[terrieb]

We heard about what happened on Sunday night at Buena Vista and 466 with the low flying helicopters, overturned car etc. Then yesterday, 12/4, we were on our way to Sumter Landing for dinner around 4:30p when there were many sirens, EMS's, farther on up 466 as we were attempting to get on Morse Blvd, took a detour down another road and I am wondering (as a prospective buyer in the Villages), is this a norm in the Villages? I know where there are people there are accidents but these accidents seem to be "extreme" accidents vs. "fender-benders". More people living here than back home but I am wondering with so many drivers 55+ of various skills or skills where maybe they should not be driving anymore, maybe the accidents would be more frequent. We are currently doing our research for moving to the Villages and having been here before in December, this place seems so much busier than we remember.....is the population growing that fast here? Like I said, just doing our research like the rest of you did before you moved here.

[army one]

Sorry, but this doesn't even deserve an answer. Sounds like you are trying to stir up something that doesn't exist. There are more than 80,000 that live here and there are public roadways that run thru The Villages. You are assuming, by the tone of your post, that all the accidents that occur here are the fault of older drivers. Get A GRIP

[red tail]

Originally Posted by army one

Sorry, but this doesn't even deserve an answer. Sounds like you are trying to stir up something that doesn't exist. There are more than 80,000 that live here and there are public roadways that run thru The Villages. You are assuming, by the tone of your post, that all the accidents that occur here are the fault of older drivers. Get A GRIP

[KathieI]

Originally Posted by army one

Sorry, but this doesn't even deserve an answer. Sounds like you are trying to stir up something that doesn't exist. There are more than 80,000 that live here and there are public roadways that run thru The Villages. You are assuming, by the tone of your post, that all the accidents that occur here are the fault of older drivers. Get A GRIP

DITTO!!!

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by terrieb

We heard about what happened on Sunday night at Buena Vista and 466 with the low flying helicopters, overturned car etc. Then yesterday, 12/4, we were on our way to Sumter Landing for dinner around 4:30p when there were many sirens, EMS's, farther on up 466 as we were attempting to get on Morse Blvd, took a detour down another road and I am wondering (as a prospective buyer in the Villages), is this a norm in the Villages? I know where there are people there are accidents but these accidents seem to be "extreme" accidents vs. "fender-benders". More people living here than back home but I am wondering with so many drivers 55+ of various skills or skills where maybe they should not be driving anymore, maybe the accidents would be more frequent. We are currently doing our research for moving to the Villages and having been here before in December, this place seems so much busier than we remember.....is the population growing that fast here? Like I said, just doing our research like the rest of you did before you moved here.

This part of your research is incorrect. Yes, it is busier more folks are moving to TV every day. Hope you find what you are looking for and the next time you post .................we can welcome you to TV.

[OldDave]

Terri, I think your question is perfectly reasonable. I don't live there yet, so I cannot answer it. What I can tell you is that a significant number of people on this site get their dander up if you even suggest anything about TV isn't perfect. I continue to be amazed by that.

This question isn't worth a response? Then why did you respond. And why are you folks rude to someone who is obviously new and considering moving here.

We spent last June renting a house there. That is our only trip thus far. My understanding is that is the slowest time of the year. What we found was some pretty heavy traffic in a few areas, but mostly pretty light. There were a couple of things that were difficult. First and foremost the roundabouts or traffic circles. These in themselves are a good idea. They are prettier and less city-like than signals. But for some reason they are two lane circles. My guess is the traffic is heavy enough in the winter to justify it. The biggest problem I saw was that in most areas, you were allowed to make a right turn into a neighborhood from the left lane or the right line. But there was no indication that you had to turn from the right, as opposed to going straight. There are signs showing this, but they really don't make sense. I don't see any way to safely turn right from a left lane if the traffic in the right lane goes straight.

I don't know what happened in that accident. Someone mentioned the paper, but I didn't find anything in the on-line version. I will say that overall my wife and I were surprised at how fast many drivers were going both on the streets and the cart paths. For a community designed to be relaxing and enjoyable, I'm not sure why everyone was in such a hurry.

If I had to speculate on driving safety in TV, I would point to how tightly so many people are packed into the area there. Also, I've read a lot of comments here about snow birds causing some problems because they don't get used to driving here. I don't know if there is any validity to that.

As to the safety of older drivers, most of the research I've seen points to older folks as actually being safer and having less accidents. Of course there is always the person who should no longer be driving that runs over someone or hits gas instead of the brake. My feeling is that is one of the real reasons for all the golf carts here, so those people can get around, without driving a 4,000 pound car. Of course it seems there are a great many golf cart accidents, but the injuries generally seem much, much less serious.

Finally I would say during our month there we heard of no serious accidents and have heard of very few on here in the two years I've been reading it. It sounds like this was just a very bad week. Again, I don't know what happened Sunday.

Best of luck Terri.

[Golf-Tinker]

Routes 466 and 466A as well as Morse and Buena Vista Boulevards are often used as convenient drive throughs by workers, residents and visitors from surrounding communities, and frequently they drive fast without knowledge of or regard for the posted speed limits within The Villages.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by OldDave

Terri, I think your question is perfectly reasonable. I don't live there yet, so I cannot answer it. What I can tell you is that a significant number of people on this site get their dander up if you even suggest anything about TV isn't perfect. I continue to be amazed by that.

This question isn't worth a response? Then why did you respond. And why are you folks rude to someone who is obviously new and considering moving here.

