[billethkid]

Just got the "breaking news" from the dot com news source:

Villager crashes golf cart
at tunnel entrance

And with pictures. I did not bother to read the article as I do not expect to learn anything.

While there may be legitimate reasons like a medical episode...the best catch all phraseology for here in TV. Being a survivor of 12 years in TV there is no doubt in my mind what so ever the under lying cause is the fact people just drive their carts too fast for conditions and for the capability of the cart and beyond the capability/ability of far too many seniors.

The notion of get in and pedal to the floor and when only when absolutely have to is at issue.

What will happen soon enough is that so called inexpensive golf cart insurance will eventually start to climb in price as the incident rate continues to go up.

There are no requirements knowledge wise, health wise, ability wise, capability wise or cart wise that one needs to know or be educated about before they get in and launch their cart path missle. Write a check; get in; point it; and then peddle to the floor!

How many more pictures do we need than the last few weeks?
How many more posts that are automobile barriers (sometimes) need to be knocked over and replaced?

When we first came here there was no night driving of golf carts. Then there were some basic guidelines of what a cart must have before it can be night capable....from then on we have around the clock driving og the golf carts allowed.

Just like they had to decide what a cart needed to be driven at night, a similar quorum could develope what a person needs to do/accomplish/get/learn before being allowed to drive a golf cart. Having driven one on the golf cart does not get an automatic stamp of approval.

Anyway, like past threads on the subject I do not expect anything will change. Except more accidents, hence more opportunity for serious injury or death and future increasing insurance rates (for those of us who have it).

There is my $3.26 (2 cents adjusted for inflation!).

[tuccillo]

The event in January and the event this past weekend were the results of cars running onto the cart paths and hitting golf carts and had nothing to do with the speed of the golf carts. The event today was apparently a medical emergency and there is nothing reported that would indicate that the cart was driving too fast. It isn't clear that the rate of accidents involving golf carts is such that we can expect insurance rate increases.

Originally Posted by billethkid

Just got the "breaking news" from the dot com news source:

Villager crashes golf cart
at tunnel entrance

And with pictures. I did not bother to read the article as I do not expect to learn anything.

While there may be legitimate reasons like a medical episode...the best catch all phraseology for here in TV. Being a survivor of 12 years in TV there is no doubt in my mind what so ever the under lying cause is the fact people just drive their carts too fast for conditions and for the capability of the cart and beyond the capability/ability of far too many seniors.

The notion of get in and pedal to the floor and when only when absolutely have to is at issue.

What will happen soon enough is that so called inexpensive golf cart insurance will eventually start to climb in price as the incident rate continues to go up.

There are no requirements knowledge wise, health wise, ability wise, capability wise or cart wise that one needs to know or be educated about before they get in and launch their cart path missle. Write a check; get in; point it; and then peddle to the floor!

How many more pictures do we need than the last few weeks?
How many more posts that are automobile barriers (sometimes) need to be knocked over and replaced?

When we first came here there was no night driving of golf carts. Then there were some basic guidelines of what a cart must have before it can be night capable....from then on we have around the clock driving og the golf carts allowed.

Just like they had to decide what a cart needed to be driven at night, a similar quorum could develope what a person needs to do/accomplish/get/learn before being allowed to drive a golf cart. Having driven one on the golf cart does not get an automatic stamp of approval.

Anyway, like past threads on the subject I do not expect anything will change. Except more accidents, hence more opportunity for serious injury or death and future increasing insurance rates (for those of us who have it).

There is my $3.26 (2 cents adjusted for inflation!).

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by billethkid

Just got the "breaking news" from the dot com news source:

Villager crashes golf cart
at tunnel entrance

And with pictures. I did not bother to read the article as I do not expect to learn anything.

While there may be legitimate reasons like a medical episode...the best catch all phraseology for here in TV. Being a survivor of 12 years in TV there is no doubt in my mind what so ever the under lying cause is the fact people just drive their carts too fast for conditions and for the capability of the cart and beyond the capability/ability of far too many seniors.

The notion of get in and pedal to the floor and when only when absolutely have to is at issue.

What will happen soon enough is that so called inexpensive golf cart insurance will eventually start to climb in price as the incident rate continues to go up.

There are no requirements knowledge wise, health wise, ability wise, capability wise or cart wise that one needs to know or be educated about before they get in and launch their cart path missle. Write a check; get in; point it; and then peddle to the floor!

How many more pictures do we need than the last few weeks?
How many more posts that are automobile barriers (sometimes) need to be knocked over and replaced?

When we first came here there was no night driving of golf carts. Then there were some basic guidelines of what a cart must have before it can be night capable....from then on we have around the clock driving og the golf carts allowed.

Just like they had to decide what a cart needed to be driven at night, a similar quorum could develop what a person needs to do/accomplish/get/learn before being allowed to drive a golf cart. Having driven one on the golf cart does not get an automatic stamp of approval.

Anyway, like past threads on the subject I do not expect anything will change. Except more accidents, hence more opportunity for serious injury or death and future increasing insurance rates (for those of us who have it).

There is my $3.26 (2 cents adjusted for inflation!).

I got my drivers license in 1960. Since then there are have been "no requirements knowledge wise, health wise, ability wise, capability wise or car wise that they need to know or be educated about before they get in and launch their car road missile. Write a check; get in; point it; and then peddle to the floor!" When I got my license I was required to use turn signals, stay in the proper lane and obey speed limits. I was also expected to park my vehicle in designated parking spots, between the lines and not at fire hydrants, sideways or blocking driveways. Since all of that has been abused, ignored or aggressively violated with cars, why would we expect cart behavior to be any different.

