[LuckySevens]

Originally Posted by bagboy

There is no credible evidence that striping whether it be center or side, will improve safety on the MMPs. This is from transportation and safety experts and engineers who are educated in, and spend each and every day reviewing and analyzing transportation information with respect to safety.

How would it be if our highways had no striping on them down the middle or edges. How horrific would that be? Well, MMP's ARE OUR GOLF CART HIGHWAYS, and they need to be as safe as they possibly can! Sure carts go slower than a car, but they don't provide any protection in a wreck like a car with airbags.
In fact, I think The Villages should have recognized this on their own and striped them from day one. After all, they make a lot of decisions without asking for our vote, and it usually costs us. I VOTE YES for striping, which means YES FOR SAFETY! Probably won't cost us as much as a couple of beers or Big Mac each year.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by LuckySevens

How would it be if our highways had no striping on them down the middle or edges. How horrific would that be? Well, MMP's ARE OUR GOLF CART HIGHWAYS, and they need to be as safe as they possibly can! Sure carts go slower than a car, but they don't provide any protection in a wreck like a car with airbags.
In fact, I think The Villages should have recognized this on their own and striped them from day one. After all, they make a lot of decisions without asking for our vote, and it usually costs us. I VOTE YES for striping, which means YES FOR SAFETY! Probably won't cost us as much as a couple of beers or Big Mac each year.

Actually MMPs are not "our golf cart highways." they are for walkers, runners, bikers, carts, and other means of conveyance. Should we also stripe our sidewalks for safety reasons as well? Walkers don't go as fast as cars, and they have no airbags either.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by Mleeja

I do not see this as a political question. The question is "Do the multi-modal paths need to have edge striping? If the answer is Yes, then what is the best and most cost effective method to achieve this goal.

The district representatives will vote on how they believe will best meet the needs of our community. Us as residents, need to let our representative know our position. If we do not do this, or go to the meeting, then we forfet our right to "bitch" about it on this site on any other. It is not political. It is about the safety of the community and making our voice heard.

WRONG WRONG !!! The job of the District representatives is to the represent the wishes of those who elected them. What a particular representative personally feels has no bearing on his vote.

[bagboy]

Originally Posted by dbussone

Actually MMPs are not "our golf cart highways." they are for walkers, runners, bikers, carts, and other means of conveyance. Should we also stripe our sidewalks for safety reasons as well? Walkers don't go as fast as cars, and they have no airbags either.

You are right !!! The MMPs are NOT our golf cart highways. That is exactly the point of the engineers and safety experts consulted. In their professional opinion, striping the paths would create a more dangerous environment for users not driving golf carts.

[billethkid]

I keep wondering how we made here this past 12-20 years.....with an environment and ambiance and lifestyle that allowed TV to more than double in size the last 10 years.

Now all of a sudden a "special interest" group has become vocal about a favored issue.

Let us all hope the majority does it's job and the representatives do theirs (by representing the majority).

The subject has gone from interesting to humorous to (I will remain polite and not say!).

[Love2Swim]

Originally Posted by bagboy

You are right !!! The MMPs are NOT our golf cart highways. That is exactly the point of the engineers and safety experts consulted. In their professional opinion, striping the paths would create a more dangerous environment for users not driving golf carts.

I agree. Well said. They are not golf cart paths, or golf cart highways, they are recreational trails to be used by all.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by bagboy

You are right !!! The MMPs are NOT our golf cart highways. That is exactly the point of the engineers and safety experts consulted. In their professional opinion, striping the paths would create a more dangerous environment for users not driving golf carts.

I was at one of the first meetings concerning the path safety meeting at Eisenhower rec center and when the point came up these paths are multi modal and not golf cart highways only, I couldn't count the complaining by villagers who think otherwise and mumbled about the engineer not knowing what he was talking about. I decided at that point not to attend another meeting.

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by LuckySevens

How would it be if our highways had no striping on them down the middle or edges. How horrific would that be? Well, MMP's ARE OUR GOLF CART HIGHWAYS, and they need to be as safe as they possibly can! Sure carts go slower than a car, but they don't provide any protection in a wreck like a car with airbags.
In fact, I think The Villages should have recognized this on their own and striped them from day one. After all, they make a lot of decisions without asking for our vote, and it usually costs us. I VOTE YES for striping, which means YES FOR SAFETY! Probably won't cost us as much as a couple of beers or Big Mac each year.

Exactly the problem-- treating MMPs like highways for golfcarts. Stipes will only add to that perception. Very few nightime accidents, and no evidence that stripes will change those statistics.

[NavyNJ]

Originally Posted by cologal

I would be happy to contribute my household share of $3.30 for the stripping.... I'll even kick in your share.

