[Jejuca]

We are new to The Villages - just renting. I have been reading about the golf cart accidents. It appears that one of the advantages to living in The Villages is that some people are no longer able to drive their cars but still drive their golf carts. I know that you don't need a license to drive a golf cart but isn't driving a golf cart the same as driving a car - you still need to be able to retain control of the golf cart, react quickly to avoid accidents and be able to see.
I read somewhere that a woman in The Villages had to give up driving due to limited sight (her license was revoked) yet she was thankful because she could still get around on her golf cart.
This is just a little scary especially since you can get much more seriously hurt in a golf cart than a car!
Any safety tips?

[Uptown Girl]

Consider that with a population the size of ours, the percentage of golf car accidents is low and often there are extenuating or unusual circumstances.
But as with any driving experience, one needs to be alert and aware of other traffic (auto as well as golf car) and travel responsibly themselves.

There are a few areas that are a little un-nerving until you get used to them- the bridge of Spanish Springs, the bridge along Morse blvd. for example, take a little more concentration. There is a protocol at gate crossings. There is a protocol when parking in a lot or on the squares.

Going out early in the morning was good practice for me to become comfortable while finding my way- with a little common sense, you will do fine,

...and being alert will keep you ahead of any trouble.

[Jejuca]

Thank you for those excellent suggestions. Do you know where I can find information about the protocols?
We are hoping to buy a house in The Villages so all info is appreciated.

[rubicon]

Dear OP

I had this very discussion with some residents a while back. People often default to that argument. to wit: I moved here because when I can't drive my car any longer I still have my cart. Well if you can't drive your car because of traffic violations that's one thing. However if your license was pulled because of medical restrictions that's quite another.

A guy from Oxford lost his license because of visual problems opted to use our cart paths and ran down a pedestrian. I mean some of us because of our medical conditions may not only be unable to drive a car or cart we may not be able to use our electric toothbrush....that's the reality.

[Uptown Girl]

Originally Posted by Jejuca

Thank you for those excellent suggestions. Do you know where I can find information about the protocols?
We are hoping to buy a house in The Villages so all info is appreciated.

We received a pamphlet among our papers when we purchased, perhaps a sales center rep could direct you to find one.

But in general, two golf cars park in one conventional parking space- in staggered fashion. if you are here, take a peek around a parking lot to get a visual. You always aim to park closely aligned to the painted stripe, even if you are alone in the space. That way, another golf car can park alongside you.

At the squares you will see areas where golf cars park perpendicular to the curb, side by side. Do not attempt to share a space with a car, that's a no-no.

When driving and crossing a street perpendicular to a gate, the autos always have the right of way and should NOT hesitate or wave the golf cars to cross in front of them.
The protocol is for the golf cars to wait in a safe position until the traffic passes.
If a gate has not opened yet (to an auto) and you are waiting in a golf car median, you may continue on to cross the street, provided your timing does not interfere with the auto when it gains clearance to proceed through the gate.

I hope I am explaining clearly- my best advice is to observe. You will see it done right more times than wrong and you will get the idea and
begin to tell the difference.

One more thing one needs to know. Although we travel in golf car lanes through the neighborhood streets, we must enter the car lanes to turn left or right. Rules of the road apply.
I have observed many turn left (across traffic) directly from the golf car lane instead of signaling and merging into the proper turning lane ahead of time- a recipe for disaster! But now you understand, I'm sure you won't ever do that


Others may mention additional things I may not have included here, but that's the basics of it.

[Jejuca]

Uptown Girl - Thank you for the additional info. It really is helpful. I told my husband about your idea about going out early in the morning initially. We think we will do that. I'm going to print the info you gave about the protocol as a reference. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it.
Rubicon - that is what worries me!

