[Gulfcoast]

What are the transportation options for those who no longer drive and need a ride to the grocery store or to their doctors appointments?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Gulfcoast

What are the transportation options for those who no longer drive and need a ride to the grocery store or to their doctors appointments?

Neighbors, Uber, Lyft.

[Gulfcoast]

Thanks. Both my husband and I still drive, I was just thinking about down the road when we decide that we aren't comfortable driving a car anymore. I assume that regular golf carts on the Village golf cart trails would be an option, too?

I also heard that there is a shuttle that you can catch in Brownwood that runs to/from the airport although I don't know the details on that.

[Stu from NYC]

assisted living?

[Gulfcoast]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

assisted living?

Why? If you are still dressing, bathing, cooking, taking care of yourself and walking around alright, why would you go to assisted living? A golf cart is slower speed and a bit less of a handful than a car is. So one might be able to drive a golf cart even if a car seems to be a bit too much for them.

[gomsiepop]

My sister and brother-in-law have lived in The Villages since 2008. Neither one drive a car but each of them own and drive a golf cart. It was a bit scary in the beginning but they've both learned to master getting around in their golf carts. Sometimes they've had to rely on friends to drive them to doctors that aren't golf cart accessible but they are living a full life without their own car. You can definitely do it! Good luck

[rjm1cc]

Your county may have a senior transportation system.
Hopefully self drive cars will get hear before we have the problem.

[Madelaine Amee]

I have several friends who do not drive and they do just fine. Some of them have neighbors who will help them, but there are other options. Sumter County has an excellent program for those who need help. You can have food delivered from all the surrounding stores.

You do lose the convenience of being able to jump into a car and do whatever you want to do, when you want to do it, but with age things change.

I am fortunate and still manage, but I do have a wonderful lady who specializes in taking people to their doctor appointments, dentist, shopping and anything else they need. She is reasonable and very obliging and will do everything she can to help those who need it.

[thevillages2013]

Originally Posted by Gulfcoast

Why? If you are still dressing, bathing, cooking, taking care of yourself and walking around alright, why would you go to assisted living? A golf cart is slower speed and a bit less of a handful than a car is. So one might be able to drive a golf cart even if a car seems to be a bit too much for them.

With all due respect if you realize you shouldn’t be driving a car then assuming you can drive a golf cart is a mistake. Let’s say you have a normal cart with a fold down enclosure and no windshield wipers and you are going to the store. A thunderstorm hits and suddenly you need to drop and zip the enclosure, turn the lights on and drive in the cart lane next to and then possibly merging with cars.

[La lamy]

Good for you for trying to plan ahead, but I'm not sure why you think a golf cart would be less of a handful than a car. Most of them don't have seat belts (you can get them installed after market though), the lever for forward or backward is harder to do than any feature on a car, the headlight system is not that great (that too can be upgraded), you have to manually operate the turn signals off (which makes it impossible to know if a signal is really meant from oncoming traffic), groceries are not always easy to stow away safely, carts are hard to keep cool or warm in our extreme temperatures here (unless you buy a very expensive car-like one), and most of all you can have very narrow lanes to operate in. I personally feel so much safer in a car, even though a golf cart is very convenient to get into tight parking spaces, and avoid major street traffic.

[kendi]

[QUOTE=La lamy;1917762]Good for you for trying to plan ahead, but I'm not sure why you think a golf cart would be less of a handful than a car. Most of them don't have seat belts (you can get them installed after market though), the lever for forward or backward is harder to do than any feature on a car, the headlight system is not that great (that too can be upgraded), you have to manually operate the turn signals off (which makes it impossible to know if a signal is really meant from oncoming traffic), groceries are not always easy to stow away safely, carts are hard to keep cool or warm in our extreme temperatures here (unless you buy a very expensive car-like one), and most of all you can have very narrow lanes to operate in. I personally feel so much safer in a car, even though a golf cart is very convenient to get into tight parking spaces, and avoid major street traffic.[/QUOT

Upgrades make all of your concerns a mute point except the narrow lanes. But the lanes are not so narrow relative to size of the carts. And the speeds are much slower than a car which is a huge plus.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by Gulfcoast

Thanks. Both my husband and I still drive, I was just thinking about down the road when we decide that we aren't comfortable driving a car anymore. I assume that regular golf carts on the Village golf cart trails would be an option, too?

I also heard that there is a shuttle that you can catch in Brownwood that runs to/from the airport although I don't know the details on that.

You already know the options and the shiuttle to the airport is The Villages Shuttle.

[kendi]

Originally Posted by thevillages2013

With all due respect if you realize you shouldn’t be driving a car then assuming you can drive a golf cart is a mistake. Let’s say you have a normal cart with a fold down enclosure and no windshield wipers and you are going to the store. A thunderstorm hits and suddenly you need to drop and zip the enclosure, turn the lights on and drive in the cart lane next to and then possibly merging with cars.

A person can chose what weather to drive in and stay home if it’s bad. Pop up storms are brief and easy to wait out in the store or on the side of the golf cart path.

[Joanne D]

There are services that your medical insurance may cover or you may decide to pay for on your own. Visiting angels, Helping hands etc.

[Villagesgal]

Both Sumter and Lake County have services for seniors who can no longer drive, they pick you up at your door and bring you back again. They will not wait, but will come back. You have to call and arrange it all ahead of time. Many local Churches also have people who will volunteer their time to drive you to doctor appts. Call around. This is a wonderful community.