[Gil Chapin]

I have a new GEM Car. It's registered and insured. I know I can use it on public roads where the speed limit is not greater than 35 MPH (but I have no real interest in doing that since the other vehicles there are much bigger and faster).

It's my understanding that, as a Villages resident, I am permitted (by The Villages, I guess) to use it on the "golf cart" paths. It's also my understanding that I can use it in the "golf cart" lanes on the public roads within The Villages (by permission of the State of Florida and/or the Counties involved?). Am I correct?

My question is about speed limits. According to its speedometer, my cart will top out at 26 MPH (it's allowed to go 25 MPH on public roads). Am I permitted to use it at up to 25 MPH in the "golf cart" lanes of public roads? Am I permitted to use it at up to 25 MPH on the "golf cart" paths? Or do I need to maintain not more than 20 MPH in those locations?

I have every intention of obeying whatever speed limits are imposed on wherever I use the vehicle; I'm just not sure exactly where they apply. I would suspect that the police can only be involved when travel is on public roads and not the private property of The Villages (the paths).

I welcome any advice about this or about where I could get "official" answers. I suspect the Sheriff's Department could advise me about the use on the roads, but whom do I ask about the paths?

[EdV]

You can drive at up to 25mph on the streets in TV (unless posted otherwise) even in the diamond cart lanes. The paths are called multimodal paths and are not under the sheriff’s jurisdiction as of this writing and I know of no restriction on using a LSV/NEV on those paths.

However, keep in mind that the width of a GEM car is 55 inches verses ~47 for a golf cart and although the paths in the northern section of TV have been widened, there are still some narrow sections, so caution is advised.

[Hancle704]

At the higher speed, you may wind up having to pass all the golf carts traveling at speeds lower than 20 MPH. On the roads, that means moving in and out of the diamond lane and on the multi modal paths, you will also be passing many carts. Or, you could just stay in line and travel slower, you will still get to where you are going without taking any increased risks.

[Gil Chapin]

Thanks to both responders. I have no problem with not passing other carts in the golf cart lanes. I am risk averse where it can be avoided. The slower I go, the farther I go...

As for the width, that's a good point. I've already found that out on the bridge over Lake Sumter. That's the only place where I might actually consider going in the road instead of on the very narrow path. What makes it worse is that I have rigid mud flaps for the front tires that make my LSV even wider than normal. The first time I hold up cart traffic on the bridge because someone can't get past me, I'm sure I will have a target painted on my back...

As a relatively new resident here (and a very new LSV user) I get the feeling there may be some slight animosity between conventional golf cart users and LSV (or "street legal" cart) users. I don't want to escalate that. As far as I'm concerned, we all had our reasons for buying what we did, so we ought to be happy if we've got what we wanted.