Walking in the diamond lanes
 

Ok, when walking in the diamond lane facing traffic. Am I responsible for getting Out of road or do I legally have the right away? Remember I'm walking in the direction facing traffic.

My thoughts are I am walking to see what's in front of me and take evasive action so I don't get hurt or cause and accident? I don't know the rules or if there are rules covering this? I feel it's my responsibility to get out or off street to prevent and accident or possible injury to myself.

Basically I don't want to be dead right holding my ground? I see this a lot, people not yeilding to possible dangerous situation when carts and cars are coming especially on blind corners where cart has to stop abruptly or worse case swerve out into traffic.

Worse yet, is the person walking in the diamond lane WITH traffic. I see this all the time on Morse, Rio Grande and Del Mar. I will be interested in the discussion.

You have the right to walk in the cart path lanes. Definitely walking against the traffic is best choice. If a cart or car hits you, you will probably win the lawsuit, but you need to exercise caution. My only complaint with walkers in cart lanes is with those who do it at night without a flasher or at least reflective clothing. I think they give flashers for free at various events.

Florida Statute 316.130 Pedestrians; traffic regulations.—

(3) Where sidewalks are provided, no pedestrian shall, unless required by other circumstances, walk along and upon the portion of a roadway paved for vehicular traffic.

4) Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the shoulder on the left side of the roadway in relation to the pedestrian’s direction of travel, facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction.



I believe all of the roads that have diamond lanes, south of 466, have sidewalks so Statute 316.130 (3) would apply. Being in the road/diamond lane is illegal you must be on the sidewalk.

If you are talking about north of 466, where there may not be a sidewalk, then Statute 316.130 (4) applies and you are taking a big chance.

Having the legal right of way still won't protect you, better be safe and step aside onto grass area when being approached by a golf cart doing 20 +/- MPH.

Don't take a chance. If you live near 466, walk at the Polo Fields. It's beautiful. A lap equals a mile.

My point exactly when two cars and cart meet I sure the hell get way out the way whether I have the right of way or not. Up north I see two three abreast taking up all the diamond lane and encroaching in the car lane like they don't have care in the world yanking. IMO they should be single fine walking to the far left ready to get out of the road until they get to multi-mogul path or there no traffic which is not too often mid mornings. By the statute posted by blackie only legal if you're on the edge not taking up the complete lane.

Another thing when you enter an intersection and there is stop sign even though you are in the opposite lane going the wrong direction wouldn't you have to stop look then proceed out in the on coming lane. That another thing I see walking or running and not yielding, just barging around the corner when carts are in the lane coming. We're not talking down the street just before the intersections.

thank you blackie. This subject matter has taken place on these pages several times over the years.

It surprised me how many people, people who drive on a daily basis, do not understand the rules of the road.

some people are unaware that this Developer/county learned as (it) built.

The situation on the north side is a atrocious given that they built with few sidewalks. this is especially so in places like Rio Grande and DelMar

Apparently experience taught the Developer /county to build more sidewalk wider diamond lanes. But to what avail?

People walk/ jogged on the diamond lanes with sidewalk right next to them and challenged you stop your cart or pull to the left lane into traffic to avoid them.

People complain about speeders ( carts going 1-5 mph faster) but ignore this serious situation . My pleas had been for the sheriff to ticket these walkers and joggers and for the expressed reason of jay-walking.

People express their admiration for what the Developer wrought but I have always said that a well planned community would have provided for bike/walking trails separately and not on the MMP

MMP and diamond lanes should have been strictly for golf carts . Why? Because this is the largest golf cart community in the nation, dare I say world

OK I got it off my chest:D

Personal Best Regards:

Sometimes folks are just dumb. A few months ago I am driving North on Lynnhaven. There is a sidewalk on the right (East) side of the road. There are two walkers on the side walk and two walkers in the golf cart lane. Four abreast. I am in my golf cart in the golf cart lane. It is about 8:00 AM so the school traffic going North on Lynnhaven is a steady stream. I had to come to a complete stop in front of the two walkers as I could not pull around them into the street because of traffic. A golf cart behind me had to slam on the brakes and almost hit me.

What did these two idiots say? They yelled at us and said "we have the right of way".

In older parts of The Villages there are no sidewalks on the feeder streets and pedestrians are stuck with the diamond lanes for walking.
The intelligent pedestrians walk facing traffic.
In newer parts of The Villages the feeder streets have sidewalks for the intelligent pedestrians.

My experience in Tall Trees was the walkers were in the golf cart lane, not on the empty sidewalk. Golf cart comes along pulls into the road to go around them without looking and I have to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting the golf cart. Some people just have no common sense.

it is amazing how many people driving golf carts think they have the right of way and play chicken with a car that weighs 5 to 8 times their size. Stupid people!

They won't do it for very long before the groundhog starts delivering their mail! :22yikes::22yikes:

that's exactly why walkers need to GET OUT OF THE PATH so they don't kill someone or get Killed. IMO most walker's are SToopid ones. :22yikes:

From Daily Commercial Leesburg, July 7 2017

Golf cart driver in critical condition after colliding with car in The Villages

THE VILLAGES – A golf cart driver was left in critical condition Wednesday morning after traveling into the path of a moving car.

According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, Richard J. Bolender, 79, of Sanford, was driving his golf cart in the golf cart lane of Talley Ridge Drive near Weaton Court in The Villages area of Sumter County about 9:30 a.m. Bolender tried to pass a pedestrian by swerving into the car lane, but traveled into the path of a Buick.

The two collided and the golf cart hit a curb and overturned, throwing Bolender out of his cart. Tara Malara, 43, and Maddie J. Malara, 2, occupants of the Buick, were not injured.

Bolender was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center.