We spent last June renting a house there. That is our only trip thus far. My understanding is that is the slowest time of the year. What we found was some pretty heavy traffic in a few areas, but mostly pretty light. There were a couple of things that were difficult. First and foremost the roundabouts or traffic circles. These in themselves are a good idea. They are prettier and less city-like than signals. But for some reason they are two lane circles. My guess is the traffic is heavy enough in the winter to justify it. The biggest problem I saw was that in most areas, you were allowed to make a right turn into a neighborhood from the left lane or the right line. But there was no indication that you had to turn from the right, as opposed to going straight. There are signs showing this, but they really don't make sense. I don't see any way to safely turn right from a left lane if the traffic in the right lane goes straight.

I don't know what happened in that accident. Someone mentioned the paper, but I didn't find anything in the on-line version. I will say that overall my wife and I were surprised at how fast many drivers were going both on the streets and the cart paths. For a community designed to be relaxing and enjoyable, I'm not sure why everyone was in such a hurry.

If I had to speculate on driving safety in TV, I would point to how tightly so many people are packed into the area there. Also, I've read a lot of comments here about snow birds causing some problems because they don't get used to driving here. I don't know if there is any validity to that.

As to the safety of older drivers, most of the research I've seen points to older folks as actually being safer and having less accidents. Of course there is always the person who should no longer be driving that runs over someone or hits gas instead of the brake. My feeling is that is one of the real reasons for all the golf carts here, so those people can get around, without driving a 4,000 pound car. Of course it seems there are a great many golf cart accidents, but the injuries generally seem much, much less serious.

Finally I would say during our month there we heard of no serious accidents and have heard of very few on here in the two years I've been reading it. It sounds like this was just a very bad week. Again, I don't know what happened Sunday.

Best of luck Terri.

I defend the curt answers above because we have an enormous pride in living here and because it hurts to have someone say we drive unsafely because we are older.

It is clearly a dangerous place to drive during the high season and our population is increasing rapidly.

AND people bring with them different ways of driving. I think some people who have taken public transportation a lot in their lives are not as comfortable or as skilled as the farm boys who have driven since they were ten or twelve...and some folks are used to living in heavily congested areas and drive like race car drivers. AND some people look at stop signs and yield signs as only suggestions.

I welcome you to this wonderful place that is now my year 'round home and I ask you and every other person who drives here to be careful, familarize yourself with the way roundabouts work, don't exceed the speed limits, drive defensively and cautiously. Many people who I have grown to love are out on the roads including my love of 50 years.

[terrieb]

Sorry I did not mean to ruffle anyone's feathers. I too am a senior citizen but one that intends on going through a lenghtly process of selling my current house and then possibly buying in the Villages, supposedly the friendly town. This is my sixth visit to the Villages - came in June, came in August, and then the other times in December. Have not been here in January yet which I understand is very busy with so many renters and snowbirds here to camp out during the winter months. It just seems that there have been so many accidents since our arrival that my concern is maybe this is just too busy of an area that I would care to live in as the Villages grows to build out. That's why I am visiting here so much. I want to get a feel of the place to see if I want to call it home for the rest of my senior life. I appreciate the comments OldDave (my husband's name is Dave) and Golf Tinker. I apologize to the rest of you.

[DDoug]

To be honest I'm surprised that the insurance companies haven't raised our rates here in TV yet. The biggest thing is everyone wants to direct traffic and go against the traffic laws. Sorry but it's the truth watch for yourself when you drive and you will see it all the time. One thing how do you turn left from and on to a four lane road. Not many people on the road know that I've seen

[Figmo Bohica]

Stop signs and yield signs and traffic lights are only suggestions in Florida and turn signals are an option.

[rjm1cc]

Where I spent most of my life (NJ) we had a few traffic circles (Runabouts) and due to increasing traffic they have been removed. I think the problem might be more with the design of the road. It is not a good design for heavy traffic. They are fine if you are the only car entering.

[Jaggy]

Originally Posted by DDoug

To be honest I'm surprised that the insurance companies haven't raised our rates here in TV yet. The biggest thing is everyone wants to direct traffic and go against the traffic laws. Sorry but it's the truth watch for yourself when you drive and you will see it all the time. One thing how do you turn left from and on to a four lane road. Not many people on the road know that I've seen

we moved here from Jacksonville, FL and our rates went down in The Villages.

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by terrieb

Sorry I did not mean to ruffle anyone's feathers. I too am a senior citizen but one that intends on going through a lenghtly process of selling my current house and then possibly buying in the Villages, supposedly the friendly town. This is my sixth visit to the Villages - came in June, came in August, and then the other times in December. Have not been here in January yet which I understand is very busy with so many renters and snowbirds here to camp out during the winter months. It just seems that there have been so many accidents since our arrival that my concern is maybe this is just too busy of an area that I would care to live in as the Villages grows to build out. That's why I am visiting here so much. I want to get a feel of the place to see if I want to call it home for the rest of my senior life. I appreciate the comments OldDave (my husband's name is Dave) and Golf Tinker. I apologize to the rest of you.

Terrieb,
I would love to see the statistics on the ages of those at fault for accidents here in The Villages. Maybe the POA can investigate that for us.

However, I suspect that what we are seeing are accidents caused by drivers who would be accident prone regardless of where they lived and drove. The Villages is just a highly populated relatively small area where the focus on any one accident is much greater (just like in a small town even though we are 80,000 strong). My guess is that our accident rates are normal for our population.

[Skybo]

One thing to keep in mind terrieb is that the sounds of sirens and presence of EMS vehicles and the helicopter does not necessarily indicate a serious accident, or even an accident at all. Minor accidents and medical events often involve fire trucks as first responders, followed up by EMS vehicles. The helicopter is also used for medical events that don't have anything to do with an accident. It seems to me that since I’ve lived here, there have been relatively few serious accidents for the size of the population. And I think that the mature population around here is, in general, a safer group of drivers than the young drivers encountered in other cities. Really young drivers are more likely to speed, tailgate and drive aggressively.