So glad to meet your grandson.......................NOT!!

[dewilson58]

10 year old, driving, couldn't stop in time..............he said hello to me.

Good news, not a big bump and it was bumper to bumper.

Grandpa was sorry.
I asked the boy, how old are you????

Grands.............I know it's fun for the kids to drive, but remember.....THEY ARE KIDS.

:ohdear:

[DaleDivine]

Spring break. I see lots of kids driving. Some just with other kids.
:ohdear::ohdear:

[camaguey48]

Don't be surprised. Happens more often than we like.

[Byte1]

Hmmm, hope granddad has extra cash to pay the fine for underage drivers when they get a ticket.

[asianthree]

Watched a golf cart merge from round about onto from Odell to Buenavista not a street legal with 4 kids, no adults. The driver was the oldest looked to about 11 youngest maybe 2-3. Horns honking, car came behind them, then a car in next lane, to get them safely off the road. Hope someone called the sheriff.

Grandparents need to be held accountable, grandchildren are only cute when they are still breathing.

[Spalumbos62]

Watched a golf cart merge from round about onto from Odell to Buenavista not a street legal with 4 kids, no adults. The driver was the oldest looked to about 11 youngest maybe 2-3. Horns honking, car came behind them, then a car in next lane, to get them safely off the road. Hope someone called the sheriff.

Grandparents need to be held accountable, grandchildren are only cute when they are still breathing.

Holy crap!!!

[asianthree]

Holy crap!!!

My words were much worse. I so applauded the two cars that tried to wrangle them to the next safe road to exit. Guessing Grandparents knew they were out in the golf cart, if they didn’t, should have their visiting right reviewed.

[Taltarzac725]

Those are scary sights here in the Villages.

10 year old, driving, couldn't stop in time..............he said hello to me.

Good news, not a big bump and it was bumper to bumper.

Grandpa was sorry.
I asked the boy, how old are you????

Grands.............I know it's fun for the kids to drive, but remember.....THEY ARE KIDS.

:ohdear:

[Worldseries27]

watched a golf cart merge from round about onto from odell to buenavista not a street legal with 4 kids, no adults. The driver was the oldest looked to about 11 youngest maybe 2-3. Horns honking, car came behind them, then a car in next lane, to get them safely off the road. Hope someone called the sheriff.

Grandparents need to be held accountable, grandchildren are only cute when they are still breathing.
hard words but painfully true. A grandfather pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in the accidental death of his grandchild on a cruise ship.
The safety of all children is all our jobs.

[Jdburns11]

The third word that pops into my head after “dangerous & illegal” is liability… can’t fathom any insurer would pay out the property damage or personal injury/liability for an accident with this going on…. Someone would be getting the bill and it may be larger than they expect based on the number of personal injury lawyer ads I’ve seen since arriving here last August.

Respectfully, DB

[VApeople]

Since we do not own a golf cart, we do not know what horrible things happen on the MMPs.

We do like to walk on the path around Hogeye Marsh where thankfully golf carts are forbidden. However, there is a short stretch where we have to walk along an MMP and we are very careful. As we were crossing the bridge, we saw a golf cart being driven by a child that looked to be about six years old or less.

We didn't say anything but we were glad to get back on the trail where golf carts cannot drive.

[gemini5001]

First of all a 10 yr old should NOT be driving.
Secondly in my opinion, gramps has no more sense than the grandson.
I believe at least an apology would have been in order.
IDIOTS.....and they live among us and reproduce !!

[Hape2Bhr]

Saturday AM in Lake Sumter Square we noticed several children driving/steering. One grampa had the boy sitting on his lap; he had a bit of difficulty making the turn at Johnny Rockets.

[BigSteph]

Last Thanksgiving day, we were riding along near dusk and heard a screeching and skidding sound behind us a ways off.

It kept getting louder until I saw the lights in my mirror. They were going fast, so I pulled into the grass as we were just cruising around.

The cart had three teen-agers in the front and they were doing "Fast and Furious" drifting in what is likely Grandpa's 15K+ golf cart.

We watched as they moved ahead of us and they tried "drifting" in the corners. I am sure that outing by the grandkids took a year or two of life out of that cart. I've never seen one abused like that in the Villages.

[Rose Ann Vinci Igoe]

10 year old, driving, couldn't stop in time..............he said hello to me.

