One person's golf cart speeding ticket story

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Old 04-18-2013, 10:45 PM
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Default One person's golf cart speeding ticket story

I have a friend. She has a golf cart. She was driving downhill on a diamond lane and got clocked at 29mph. Stopped by the sheriff and issued a citation. There was no amount on the citation. I now think that was because it wasn't actually a speeding ticket so much as it was a violation, having an unregistered golf cart that was exceeding 20 mph, or whatever that limit is.

Since there was no fine amount stipulated, she had to go to court. I posted that here, and some asked to hear the results. I have received her permission to report the results of her court appearance. I do not remember where the court was.

1. She was wearing shorts. There was a sign on the door that the wearing of shorts was not allowed in the court. Of course, nowhere was that written on the citation, and no way anyone would have known of this. This is Florida, after all, so people were wearing shorts. After much hullabalu, the shorts group was told they would be seen but had to wait till the end of the docket (a few hours).

2. My friend had a certificate from her cart maintenance company that she had, after the citation, had a governor installed that would not allow her cart to exceed the legal limit. The sheriff who issued the citation had told her that if she did this, the fine would probably be limited to court costs.

3. In the end, the fine was limited to court costs. A little under $250. She went to write a check; they don't take checks. Cash, money order, or credit card. Having not enough cash nor money order, she offered her Visa. There was a 2.37% surcharge for paying by credit card. Of course, that upped the price.

4. After you pay the court costs, you are considered "on probation." Want to get off probation? Go to another building a block down the street and pony up an additional $50. And oh, they will only accept money orders. However, you can go across the street to the pharmacy, and for $1, they will issue you a money order, which you then take back across the street and get yourself off of probation. $300+ total. I am not offering an opinion here! Just relating the story.

5. An anecdote: There was a handicapped man who was cited for going 23mph in his cart. He missed his court date by one day. When he showed up the day my friend was there, but earlier in the day, they handcuffed him, arrested him, and put him in jail for 7 hours until his wife could get down there to bail him out. Then he was in court in an orange prison suit. (but at least it wasn't shorts...) He related this story to my friend.

I am only posting this from an informational standpoint, because someone earlier had asked a question about my friend's ticket. This is ONLY an iteration of what transpired when she went to court. You all can draw your own conclusions and offer opinions, but I am just the messenger. Please don't shoot me.
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Old 04-18-2013, 10:52 PM
skyc6 skyc6 is offline
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Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
I have a friend. She has a golf cart. She was driving downhill on a diamond lane and got clocked at 29mph. Stopped by the sheriff and issued a citation. There was no amount on the citation. I now think that was because it wasn't actually a speeding ticket so much as it was a violation, having an unregistered golf cart that was exceeding 20 mph, or whatever that limit is.

Since there was no fine amount stipulated, she had to go to court. I posted that here, and some asked to hear the results. I have received her permission to report the results of her court appearance. I do not remember where the court was.

1. She was wearing shorts. There was a sign on the door that the wearing of shorts was not allowed in the court. Of course, nowhere was that written on the citation, and no way anyone would have known of this. This is Florida, after all, so people were wearing shorts. After much hullabalu, the shorts group was told they would be seen but had to wait till the end of the docket (a few hours).

2. My friend had a certificate from her cart maintenance company that she had, after the citation, had a governor installed that would not allow her cart to exceed the legal limit. The sheriff who issued the citation had told her that if she did this, the fine would probably be limited to court costs.

3. In the end, the fine was limited to court costs. A little under $250. She went to write a check; they don't take checks. Cash, money order, or credit card. Having not enough cash nor money order, she offered her Visa. There was a 2.37% surcharge for paying by credit card. Of course, that upped the price.

4. After you pay the court costs, you are considered "on probation." Want to get off probation? Go to another building a block down the street and pony up an additional $50. And oh, they will only accept money orders. However, you can go across the street to the pharmacy, and for $1, they will issue you a money order, which you then take back across the street and get yourself off of probation. $300+ total. I am not offering an opinion here! Just relating the story.

5. An anecdote: There was a handicapped man who was cited for going 23mph in his cart. He missed his court date by one day. When he showed up the day my friend was there, but earlier in the day, they handcuffed him, arrested him, and put him in jail for 7 hours until his wife could get down there to bail him out. Then he was in court in an orange prison suit. (but at least it wasn't shorts...) He related this story to my friend.

