[Talk Host]

It's almost as if fate played a role in this. This morning, I was driving west on Calumet at 25 miles per hour. A cart, going in the same direction as me, was in the cart lane. All in an instant, a walker came toward the cart.

The cart swerved out in front of me and I smashed the brakes to the floor board, skidding the tires and sounding the horn. It was one of those stops where everything in my truck slammed into the dashboard and onto the floor.

A 5 or 6 year old girl was driving the cart. Grandpa was in the middle and had to grab the steering wheel in a panic maneuver to pull it to the right.

Folks, I came within inches of killing a five or six year old child today.

I lowered my passenger side window and looked out at Grandpa. He wouldn't make eye contact with me. He turned his head to the right away from me. Traffic was panic stopping all around me, so I had no time to speak to the grandfather.

I was so shaken that I had to pull onto a side street and stop. I wanted to exit the truck and speak to grandpa, but they were gone.

I called the sheriff and got the answer I expected. Since there was no registration on the cart, there is no way to identify it and there is nothing they can do.

[Bettiboop]

Oh, I hope not! Being able to go anywhere in TV via golf cart is one of the main things that appeals to us about moving there.

Originally Posted by nONIE

I fear that when enough tragic accidents occur from kids driving golf carts recklessly ,The same scenerio may occur, forcing us to become a golfcartless community.

[Talk Host]

It occurs to me that "Golf Cart Community" is perhaps misstated. This is a regular community, with normal highways and streets and "Golf Carts" share the road with regular traffic.

"Golf Cart Community" sounds like the golf carts have the right of way and cars must make way for them.

[TrudyM]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

It's almost as if fate played a role in this.

I called the sheriff and got the answer I expected. Since there was no registration on the cart, there is no way to identify it and there is nothing they can do.

Ok I don't live there yet so have no right to say anything. But as all residents have to be registered with Ids to use the amenities couldn't there be a Cart Id plate. Like a parking sticker but bigger keyed to the resident Ids. The rental places could be given a set then those who rent their carts could be held accountable also.

Just a thought. Sorry I am solutions oriented a fatal flaw I expect.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Aceskaters

I was coming down Canal Street about a month ago behind a cart with a granddad in the driver's seat and a boy in the passenger seat...and then I noticed the granddad had both arms draped on the seat back and the kid was steering from the passenger side. I hung back, luckily, 'cause the cart made an abrupt U-turn (no signal, no looking). So, not only can you not fix stupid...it seems to be hereditary, too!

Nice observation....did you say anything to granddad?

[katezbox]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

It's almost as if fate played a role in this. This morning, I was driving west on Calumet at 25 miles per hour. A cart, going in the same direction as me, was in the cart lane. All in an instant, a walker came toward the cart.

The cart swerved out in front of me and I smashed the brakes to the floor board, skidding the tires and sounding the horn. It was one of those stops where everything in my truck slammed into the dashboard and onto the floor.

A 5 or 6 year old girl was driving the cart. Grandpa was in the middle and had to grab the steering wheel in a panic maneuver to pull it to the right.

Folks, I came within inches of killing a five or six year old child today.

I lowered my passenger side window and looked out at Grandpa. He wouldn't make eye contact with me. He turned his head to the right away from me. Traffic was panic stopping all around me, so I had no time to speak to the grandfather.

I was so shaken that I had to pull onto a side street and stop. I wanted to exit the truck and speak to grandpa, but they were gone.

I called the sheriff and got the answer I expected. Since there was no registration on the cart, there is no way to identify it and there is nothing they can do.

TH,

I hope you are OK - that must have been unbelievably scary. I came very close to disaster last week in our cart when a large car at a high rate of speed and no turn signal swerved in front of me to enter a rec center parking lot. I was halfway across the entrance when it happened.

I hope that Grandpa looks at himself in the mirror and sees what a loss he might have been responsible for

kate

[beady]

This is a golf cart community...so why call it anything different. There are very few services one cannot reach with a golf cart. Perhaps a better description would be Golf Cart Accessible Community.
It was designed and built to provide services for the community by motor vehicles and golf carts. That fact was very clear to me when we were "discovering" The Villages. I never made the assumption that either mode of transportation was the correct one, only that one had a choice which mode to use.
Most importantly ...drive defensively and carefully which ever method you use. There is no accounting for people and the chances they take...that fact can be debated till the end of time without resolution.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by beady

This is a golf cart community...so why call it anything different. There are very few services one cannot reach with a golf cart. Perhaps a better description would be Golf Cart Accessible Community.
It was designed and built to provide services for the community by motor vehicles and golf carts. That fact was very clear to me when we were "discovering" The Villages. I never made the assumption that either mode of transportation was the correct one, only that one had a choice which mode to use.
Most importantly ...drive defensively and carefully which ever method you use. There is no accounting for people and the chances they take...that fact can be debated till the end of time without resolution.

I think the signs say, "golf cart friendly community." Or something like that.

[joannej]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

It's almost as if fate played a role in this. This morning, I was driving west on Calumet at 25 miles per hour. A cart, going in the same direction as me, was in the cart lane. All in an instant, a walker came toward the cart.

The cart swerved out in front of me and I smashed the brakes to the floor board, skidding the tires and sounding the horn. It was one of those stops where everything in my truck slammed into the dashboard and onto the floor.

A 5 or 6 year old girl was driving the cart. Grandpa was in the middle and had to grab the steering wheel in a panic maneuver to pull it to the right.

Folks, I came within inches of killing a five or six year old child today.

I lowered my passenger side window and looked out at Grandpa. He wouldn't make eye contact with me. He turned his head to the right away from me. Traffic was panic stopping all around me, so I had no time to speak to the grandfather.

I was so shaken that I had to pull onto a side street and stop. I wanted to exit the truck and speak to grandpa, but they were gone.

I called the sheriff and got the answer I expected. Since there was no registration on the cart, there is no way to identify it and there is nothing they can do.

___________________
What a terrible experience you had! I don't want to imagine what that felt like...to be so close to having an accident with someone. If everyone in TV would take the golf cart safety course before they set foot in their golf carts I bet we would all see a difference in attitudes about letting children drive golf carts. There was a woman in the Golf Cart Safety class when my husband & I took it, and she lived in TV for over 20 years. Never got around to taking the class earlier. She was surprised how much she learned. My husband and I learned a lot of things about safely driving a golf cart in TV at this class. It's too bad it's not mandatory for everyone who drives a golf cart and for passengers too. We can only hope and pray that some day this will happen.

[bargee]

"Grandpa Can I drive the cart,Puhleeeeese". NO!!!!!. Problem solved.Get some backbone.

[nONIE]

Bargee,

Great post! It worked when I was raising my kids, No meant No! Discussion over! I dont understand why parents and grandparents have such a hard time with this word these days!!!!! Must be some newfangled way of raising kids.

[thistrucksforyou]

The friendliest town in florida ?

[dillywho]

Originally Posted by thistrucksforyou

The friendliest town in florida ?

Maybe I misunderstand what you mean and if so, I apologize. What is unfriendly about obeying the law, common sense, and safety? Is this what you were saying, too?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by thistrucksforyou

The friendliest town in florida ?

this trucks for you. You are new here and I read your other posts, correct me if I'm wrong.This is your third post. You have a post advertising a rental home in Orange Blossom and you have a post saying that you came recently to buy property here and got a pass somehow before you were a resident and you went to Katie Bells. And then this post.

Those posts make me jump to the conclusion that you are younger and bought a home here for investment purposes. Is that correct?

Tell us more about your plans in The Villages.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by thistrucksforyou

The friendliest town in florida ?

To what post are you commenting on?