Good news, not a big bump and it was bumper to bumper.

Grandpa was sorry.
I asked the boy, how old are you????

Grands.............I know it's fun for the kids to drive, but remember.....THEY ARE KIDS.

:ohdear:

The legal age is 16 yrs old to drive golf carts. They might feel because they are with an adult its ok. On the golf course playing golf with granddad to me is ok, BUT that is where it stops.

[Txcottage]

This week, a 13 yr old driving a truck killed a university men’s and women’s golf teams + coach. Senseless.

[Madelaine Amee]

In my opinion, and we know we all have one:icon_wink:, kids are bored, parents want to sit and talk to the Grandparents, maybe have a glass of wine or a beer, and someone suggests that maybe the kids should just take the golf cart outside for a little while. Before you kow it Little Johnny and his siblings are on their way.

There is little for young grandchildren to do in TV other than use one of the absolutely gorgeous family pools; but, if they do that the parents or grandparents have to be there with them and that gets real old after an hour or so.

My adult children get bored with TV and my grandchildren are not at all impressed. Actually one of them said to me "my Gxd everyone is so old".

[tophcfa]

Aside from the obvious dangers, why would anyone in their right mind let a kid drive something that costs close to $20 grand to replace with about a 6 month wait time? They aren’t children’s toys, they’re dangerous sources of transportation.

[davem4616]

I'm amazed at how many folks drive their carts with their little doggie sitting on their lap

[JMintzer]

I'm amazed at how many folks drive their carts with their little doggie sitting on their lap

Probably the same people who drive their CARS with their dog in their lap...

Our dog is belted in (via her harness) in both situations...

[DAVES]

Watched a golf cart merge from round about onto from Odell to Buenavista not a street legal with 4 kids, no adults. The driver was the oldest looked to about 11 youngest maybe 2-3. Horns honking, car came behind them, then a car in next lane, to get them safely off the road. Hope someone called the sheriff.

Grandparents need to be held accountable, grandchildren are only cute when they are still breathing.

Not an excuse BUT, it is a minor miracle that I survived my childhood. Dennis the menace have I, have we, turned into the grumpy old guy.

[JMintzer]

Not an excuse BUT, it is a minor miracle that I survived my childhood. Dennis the menace have I, have we, turned into the grumpy old guy.

Many of us were "Dennis the Menace"...

Unfortunately, many have turned into "Mr. Wilson"...

https://images.ctfassets.net/23wh7e5ryr18/photo-54410/38b83cf2d2472b201145330dffd668ce/54410-dennis-the-menace.jpg

[haysus7]

Children can not really be relied on to make good decisions and don’t usually look what consequences are of their actions. Golf carts tip easily and so I think it’s not a good idea. Very risky

[Madelaine Amee]

Aside from the obvious dangers, why would anyone in their right mind let a kid drive something that costs close to $20 grand to replace with about a 6 month wait time? They aren’t children’s toys, they’re dangerous sources of transportation.


Agree with you, but when the grandparents treat the golf cart as a toy, what can you expect.

[BlackhawksFan]

Legal age to operate a cart is 14, not 16.

Before you give a child your cart they should have some basic understanding of the rules of the road and where they can take it.

Remember they're a child. You're the one who liable.

[fdpaq0580]

Grands.............I know it's fun for the kids to drive, but remember.....THEY ARE KIDS.

:ohdear:

And, this is NOT Disney world! Grandpa needs an arrest for reckless endangerment.
A cart load of kids were zipping up onto the sidewalk near us then jumping the cart off the curbing into the street.
Sometimes, I hate to admit this, I wish the idiots would wreck their vehicle ( single car wreck ). One could hope they might be terrified enough to quit being jerks.
😠

[MrFlorida]

I've seen it a few times.... underage kids driving a cart....it's fun, until they crash it. !!!

[agjaret@aol.com]

One 11 year old driving stopped in the middle of the road when cars came by her. Why are kids permitted to drive carts.

[jimjamuser]

In my opinion, and we know we all have one:icon_wink:, kids are bored, parents want to sit and talk to the Grandparents, maybe have a glass of wine or a beer, and someone suggests that maybe the kids should just take the golf cart outside for a little while. Before you kow it Little Johnny and his siblings are on their way.

