[elevatorman]

I heard a rumor from 2 different sources that police were ticketing golf carts exceeding 20 mph. A court appearance is required and then there is a $850.00 fine. Has anyone been stopped?

[Becky]

Last week they were pulling them over in Belvedere and ticketing them. I was in my car!

Becky

[elevatorman]

Belvedere is one of the spots I was told about. The tickets are for driving an unregistered motor vehicle. Florida Statute 320.01.

[ajbrown]

Would be interesting to get some facts about what gets you pulled over. I think this is a good thing for safety. At $800+ it should be quite a deterrent.

On the other hand, I would hope it is not a major crime to be at 20.8 MPH just because my Club Car DS caught a gust of wind.....

Back to the other hand, I would also like them to hand out tickets for carts that can only go 13 MPH

[Rag Bagger]

I hope these RUMORS are true. I am tired of some of the high speed carts driving recklessly. Some times they are swerving nearly out of control.

BUT does anyone have some real facts on this RUMOR?

[SALYBOW]

Maybe that last golf cart wreck prompted this clampdown.

"Back to the other hand, I would also like them to hand out tickets for carts that can only go 13 MPH" I wonder if there is a lower limit at which they can ticket you. If not, "merrily ? we creep along.

[spk7951]

One of our neighbors got stopped and was given a $135 ticket for doing 27mph near Cane Garden last week. She does plan on fighting the ticket and has had a speedometer installed and her electric cart tested for its speed. Top speed is 22.5 mph, so it should be interesting when she goes to court later this month.

[Chopper]

They were checking cart speeds as they passed the St. Charles pool yesterday. I didn't see the police officers, but some of our neighbors did see them. They weren't sitting in a car. Instead, they were hiding behind some of the landscaping.

One neighbor was told that if you purchased the cart new, you should have received a certificate that contained the maximum speed for your specific cart. I never received anything like that when I bought my new cart from the Villages Golf Cars store. Is there really such a certificate?

[graciegirl]

..

[jebartle]

You are a hoot!

[Halle]

Originally Posted by spk7951

One of our neighbors got stopped and was given a $135 ticket for doing 27mph near Cane Garden last week. She does plan on fighting the ticket and has had a speedometer installed and her electric cart tested for its speed. Top speed is 22.5 mph, so it should be interesting when she goes to court later this month.

It will be interesting to see what her defense is, considering the Florida Law reference what is classified as a Golf Cart.

320.01 Definitions, general.--As used in the Florida Statutes, except as otherwise provided, the term:

(42) "Low-speed vehicle" means any four-wheeled electric vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour, including neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.500 and s. 316.2122.

If your Golf Cart is capable of going more than 20 miles per hour it is no longer classified as Golf Cart but a LSV and is required to be registered and insured as stated in the Florida Statues.

[BlueHeronFan]

I had the radar gun on my cart as I came around a corner a few weeks ago. Also, I noticed in the paper an article about the new police golf cart that was just acquired.

I too believe all the accidents we have been reading about recently is part of the new crackdown. Watch for driving under the influence to be part of this too.

[K9-Lovers]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

..

Huh? C'mon Gracie, we all want to know what you said that was so funny, and now you removed it!

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

Back to the other hand, I would also like them to hand out tickets for carts that can only go 13 MPH

Some of these carts that only go 13 mph are rentals from the golf courses. As you pass them you will see the number on the side and no rain apparatus.

For some reason, some new carts do not have a lot of speed. A friend bought the cheapest cart he could and it only goes about 14 mph. I think it is the controller they put in it.

But I do agree they are a PITA at 13 mph.

As for those going over 20 MPH, give them the tickets!!!

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by Halle

It will be interesting to see what her defense is, considering the Florida Law reference what is classified as a Golf Cart.

320.01 Definitions, general.--As used in the Florida Statutes, except as otherwise provided, the term:

(42) "Low-speed vehicle" means any four-wheeled electric vehicle whose top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles per hour, including neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. s. 571.500 and s. 316.2122.

If your Golf Cart is capable of going more than 20 miles per hour it is no longer classified as Golf Cart but a LSV and is required to be registered and insured as stated in the Florida Statues.

I am not a lawyer but I could see two things that I would find interesting, in this case, to see what the judge would say.
1. Yes the law says 20 and this cart can do 22.5 but the ticket says 27, which to me is an error.
2. The officer drove up behind her on a motorcycle and used his speedometer to guage her speed. No radar was used.

Not sure how much weight either of those has but I still think they could be interesting arguments.