[TSO/ISPF]

I have a question regarding right-of-way when driving along a road like
St. Charles. We in the cart are 200 yards from an intersection with a car just behind us who is signaling a right turn. It slows to our rate of speed
seeming to want us to proceed through the intersection before it. We slow thinking, we not knowing the correct procedure and not wanting to encounter a large object, let the car pass. The driver of the car following the car we let turn in front of us, is upset. Did we error in our thinking? My thought is, "Defensive driving, especially in a golf cart". What's the right thing to do?

[Topspinmo]

IMO you pull out in traffic when safe to do so when diamonds lane ends. Try not to get stuck stopped trying to pull out. You should also never make make left turn from the diamonds lanes. Pull out in vehicle lane when safe to do so , use you’re blinker and or hand signal. St Charles very busy if you have to pull out sooner than you want so be it. Don’t worry about AH’s behind you. Pull out when safe to do so. Speed limit probably 25 on at Charles, very few vehicles go under 25 MPH makes it hard to safety pull out. another thing vehicles shouldn’t be pacing along side you. I either pass of stay behind until it safe to pass carts in diamonds lanes. And if diamonds lanes ends I never speed up at last minute to get ahead of cart.

[tophcfa]

A good rule of the road is to avoid injury by always yieldIng to anything bigger than you. If walking yield to a bike, bikes yield to golf carts, golf carts yield to cars, and cars yield to trucks. I always follow this practice regardless of what the official rules are, because many people don’t follow the legal rules and I don’t want to have to say that I had the right of way from a hospital bed.

[Bjeanj]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

A good rule of the road is to avoid injury by always yieldIng to anything bigger than you. If walking yield to a bike, bikes yield to golf carts, golf carts yield to cars, and cars yield to trucks. I always follow this practice regardless of what the official rules are, because many people don’t follow the legal rules and I don’t want to have to say that I had the right of way from a hospital bed.

Agree

[TSO/ISPF]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

IMO you pull out in traffic when safe to do so when diamonds lane ends. Try not to get stuck stopped trying to pull out. You should also never make make left turn from the diamonds lanes. Pull out in vehicle lane when safe to do so , use you’re blinker and or hand signal. St Charles very busy if you have to pull out sooner than you want so be it. Don’t worry about AH’s behind you. Pull out when safe to do so. Speed limit probably 25 on at Charles, very few vehicles go under 25 MPH makes it hard to safety pull out. another thing vehicles shouldn’t be pacing along side you. I either pass of stay behind until it safe to pass carts in diamonds lanes. And if diamonds lanes ends I never speed up at last minute to get ahead of cart.

The intersection ahead of us was a road to the right only and the diamond lane went right on through. We were going through the intersection and the car was turning right. In a normal traffic situation it would have been as if someone was turning right from the left lane. Just one of those TV things that depends on the drivers. If I was driving the car I would have waited for the golf cart to pass through the intersection, which caused the problem. The car slowed and so did we, thus annoying the driver following the car. We did let the car turn in front of us allowing me to observe the following drivers gesture of frustration .

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by heims01

The intersection ahead of us was a road to the right only and the diamond lane went right on through. We were going through the intersection and the car was turning right. In a normal traffic situation it would have been as if someone was turning right from the left lane. Just one of those TV things that depends on the drivers. If I was driving the car I would have waited for the golf cart to pass through the intersection, which caused the problem. The car slowed and so did we, thus annoying the driver following the car. We did let the car turn in front of us allowing me to observe the following drivers gesture of frustration .

The driver in vehicle should of never been along side you if he was turning right, he should of yielded. And he shouldn’t of cut you off turning. IMO you should held you’re speed and let him fall in behind you where he should of been in first place turning when lane was occupied. Bottom line you didn’t get hit. The second car Back was inpatient AH.

O, by the way you’re going to run into a lot of inpatient __s in villages, out of bubble, in Florida, well everywhere.

[bagboy]

Your description of the intersection was confusing. IMHO, the car that slowed behind you was doing the right thing, and didn't want to turn right in front of your cart. Seeing the car staying behind you, you should have proceeded on, and let him turn behind you, not in front. As for the car behind him, I can't really speak to why he was mad.

[TSO/ISPF]

Originally Posted by bagboy

Your description of the intersection was confusing. IMHO, the car that slowed behind you was doing the right thing, and didn't want to turn right in front of your cart. Seeing the car staying behind you, you should have proceeded on, and let him turn behind you, not in front. As for the car behind him, I can't really speak to why he was mad.

We were headed toward Tamarind Grove Run on St. Charles about 1/2 mile left to go. My wife was driving, I was hanging on. It can be hard to
judge the intentions of a driver in the mirror of a golf cart bumping along St. Charles, where the cart(diamond) lane is somewhat rough(IMHO) We did have the right-of-way, but the odds were against us if we
guessed wrong. Just part of fun of TV. Was a great day on the golf course!

