What constitutes a "Street Legal" cart.

[Talk Host]

Today, I saw a golf cart crossing 27/441 from the Hospital to Lowe's. It looked exactly like my cart, with the plastic, fold down half way windshield and no wipers. Aside from sitting a little higher than mine and having a "Street Legal" sign on the back, it was exactly like my "NON Street Legal" cart.

Can anybody tell us what is necessary for a cart to be "Street Legal" Are there hoaxers out there who are labeling their non street legal carts?

JLK

[GMONEY]

From my understanding, Must have Lites, turnsignals, all the mumbo that is required to run on the road. Must also be registered and insured i was told. If so, then it can be on road in which the speed limit is 35 or less. Seen one cross the road at belvedere and 466 going torward Summerhill. It was a Parcar that looked like all other Parcar's. But had a plate and a sticker on the plate.

G out

[Talk Host]

From my understanding, Must have Lites, turnsignals, all the mumbo that is required to run on the road. Must also be registered and insured i was told. If so, then it can be on road in which the speed limit is 35 or less. Seen one cross the road at belvedere and 466 going torward Summerhill. It was a Parcar that looked like all other Parcar's. But had a plate and a sticker on the plate.

G out

It's that "mumbo jumbo" that I'm interested in. What is it?

[billethkid]

golf cars most of us drive. That is the biggest factor plus if you got the hots to want to be on the "street" the car must be insured as a low speed vehicle and be registered with the state like your automobile.
I for one cannot see the additional expense....to do what? Get there 2 minutes quicker? Expose yourself to the hazards of being on the street?
These folks around here can't see the full size vehicles let alone a golf cart on the highway.
My vote would be to have all golf cars as be 19.8 max mph vehicles relegated to the cart path system. Do away with the high speeders.

BTK

[GMONEY]

Thats right the main difference is having it registered and insured. Like your car. If you sit a golf cart side by side with a street legal one. indentical twins. except for the tag on the back with a current registration. That is all

[billethkid]

Not even close to a justification. But if ya wants one, have at it and good luck!!

BTK

[billethkid]

Missed this important aspect!

BTK

[EdV]

Talk Host,

To try to answer your specific question about this, here’s a link to the extensive Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for “low-speed vehicles” under 49 CFR 571 http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/lsv/lsv.html

But to summarize this, an LSV is one that is capable of going faster that 20mph but less than 25mph and must be equipped with the following safety equipment:

Headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, parking brake, windshields of either type AS-1 or type AS-5 glazing, rearview mirrors, seat belts and vehicle identification numbers (VINs), and must be registered and insured as an LSV in the state it will be operated in.

A registered LSV can operate on any road with a posted speed limit of 35mph or less, but cannot operate the vehicle in excess of 25mph. An additional provision allows the vehicle to cross a highway that intersects a 35mph or less road provided that the intersection has traffic lights.

Although that law applies to any motor vehicle, regardless of the propulsion method, a sub class of vehicles that are electric are now referred to as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (Nev). The major cart manufacturers offering NEVs like ParCar, Gem, and Tomberlin have certified their NEV models with the Department of Transportation to simplify registration of the vehicle by the owner.

Now, can you take a standard golf cart and turn it into a qualified LSV/NEV? Yes, but the process is not simple. Not only do you have to purchase and install all the required safety equipment and juice up the motor to operate in the 20-25mph range, but you have to document all the purchases fastidiously, fill out RMV application forms and transport the vehicle to the RMV for a certification inspection.

But pay particular attention to the windshield requirement/specification because I don’t believe that a split windshield qualifies and the vehicle you describe is probably not in compliance with that requirement. None of the NEV’s from the manufacturers listed above have split windshields. After all, the purpose of the specified windshield is to provide some protection from a rock being hurled at it by a vehicle passing at 35mph.

In short, sticking a “Street Legal” sign on your souped up golf cart doesn’t make it legal.

Hope this helps.

[Talk Host]

Talk Host,

In short, sticking a “Street Legal” sign on your souped up golf cart doesn’t make it legal.

Hope this helps.

I think this is exactly what is happening in some cases. Thank you for your thorough reply.

JLK

[Bryan]

One other little item to consider also. If you go to the trouble, and have your golf cart qualified as "street legal", and then decide to get back on the golf cart trails, you have to keep your speed under 20 MPH (19.7 MPH officially, I think it is) which is the top allowable speed for golf carts and thus the default speed limit on the trails. Going faster than 20 on the trails could get you a speeding ticket.

The reverse is true also. If they catch you going over 20 MPH anywhere, your cart has to be "street legal" which means all that is said above, including you have to have a drivers license (not required for a golf cart). You will be ticked for operating an unregistered vehicle (in addition to speeding) and made to bring your cart up to "street legal" standards.

