[sunnsnow]

Originally Posted by buggyone

You were driving in your golf cart and you saw this incident happen. My question to you is why did you not get alongside or in back of the other cart and tell the lady she was clearly endangering the baby's life? It would not have to be in a harsh tone at all so no verbal confrontation would be nasty on either's part. Maybe you could have helped in some way.

I think there was a thread a couple of days ago about people getting involved in situations even though they did not know the other person.

Another example of "shooting the messenger". The OP placed a message to advise folks that there is a foolish person out there driving a golf car. Why not appreciate his/her advice rather than tell this person how wrong they are? If this OP was traveling in the opposite direction and his/her cart had a speed similar to the foolish driver, there is no way that it could be turned around and catch up to the other cart. This is why many folks have STOPPED posting on this site.

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by JoeC1947

Saying something to them would not matter. You are risking an almost sure confrontation because the driver sees nothing wrong with what they did. As someone else said, you can fix stupid.

I agree with reporting, to police here, the child endangerment AND the inattentive or other hazardous driving of the cart driver, but not with confronting the driver directly.

Invariably, when I've carefully and quietly confronted a person doing something that stupid (or obnoxious), they are completely brazen and go ballistic, "shooting the messenger" in a fist-shaking, in-your-face, threatening screaming attack... instead of considering the message being told them and possibly realizing you might have a point.

In my experience, people who are so senseless and/or brazen as to think they can get away with dangling a child and driving that way on a cart are usually too brazen to accept the message that they could possibly do the slightest thing wrong.

If they had the common sense to listen to the point being made by a caring observer, they'd have had the sense to not drive that way in the first place.

And often, we have to consider whether it could be a wacko with a gun they'd pull on us for just saying something to alert them. (Please don't get onto the gun subject..my point is to illustrate why onlookers hesitate to get involved.)

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by JoeC1947

Saying something to them would not matter. You are risking an almost sure confrontation because the driver sees nothing wrong with what they did. As someone else said, you can fix stupid.

I agree. Couple of years ago one of our neighbors saw a guy with four kids in his cart in the Colony Publix parking lot. His wife said something to the guy who told her to no uncertain terms to mind her own business. My neighbor then told this guy he did not have to act that way, to which this person then jumped into my neighbors face pointing his finger and yelling at him. Great example for the kids but also a lesson for my neighbors.

[glencus]

Originally Posted by beartrack

I have been driving my golf cart all through The Villages for over five years now. I really thought that I had seen every dumb move a person could make with a cart but yesterday I saw the absolutely dumbest thing ever. A lady driving a cart on the Buena Vista golf trail was moving along at 20 MPH with a newborn baby draped over her right shoulder. She was holding the baby on her shoulder with her right hand and trying to steer the cart with her left hand. She had all she could do to try to stay in her lane. One has to wonder what in the world is wrong with someone that could be that stupid. One mistake by her or by some other cart driver and that baby could have been seriously injured or worse.

Just proves the point that Utopia is the one place on earth that solicits and welcomes those who are so totally brain dead. Actually surprised she didn't also have a dog sitting on her lap. May be ok however if she is left handed. They live among us!

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

And what would you expect this cop to do? The cart was on the multi model trail not on the street, and even there what could the cop do?

At the very least, I would expect the cop to call one of the parents to pick up the child. The violator could/should be arrested for child endangerment/reckless endangerment. Multi modal path or not, criminal laws still apply. If no parent or other responsible person was available, then CPS should be called to take charge of the child. Not hard to figure out.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by BobnBev

At the very least, I would expect the cop to call one of the parents to pick up the child. The violator could/should be arrested for child endangerment/reckless endangerment. Multi modal path or not, criminal laws still apply. If no parent or other responsible person was available, then CPS should be called to take charge of the child. Not hard to figure out.

I get you point with out the sarcasim.

[beartrack]

Wow, now some think that I am an irresponsible bad guy for not confronting this person about her endangering this baby. Some of these comments are truly unbelievable !!! How would you confront someone traveling at 20 miles an hour with a baby draped over her shoulder? Did anyone out there with that opinion ever stop to think that if I shook this woman up that she might drop that baby ? Anyone capable of that sort of irrational behavior is liable to do anything. Why on Earth would I take a chance like that ? What would calling the police or anyone else for that matter have done ? this woman could have been anywhere by the time any help arrived. Look all I tried to say was that there is an idiot out there somewhere and I just wanted to let folks know, period. Now I know why so many people are getting off this site. Well, this will be my last post as well. Too many nasty people, with far too many nasty attitudes.

[BettyCrocked]

Originally Posted by beartrack

Wow, now some think that I am an irresponsible bad guy for not confronting this person about her endangering this baby. Some of these comments are truly unbelievable !!! How would you confront someone traveling at 20 miles an hour with a baby draped over her shoulder? Did anyone out there with that opinion ever stop to think that if I shook this woman up that she might drop that baby ? Anyone capable of that sort of irrational behavior is liable to do anything. Why on Earth would I take a chance like that ? What would calling the police or anyone else for that matter have done ? this woman could have been anywhere by the time any help arrived. Look all I tried to say was that there is an idiot out there somewhere and I just wanted to let folks know, period. Now I know why so many people are getting off this site. Well, this will be my last post as well. Too many nasty people, with far too many nasty attitudes.

Boy howdy! (and I'm using that in the "I agree" form, not the sarcastic one).

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

I get you point with out the sarcasim.

I've earned the right to be sarcastic once in a while....gimme a break.

[sunnsnow]

Originally Posted by beartrack

Wow, now some think that I am an irresponsible bad guy for not confronting this person about her endangering this baby. Some of these comments are truly unbelievable !!! How would you confront someone traveling at 20 miles an hour with a baby draped over her shoulder? Did anyone out there with that opinion ever stop to think that if I shook this woman up that she might drop that baby ? Anyone capable of that sort of irrational behavior is liable to do anything. Why on Earth would I take a chance like that ? What would calling the police or anyone else for that matter have done ? this woman could have been anywhere by the time any help arrived. Look all I tried to say was that there is an idiot out there somewhere and I just wanted to let folks know, period. Now I know why so many people are getting off this site. Well, this will be my last post as well. Too many nasty people, with far too many nasty attitudes.

Beartrack ... that's what I was trying to say in my earlier reply. And, yes, there are too many folks on this site that criticize an OP when all that person is doing is alerting us to a situation. Instead of offering a thank you, they are ready to pounce with a negative reply. Thanks goodness that MOST of the people who post on here don't see the need to attack, attack, and attack. Good for you, beartrack, for your comments.

[DougB]

Originally Posted by BobnBev

At the very least, I would expect the cop to call one of the parents to pick up the child. The violator could/should be arrested for child endangerment/reckless endangerment. Multi modal path or not, criminal laws still apply. If no parent or other responsible person was available, then CPS should be called to take charge of the child. Not hard to figure out.

Don't think there is a criminal law that applies to stupidity. Jails would be full.

[LndLocked]

Originally Posted by sunnsnow

Beartrack ... that's what I was trying to say in my earlier reply. And, yes, there are too many folks on this site that criticize an OP when all that person is doing is alerting us to a situation. Instead of offering a thank you, they are ready to pounce with a negative reply. Thanks goodness that MOST of the people who post on here don't see the need to attack, attack, and attack. Good for you, beartrack, for your comments.

Hopefully, Beartrack understood that my posting was pure sarcasm, intended to point out that fact.