[Two Bills]

Smile: A Poem by Spike Milligan

Smiling is infectious,
you catch it like the flu,
When someone smiled at me today,
I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner
and someone saw my grin.
When he smiled I realized
I'd passed it on to him.

I thought about that smile,
then I realized its worth.
A single smile, just like mine
could travel round the earth.

So, if you feel a smile begin,
don't leave it undetected.
Let's start an epidemic quick,
and get the world infected.

[John Mayes]

Originally Posted by MDLNB

Just a recent experience that I had while shopping at Wally World last Friday. Knowing that there would be a few more shoppers due to the snowbirds returning to their Southern, winter migration homes, I thought I was sneaking in at a good time to shop. Not so fast. When I arrived at WallyWorld, I discovered it packed reminiscent of Black Friday. Wall to wall shopping carts. I absolutely hate crowds but my wife gave me the shopping list and my orders. Always in a hurry when tasked with shopping, I was impatient. However, what I did notice is how friendly almost EVERYONE was, even with having to wait for slow shoppers to move on down each row. Being tall, I was asked several (many) times to reach higher shelves for the vertically challenged. I discovered my smile that eventually froze on my face as I assisted others. Everything was cool and copacetic. Someone mentioned that smiles are contagious and they are correct.
Welcome back. Hope you all enjoy the open freedom we have in Florida, during these trying times. Life is great in The Villages.

Nice post and great attitude!!!!

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Before Covid I alternated the 3 winter months between Miami Beach , Hawaii and Thailand yearly . Do you know what I found when I got there, I’ll tell you , lots of people on vacations., crowded restaurants, lots of traffic , it’s the same everywhere , just relax , have a drink at the bar and smile at people because you know even most grumpy and rude people brighten up when you smile at them ( most likely headed back to Hawaii and Thailand for a couple of months at least this winter)

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com

Before Covid I alternated the 3 winter months between Miami Beach , Hawaii and Thailand yearly . Do you know what I found when I got there, I’ll tell you , lots of people on vacations., crowded restaurants, lots of traffic , it’s the same everywhere , just relax , have a drink at the bar and smile at people because you know even most grumpy and rude people brighten up when you smile at them ( most likely headed back to Hawaii and Thailand for a couple of months at least this winter)

Travel safely and return in one piece.
Now, get off my lawn!! 😄😄😄

[The Caretaker]

Friendliest home town is fading away. I call it the I HAVE ARRIVED SYNDROME.

[beccaboo**]

Sorry for your experience, but I believe positive and negative human behavior is found everywhere. The Villages has been our second home since 2018. One of the many reasons we selected this as home, was the wonderful folks we met here in our four earlier years of renting.
We recently had to make an unexpected, emergency trip back North. As our friends found out, that day we had 3 very thoughtful offers to drive us to MCO for our flight. Looking at our Villages, we are thankful for the kindness of both friends and strangers.
Hope you find such individuals to grace you lives here as well.

Originally Posted by Bill14564

This will be our second season seeing the snowbirds return though I'm not sure last year really counted. We've noticed a marked increase in rudeness in the last couple of weeks; does it always get this way and do we get to enjoy another five months of this?

Just this week:

- Car coming through the Residents gate honked at a cart that had the audacity to pull into the neighborhood rather than crossing the road. The cart didn't impede the car, it was well into the diamond lane before the car reached it, but apparently not sitting and waiting for the car to pass was an offense.

- Car swerving out of the Residents lane and coming through the open gate on the Visitors side without stopping honked at a cart stopped in the center area waiting for exiting cars to pass. Since the incoming car did not stop at the gate it's possible the cart was still part way in the lane when the car reached it which would have caused the car to have to actually slow down after it raced through the open gate.

- Shopper in Publix trying to push my wife out of the way with their cart as (edit) she was looking at the turkey breasts. "I want one of those," seemed be the signal that her time had expired and she was required to move or risk being bumped.

- Shopper exiting Publix making rude comment about me being stopped to load groceries. Not parked, actually sitting in the drivers seat with the vehicle in drive as groceries were actively being loaded but apparently I was inconveniencing them somehow.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Fltpkr

I understood that the cart must give way to auto traffic at the entrances. Is that incorrect? If not, maybe it was the cart that barely missed the car?

Yes, you are incorrect. AT THE GATES, carts crossing have a stop sign and the cars have the right of way. And as such, it would be better if car drivers did not play traffic cop and wave carts across---driving the car you have the right of way--just take it, things work better that way. HOWEVER, at the merge point PRIOR to the gate, the right of way is determined by position. You will note that each merge has a sign that states "carts merging ahead, 20 mph." So if a cart is far enough ahead of a car, say 100 feet, the car should not be closing in even an inch on a cart going 20. Unfortunately, some car drivers think they ALWAYS have the right of way, they've even posted that on TOTV, but they are 100% wrong. Likewise some cart drivers think it is OK to stick out an arm and cut off a car, they are also 100% wrong. This exact scenario happened to my wife yesterday on Bailey trail approaching the St. Charles light. She was well ahead of a car, signaled both with the blinker and a hand signal, yet the driver raced at 40, went over the double yellow line around her, then had to stop at the light. He then rolled down the window and yelled "I have the right of way, hun". She politely told him that he did not, to which he replied "read about it".. So if that driver is on TOTV and sees this, the follow is true:

1) You were 100% wrong
2) You are a jerk, which is probably the most explicit expletive I can use here
3) You are lucky I wasn't in the cart
4) She is not your "hun"
5) YOU read about it
6) Did I mention you are a jerk?