[chacam]

Going faster than 20 on the trails could get you a speeding ticket.

Baloney ! ! ! Hogwash ! ! ! Not true ! ! !, etc

[Talk Host]

Baloney ! ! ! Hogwash ! ! ! Not true ! ! !, etc


It is my understanding that over 20 miles per hour is a violation. I guess you have information proving otherwise.

[chacam]

As mentioned before, multi modal paths are private property, not public roads and deputies have no jurisdiction regarding golf cart speed. Unless there is an accident, then careless driving comes into play.

[downeaster]

As mentioned before, multi modal paths are private property, not public roads and deputies have no jurisdiction regarding golf cart speed. Unless there is an accident, then careless driving comes into play.

You may want to do a little more research on this subject.

[EdV]

TOTV folks, please keep this in mind. Operation of any motor vehicle in the U.S. is not a RIGHT, it’s a PRIVILEGE regardless if it’s a car, truck, NEV, LSV or even a lawn tractor. And for good reason. A vehicle weighing a thousand pounds or more can cause serious injury, or worse to others. Abuse this privilege and be prepared to deal with the consequences.

That’s why the local authorities can site you for driving a motor vehicle under the influence even in a golf cart on a multi modal path in TV after you doubled up on the two-fers at the local watering hole.

[swrinfla]

And, I think, there are "rules" allowing these "street legal" vehicles to cross but not travel along roads with speed limits over 35. So, a street legal could cross 27/441 but not travel along it. Or, cross 466, but not travel along it.

I can't figure out why anyone would want such a vehicle, whose limitations make them really quite impractical! But, that's what makes the world go 'round!

:pepper2:

SWR

[EdV]

Well it depends on where you live and where you need to get to. Say you live in the north part of The Village of Santo Domingo and want to go to the Wal-Mart, or any of the restaurants, or medical facilities on the other side of 441. In a NEV, it’s a short drive because you can cross over 441 at the Buenos Aires Blvd. intersection. But in a cart, you’d have to go all the way down to the golf cart bridge and wind your way back just to get to the other side of that intersection, and then do it again for the trip back.

There’s also the inevitable need for speed. For some people, the extra 5 or 6 miles an hour and the ability to pass slow moving carts is enough to justify the additional cost. I know many of you will say “what’s the rush”, but that’s just the way it is with some people.

[Taltarzac]

http://www.fairwaygolfcartsonline.com/lawsforlowspeedvehicles-florida.html

I know that some Villages who do not have valid driver's licenses drive regular golf carts around the Villages. But there is another wrinkle to street legal carts as you need a driver's license to drive these. And I see from my link that they also need seat belts.

[golfnut]

TH, I think the key is to look for a license plate....GN

[Ooper]

And, I think, there are "rules" allowing these "street legal" vehicles to cross but not travel along roads with speed limits over 35. So, a street legal could cross 27/441 but not travel along it. Or, cross 466, but not travel along it.

I can't figure out why anyone would want such a vehicle, whose limitations make them really quite impractical! But, that's what makes the world go 'round!

:pepper2:

SWR

So the question is: Have the intersections crossing 441 to Lowe's and crossing Rolling Acres Road to the shopping on the south been APPROVED to cross? Last I knew, they weren't. Matter of fact, there was a story in the Daily News a while back talking about if this was going to be a possibility when they opened up the shipping shouth of Rolling Acres. There are still signs prohibiting carts from crossing 441 to get to Lowe's.:shrug:

[SteveFromNY]

I can't figure out why this wan't posted in the golf cart forum.

[Talk Host]

It's a question of safety more than about buying a golf cart.

[EdV]

So the question is: Have the intersections crossing 441 to Lowe's and crossing Rolling Acres Road to the shopping on the south been APPROVED to cross? Last I knew, they weren't. Matter of fact, there was a story in the Daily News a while back talking about if this was going to be a possibility when they opened up the shipping shouth of Rolling Acres. There are still signs prohibiting carts from crossing 441 to get to Lowe's.:shrug:

Golf carts can NOT cross any highway, including 441/27/466, and that is unlikely to change in the future. To cross those highways, you must have a registered NEV/LSV.

You might find the following link interesting, where some Spruce Creek South owners attempted to petition the Florida Deptartment of Transportation and the Governor (to no avail) to obtain a special golf cart permit to cross the highway at their entrance.

http://ourscs.com/default.php

[SteveFromNY]

Category title is "All About Golf Carts", the queestion was "What constitutes a street legal golf cart". Seemed like a match to me.

[Talk Host]

Category title is "All About Golf Carts", the queestion was "What constitutes a street legal golf cart". Seemed like a match to me.

Here you go. I'm easy to get along with!!:beer3:

[SteveFromNY]

Here you go. I'm easy to get along with!!:beer3:

:beer3: Me too!