Sorry.....didn't mean to imply that I was opposed simply due to the cost (which might or might not be reasonable for a project this size - don't know). Part of my opposition is due to the "I've got a hammer, let's go find a nail" approach to the entire striping proposal. Part of it is to the overall aesthetic effect all of the striping proposed would have on the "appearance" of TV as a whole (just a series of interlocking roadways of different sizes and shapes - some for cars, some for carts/bikes/walkers, some for all the above). The "trail-like" feel of TV would certainly be lost once that happened. And, most on point to my comment in the other post - I was specifically addressing 2 accidents that were described, some money spent to try and avert them, with no result, and then spending even more money with the same likely no result.

What I haven't seen in any of the discussion so far, by any group, is a well laid out, thoughtful, minimal impact on surroundings (aesthetics), data-driven set of options or courses of action. And for all the money spent on engineering studies, I would have liked to have seen some artist's renderings of the various options, applied along various segments (straight, curve, medians, etc.) of the paths, to better represent what the actual installation would look like.

And I suppose the last thing I'd ask if I could be at the meeting on Monday is why hasn't there apparently been any dialogue or research done with any other golf-cart style community in America?? If the Kinley-Horn study referenced this type of data, great - but I never saw it referenced. And please don't everyone start with "there's no place else like TV in America" - maybe not "identical" to TV, but there's plenty that have substantial golf cart transportation systems. How about Peachtree City just outside Atlanta, for one? Been going since at least the late 70's, early 80's, with at least 40 mi. or so of paths. I would think a few phone calls with those folks might be useful. At any rate......hopefully cooler/smarter heads will prevail on Monday, and at least rein in the "instant fix" urge until the entire subject can be more fully and reasonably considered. Good luck to all!!

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by billethkid

I keep wondering how we made here this past 12-20 years.....with an environment and ambiance and lifestyle that allowed TV to more than double in size the last 10 years.



Now all of a sudden a "special interest" group has become vocal about a favored issue.



Let us all hope the majority does it's job and the representatives do theirs (by representing the majority).



The subject has gone from interesting to humorous to (I will remain polite and not say!).

What he said!

[EnglishJW]

Originally Posted by billethkid

The striping will not change how people drive their carts.
Hence the accidents and injuries will continue at the same rate/type/frequency, etc.
And yes the paths will be safer for some for all the reasons stated.......most of which do not contribute to the accident/injury rate.

And be mindful that justifying a couple of bucks per month is no big deal. In a manner of speaking that merely emphasizes supporting increasing amenity fees.....it's only $2 or $6 or $8 per month this time!

In my opinion, the most significant problem on the multi-modal paths is the irresponsible behavior of many of the people using them (i.e., US). We are in a hurry ... We drank too much ... We're tired ... We're not paying attention (cellphones anyone?) ... We're speeding (do our carts really need to be able to go 25 - 30 - 35 mph?) ... We are impaired in any number of other ways ... Our own headlights are too bright and aimed too high ...

Striping won't address any of these issues.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by LuckySevens

Well, MMP's ARE OUR GOLF CART HIGHWAYS, and they need to be as safe as they possibly can!

No, MMPs are NOT our golf cart highways, that's a popular misconception, and it's wrong!
MMPs are multi-modal paths for use by joggers, bicycles, dog-walkers, etc.

Originally Posted by Challenger

Exactly the problem-- treating MMPs like highways for golfcarts. Stipes will only add to that perception. Very few nightime accidents, and no evidence that stripes will change those statistics.

I do think it would be prudent if reflectors were added on any pathways that twist or suddenly turn into divided pathways.

[vette]

"I keep wondering how we made here this past 12-20 years.....with an environment and ambiance and lifestyle that allowed TV to more than double in size the last 10 years." I Guess all us stupid people had no idea what TV needed !! (lol)

"Now all of a sudden a "special interest" group has become vocal about a favored issue." AMEN

Let us all hope the majority does it's job and the representatives do theirs (by representing the majority). Unfortunately HOPE may not cut it . . . I for one plan to become just as vocal in my opposition as the special interest group!

[outlaw]

If these MMPs were originally meant for walkers and dogs, I'll eat my hat. No one in their right mind would design tunnels like these with walkers in mind. Most people will acknowledge that the developer was pretty smart designing TV. Ride over the 441 overpass and see if you think that was designed for walkers. I think, without a doubt, the paths were meant for golf carts. They then morphed over time to accommodate skaters, runners, walkers, dog walking, etc.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by outlaw

If these MMPs were originally meant for walkers and dogs, I'll eat my hat. No one in their right mind would design tunnels like these with walkers in mind. Most people will acknowledge that the developer was pretty smart designing TV. Ride over the 441 overpass and see if you think that was designed for walkers. I think, without a doubt, the paths were meant for golf carts. They then morphed over time to accommodate skaters, runners, walkers, dog walking, etc.

Ding, Ding, Ding.............Give that man a cigar!