Golf Carts on Highways?!

[XLFD]

Remember when during Ryan Cox's brief interlude as mayor in 2015, the city passed an ordinance allowing golf carts to roll through the streets of Ludington.  The heir apparent and co-owner of Cox's Sales & Service "the all season solution for your small engine needs." which sold ORVs and Go-Karts, actively campaigned for this law, before abdicating and moving back to the Scottville area.  It was passed with some misgivings, and reviewed favorably the next year.

The State allowed such ordinances to go into effect in small communities, believing localities would be able to wisely control any traffic problems that may have arisen.  The State did make it outside of this law to allow the carts to go over 15 mph and travel only on streets with a 30 mph or less speed limit, while limiting their usage on freeways and state trunk line highways (like US 10, US 31, the PM Hwy, and M-116 locally) to only crossing them.  

But now the State legislature in its wisdom wants to expand the law to create what some like myself would think to be a serious safety hazard.  In House Bill 4945 they propose to let simple-minded village councilors decide whether to let golf carts use highways in their jurisdiction with only three limitations attached:

So if a golf cart travels down Ludington Avenue or up M-116, as long as it has an orange triangle, keeps to the right, and can adequately rationalize a necessity for the venture, they can do so legally.  This bill may change dramatically or even be scrapped at some point, but let's speculate on what may be the results if it does pass, for then that State revision would become part of local law-- since our councilors passed the original ordinance using MCL 257.657a by reference.

During the summer, the traffic up and down M-116 (which has one lane going each way) could be dramatically slowed as Epworth residents take their carts to and from the downtown.  On Ludington Avenue, you could be rounding the bend around Staffon or Madison, and find yourself going around 40 mph at the tail of a golf cart going 10-15 mph.  

Right now you can just go to the left lane, but what happens if our city leaders get the road diet they have been pushing for, and the lanes go from four or five down to three (one lane each way)?  Your car, SUV or truck may be able to protect you from the impact with the back of the golf cart with all of its safety features, but that golf cart in front of you has nothing other than that crushed orange triangle protecting the riders.  It was the same for that multiple fatality that just happened two days ago when a horse drawn buggy was rear-ended by a negligent pickup driver near Sheridan, Michigan, killing three of the seven children of Paul and Judith Martin, who are still in critical condition along with three of their sons. 

This is the third Michigan buggy accident I've reported in BUMPS over the last three years where negligent drivers rear end slow moving horse-drawn wagons on roads where the speed limit for motor vehicles is 55 mph or more.  Earlier this year, our brilliant State legislators have decided using their near-infinite wisdom that motor vehicles should be driving even faster throughout Michigan.  

You may notice that the state trunk line map and the blue non-freeway corridors on the map above are similar, and a lot of those new areas have Amish populations.  It then becomes not too surprising that our knowledgeable legislators who increase speed limits on highways that horse-drawn wagons frequent, would suggest golf carts are perfectly fine for trunk line highways. 

[John Doe Jr]

I would bet my bathroom spray that John Shay already has plans in the works for these cooler scooters.

[Willy]

Common sense would tell a normal person that this is not a safe form of transportation especially on busy roads. Your right about the Amish buggies being in numerous accidents. Doesn't say much about the common sense displayed by the Amish in putting their families in harms way. At least they should install some solar operated lights and maybe some strobes, the kind that a lot of cyclist use.

[Willy]

In the post above I was referring to the Amish buggies not being safe not the cooler train which I think is a very ingenious and clever.

[John Doe Jr]

Most people driving these days have No intention to slow down for any others or, to worry what is on the other side of a hill or, around a curve.. Cars,semis,bikes, campers,buggies, or pedestrians. Whatever gets in their way, they never anticipate to slow down'  You clearly witness that everyday when someone pulls out from an intersection in someone's path. You will NEVER see their brake lights come on. Some intentionally accelerate and even tailgate to make their point that you are slowing them down. Then, they will usually unlawfully pass putting everyone's lives in danger and, turn at the next intersection. What is the rush?? They don't care. It is THEM FIRST. The typical distractions of phones,putting on makeup, eating Chinese with chopsticks,slamming some liquor or beer,smoking up some Meth, or even having sex while driving does not even compare to the Lack of the Willingness to YIELD to anyone. Deadly combinations. Back in the day when people were courteous and not demonized by law enforcement, drivers would flash their lights to opposing traffic to alert on comers that there was a danger ahead. Be it a deer, an accident,kids on bikes, pedestrians, a horse drawn buggy, or a corrupt cop hiding in the bushes revenue collecting. LE made that illegal, banning communication by flashing lights on/off.  So, how many cars passed this truck in the opposite direction that could have, if not for LE and their NO Flashing Laws, been able to FLASH this driver to alert him to possibly avoid this catastrophe?