[Skybo]

Originally Posted by rhredd1654

One of the reasons I located in The Villages is that it was being promoted by the Developer as a "golf cart community". However, it is not a "true" GC community. A few weeks ago I was driving my street legal GEM on St. Charles when a car tailgated me and laid on the horn because I was only doing 25mph, which is the legal Florida limit. This irate driver proceeded to pass me IN THE CART LANE! Talk about idiots! That prompted me to purchase a "street legal" plate. That still didn't help as a young contractor on his cell phone tailgated me yesterday and shouted something out the window. Folks, the cost for my insurance and registration approaches that of a car. I have a legal right to be on the road, so get over it! If you're in that big of a hurry, move out of this retirement community. There, I've said it!

I was under the impression that even street-legals are supposed to drive in the “diamond lane” unless they are passing a slower moving vehicle. Is this incorrect?

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by Skybo

I was under the impression that even street-legals are supposed to drive in the “diamond lane” unless they are passing a slower moving vehicle. Is this incorrect?

Just my opinion. Street legal carts are allowed to drive on roads marked for 35 mph or less. On roads like Bailey Trail, Canal, Odell, etc., where the limit is 30, they are allowed to drive on the roadways. However, since they are limited to 25 mph, and traffic tends to go 30 (or more), there is a tendency to back up traffic behind them. I think it would be courteous for street legals (LSV) to use the cart lane when cars are behind them to allow traffic to move more efficiently.

That said, tailgating is bullying.

[rhredd1654]

Originally Posted by Skybo

I was under the impression that even street-legals are supposed to drive in the “diamond lane” unless they are passing a slower moving vehicle. Is this incorrect?

Street legals are permitted on streets with a speed limit of 35mph or less, or on cart paths/lanes. I would drive in the cart lane with my GEM except I read here that carts were being ticketed for passing because they were crossing a solid white line. It's as bad as the multi-modal paths that are a free-for-all. GEMs are too wide for the 441/27 bridge and the LSL bridge.

[RichieLion]

Originally Posted by mikeod

Just my opinion. Street legal carts are allowed to drive on roads marked for 35 mph or less. On roads like Bailey Trail, Canal, Odell, etc., where the limit is 30, they are allowed to drive on the roadways. However, since they are limited to 25 mph, and traffic tends to go 30 (or more), there is a tendency to back up traffic behind them. I think it would be courteous for street legals (LSV) to use the cart lane when cars are behind them to allow traffic to move more efficiently.

That said, tailgating is bullying.

Everything you said and the way you said it is "spot on"; accurate ,logical and sensible.

[cappyjon431]

Originally Posted by mikeod

Just my opinion. Street legal carts are allowed to drive on roads marked for 35 mph or less. On roads like Bailey Trail, Canal, Odell, etc., where the limit is 30, they are allowed to drive on the roadways. However, since they are limited to 25 mph, and traffic tends to go 30 (or more), there is a tendency to back up traffic behind them. I think it would be courteous for street legals (LSV) to use the cart lane when cars are behind them to allow traffic to move more efficiently.

That said, tailgating is bullying.

I am a GEM owner and I agree. Morse (north of 466) is mostly one lane and it is another place where I try to use the cart lane even though I am permitted to go in the street. I don't want to hold up traffic.

I have had a few incidents on El Camino Real (speed limit 35 mph) where I have been in the right hand lane and people have layed on the horn, followed too closely before moving into the left lane, or flipped me off before passing me. I will say it is a good thing that I was limited to 25 mph because if I would have caught up to them, the would have regretted their rude behavior.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by cappyjon431

I have had a few incidents on El Camino Real (speed limit 35 mph) where I have been in the right hand lane and people have layed on the horn, followed too closely before moving into the left lane, or flipped me off before passing me. I will say it is a good thing that I was limited to 25 mph because if I would have caught up to them, the would have regretted their rude behavior.

I had a professor who, when he encountered such behavior caused by ignorance or stupidity, would simply say, "Well, that classifies them." I've never forgotten that and think about it whenever I encounter ignorant behavior.

[wilkinsm1]

I must have one of the slowest Club cars in The Villages. It is only 6 years old and we recently replaced the batteries, but I seem to be passed by just about everyone. However, I always get where I am going, albeit a little slower, and I will never get a speeding ticket. Yesterday coming from golf in my friend's cart, we had an unpleasant experience. We were going to turn at the corner to go to Sweetwater and had to wait at the green light as other cars were going straight through. A gentleman (??) screamed "Green light!" at us as if we should turn right into the oncoming traffic. I asked him what he wanted us to do, and as I turned around to see who he was, I saw a fairly young man sitting next to him. He wasn't much older than 55 or 60 himself, so he can't use the crochety old man excuse. What a poor example he was showing his younger passenger...screaming at two women who were just following traffic rules.

