I expect it will take a series of real tragedies to raise awareness to a level that people start modifying their behaviors. There likely isn't enough law enforcement personnel in the whole of Sumter County to police all dangerous driving in TV. There is probably some social reason why otherwise kind and decent people would endanger their friends, neighbors, grandchildren and themselves when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It isn't rational to drive dangerously so something that contributes to an inability to recognize reality and respond in a rational manner is at work and in play. What that may be, I don't know.

I think it's an unrealistic sense of entitlement on the part of many.

What I'm wondering is does that sense of entitlement refer to those who've just moved in , those who've lived here for a while, those vacationing? What I've seen is that people who have lived here for a bit seem to drive more carefully. This is purely observational and not necessarily factual.

Perhaps another factor...
 

Habitual harriedness. It seems many have become so accustomed in their working lives to deadlines, traffic, picking up the kids on time from school, carpooling, "get me to the show on time," etc., that time itself has become a major stressor. We need to re-learn to smell the roses.

Plus, nobody seems to think an accident will happen to them. It's other people who have accidents.

Could Be Right On Target
 

You could be more on target than you think. Perhaps the people that have been here a while have seen more of the consequences that result in reckless behavior in golf carts and/or not knowing what is safe and/or acceptable and are more cautious as a result. While some is intentional, often other actions are not. I have also noticed several "street legal" carts crossing county roads, etc. that have not been licensed because there is no license plate on them. They have to be registered and insured just like automobiles to meet the definition of street legal. (Yep, saw one just this morning, again. They were crossing CR101 - no license plate anywhere, just a sign "Street Legal".)

Sadly, I've seen a golf cart crossing 441 up near Lowes. This one wasn't a street legal cart, as a matter of fact, it was quite old.

This time of year one also sees rental carts in traffic circles, on Morse Blvd off of the golf cart path and cars with out of state license plates driving in the wrong lanes in traffic circles, as well as cars just moving from one lane to another without warning. Yesterday morning almost saw a fender bender when a car in the left lane decided it wanted to be in the right lane....unfortunately, there was a van there. Luckily the van moved as far to the right as possible and the driver of the car in the left lane finally took notice. Wasn't much room for the van driver, this happened just as you cross 466 on Morse, heading towards Lake Sumter Landing. Other people really might be lost driving around when they are new to the community....I was and after 4 years, I still don't know where all things are around here.. ;) Hopefully all will adjust to their new lives and enjoy...and drive safely so that others can enjoy, too.

A matter of perspective...
 

Over the past few months, I have read threads [multiple threads] dedicated to traffic issues. The other thread that got a great bit of airtime was the one about the roundabouts.

I'm not living in TV just yet, but I have visited a couple times. Certainly, I was one of those people cruising around in a rented cart, trying to see everything in a week. There something about driving a golf cart that is very liberating...it's small; it's maneuverable; it's open to the elements...in all, just plain fun to drive around. Due to it's size and perceived freedom, I'm sure I drove too fast. But what the hey, that's one of the benefits of living there.

As for the cars, I don't really let that bother me too much. I've lived in other countries and people are people. There are bad drivers everywhere. Some people are good at math, some are good drivers. I'm not that good with math... :-)) In general, I don't trust anyone on the road and I expect every other driver to change lanes in front me or run a light or stop sign.


I'll be visiting again in May, so lookout in the roundabounts! ;)

LOL....we'll be on the lookout!

Please, be careful when driving your golf cart...there have been some injuries as a result of golf cart accidents. Often times people driving carts forget that there are walkers on the cart paths, actually multi-modal paths.

I think one has to live here for a while to know "how things work". You learn that driven golf carts must stop at all stop signs, they do not have the right of way at gates, they can be ticketed for speeding, driving a cart under the influence isn't just dismissed by the law, and so on and so on. You learn these things over time....hopefully those who have not yet, don't cause you or themselves injury while they are in the learning mode.....:)

Enjoy your visit in May...the weather will be nice and all the plantings, trees and grass will once again be beautiful. It was a very cold winter for this part of Florida.

I must have missed the memo. I didn't realize that a benefit of living in TV was driving too fast in a golf cart! :ohdear:

As a professional firefighter and medic who owns a home here in this great area, one of the things I am most thankful for is having a good quality Professional Fire Dept less than a mile from my home. I have seen them in action here first hand, and can attest to the quality of their work.

I am amazed that those who reach the age where they statistically will have a much greater chance of needing a quality emergency first response are many times the same folks who complain about the cost of that life saving service.

I know, because I sometimes earn my whole paycheck in 5 minutes, doing and seeing things most could never do or even will ever see.

Aren't you worth it?? I think I am and will gladly pay for it. Thank God for good quality Fire and EMS........(and police too.....)

Frank

Fines for running stop signs.
 

I don't think $200. is high enough. It should be at least $500.00 for first offense and double each offense afterwards, (so the third would be $2000.)
and the fourth $3500.00 plus loss of license for a year. I have nearly been hit three times and hit once from people running stop signs. My wife and I both recieved permanent injuries when a person with a Caddy ran the stop sign and totaled out our custom golf cart.

I agree.....that's not a benefit.

Maybe, but there is something else at work here too. A good pal in a village up the road insists many TV'ers are over medicated in the AM and over lubricatred in the PM causing much of the erratic driving. That and the general infirmities of an older population may explain part of it.

A lot of people in those "village's up the road" are quick to have comments about TV.......envy?

OK, you got me...
 

OK, that statement sounded better in my head :loco:

What I meant, was that being able to drive a golf cart everywhere "is a benefit" of living there; not to drive too fast. My only point was to maybe explain why some of us "might" drive too fast... Just to give you my perspective, as a visitor to TV.

Lastly, from my perspective [which could certainly be flawed], driving around TV, golf cart or otherwise, is no different than driving anywhere else, with respect to people speeding, turning right at a red light without stopping, running stop signs, drinking and driving...you name it.

Can't wait to be a full timer! Later this year...

Cheers....:wave:

The thought of visitors to The Villages driving too fast is even scarier than residents driving too fast. Because visitors aren't familiar with the streets or where the golf cart paths are located. Add in a few doubles at Happy Hour, and it's a recipe for disaster.

Many visitors don't realize you cannot cross Country Roads in a golf cart. They have no idea where the tunnels are located. We all know that some visitors tend to drive too fast. We see little kids driving golf carts all the time. And babies being balanced on parent's knees. And golf carts whizzing across CR 466 or 101, or even 441.

The point is .. how do we prevent it? If huge fines are a deterrent, I'm all for them.

Sorry, I don't mean to be negative. But golf carts aren't toys and people can get killed.

You are not being negative, Barefoot. You are addressing a serious problem. Not only do they drive too fast they are erratic. Unfortunately it is difficult to prevent. Anyone who is idiot enough to drive with a baby on his/her knee (I have also witnessed this many times) will continue to do it until the baby is seriously hurt or reaches an age where it can drive a golf cart in the same manner.
How about authorizing/allowing Neighborhood Watch to stop these people and point out how dangerous their action is.

Maybe things will improve when spring break is over. That is, until summer break.

thanks
 

ChattanoogaTn, thank you for the warning, like hundreds of others on any given day i too use that short cut daily (as well as similar cart paths in other villages) and i thank you for pointing out the problem. you may have saved me a couple of hundred bucks... good post