Talk of The Villages Florida - The 20 mph speed limit

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- All About Golf Carts and Things (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/all-about-golf-carts-things-156/)

- - The 20 mph speed limit (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/all-about-golf-carts-things-156/20-mph-speed-limit-168192/)

Funny that a majority of Villagers think it is mandatory to drive a golf cart at full speed all the time. I have 2 carts and can exceed 20MPH by 3-4 MPH but I maintain a speed between 19-21. Your cars can exceed 100MPH but you do not drive it flat out so why is there a need to do so in a golf cart.

If you get caught by a LEO and face a hefty fine, guess what, take responsibility. Don't want to do that, lift up on your right foot when driving the golf cart.

Even if your cart is set for 25 MPH, you will often be caught in a line of carts doing 19 or 20. That just causes unneeded aggravation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by outlaw (Post 1136827)

Why not just take the train and also bring your car with you? I think there is that service from NY.

The only auto-train leaves from Lorton, VA and comes into Sanford. The trip to Lorton is the worst 7-??? hours of the trip. Besides, we go to Raleigh, NC to see the grandchildren on the way.

Well, my cart governed at 20 mph. If I go down hill and I notice the speedometer going over 20 MPH I put my foot on thing called brakes. You know the gizmo beside the go pedal. I doubt anybody got ticket going 21 or 22 mph down hill. I guessing it's the Blazen cart owners got the speed turns up to 25 or 30 plus mph. They get caught going 23 plus the road on level or incline. It would be obvious the cart is ILLEGAL.

I'm guessing there is calabration plus or minus limit on radars so MPH or two over IMO not worth ticketing, but my indeed worth warning? I am sure there are some retired officers that can elaborate??

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 1136762)

This goes against every "New York" fiber in my being, but I must disagree. I wouldn't want to try to explain to a LEO who cites you for 22, as well as having "an unregistered LSV", that yes, I was going 22 but my speedometer gives an average of 18. After all, if in a 40 mph zone cars turning, traffic lights and rubbernecking causes me to average 20 mph for 1/2 the trip, does that mean I am free to drive 60 for the other half? While I also absolutely hate to agree with the "you're retired, what's the rush" crowd, I have to here as well. If you travel 5 miles in your cart, which is probably the longest you would generally do, the difference between 15 mph and 20 mph is 5 min---you can figure a difference of 1 minute per mile for shorter trips. If you're that tight on your tee time, you'll probably pull a muscle on the first swing anyway. So leave a few minutes earlier and be safer
But.... to those who argue that golf carts are designed to go 13 mph and are unstable at higher speeds---true, on turns and side hill lies on a golf course. But just as you don't drive the 35 mph expressway exit ramp at 75, you don't take a curve on a MMP at full speed. It's called driving skills, which some people seem to lack once they get behind the wheel of a cart.
My pet peeve is really restricted to the interstates. Driving 1200 miles at 75 is 16 hours, at 50 it is 24 hours. So my tolerance for those bozos that park themselves in the left lane at 50 mph is ZERO. Same is true for those that pull out to pass a slow truck, but never manage to pass them. If that's the limit of your ability to control a car, GET OFF and take back roads instead. At least you'll be annoying someone else. There's a huge difference between 8 hours on a long trip and 2 minutes on a 2 mile MMP cart trip. Sorry to vent, but I have to make this drive in 9 days and I know what I will encounter.

Hi golfing eagles: that's not what I said. I wasn't talking about max speeds. What I said was that the top speed didn't matter because most of the time it won't or can't be used.

what i said was the material difference was average speed. With my gas cart I can maintain close to avg speed be it a steady 15mph 17 mph, etc. I couldn't get a steady mph with my electric cart. So traveling to and from a golf course i can maintain a steady 15 mph or 17 mph depending on obstructions on MMP's. I didn't say if a cop stopped me i would say but my average speed was.........

Personal Best Regards:

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubicon (Post 1139899)

My bad. Must have been thinking in absolutes that day--Didn't even catch the difference between gas and electric. Might have been a Freudian slip---when I get stuck around D.C I wish I could drive 100 through the Carolinas--of course , that still would only bring my average up to 8 mph:1rotfl:

Has anyone noticed the OP has 2 posts? Hhhhmmmmmmmmmm................

My electric golf cart max speed is 19.5 and a governor kicks in going downhill to prevent it from going any faster.

For me, this is a non issue.

BTW - 23 posts and counting, (including mine).

Clarification (added later): I do not wish to remove the contents in a post even if I may be mistaken. When I hear the term governor in a golf cart, I think a gas cart. I never call regenerative braking or a speed controller (electric cart) a governor. I am likely wrong here in my definition of governor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2BNTV (Post 1139910)

Which governor? Must be from a state like MA or CA where they must protect everyone from them selves .... I had no idea you could hire them out...

Forgive me, I am just being silly, as electrics carts have no such thing :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by njbchbum (Post 1136639)

hchilds - Should you find it necessary to go to court to defend yourself, plese post the date/time/location of the event...I for one would like to be there to hear your defense.

Just book a row of seats! :popcorn:

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2BNTV (Post 1139910)

WELCOME to TV new OP. I hope you love the villages!

If you look at his profile he is a recently retired physician (probably a friend of golfingeagles). His email address is indicative of his membership in the Massachusetts Medical Society. And he likes twin engine jets. He is a legitimate guy.

Personally I'm hoping to see his twin JET engine golf cart blasting past me on the MMP.

Electrics do have a governor if you have an electric and it doesnt restrict your speed going down hill it has been eliminated. ( let me say club cars do)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hchilds@massmed.org (Post 1136357)

This 20 mph thing is a can of worms, because it's based on the assumption that the cart is on level ground on a windless day. Our carts have high wind resistance, and tests I've done using an accurate speedometer have shown that my (gas) cart can go 2-3 mph faster if there's a vigorous tailwind, and conversely can be that much slower if going into a strong wind. If going down a steep hill (ry Stillwater Trail where it starts at the top of the hill on Odell Circle), i've seen 25 mph! Going uphill can knock 2-3 mph off your speed. So, depending upon which of these circumstances are in place at the time a cop zaps you with his radar gun (e.g. going downhill with a tailwind), a speeding citation may well be an unfair event. I keep an eye on wind and grade, and if I were ticketed unfairly I would be prepared to fight it in court - a $500 fine is not a trifling penalty!

What is Aviation Medicine? Obviously it is about health while flying or disturbances of health while flying. Where would one practice?

Quote:

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1140046)

What is Aviation Medicine? Obviously it is about health while flying or disturbances of health while flying. Where would one practice?

In the air???

Seriously, hopefully the OP will respond, but usually in association with an airline or the military. My kudos to the OP, I've done some FAA physicals for private pilots and they are a PITA. It's probably worse for commercial pilots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 1140051)

I'm really looking forward to his participation in TOTV. I think docs add a level of posts and jokes that are worth reading. And if he is a native of NE he is likely to have a droll sense of humor. Right up my alley. Ayup. Ayup. (the second "ayup" is done as a backdraft while inhaling)

The 20 MPH to qualify for being classified as a Golf Cart is used only by the manufacture and the regulators for classification purposes. It defines the threshold between an LSV and a Golf Cart. It does not mean the cart will not be capable of going faster under some circumstances. Its up to the operator of the cart to obey the speed limit. These Golf Carts were never meant to be transportation on city streets. Probably what needs to be done is another classification and a set of specifications to define a cart to be used city streets.