Did I do something wrong? Please weigh in.
 

I have always been told the gates in this community aren't for security. The gates are for traffic control and to give the golf carts the opportunity to cross at the entrance/exit gates. OK, I agree with this.

I am one of those drivers who goes through the gate before it comes down. When the gate is delayed in coming down, there is no problem following the car before me. I will do this only if there is no golf cart waiting to pass through. I'm aware many believe this is wrong but I'm going to continue to be a part of a caravan when the gate is up (and no cart is waiting). It saves time and keeps the traffic moving.

Now my concern...... This morning as I was exiting the Mallory gate, two cars went through the gate and the second driver went through before the gate came down. I, who usually would follow in this caravan, did not. Why?.....because there was a fellow in a golf cart waiting to cross. I stopped and let the gate come down. Then I continued to wait to allow the guy in the golf cart to proceed. He didn't. He then waved at me to tell me to go. He yelled to me, "what are you doing"? I motioned to him to proceed. He still would not go. So.....I proceeded to go through the gate. As I drove through the gate, the golf cart guy yelled at me, "IDIOT!!!"

Was I wrong for stopping and allowing the golf cart to proceed? Am I under the wrong impression that the gates are for traffic control and to allow the golf carts to cross at the gate entrances and exits?

No it is polite to take turns. The golf cart driver was probably trying to be polite also. My rule of thumb is to drive my golf cart as I would (should) drive my car. But if someone waves me on I go (if safe) as it is quicker that arguing over who should go first.

I think the cart driver overreacted, coffeebean, but you may have a slight misconception of the gates and their purpose. While I do think they provide some security for TV, they are there predominantly for traffic calming...to keep traffic from speeding by without any concern at all for crossing golf carts. But the gates are not intended to make the driver of an automobile stop to allow a golf cart to cross. The car still has the right-of-way and should proceed safely through the gate even if carts are waiting.

Personally, I think there are those times when it might be good to let a cart go. An example might be if there are golf carts waiting at a crossing and there are car delays ahead of the gate so there is no place for a car to go immediately if it does proceed through the gate. Why not let a cart or two go until the congestion clears up. But I also do think those times are sort of rare. As a general rule, cars should proceed on through the gate and let the crossing golf carts take their gap when it comes.

Cars have the right-of-way. Golf carts have a stop sign. If everybody obeys the rules and drives with caution and consideration, the system works very well.

I am one of those that will NOT pass in front of a car even when they wave me through. Here is why:

The golf cart approaching the intersection has a stop sign. The car does not. If I cross in front of the car, I am doing so even though I do not have the right of way. If the car driver's foot slips off the break and onto the gas, I am at fault because I should not have been there.

Look at it this way. You are in your car sitting at a stop sign waiting for an approaching car to cross through in front of you. But, as it reaches the intersection, it stops and the driver indicates that you should cross in front of him. What would you do?

I find that if cars will just keep moving through the gate, I do not need to wait long to cross. But those who stop to wave carts through cause other cars to back up behind them. Then the carts start to back up ...

Here is another thing. Does stopping and waving them through really save the cart any more time than if you had kept moving and it passed behind you?

Being nice. Being polite. Maybe. But I think it is less safe. Following the rules of the road means everything works best and safest.

Do not caravan.

When a car holds up traffic and flags a golf cart to go....there is no favor or courtesy employed.

Selective enforcement, giving or taking the right away only confuses the majority who follow the rules.

There has been a public service in the local paper as well as the radio saying Cars keep going and don't wave carts as it causes a dangerous situation. You are acting as a director of traffic which would be againest the law. PLUS it also has been said NOT to caravan thru the gate right behind another vehicle. Some time you'll get caught in the gate arm and don't think you'll want to be contacted to pay for it.

I think you are wrong.

I think you should wait for the gate to at least start coming down before you use your card to make the gate go up. Then drive thought the gate at a slow speed.

As for the golf carts, you can pretty much ignore them. I almost never (like once a month or even less) ever wave for a golf cart to go in front of me. It is much easier to just focus on what I am doing.

Was I wrong for stopping and allowing the golf cart to proceed? Am I under the wrong impression that the gates are for traffic control and to allow the golf carts to cross at the gate entrances and exits?

Nope, you are wrong for caravanning through the gate. The gates are indeed designed to control traffic and allow carts and cars to interact peacefully. By caravanning though, you negate the design. The cart drivers are waiting to cross when they see gate close, when you caravan through all you do is confuse and scare them, doesn't matter that you "wave them through"

I think you didn't quite get what I said. I do not caravan when there is a cart waiting. I let the gate go down. But I'm finding out now that I am wrong by waving a cart driver through. I won't do that anymore.

Driving through the gate in a caravan works very well when there is no cart traffic waiting. It moves the traffic so much faster. Some of those gates take what seems like an eternity to close. I think some of them need to be adjusted to come down more quickly.

...

There are many gates where you can't see if carts are waiting to cross. Gates were designed wisely to allow one car per gate opening, not for caravanning.

What's your hurry?

I agree.... what is the hurry? The OP is very wrong.

And there is a sign at each gate that says that gate comes down after each car. Here's some good video of cars and carts piggy backing.
Village Community Development Districts

People should go to the GOLF CART DRIVING CLASS.

I guess I now know why the gate at Mallory Suare is often broken. You are tailgating and that is not allowed. Caravanning sounds like a cute name for it, it is not cute . What is your hurry? Save 30 seconds at what cost?

The op I think is talking about going out the gate not in.You can’t see carts while entering.On going out the gate the gate stays up while vehicles are present.

Wrong Wrong
 

In my opinion you are/were wrong on both counts.

First you are supposed to wait for the gate to close and then use your gate card... It's folks like you that are the reason our gates are knocked down so often! One car at a time.....you have no way of knowing if you can beat the gate...

Second, cars shouldn't stop for golf carts. They are merging, or crossing the traffic lane. They are required to YIELD to traffic. When you try to be nice and yield to them, you can become a traffic impediment to the traffic behind you. You can in fact cause someone in a roundabout to have to stop in the circle because you are not traveling through the gate without undue delay.

You may be being polite, but you are WRONG and WRONG in my opinion!