[Challenger]

Originally Posted by pfarineau

I believe that the most important question to be asked (and I haven't seen it asked yet) is "what do the public safety records show about accidents at night or during inclement weather"? How many accidents have occurred on multimodal paths in the last five (5) years and what was the severity of the accidents? What was the cause of the accidents? How many accident victims said the accident was caused by poor visibility? When these statistics are revealed I believe we will have the answer as to whether or not striping is needed.

Right on Colonel, but why would you want to have facts to make a decision?? Rumors, Inuendo and conspiracy theories are much more pertinent to making good choices, or so it seems from many posts and threads here.

[oot]

I put in my vote for YES on the striping. It would help in bad weather, or when headlights from other carts or cars are coming at you. There is no point of reference to use in the dark when you look down and having those stripes would help.

I hear comments that people are too drunk, too old, or cannot see, and that is the problem. Well, I don't drink, only wear glasses to read, and have not reached the age of 60 yet and I still have a tough time at night.

So yes, I would be willing to pay extra to make it safer for all. All the money they spent on hiring experts could have already paid for part of the project. The simple survey showed the majority felt some type of striping is needed. I don't think all those "yes" votes were out there to just spend money needlessly. It showed many who drive the paths at night are concerned about safety.

I wonder just how many of the experts making recommendations actually drove those paths at night........

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by oot

I put in my vote for YES on the striping. It would help in bad weather, or when headlights from other carts or cars are coming at you. There is no point of reference to use in the dark when you look down and having those stripes would help.

I hear comments that people are too drunk, too old, or cannot see, and that is the problem. Well, I don't drink, only wear glasses to read, and have not reached the age of 60 yet and I still have a tough time at night.

So yes, I would be willing to pay extra to make it safer for all. All the money they spent on hiring experts could have already paid for part of the project. The simple survey showed the majority felt some type of striping is needed. I don't think all those "yes" votes were out there to just spend money needlessly. It showed many who drive the paths at night are concerned about safety.

I wonder just how many of the experts making recommendations actually drove those paths at night........

Not only that... from what I read, their engineering expert thought that striping the paths would cause drivers to feel it was a cart-only path and thus not give way to walkers and cyclists. My opinion on that theory is that the people who don't give way to them now would still not give way, and the people who do give way are not going to suddenly become part of the my-cart-path-only gang. The engineer never did prove that striping would not make the paths safer.

We don't have a cart, but safety is one area I don't mind spending a few dollars a year on for the rest of my life.

Covering a pool... meh; don't spend my money on that kind of thing.

[billethkid]

The problem continues tO be the stripping in no way is going to change users driving habits, hence the biggest safety issue will not be solved by stripping.
The same types of accidents will continue.

[outlaw]

At any rate, stripping on the MMPs is likely to get you arrested.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by outlaw

At any rate, stripping on the MMPs is likely to get you arrested.

Good way to bring that up. Stripe=striping; strip=stripping
Please don't strip on the striped paths. We've had enough of that in other locations!

[mickey100]

Originally Posted by billethkid

The problem continues tO be the stripping in no way is going to change users driving habits, hence the biggest safety issue will not be solved by stripping.
The same types of accidents will continue.

That is true. If the cause of the majority of night time or rainy weather accidents was driver error, then clearly striping isn't going to reduce the accident rate. You can do all sorts of things and spend all sorts of money to "make the roads safer". But at some point, those in charge have to weigh pros of spending money with the benefits you will accrue. Its called benefit cost ratio. There are a lot of needs in The Villages vying for our dollars. The powers that be hired engineers experienced in traffic studies and apparently they deemed the striping unnecessary. The engineers are experts. They do these studies all the time. They've been trained and have many years of experience. Its time time to accept their analysis and move on.

[Chi-Town]

I think that anything that helps people drive better in low light is a good thing. Night vision decreases with age and we're all aging. One thing for sure, the reflectors that were put in south of 466 at curves, underpasses, and islands are excellent.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

I think that anything that helps people drive better in low light is a good thing. Night vision decreases with age and we're all aging. One thing for sure, the reflectors that were put in south of 466 at curves, underpasses, and islands are excellent.

I think the markings you mention would be very helpful but I feel continuous side and center line striping would be a total waste of money. I'll admit I didn't originally feel that way.

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by DonH57

I think the markings you mention would be very helpful but I feel continuous side and center line striping would be a total waste of money. I'll admit I didn't originally feel that way.

The reflectors south of 466 work very well and are only necessary on curves.
they must be chesper than full striping.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

I think that anything that helps people drive better in low light is a good thing. Night vision decreases with age and we're all aging. One thing for sure, the reflectors that were put in south of 466 at curves, underpasses, and islands are excellent.

The strping would indeed increase visibility FOR SOME.
The striping will in no way help people drive better.
They will in fact drive exactly like they do today. And the same types and numbers of accidents will continue without decrease.

The issue is in fact the way people drive!

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by billethkid

The strping would indeed increase visibility FOR SOME.
The striping will in no way help people drive better...

Not sure I follow your logic there. Improved visibility will not help some people drive better? Hmmm.

[buzzy]

A while back there was a link posted to the Kimley-Horn study results, in a .pdf document. I wish I had saved it, because I can't find the link now. Anyway, the accident reports for the last several years showed that there was an average of three accidents a year during night and poor visibility. So, it's not like The Villages has to take immediate and drastic action to save lives.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

Not sure I follow your logic there. Improved visibility will not help some people drive better? Hmmm.

The rest will continue to drive just like they do now....hence my use of benefit to "some".

I feel like a broken record tonight.....ther striping is not going to change the way people drive.

If they drive the same....accidents and injuries will not be reduced or eliminated.

[CFrance]

I agree it is not going to make anyone drive any better, but for people with vision problems, it might prevent some accidents. Not all accidents happen because people are driving poorly. If it starts teeming rain on your way home, or you hit a patch of fog in the morning, striping showing the outlines of the path would be of help.