaults unheard of during my first 10 years now occur with a much greater frequency. If this verbal assault had occured to you rather than me your comments might be stronger. Entertaining is not the word I would have used. What causes a complete stranger to verbally attack another person-----This is what saddens me.

I don't know the OP, but if he has posted these type incidents before, perhaps it is because they actually happened to hi more than once. I do agree that it will happen again, and to many other riders. My experience is that I have occasionally run into similar, if less volatile, incidents on my cycle. However, I have never chosen to post about them. As far as it being "entertaining," one would only say such a thing if he wasn't on the receiving end of the incident.

Let it Go
 

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You will find jerks where ever you go, their are just a lot less of them here.
Dont let them get you down

I bought a home out in the country to atleast get away from the traffic and jerks on my days off....Now 20,000 other people want to live in the country and here I am again.....

You rock Redwitch!!!!!

To error on the side of angels is the best course of action. Unfortunately, we are human, subject to human emotions and are prone to get upset. I totally agree with your viewpoint but it is easier said than done.

We should all strive to "Don't sweat the small stuff, it's all small stuff". :smiley:

Don't let this clown ruin your day
 

Sadly there are a few of these folks everywhere...even in The Villages. Don't let him ruin your day...imagine going through life with that attitude...he's not a very happy person!

warren, remember what goes around comes around[B]...it always does....thanks heavens you were not hit

Understood.

Angry Rude People
 

Warren, our situation is a lil different. We were golfing on the historic side when it was my turn to tee off. I approached the ball and looked at the green. No one was anywhere in the fareway. I hit the ball and BOOM right there in front of me was an elderly man with his cart just standing there oblivious to us yelling FORE. When we approached my ball he still didn't know what was going on. I said didn't you see me teeing off? All of a suddun his son (named Bill) came running over to us screaming at me with a club in his hand. I was scared. He was swearing at us and saying his father was 97 yrs old and deaf and couldn't possibly have heard us. I said to him I guess his eye sight isn't up to par either. Holy cow this man wanted to take a swing at me and my husband and dared us to. We were pretty upset and never have encounterd anything like tis in the villages. What's wrong with people? By the way I stopped the ambassador and told him how frightend I was. He did nothing. It's getting that you don't even want to leave the house anymore.

Could you clarify? Why was this man in front of you? Was he playing the same hole and you didn't see him?

I read your post to Sweetie and he said it sounded like you hit into these people.

One of the reasons I am looking forward to being retired from working, etc. and being able to live in such a beautiful place is that I don't want to have to be in a hurry to be anywhere anymore. No rushing, etc. If that man was in such a hurry to get where he was going he should have taken his car rather than passing folks and creating dangerous situations. Plus yelling out such language and showing himself like that - well maybe that just shows us he is from the low end of the gene pool. And as another poster said, some people never change no matter how they were before they got to TV. Just my two cents worth.

Sad
 

I would HATE to be married to that guy! So sad that people are so hateful...and that they feel moving over a few feet is going to kill them. I see this often and for the life of me can't understand what is wrong with so many people. Shame on the person who was riding with him.....does not say much about you either! Sorry you had to experience this! She is a lucky woman to be married to such a man!

Warren, I'm sorry you had that experience. I've had that happen while walking. But when I'm walking, I walk on the left side. So I'm facing on-coming carts. On a busy day, there are lots of times when two carts pass each other (going in oposite directions) and if I happen to be there at the same time it can be a close call. The difference is: I'm ready to step off into the grass if it gets too close and it has happened from time to time. Usually, they don't slow down either. I've experienced drivers going full speed while only intending to leave about 1 foot between us. That's when, for sure, I step off into the grass.

Being on a bicycle seems more dangerous because you have your back to carts coming up behind you. Have you ever thought of riding your bike in the center of your lane at certain times when you see this situation developing? The cart in back of you would have to slow down and wait for traffic to clear. Just a thought.

That principle is derived from Florida traffic law which requires a motor vehicle to give cyclists a minimum of 3 feet clearance when passing. On substandard sized lanes (i.e. those under 14 feet wide, per the Florida DOT Manual of Uniform Minimum Standards), it is not possible to share the lane and remain in compliance. Therefore, cyclists can take the lane, as any other vehicle. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the multimodal paths, as they are not considered part of the Florida road system. Notwithstanding, what you said makes good sense. Although it is the safe thing to do, you can expect a hostile reaction from some cart drivers.

Old Gentleman
 

I had forgotten about an incidence that happened to me years ago and convinces me that same elderly man was part of a strange experience I also had Also while golfing in a foursome at Orange Blossom Golf Course. We were standing on the tee waiting for the hole to clear so we could hit our balls. A very elderly man walked in front of, using a pull cart, and proceeded to the forward tees and hit his ball. Of course we were yelling like crazy at the old mans rudeness. He totally ignored us !!!! It didn't matter to this fool that he was hitting his ball into the foursome in front of us. Lo and Behold he simply continued to hit has ball thru that forward foursome. Soon he was out of our sight and we continued our play. I made it a point to go into the Pro Shop following our round and express my concern about this guy. You know what they said ?????? They said, He is OK, that he is just old "name", he does that nearly every day.
To me this was a crock, Old Charlie so and so being allowed to disrupt anothers golf game, placing himself in danger and of putting we golfers is a very bad position lest we hit and injure Old Charlie. I cannot believe this has not been stopped.

There is no excusing bad behavior. I live by the old adage. When facing rude behavior. Don't let them win by stooping down to their level. I just shake my head in disbelief of the rudeness and go on my way.

AND that is about all you can do.

If not you add to it.

Their mama's didn't teach them right and sadly their example has taught their kids the same way. We pre baby boomers were taught all the good stuff, including not to call attention to when people became "old" and look down on them for it.

This reminds me of a famous "story" where the poor old man was taken in on Christmas Eve. And the Lord said to the man......I met you 3 times and you took good care of me.

Maybe this is a "test" for each who sees this old man on the golf course............
How do you treat him? The lesson here?