[raynan]

I don't know why the carts were pulled over on Thursday, but 2 of my neighbors have been stopped on St Charles recently for not coming to a complete stop (rolling stop) entering St Charles from a side street. In both instances they don't know where the police were parked to see them and seemed to come out of nowhere.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by raynan

I don't know why the carts were pulled over on Thursday, but 2 of my neighbors have been stopped on St Charles recently for not coming to a complete stop (rolling stop) entering St Charles from a side street. In both instances they don't know where the police were parked to see them and seemed to come out of nowhere.

Yes, that's a problem. Even though the cart is likely going into the cart lane it scares the crud out of a car seeing the cart just run through the stop sign. Some cart drivers don't seem to think they are subject to the same moving regulations as the cars.

[EdV]

Originally Posted by PaPaLarry

.....did you ever think about people who are annoyed by Street Legal Carts on road? I myself, (too each its own) rather not see any Street Legal Carts on road

It's not street legal carts that bother you, it's all carts. You cannot drive a car anywhere in TV without having to share the road with both regular and street legal golf carts.

[jgbama]

Originally Posted by golfermike22

I was driving down St. Charles, south of buttonwood, and saw two police officers pulling golf carts over? The carts didn't seem to be speeding but anyone know why they were stopped? This was around 3pm today. Is this a normal thing in the villages? It's the first time seeing this.

I guess I'm just paranoid.

This may not answer your original question, but it is an answer to the speeding issue!

[PaPaLarry]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

It's not street legal carts that bother you, it's all carts. You cannot drive a car anywhere in TV without having to share the road with both regular and street legal golf carts.

No Ed!! It's the street legal carts. All the others are in cart path, but when your following street legal cart in street, it makes you defensive. I just feel that carts (all) belong in cart paths only, and cars belong in street. I'm sure it would be safer also. But like I said, to each his or her own!!

[stewartjames]

Hello everyone

First time on website. Yes I was pulled over on st charles coming off penecamp. I did not come to a full stop at the stop sign. No traffic either way so off I went.
Officer somewhat heavy handed but did only issue me a written warning. He advised we in the villages don't understand we must abide by the same rules of the road as autos and make complete stops. I thanked him for the warning and max my minature daschund and I proceeded to the dog park.
I don't know getting concerned about all this attention to the operation of a golf cart. When I first arrived my host handed me a beer and I asked if it was ok and he said sure everybody else does it? Now I read people being ticketed for sitting on their golf carts at the sg while enjoying a beverage. People arrested for DUI. I understand the safety issue however I do enjoy a beer on the GC and might enjoy one coming and going or traveling to or from. Apparently this is no longer going to be tolerated.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by stewartjames

Hello everyone

First time on website. Yes I was pulled over on st charles coming off penecamp. I did not come to a full stop at the stop sign. No traffic either way so off I went.
Officer somewhat heavy handed but did only issue me a written warning. He advised we in the villages don't understand we must abide by the same rules of the road as autos and make complete stops. I thanked him for the warning and max my minature daschund and I proceeded to the dog park.
I don't know getting concerned about all this attention to the operation of a golf cart. When I first arrived my host handed me a beer and I asked if it was ok and he said sure everybody else does it? Now I read people being ticketed for sitting on their golf carts at the sg while enjoying a beverage. People arrested for DUI. I understand the safety issue however I do enjoy a beer on the GC and might enjoy one coming and going or traveling to or from. Apparently this is no longer going to be tolerated.

As far as alcohol is concerned, a golf cart is the same as a car, truck, or whatever. You cannot have an open container while the vehicle is on a public roadway. The parking areas around the town squares are part of the public roadway, so sitting in or on the cart with an alcoholic beverage is a violation. Drinking a beer while traveling in a golf cart is the same as doing it in a car. I think that the recent incidences of golf cart accidents, including fatalities, has caused the local authorities to enforce the existing laws more thoroughly. Also, one has only to look at the number of plastic cart signs on the paths that are destroyed by being run over to see that some of the residents/visitors are having trouble navigating in their cars and carts after enjoying their drinks.

[JoeC1947]

Originally Posted by stewartjames

Hello everyone

First time on website. Yes I was pulled over on st charles coming off penecamp. I did not come to a full stop at the stop sign. No traffic either way so off I went.
Officer somewhat heavy handed but did only issue me a written warning. He advised we in the villages don't understand we must abide by the same rules of the road as autos and make complete stops. I thanked him for the warning and max my minature daschund and I proceeded to the dog park.
I don't know getting concerned about all this attention to the operation of a golf cart. When I first arrived my host handed me a beer and I asked if it was ok and he said sure everybody else does it? Now I read people being ticketed for sitting on their golf carts at the sg while enjoying a beverage. People arrested for DUI. I understand the safety issue however I do enjoy a beer on the GC and might enjoy one coming and going or traveling to or from. Apparently this is no longer going to be tolerated.

A DUI is a DUI. You put yourself and others at risk and it was never tolerated.
It's probably harder to get caught in a golf cart but still just as dangerous if not more.