Why car companies should fear the golf cart

fastcompany.com

14 points·MichaelNolan··6 comments

I saw a video on Peachtree City several years ago and it really stuck in my head. Golf cart roads, like protected bike lanes, are really a “build it and they will come” project. The infrastructure has to reach a certain level of completeness before it will see mass adoption.

If I could take a golf cart on the roads safely, and there was a golf cart parking lot at a nearby rental car place for occasional longer trips, I’d give up my car in a heartbeat.

Eh, sounds good until you try it.

I tried going without a car once (in the US), and it turned into a much bigger problem because the times you’d most like to use the car (holidays, vacation times if you’re going on a trip) also tend to be when other people want to do the same thing, and it’s very difficult to get the rental you want.

Also, there were a couple times I showed up to pick up what I’d reserved, and all the sudden it wasn’t available - and that completely screwed me over.

And that isn’t even counting emergencies.

These are all very good points.

Intrusive popup covering a lot of the screen, telling you to join the site.

avoid like the plague.

screenshot of the popup - a short link generated by the site i used:

https://paste.pics/TAVF0

and the long link if preferred:

https://paste.pics/38ea0f113afaa3b591a2c9a46dcae5a1

In all likelihood, many people gladly would drive a tiny vehicle for short trips, but for the legal complications and restrictions.

I doubt I would be permitted to travel by golf-cart to any of my favorite local destinations.

But you could just get a mobility scooter instead.

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