[NYGUY]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

What paper?

The on-line one we are not allowed to talk about on here.

[Taltarzac725]

Neighbors remember

I applaud The Villages Daily Sun for putting this story on the front page and also having a Sumter County Sheriff's Officer give advice about safe golf cart driving.

[graciegirl]

This makes 14 deaths in the last five years due to golf cart accidents in The Villages. They happened for a myriad of reasons and in a myriad of places. I think it would make everyone feel safer if the paths were separated north of 466. As the villages grew, wisdom grew and that mistake was corrected in heavily traveled paths in other areas.

At this time of year we have many new people who are not familiar with how to get around, the rules of the road for golf carts and some of the information that many of us who have lived here for awhile have absorbed.
And they are joined by many family members of villagers who are equally new to this very large and somewhat complicated infrastructure. Our grandson who is 22 and just completed his internship in LA and drove all over there for three months asked if he could take the golfcart out by himself last week when he was visiting and we said no.

There is no abundance of caution for some precious lives. There is also not much protecting us in that open four wheeled conveyance, even if we are strapped in.

AND if it were mandated to have to take a safety course, there would be those who would get around it, defy it or figure out some way to march against it. You cannot teach, force, or insist on people having common sense.

I am so sad for the terrible accident that left a family grieving and another one overcome with the awful reality of causing a death even if they weren't at fault..

PLEASE, please drive like everyone is stupid, because many are. But we still care and have to look out for them and for the ones who aren't. AND on any given day any of us can do something stupid, have a distracting thought, not be on for a second.

[circletrack]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Neighbors remember

I applaud The Villages Daily Sun for putting this story on the front page and also having a Sumter County Sheriff's Officer give advice about safe golf cart driving.

Agreed. This was a very informative story and right on the front page.
And many comments on the "online news" site were doubtful that the Sun would even cover such a story.

From the big story on the sinkhole, to the fire chief, to this tragic accident it appears the Sun has turned a corner on covering some of the less "happy" stories they are often knocked for.

[Chatbrat]

Both drivers where over 80 & the deceased was 85--question is for everyone--when did you have your last vision test?

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

This was taken from an email written to the online newspaper, and it is so true:

Rule #2 � Golf carts do not have the �Right of way� when they decide to cross into the automobile lane to their left. The only legal places to move to the left in a golf cart is where the line is �Dashed�, not �Solid�, or at an intersection. Too many cart drivers �cheat over� before they get to the area where the line is dashed, thereby creating a hazard by cutting in front of cars going at the speed limit. Where the lines before a gate indicate that carts should merge left, they should still yield to cars on their left.

Because of where we live, we see this exact same driving at a local intersection, and not only do the carts cut across our lane, they do so at a high speed. I cannot tell you how many times we have received the middle finger salute or had the "F" word flung at us when a golf cart has crossed our lane to turn left.

Unfortunately, it was a fatality waiting to happen. I am sure the golf cart driver had done this maneuver numerous times before and gotten away with it. My sympathy lies with the occupants of the car. How does one sleep after you have killed someone in an accident such as this?

Madelaine Amee: What you address is correct except in this case the diamond lane where this cart made a life has not such markings remaining a solid white line.. I suspect this cart driver made that turn several times. I suspect that art driver had to face heavy traffic every time he made that left turn. I suspect the road marking are not well suited for such a left hand turn and placed this guy at a disadvantage.

Golf cart drivers often begin merging to the left before the markings indicate so because many have tried to move when the markings indicate but inpatient auto drivers accelerate their vehicles cutting them off and they are concerned that in the auto's attempt to beat you they are going to clobber you

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by tommy steam

Everyday you will see golf cart drivers with no clue as how to drive around this place. I would like to see a mandatory driving school or class for golf carts before you are allowed to drive one in the villages. It might save someone's life or prevent a crippling injury.

Hi tommy steam: Rules of the road apply to autos golf carts and bicycles. A driving school is not needed;albeit for some a refresher course might help...and one is usually recommended when receiving a traffic ticket.

No what we have here is simply people who don't care, don't concentrate on their driving or like the highs of running a stop sign, etc.

In addition you have a multi-modal design for both many streets and paths for a demographic that has the continuation of slower and slower reaction times. Now that's enlightened visionary thinking

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Madelaine Amee: What you address is correct except in this case the diamond lane where this cart made a life has not such markings remaining a solid white line.. I suspect this cart driver made that turn several times. I suspect that art driver had to face heavy traffic every time he made that left turn. I suspect the road marking are not well suited for such a left hand turn and placed this guy at a disadvantage.

Golf cart drivers often begin merging to the left before the markings indicate so because many have tried to move when the markings indicate but inpatient auto drivers accelerate their vehicles cutting them off and they are concerned that in the auto's attempt to beat you they are going to clobber you

What you described is what I've seen about every time I have merged left to cross over southbound on Morse just before the gate near 466. Some cars will accelerate when they see a cart trying to merge because heaven forbid a cart get in front of them. I think this is one of the most dangerous spots for golf cart drivers. You just have to use caution and time your move accordingly.

[BobnBev]

Once again on my morning walk, I saw a lady completely stopped in the golf cart lane, waiting to make a left turn across the car lanes, to enter a side street. Not even a signal light on. I wonder if these people are brain dead, or just don't know any better. Mandatory golf cart driving instructions and refresher courses are in our future, maybe tied in with our regular drivers license. You need an endorsement for motorcycles on your license, why not golf carts?

[pivo]

morse ave is just too dangerous for golf carts, as one poster said he had to wait 35 min to get on with a golf cart, then they say well your retired why hurry, it's people like myself will get impatient and take a chance they normally wouldn't , in a car if you wait 10 min. you will rush yourself which again you normally wouldn't, I only use a car on Morse, it is too dangerous for golf carts, if these accidents keep happening they should ban carts on Morse ave.

[Bogie Shooter]

So, how many posters on this thread have taken this course?

VHA Golf Cart Safety Clinic

Wednesday, January 21 @ 9:00 am

Colony Cottage Recreation Center

All Villages residents are welcome

[pivo]

Golf cart driving is common sense, if your in an area like Morse ave, you sort of lose common sense and take chances, it's like let me see if I can beat this on coming car, I drive Morse 2-3 times a week in my car I see how the carts are trying to edge out and carts behind, it's a mess

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by pivo

Golf cart driving is common sense, if your in an area like Morse ave, you sort of lose common sense and take chances, it's like let me see if I can beat this on coming car, I drive Morse 2-3 times a week in my car I see how the carts are trying to edge out and carts behind, it's a mess

Let's see that would be driver error, right?

[gatherer47]

The operator making the error is often the driver of the CAR-so many putdowns on here of golf cart driving error-and no matter who's fault you can't deny Morse Blvd is dangerous for both types of vehicles because of having to share this street