[bagboy]

Originally Posted by heims01

We were headed toward Tamarind Grove Run on St. Charles about 1/2 mile left to go. My wife was driving, I was hanging on. It can be hard to
judge the intentions of a driver in the mirror of a golf cart bumping along St. Charles, where the cart(diamond) lane is somewhat rough(IMHO) We did have the right-of-way, but the odds were against us if we
guessed wrong. Just part of fun of TV. Was a great day on the golf course!

Understood. I'm glad everything turned out good.

[villagetinker]

I try to be considerate of golf carts, if they get to (or will get to) the merge area or an intersection before I do, I will yield to the golf cart as I do not know what they are doing (going straight or turning), I do not pace a golf cart (unless they are doing 30 MPH) and it takes me a long time to pass. Also, if I have safely passed a golf cart and further down the road I am turning right, I will signal AND place my right side tires in the golf cart lane to prevent the golf cart from coming up beside me as I slow down for the turn. Please note that I deliberately leave lots of room between my and the following golf cart, if I cannot do this, I drop in BEHIND the golf cart. I really do not want to hit or cause an accident with a golf cart.
Also as stated above I always yield to the large vehicle, especially when I am in the golf cart.

[John_W]

I've driven St. Charles everyday for the past 9-1/2 years since I have lived in Tamarind Grove. I found about 1 car driver in 50 will do this, and it actually makes more sense and I've been doing for about 5 years.

Just like a cart driver when they see spacing will merge into the car lane when wanting to make a left. As a car driven wanting to make a right turn and there are carts in the cart lane to the right of me, I select whether I'm going ahead or behind the cart and move over into the cart lane with my car about 3' or halfway into the cart lane and of course my right turn signal was already applied. This leaves no doubt in anyone's mind where my sequence for turning is going to be. There's absolutely no way a cart will be next to me, I've eliminated every problem that could have arisen simply by merging slightly into the cart lane. I do this almost everyday since I have to make a right turn onto Southern Star Way (Tamarind Grove Blvd) when coming from the south and have not had a problem for over 5 years with this method.

I wish all drivers in TV would learn to do this, just like cart drivers learn to merge left, until you see that one cart driver about once month who seems to want to make a left from the cart lane. This fellow tried that 3 yeas ago on O'Dell and was killed.

[b0bd0herty]

You gotta use some horse sense. Each situation differs but, if you see the following vehicle is slowing down for you (I do that all the time especially if quickly passing then turning would cut the cart off), continue on. IMO, it's like 4 cars stop (ha!) at a 4-way stop and everyone keeps motioning the other to go. Golf cart is a legal vehicle and if you need to make a left, get out in the main lane with your signal before you're squeezed into the curb.

[La lamy]

Originally Posted by b0bd0herty

You gotta use some horse sense. Each situation differs but, if you see the following vehicle is slowing down for you (I do that all the time especially if quickly passing then turning would cut the cart off), continue on. IMO, it's like 4 cars stop (ha!) at a 4-way stop and everyone keeps motioning the other to go. Golf cart is a legal vehicle and if you need to make a left, get out in the main lane with your signal before you're squeezed into the curb.

Just a heads up about 4 way stop: where I learned how to drive, if in doubt as to who stopped first, it's the person on the right who has the right of way. Hopefully there isn't 4 cars that are in this predicament though! Then yes, a bunch of waving arms will occur!

[gwenhwalker@yahoo.com]

Originally Posted by heims01

The intersection ahead of us was a road to the right only and the diamond lane went right on through. We were going through the intersection and the car was turning right. In a normal traffic situation it would have been as if someone was turning right from the left lane. Just one of those TV things that depends on the drivers. If I was driving the car I would have waited for the golf cart to pass through the intersection, which caused the problem. The car slowed and so did we, thus annoying the driver following the car. We did let the car turn in front of us allowing me to observe the following drivers gesture of frustration .

Cars making right turns are supposed to yield to golf cart going straight. However not all cars know so better safe than sorry

[crash]

Originally Posted by heims01

The intersection ahead of us was a road to the right only and the diamond lane went right on through. We were going through the intersection and the car was turning right. In a normal traffic situation it would have been as if someone was turning right from the left lane. Just one of those TV things that depends on the drivers. If I was driving the car I would have waited for the golf cart to pass through the intersection, which caused the problem. The car slowed and so did we, thus annoying the driver following the car. We did let the car turn in front of us allowing me to observe the following drivers gesture of frustration .

I am with you and let the golf cart proceed before turning. Another method I have seen is to merge into the MMP to turn right.