Yep! We got the brake pedal lock when we bought our cart a year ago, and have never used it because it’s too difficult physically for my husband to install it every time we park. Waste of money for us. We just have insurance and hope we never need it.

HaHa! So true! Our 2004 Honda Odyssey minivan is still running great after 20 years. We even had it repainted rather than buy a new vehicle two years ago. Though it’s not a motorcycle, which I know nothing about.

My Solution To Potential Golf Cart Theft
 

Bottom Line Up Front: Any thief who really wants your cart or what you have in it can steal it. Below is what I have done to make my cart less likely to be targeted.

Several months back, I saw an article in the paper about some golf cart thefts in a particular Village (do not recall which one…does not matter anyway).

I wanted to address for myself what I thought were the two potential types of crime: those who may want to take something from my golf cart AND those looking to steal the golf cart itself.

I created a sticker to warn potential thieves my cart is now monitored by a motion-activated camera and tracked with an Apple AirTag.

I suspect most petty theft is based on opportunity and spur of the moment decision making when they see something in a cart and notice nobody is around the cart. Perhaps, they believe nobody will think it unusual to walk up to a cart and take something from a cart that does not belong to them. Either way, when they see the sticker I just wanted them to think twice about their actions.

Most people in TV are not going to mess with items left in our golf carts, but some folks see nothing wrong with taking advantage of an opportunity to help themselves to your stuff if they think nobody is looking.

The camera is a non-subscription, motion activated camera which records movement around my golf cart while I am away. When I am driving around, I have a small collapsable cover I place over the lens (no motion, no recording). When I park my cart and remove the key, I place the key inside the small collapsable camera cover which allows the motion sensor to record movement. When I return to my cart, I remove my key from the key pouch / camera cover and place it back over the lens. When I get home, the camera automatically uses my home WiFi network to let me see the activity it recorded around my cart. Note: Initially, I looked at the footage routinely, but now I don’t bother AS LONG AS NOTHING HAS BEEN “REMOVED” FROM MY CART. Sort of like convenience store video footage: no need to consult the video unless there is a robbery but the video is there if needed.

I will never know for sure, but I suspect the sticker and seeing the small video camera gives them a moment to reconsider their actions while looking the cart over as a potential opportunity. At the end of the day, I just want them to move on to a golf cart other than mine.

I have had some folks ask me about it and did put my phone number (352) 932-3958 on the sticker. I do not know if this could be a potential business opportunity or not. All I know is how much I detest the idea of someone taking something from me. It may seem like overkill to some folks to set something up like this and that is fine. Everyone is different and must do what is best for them. It took me a long time to find the right set up but it works great and does its job silently in the background as I go about my day in The Villages.

Hmmmmm, more info re: camera and mounting system.

Also, if cart and/or camera removed, can you still access video files or are they on a cam-mounted SD card or other such memory?

Well, I don't know about that. There's lots of golfcarts easier to get than mine. I don't park at the square with my clubs in the back and the key in the switch! I even have a kill switch! And, while I may have never lived closer to New York than I am right now, I'm so paranoid, I sleep with a shotgun under my bed -- and I don't even have a shrink. But of all the crazy things I worry about, someone stealing my golfcart hardly makes the list. For crying out loud, I drive a Kia! I'm crazy, I tell you!

So if my relative insanity helps you sleep better at night, you're welcome. All you need now is a $1,000 car alarm and a GPS chip so the gooberment always knows where you parked your golf cart, and you're golden!

I opted for the bar that connects the steering wheel to either the pedal or the frame. Several reasons: Real obvious to see, so hopefully potential thief just keeps on walking, and pretty easy to manipulate on and off. Also pretty cheap. I didn't get the real expensive one because I figure I'll lose the key and need to cut it off. But a thief, generally being an opportunist, will just find a target more easy to steel than mine. There will be plenty to choose from.

I understand that KIAs are common targets for car thieves, and relatively easy to steal. You better be careful!

Honda sales, 2023, 18.7 million
Harley sales, 2023, 162,771.

Honda doesn't care about the cruiser market when they are outselling Harley 115 to 1.

I've owned both, and Harleys are loud nostalgic junk with shiny chrome.