Beyond basic safety when driving your golf cart around The Villages, here are a few tips for new drivers.
Parking spaces:
The #1 thing you should know about driving your golf cart in The Villages is proper parking. Golf carts have equal rights to using a traditional vehicle parking space, BUT golf carts should always be headed into or backed into a space. This allows several carts to occupy one parking space.
Four-seat golf carts (with the rear-facing seat) are about the same length as a 2-seater and can park headed into a space…then sit on rear-facing seats to enjoy the music and scenery. BUT, longer 4-seater carts (both facing forward) are longer and should park PARALLEL to the curb using a full auto parking space.
When parking into a space in a lot or “deep” space, some people travel with friends to get up to four carts into a single space. If you see one cart in a space, you can park “next to” that cart as long as you don’t block somebody in.
Golf Cart Parking (2-per space):
Most of the time, you may see two (2) carts per space and they are “staggered” so the two carts are NOT fully against the curb. This helps other carts or cars from nose-diving into a space only to find 2 carts are there.
Golf Cart Parking (friends 4-up):
The parking spaces in the villages were designed with help from Disney Corporation (so I was told) to accommodate up to four (4) carts per space. So, you will see friends coordinate a get-together at the square where they all park together. But, don’t block somebody else in.
Golf cart tunnels:
You should be very careful when navigating the turn to enter and exit golf cart tunnels. Be sure to stay close to the tunnel centerline. Some carts have higher roofs that can get damaged when scraping against the curved tunnel ceiling. Watch for water in tunnels after a hard rain.
4-seat carts:
Many people back their carts into parking spaces for 2 reasons. The 4-seat carts tend to stick out into the roadway plus some people sit in their carts at town squares to listen to the music. Four-seater carts with both seats facing forward should be parked on the street in a full car space. Just watch out for high curbs.
Show Carts:
The Villages is known for golf carts that are quite fancy. Owners love you to look at their carts, but just like the car shows, please don’t touch somebody else’s vehicle.
Golf Carts are SAME as cars:
Do NOT park your golf cart in any place that is not a designated vehicle parking spot. This includes handicap margins, sidewalks, pedestrian paths, etc.
And…this should be obvious:
There are laws for wrongful driving of golf carts including speeding. Stay in the designated cart lane unless you MUST merge out into car traffic, and ONLY do that with your turn signals ON. Watch out for “no carts beyond this point” which means you have missed the golf cart path. Use the GPS app <HERE>.