End of rant.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Yes, you are incorrect. AT THE GATES, carts crossing have a stop sign and the cars have the right of way. And as such, it would be better if car drivers did not play traffic cop and wave carts across---driving the car you have the right of way--just take it, things work better that way. HOWEVER, at the merge point PRIOR to the gate, the right of way is determined by position. You will note that each merge has a sign that states "carts merging ahead, 20 mph." So if a cart is far enough ahead of a car, say 100 feet, the car should not be closing in even an inch on a cart going 20. Unfortunately, some car drivers think they ALWAYS have the right of way, they've even posted that on TOTV, but they are 100% wrong. Likewise some cart drivers think it is OK to stick out an arm and cut off a car, they are also 100% wrong. This exact scenario happened to my wife yesterday on Bailey trail approaching the St. Charles light. She was well ahead of a car, signaled both with the blinker and a hand signal, yet the driver raced at 40, went over the double yellow line around her, then had to stop at the light. He then rolled down the window and yelled "I have the right of way, hun". She politely told him that he did not, to which he replied "read about it".. So if that driver is on TOTV and sees this, the follow is true:

1) You were 100% wrong
2) You are a jerk, which is probably the most explicit expletive I can use here
3) You are lucky I wasn't in the cart
4) She is not your "hun"
5) YOU read about it
6) Did I mention you are a jerk?

End of rant.

He is a jerk!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

He is a jerk!

I agree with this post

[HoosierPa]

I lived in Boca Raton for 20 years. I left because of the people. Bet you can’t guess where most of them are from. Fast forward and retirees from the same area are flocking to the Villages. I rest my case.

[brianherlihy]

rude pople how let the dpgs crap on my lawn. i am a snow bird and . and my home must be the dog park

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by brianherlihy

rude pople how let the dpgs crap on my lawn. i am a snow bird and . and my home must be the dog park

But not just your lawn. the list includes:

Your lawn
Everyone else's lawn
The postal stations/pools
The golf courses
Any area of grass along a road
Basically anywhere but the dog owner's own yard

Full disclosure: I have had a dog for 54 of my 62 years, and cannot believe the crap (no pun intended) dog owners pull in TV.

[thelegges]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Yes, you are incorrect. AT THE GATES, carts crossing have a stop sign and the cars have the right of way. And as such, it would be better if car drivers did not play traffic cop and wave carts across---driving the car you have the right of way--just take it, things work better that way. HOWEVER, at the merge point PRIOR to the gate, the right of way is determined by position. You will note that each merge has a sign that states "carts merging ahead, 20 mph." So if a cart is far enough ahead of a car, say 100 feet, the car should not be closing in even an inch on a cart going 20. Unfortunately, some car drivers think they ALWAYS have the right of way, they've even posted that on TOTV, but they are 100% wrong. Likewise some cart drivers think it is OK to stick out an arm and cut off a car, they are also 100% wrong. This exact scenario happened to my wife yesterday on Bailey trail approaching the St. Charles light. She was well ahead of a car, signaled both with the blinker and a hand signal, yet the driver raced at 40, went over the double yellow line around her, then had to stop at the light. He then rolled down the window and yelled "I have the right of way, hun". She politely told him that he did not, to which he replied "read about it".. So if that driver is on TOTV and sees this, the follow is true:

1) You were 100% wrong
2) You are a jerk, which is probably the most explicit expletive I can use here
3) You are lucky I wasn't in the cart
4) She is not your "hun"
5) YOU read about it
6) Did I mention you are a jerk?

End of rant.

Sadly this happens so many times in a day, one would lose count. Plus I don’t think they can read the sign with a golf cart, merging ahead, 20mph, so reading TOTV, maybe way over their pay grade.

[LateBoomer]

believe me, people are FAR ruder in Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. Yes, there are some rude people here (I encountered one yesterday who didn't want to yield for a pedestrian in the crosswalk in front of Publix. Sad). but in general, we find the people here in comparison to everywhere else we have ever lived to be the most friendly. We almost meet great people whenever we go out. our neighbors are, mostly, very friendly (a few seem to keep entirely to themselves).

but compared to Tampa? This place has the manners of Victorian great house.

[Malsua]

I know I should probably keep my mouth shut, but the other day I was traveling down Rio Grande approaching Morse in our car. There was a cart ahead, so I slowed so they could come over.

They pulled up to the red, immediately the light turned green. They sat there for at least 5 seconds and I tapped the horn. The passenger in the cart, a woman, turned around and started wagging an index finger at me. Ok, fair enough. I couldn't hear her, but I saw her lips a flappin.

Since she kept going, I gave her the next finger over salute, which apparently sent her into full Karen mode. I turned left and drove away.

Yes, the entire episode is on the dash cam. If anyone claims they were the cart Karen, I'll upload the video to Youtube and we can discuss the finer details of the poor cart skills exhibited by the cart driver.

I understand they were probably snow birds or lost or something, but it wasn't me laying on the horn, it was a blip to let them know, hey, green is a burnin here, let's go.