[Duvalboomer]

The skills needed are the same, however the speed and weight of a golf cart are not the same as a car. I know of a resident that was told by there doctor "no more driving your car but the golf cart is fine" now does this mean it's safe for this person to drive? no of course not. I guess each person has to make up there own mind.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

On one hand, I've been living here for well over a year and have seen exactly one incident with a golf cart. Ad that was because a guy had a heart attack or some sort of episode while waiting at a red light.
On the other hand, I was riding my bike one day and heard a woman calling for help. I stopped and found a woman lying on the ground beside her cart. I went over and she explained that she was trying to plug her charger in and was having trouble because she was legally blind. I helped her up off the ground and plugged in the cart for her. All the time she kept saying that she was legally blind. As I was about to leave, I asked her who drives the golf cart. She responded, "I do. They won't let me drive a car anymore so I have to." At that point I noticed her next door neighbor who had evidently been standing there all along. I had the feeling that he didn't want to help her because he knows the situation.

[Halibut]

Huh. Nothing stopping people with visual impairments from riding bicycles, either, but you'd think they'd have some concern for their own safety, if nothing else.

On the other hand, I had a temporary decrease in visual acuity last year and when I went to the opthomologist, he emphatically told me I would not pass the driver's license test and should not drive. But I could see fine! -- other cars, buildings, lights, traffic markings, etc. Okay, the world was a little blurry and I couldn't read street signs until I got close, but I could certainly distinguish stop/yield signs, etc. I honestly didn't feel like I was functioning under that big of a deficit, esp. just driving around my own neighborhood.

I don't know. Maybe in the end, "not seeing well enough to pass the driving test" doesn't absolutely mean you're not fit to operate any moving vehicle.

(But no, I didn't tell my wife what the doctor said.)

[Mikeod]

The minimum acuity required for driver's licensing in most areas I have worked is 20/40 in the better eye WITH CORECTION. Acuity worse than that does not automatically indicate a person could not operate a golf cart safely. Also, there are many reasons for legal blindness some of which would not prevent an individual from operating a golf cart safely. Frankly, I would feel more comfortable with someone who had 20/100 vision and a full field of vision than someone who had 20/20 and no peripheral vision.

I worked closely with the California DMV in a program that extended restricted licenses to people that otherwise did not qualify visually. A DMV examiner would go to the person's home and have them drive to their bank, doctor, grocery store, etc., so they could demonstrate capability to operate the car for those necessary trips. Their license prohibited them from using freeways or other high speed roads and restricted them to daylight hours. By the time I left for TV, they had a lower incidence of accidents than regularly licensed drivers in their age group.

[GatorFan]

VHA has a golf cart safety clinic at Savannah Center 3rd Wednesday of every month at 10:00am. Law enforcement is also there. Everyone should attend.

[DDoug]

You wont beleive this but I once saw a women at SS with a red tipped cain waving it in front of her cart not in the air on the ground. Figure that one out.

[Halibut]

Originally Posted by mikeod

The minimum acuity required for driver's licensing in most areas I have worked is 20/40 in the better eye WITH CORECTION. Acuity worse than that does not automatically indicate a person could not operate a golf cart safely. Also, there are many reasons for legal blindness some of which would not prevent an individual from operating a golf cart safely. Frankly, I would feel more comfortable with someone who had 20/100 vision and a full field of vision than someone who had 20/20 and no peripheral vision.

Thanks, Mike. That's very interesting. Not to go too far off topic, but what about the lack of depth perception in someone who only has vision in one eye? I just looked it up for Florida and one-eyed Jacks and Jills are allowed to drive as long as the corrected vision in their remaining eye is 20/40 or better.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by Halibut

Thanks, Mike. That's very interesting. Not to go too far off topic, but what about the lack of depth perception in someone who only has vision in one eye? I just looked it up for Florida and one-eyed Jacks and Jills are allowed to drive as long as the corrected vision in their remaining eye is 20/40 or better.

People with only one good eye can have good depth perception. There are many clues to assess their position relative to other objects that don't rely on two eyes. I wouldn't want them trying to land on an aircraft carrier, but driving an auto doesn't require fine depth perception or they would test for it when licensing/renewing and prohibit monocular people from driving.

[Jejuca]

Thank you for all the responses. The information you provided is appreciated.