[blyarbrough]

You should read the paper.....it's about 90% right. I was there in the tunnel. It was NO fault of the golf cart, speed, drinking etc. It was the SUV driver who blacked out and drove over the curb thru a stop sign, etc and crashed into the cart and person walking. NO FAULT OF THE GOLF CART.

The real problem in the Villages is: OVER POPULATION...... I know many of you will castigated me again over this statement but think about it and just look around. Just too many people and cars in a small location with limited resources......damn near "New York City" of the retirement community arena. Getting too big. Yea, I hear you “Move if you don’t like it”……Thanks

[billethkid]

OK my emotions got the better of me on this incident. However the subject and the reality lays dormant and is triggered when I see a golf cart accident. I would never expect to read in the paper or dot com or where ever, an admission of speeding. No different than on the roads.

Hower, that all being said. After 12 years of walking 2-3 miles evey morning and driving the cart paths most days of that 12 years there is absolutely no question (in my experience) that speeding on the cart paths is an issue.

And I do not expect anymore to be done about golf cart speeding than the excessive amount of auto/truck speeding that takes place on our roadways day in and day out.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by billethkid

...How many more pictures do we need than the last few weeks?...

Please tell us all when you find that place to move to that has no accidents.

[manaboutown]

It feels counterintuitive but older drivers are more dangerous drivers than teenagers, so report various studies. Wear your seat belts and drive defensively!

A few friends of mine have moved from Newport Beach, CA to to Laguna Woods Village, CA (formerly a Leisureworld) where the median age is about 80. Their vehicular insurance went up as much as 20%. Their insurance agent explained it was due to the increase in relative number of accidents in the area due to the prevalence of senior drivers.

[kcrazorbackfan]

What part of the pic in the online news gives it away that the driver should not have been driving at all? THE WALKER!!! My Mom is 90, uses a walker and can still get around pretty good but my brother and I took her car away from her several years ago and we sure wouldn't let her out in a cart. If she needs to go somewhere, we take her or she arranges transportation.

I wonder how many of these "medical issues", or symptoms, had previously happened with these people that caused the accidents before now, and if they did have previous issues/symptoms, WHY THEY KEPT DRIVING?

And before you start bashing on maybe the cart is the only way they can get around, there are transportation services in TV that can take them anywhere they want to go. Let it begin.......

[blyarbrough]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

Please tell us all when you find that place to move to that has no accidents.

Just be careful out there. There are lots of folks here. Danger is ever where. No place 100% safe but I've been here 12 years. And, it's getting too big in my view. Have a great day...Be very careful out there.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

What part of the pic in the online news gives it away that the driver should not have been driving at all? THE WALKER!!! My Mom is 90, uses a walker and can still get around pretty good but my brother and I took her car away from her several years ago and we sure wouldn't let her out in a cart. If she needs to go somewhere, we take her or she arranges transportation.

I wonder how many of these "medical issues", or symptoms, had previously happened with these people that caused the accidents before now, and if they did have previous issues/symptoms, WHY THEY KEPT DRIVING?

And before you start bashing on maybe the cart is the only way they can get around, there are transportation services in TV that can take them anywhere they want to go. Let it begin.......

I remember my father gave up driving on his own but my mother needed some convincing. After I asked her about how she would feel if she hit a child she gave up driving.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

What part of the pic in the online news gives it away that the driver should not have been driving at all? THE WALKER!!! My Mom is 90, uses a walker and can still get around pretty good but my brother and I took her car away from her several years ago and we sure wouldn't let her out in a cart. If she needs to go somewhere, we take her or she arranges transportation.

I wonder how many of these "medical issues", or symptoms, had previously happened with these people that caused the accidents before now, and if they did have previous issues/symptoms, WHY THEY KEPT DRIVING?

And before you start bashing on maybe the cart is the only way they can get around, there are transportation services in TV that can take them anywhere they want to go. Let it begin.......

Excellent post!

[twoplanekid]

While traveling to the Strawberry festival in Brownwood, we approached the tunnel under Buena Vista just north of Hillsborough Trail to be flagged by a lady whose cart was stopped behind an abandoned cart at the entrance to the tunnel. We proceeded with caution to find another golf car abandoned in the middle of the tunnel. There sure are a lot of golf cars on the road today. Be safe out there!

[manaboutown]

The online news just posted a photo of yet another cart accident. A licensed 81 year old guy drove his cart into the fence at a tunnel entrance. He was not wearing a seat belt and was found face up on the pavement. A walker had fallen out of the cart. A handicap placard was found in the cart. FHP report indicated the guy had operated the cart in a careless and negligent manner.

[joldnol]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

What part of the pic in the online news gives it away that the driver should not have been driving at all? THE WALKER!!! My Mom is 90, uses a walker and can still get around pretty good but my brother and I took her car away from her several years ago and we sure wouldn't let her out in a cart. If she needs to go somewhere, we take her or she arranges transportation.

.

Shame on you! I have always found your posts to be very intelligent but this is just pure BS. My wife has cerebral palsy and uses a walker because of 6 decades of joint wear and tear. When we first got married 32 years ago she was 100 % ambulatory. Her legs still work but she can no longer can walk any distance over a few hundred feet without being in considerable pain. Her driving skills are excellent and we travel TV with a WALKER strapped to the back of the cart. I guess you would prefer the handicapped to stay out of sight like in the "good old days".

[kcrazorbackfan]

Big props to the FHP for determining that it wasn't a "medical issue" but just an idiot, reckless 81 y/o driver.

I wonder how many accidents in TV are initially told by the "driver of cause" that the accident was a "medical issue"? A thorough, complete investigation by LEO's will see right through that.