I am only posting this from an informational standpoint, because someone earlier had asked a question about my friend's ticket. This is ONLY an iteration of what transpired when she went to court. You all can draw your own conclusions and offer opinions, but I am just the messenger. Please don't shoot me.
This sounds ridiculous to me. It is an embarrassment to The Villages or wherever it was to have this rat race to go through to pay your fines. To hold a handicapped man in jail for 7 hours in an orange prison suit for driving 3 miles over the speed limit again sounds like Mayberry gone bad!
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Old 04-19-2013, 05:40 AM
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Just Wow.
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Old 04-19-2013, 06:22 AM
mickey100 mickey100 is offline
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I can see citing the woman going 29 mph. People like that are a menace. But 23 mph? If you do nothing to the governor on the cart and just increase tire size, you'll inadvertantly up your cart speed by 2-3 mph. And we don't have speed readouts on the carts. Personally I'd rather have them utilize law enforcement at the roundabouts where about every 4th car makes an improper maneuver and endangers other drivers. They could start by concentrating on the roundabouts at Morse and Camino Real, and Buena Vista and Camino Real. Going after drivers that are 3 mph over the speed limit reeks of $$$ - taking in money for fines, IMHO.
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Old 04-19-2013, 06:30 AM
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I forgot to add that my friend was going down a hill when she was clocked at 29. I have no idea what kind of speed you can pick up going down a hill in a golf cart, and it doesn't have a speedometer. Not trying to defend speeding in a golf cart. I imagine you would know or feel that you are over the speed limit.
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Old 04-19-2013, 06:35 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skyc6 View Post
This sounds ridiculous to me. It is an embarrassment to The Villages or wherever it was to have this rat race to go through to pay your fines. To hold a handicapped man in jail for 7 hours in an orange prison suit for driving 3 miles over the speed limit again sounds like Mayberry gone bad!
It has very little to do with "The Villages". Those are county sherrif's deputies issuing the citations. They work for the 3 counties.
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Old 04-19-2013, 06:59 AM
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The arrest thing happened to a friend of mine who also got the court date wrong and showed up a day late. She was cuffed and jailed on the spot. Seems a little excessive for one traffic violation.
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Old 04-19-2013, 07:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
I forgot to add that my friend was going down a hill when she was clocked at 29. I have no idea what kind of speed you can pick up going down a hill in a golf cart, and it doesn't have a speedometer. Not trying to defend speeding in a golf cart. I imagine you would know or feel that you are over the speed limit.
If you have an electric cart like mine with a series motor, there is nothing to measure the speed of the motor to cap the top end speed when coasting. Both of my 2002 Club Cars and the 2000 Par Car I owned were like this.

Even if not "souped up" they will go over 20 going downhill or even a slight downgrade. Even the wind matters believe it or not.

Although 29 MPH is a pretty big hill , there is no doubt a cart that I describe could go 23 - 25 on a large down hill. Hopefully the officer on hand takes this into account when stopping a cart clocked at 23 MPH.

IMO the law addresses carts that have been modified to go over 20 MPH. In this case the carts I describe have not been modified and should not be ticketed for going 23 on a downhill. I leave it to others to look up if my opinion holds any water based on how the law is written. In the meantime if you have a cart like that it may be a good idea to get a speedometer.
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Old 04-19-2013, 07:15 AM
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Funny, I do not see any of the people who posted about golf cart speeding and just take your medicine comments here. I rest my case.Cha-Ching.Fun getting old.......
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Old 04-19-2013, 07:29 AM
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Funny, I do not see any of the people who posted about golf cart speeding and just take your medicine comments here. I rest my case.Cha-Ching.Fun getting old.......
I think that people are trying to keep this on topic and offer opinions and/or information. The intent of my original post was to convey the story of what will happen if you do get cited add have to go to court... bring $, a money order for $50, and don't wear shorts!

And I appreciate my friend's allowing me to relate this incident.
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Old 04-19-2013, 08:00 AM
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I for one am glad the golf cart speeders don't get off with a slap on the wrist. Thank you for posting this cfrance, perhaps it will slow some speeders down.
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Old 04-19-2013, 08:14 AM
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If your job was to catch speeders would you take your radar gun to the top of the hill or the bottom?

The law does not say 20mph on level ground and down hill is optional.

If the law said max 20 round clip 23 or 27 is not close enough.
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Old 04-19-2013, 08:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paulandjean View Post
Funny, I do not see any of the people who posted about golf cart speeding and just take your medicine comments here. I rest my case.Cha-Ching.Fun getting old.......
My advice....buy and install a speedometer on your cart.

Shorts are not allowed in the courtroom. Stood jury duty recently and it was stated in the summons.

The handicapped guy was jailed because he failed to appear.
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Old 04-19-2013, 09:18 AM
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I think it's a well written funny story.
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Old 04-19-2013, 09:38 AM
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It was not real clear (to me) in the OP that the golf cart speeder going 29 mph was on a roadway and NOT a multi-modal trail.

Remember, the police do not have jurisdiction on the multi-modal trails for speeders.

If a golf cart was speeding along a public roadway at 29 mph, they should be picked up. The Florida laws say a golf cart is not to travel over 20 mph or it is not a golf cart. The insurance is pretty clear on that, also. If you are in an accident with your cart and going over 20 mph, your insurance may not pay off on the accident and you will be up the creek without your bank account.
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