[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Patzy

"I do not support ANY efforts to create a multi-model option on Morse Blvd. Because I believe the group focused on the wrong alternative based on what was stated as a Safety Issue and the solution was supposed to improve road safety for golf cars. Yes, there are bicycles, but the major issue is golf car safety, as is stated by the folks supporting the Multi-model project.

I submit that if the problem is Morse isn't safe for golf cars and bicycles, the root cause is speed. Everyone speeds on Morse. The Villages/Sumter County has correctly identified the top speed for this road at 30 mph and golf cars should only be doing 20.

If EVERYONE drove the speed limit two things happen which lead to a safer road for everyone. First, at a slower speed, EVERYONE has more reaction time which is critical in road safety and it's the biggest way that risk and safety are balanced. An example is construction areas. It's exactly why speed is reduced. The second unintended consequence benefit is that if there were reduced speeds the commercial traffic would choose a different route. Both of these lead to less traffic, traveling much slower, and increased reaction time; which equals greater safety and fewer accidents.

So, you say, well "no Kidding", Of course, we want everyone to drive the speed limit, but they don't.

In my opinion, before our CDD1 money was spent to seek a solution that is trying to solve an amenity issue (multi-model path); the first alternative should have been to lobby the Sheriff to install automatic ticketing at two locations on Morse.

Here's another area where I disagree with the path CDD 1 is pursuing. This is clearly a Sumter Country Sheriffs' office responsibility. The rumor is that they know this, but don't have the resources to have cars managing the speed. And if so, I understand this. Statistically, according to multiple traffic studies, while Morse is dangerous in some perspectives, it isn't as dangerous as other Sumter County roads which thus warrants the additional law enforcement oversight.

And here's the beauty of this shift of responsibility to the Sumter County Sheriff, Florida allows automatic ticketing for speeding. This year, Gov. Ron DeSantis, approved HB 657, the governor makes speed cameras legal in Florida. Initially for school zones; however, I believe that our unique residential multi-use road is a perfect situation to request the use here.

I would rather we would have spent the money to seek this solution. Which then places the installation and residual maintenance on Sumter County, where it should be.

I have just started to speak out about this. I hope that CDD1 residents are not emotionally captured by the narrative that we need a multi-model path.

It wasn't here to begin with and there are enough other locations in the Villages that have this.

Nice post, unfortunately it loses most of its meaning once you realize that statistically slow drivers cause more accidents than speeders