[Frangyomory]

Why doesn't the county or counties get together and ensure that people who have NEVER driven before at least knows the rules of the road when they drive golf carts. I know people who could not get a drivers' license who drive golf carts and they don't have a clue about the rules of the road. Why can't the counties or at a minimum, the Villages, do something about requirements.

People drive golf carts well beyond their ability to stop or slow down in an accident. This is really unacceptable. I know that people want to maintain their independence but I would rather not die just to make them feel better.

Any other opinions out there????? ???

[Frangyomory]

Help me to understand how 62 people have read this thread but no one wants to comment???? Surely some of you agree with me and some of you have reasons to disagree??? I really see this issue as a problem and I plan to bring it up at the next meeting of the HOA and POA. I would really love to get more input.

[ouma1938]

I am not in TV yet but did spend 5 days there last August and will be there permanently as soon as the house sells. But I can say that The short time I was there I realized that there were some golf cart drivers being rather reckless or unaware of what was going on around them. Although I drive a car, and have for years without any accidents, I noticed that I had to be very careful when driving the rental golf cart we got. It is a very different thing to a car and a little training would make us all safer. I had some training, just a little, from the guy who rented us the cart and my hubby who has driven one for some time in the past. It made me much more aware of what was going on around me and I think more competent behind the wheel. There should be driving requirements for golf cart drivers. For all our sakes.

[Frangyomory]

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

This is a hard subject as some Villagers' eyesight is so bad that they can only drive a golf cart. Think common sense about where and when to drive your golf cart is more important than just more rules and regulations to follow. I know there will be people who do not use common sense when driving a golf cart but my guess is there is quite a lot of overlap with these people and those who break the law anyway.

[dobronte]

I agree that people have to think of a golf cart as a automobile and they can create accidents if not driven in the proper manner the pathway between Savanahh and the town square is very narrow and demands respect when driven. I feel that some carts are over the max. when it comes to speed also if the carts are street legal STAY OFF THE TRAILS the max speed is 19.9 miles an hour on the trails. Thanks for the police now issuing tickets at the rate of 138.00 for speeding and rolling stops.

[villages07]

Frangy,

Personally, I think the biggest danger is from the able-bodied, experienced drivers who drive just too darn fast in golf carts. There is some need for speed there. I see far too many golf carts whipping down the paths and streets and around corners at speeds in excess of 25 mph.

[handieman]

I recently installed retractable seatbelts on my cart. Not to be able to speed safely but to avoid slipping out during sharp defensive turns. I have the steering wheel to hold on but my spouse maybe be browsing the landscape and not aware of a sharp evasive maneuver I may have to make. I also see that brightspot did the same. I don't condone speeds over 20 however downhill rides occasionally exceed this speed. Rule of thumb! If you get involved in an accident in a golf cart, be assured YOUR gonna lose. :'(

Handie :joke:

[Hancle704]

Lt Wolfe of Sumter County Sheriff's Office spoke at recent CDD Meetings. He mentioned that over 600 citations were issued by Deputies since start of 2008 in TV. He also mentioned that a "golf Cart" was picked up by radar doing 27 MPH. While the cart was under the posted speed limit, the driver was still cited for driving an unregistered vehicle. If it is moving faster than 20 MPH, it is not a golf cart.

Report from folks at TVRH indicate that there is an marked increase in the number of golf cart related accidents and injuries in TV. Pedestrians vs Golf carts, pedestrians lose. Golf Carts vs cars and trucks, golf carts lose. When will people learn to slow down and recognize they are not invincible when they drive their golf carts? What is the rush, you are now retired. Why give up what you worked so many years for, just because you need to get somewhere a few minutes faster, or because no one is watching, you believe traffic laws don't apply to you. :cop: :cop:

[Sidney Lanier]

We too installed seat belts on our golf cart and use them conscientiously. Of course, that does nothing for other drivers.... We are amazed at how often we are passed by other golf carts. It's easy to ask 'What's the rush?' but some people may forget that they're retired....

[Frangyomory]

Too many grandparents think it is cute to have their grandchildren drive the carts as well, ignoring the age limit for driving a golf cart.

I hate to be picky but I am tired of reading about the single vehicle golf cart accidents by an unidentified driver in the Daily Sun. I also don't want to be the victim of one of these. I do plan to ask for some regulations for golf cart driving at a future meeting. I also plan to get in touch with the sheriff's departments about this.

I thank you all for your honest input.

[Cajungirl]

I agree with TZac. Where and when makes more sense to me. I would love to be able to go somewhere and have a knowledgeable person get in the cart with me and show me where we should go, where the trails are, where to stop, etc. This is not something an "older" person should take on his/her own. That's my 2 cents worth.

[punkpup]

This is not an issue easily addressed.

ouma1938, We too spent spent 5 days in TV last year and this year... just left as a matter of fact and both times I felt extremely vulnerable while driving around in a Golf Cart. Last year we were loaned a "spiked" Cart which belonged to a resident who drives at speeds which make my hair stand on end which is quite a feat as my hair is EXTREMELY curly! This year we rented a really crappy, smelly old, herky-jerky gas cart from TV Golf Cars and felt like a real target.

In some cases it seems that people are just bad/reckless drivers while others have no business behind the wheel of ANY motor vehicle at all. In fact we began to realize that some of these folks had actually never driven any type of vehicle before in their entire lives as they had lived in places where public transportation was all they needed.

I must admit that I made a few mistakes navigating the paths and tunnels and found myself in trouble; my sense of direction isn't very good and without the compass in my own vehicle I get confused easily lol. A couple of times I found myself in the middle of the road instead of the cart path and that was a bit unnerving to say the least.