I still don't understand why people in golf carts believe that all they have to do is turn on their blinker, throw out their hand, and the whole world stops for them. You do NOT have the right of way and it is not the job of cars to slam on their brakes because you throw out your hand.

BUSTED!

But as long as we're off topic, how much does Harry weigh?

I agree with that, the other day I was driving my car and was nearly side by side on the left of a cart,
when all of a sudden the cart driver puts his left turn on and sticks out is arm signaling a left turn.
I really didn't have enough time to apply the brakes,
so I passed him, and then was treated to him hollering an expletive at me!
No one is perfect whether they are driving a car or cart, even though they might think otherwise!

15.9 pounds & he's all muscle

Au contraire: you might want to brush up on the "Rules of the Road

And to answer you specifically what I expect is that after I have made a proper look out, placed my turn signal on prior to my intended merger and completed my merger maneuver that no, I would not expect the whole world to stop, just the driver behind me . What is it you don't get about a driver intentionally accelerating and making a left pass around a cart in a childish and irresponsible manner?

By the way do you happen to drive a champagne Lexus Florida plate # BJV V42?

Sorry, rubicon, but everything spring_chicken said is exactly right. Chicken knows the "Rules of the Road". You're the one who should brush up.

All the proper look outs, turn signals, hand signals, whatever else, do not eliminate the need for the left turner to identify an adequate gap. If there is not an adequate gap, that "driver behind me" is NOT obligated to stop for you. The gap is what matters, not just the fact that a car might be a short distance behind you.

Before you huff and puff at me, if the driver behind you is really "intentionally accelerating and making a left pass around a cart in a childish and irresponsible manner", then of course he is in the wrong. But that doesn't change the fact that spring_chicken was right...you do not automatically have the right-of-way just because you've signaled your intentions and a car may be a short distance behind you. There's where that little matter of there being a proper opening for your maneuver comes into play.

There are two things to do if someone starts to make a left-hand turn in front of you... You can slam on the brakes and hope you don't rear-end him, or you can speed up and go around him if there is no oncoming car and you think the chances of hitting him are less by doing that. Outrun the danger, so to speak.

Nay sayer, I was not making a left turn I was merging from the diamond lane , did so completely and the driver accelerated around me. Would you suggest that every golf cart utilizing a diamond lane and coming to its end such as at a stop light or village gate sit in the diamond lane until all of the traffic on said street has left. if so there is going to be a major bottleneck on all diamond lanes in TV. Again review the rules of the road and put your eyes down and notice the markings on diamond lanes they cry out for merging

I knew it would risk the rebuke and misjudgments of some posters its why I went to the trouble of detailing the event. In the long run its a non-event and was primarily to remind residents that there are some auto drivers here who simply do not understand that a driver of a golf cart is not a second class citizen and golf carts are defined as a vehicle as are bicycles and subjected to the same rules of the road as cars and the courtesies afforded thereof. Geezzz

Agree. I see this often where the cart driver seems distracted and suddenly remembers he wants to turn left and doesn't allow for a gap in traffic. When this happens, the cart driver needs to stop and wait for an opening. Common courtesy and safety.

As you describe you are right. However the appreciable difference in my case is that I was completely in the driving lane

Hi CFrances: a vehicle has the obligation to stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of him/her. If some one is making a left hand turn then the vehicle in the back has the onus of responsibility. I recall as a kid investigating an accident wherein our insured rear ended a car. I visited with her to estimate the damage on her vehicle and she couldn't get her mind around the fact that she was at fault. she kept saying but he stopped right in front of me. Yes he did there was a stop light.

In my case we are not talking about a left turn but a merger. I did what the law required and I made it to the driving lane when the driver behind me pulled to the left into the oncoming lane to pass. We have two vehicles moving at the same time so if I had allowed sufficient time to reach my destination it begs the question what was this other driver doing? was this other driver distracted going too fast, etc

What I found with this post is that ugly term confirmation bias that I admonished many employee to take out of their equation when investigating

I pray not another resident viewing this thread is faced with the same sort of circumstance that prompted me to share

Personal Best Regards:

Looks like the key here is that Rubicon was already out of the diamond lane and merged in with the left turn traffic. This driver was definitely at fault for several reasons, as has been pointed out. A couple of other factors come into play: #1) Speed of the driver even prior to accelerating and #2) IF the driver was paying attention, it is POSTED at a reasonable distance back that carts are to merge with traffic. Car drivers should be expecting them to do exactly that. Merge does not mean to stop and wait for all traffic to pass; it means the same on the highways and drivers are expected to move over when possible to allow for merging or to even slow their speed.

Thank you dillywho,

There are an appreciable number of hanging judges on this thread.:D


Re your edit signature....your Dad was a very wise man.

I have little doubt that the auto driver is at fault. For one thing because I trust Rubicon and his take on the situation.

But there is plenty of talk here that sounds like no matter what, if the car is any distance behind the cart traveling at any speed, then the cart has the right-of-way. That is simply not the case.

Yes, there are signs showing the merge is approaching. But just like on a highway, the primary (not full) responsibility is on the driver in the lane that is being terminated to adjust speed and find an appropriate gap for a merge...not to just signal and move left.

It's somewhat similar to a right turn on red. Just because a vehicle approaching your intersection is to your left does not automatically mean you have the right to turn in front of it. The gap must be enough to allow you to enter the lane and reach a reasonable speed without requiring the approaching vehicle to make any extreme or evasive maneuvers.

You're correct..."merge does not mean to stop and wait for all traffic to pass". But it's just as true that merge does not mean you can just signal and go.

Polar Bear

what you share "depends" On any road in any city or state the vehicle overtaking another vehicle on the left has the primary responsibility. A second situation is when a driver is backing up.
I believe you will find that most cops will tell you with both situations the drive over taking and /or backing has the greater share of responsibility.

In The Villages our streets are designed with additional lanes called diamond lanes and used primarily by golf carts. Everyone of these diamond lanes has markings to indicate merging with auto traffic at stop lights and at village gates.

Now we come to the "depends"as expressed above. the depends , depends on the position of the vehicles involved. In my situation I was the lead vehicle and properly signaled looked merged and completed my merge when overtaken. Contrast that to the poster who stated he was side by side with a golf cart when the driver of the cart began to merge from the diamond lane.

when it comes to fault most accidents involve contributory negligence, less so with backing and overtaking which are about absolute

I have certainly been guilty of some mistakes while driving and when I have motioned to the opposing driver my mea culpa.