There is little for young grandchildren to do in TV other than use one of the absolutely gorgeous family pools; but, if they do that the parents or grandparents have to be there with them and that gets real old after an hour or so.

My adult children get bored with TV and my grandchildren are not at all impressed. Actually one of them said to me "my Gxd everyone is so old".
The obvious answer is for the villages to build a special large gym where there are a lot of treadmills and other exercise machines - but NOT ordinary ones. These would be special ones with video games mounted on the front and the electrical power for the games would ONLY come from the motion of the exercise machines. Sort of like a mouse chasing cheese on a treadmill.
Physically tire out those cute and energetic mice until they become more human-like and polite. Then they can be safely reintegrated into adult on older adult society. If this technique failed to pacify some of them, then the next step to consider would have to be shock therapy.

[Madelaine Amee]

The obvious answer is for the villages to build a special large gym where there are a lot of treadmills and other exercise machines - but NOT ordinary ones. These would be special ones with video games mounted on the front and the electrical power for the games would ONLY come from the motion of the exercise machines. Sort of like a mouse chasing cheese on a treadmill.
Physically tire out those cute and energetic mice until they become more human-like and polite. Then they can be safely reintegrated into adult on older adult society. If this technique failed to pacify some of them, then the next step to consider would have to be shock therapy.

:bigbow: :):)

[patfla06]

Dear Grandpa or Grandma,

Since you obviously have no common sense let me ask you a
question.
How will you feel when that precious grandchild is killed?
How will your Son or Daughter feel?

We, the grandparents, should have THE MOST SENSE, and
lead by example.

Golf carts are NOT TOYS. :ohdear:

[coffeebean]

watched a golf cart merge from round about onto from odell to buenavista not a street legal with 4 kids, no adults. The driver was the oldest looked to about 11 youngest maybe 2-3. Horns honking, car came behind them, then a car in next lane, to get them safely off the road. Hope someone called the sheriff.

Grandparents need to be held accountable, grandchildren are only cute when they are still breathing.

Holy Cannoli !!!!!

[mgkw1]

10 year old, driving, couldn't stop in time..............he said hello to me.

Good news, not a big bump and it was bumper to bumper.

Grandpa was sorry.
I asked the boy, how old are you????

Grands.............I know it's fun for the kids to drive, but remember.....THEY ARE KIDS.

:ohdear:


Legal age 14. Gramps can be held liabel

[vintageogauge]

Last Thanksgiving day, we were riding along near dusk and heard a screeching and skidding sound behind us a ways off.

It kept getting louder until I saw the lights in my mirror. They were going fast, so I pulled into the grass as we were just cruising around.

The cart had three teen-agers in the front and they were doing "Fast and Furious" drifting in what is likely Grandpa's 15K+ golf cart.

We watched as they moved ahead of us and they tried "drifting" in the corners. I am sure that outing by the grandkids took a year or two of life out of that cart. I've never seen one abused like that in the Villages.

No problem, the golf car probably came with the rental home the grandparents were living in.

[GOLFER54]

Grandpa is so kool, till the child driving either hurts someone or himself. Then it’s time for serious problems.

[meme5x]

Thought it was 14

[Garywt]

I always thought you needed to at least have a license but I guess it is 14 yo. I guess that fits as you don’t need to insure the carts so why not let anyone drive them.

[Madelaine Amee]

I always thought you needed to at least have a license but I guess it is 14 yo. I guess that fits as you don’t need to insure the carts so why not let anyone drive them.

Oh what a misconception. You better have insurance on your golf cart because if you have an accident they will own everything you have, and I know this from someone who sued a driver for everything they had, and almost won.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Hmmm, hope granddad has extra cash to pay the fine for underage drivers when they get a ticket.

Who’s going to stop them? SCSO Deputies? Pfft, I never see them stop anyone. We really need a Sheriff that’s proactive, not reactive.

[CountryFox]

Grandpa needs to go take the Sumter county golf car safety course. Sheriff's office will set him straight about letting an unlicensed driver operate golf cars. Golf cars are not toys. If a minor is the cause of an accident they will be charged along with grandpa. Oh and forget trying to flee the scene of an accident with a minor. They will track you down and that list of charges only grows. Kiss your future good by as well the grandchild's future.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Aside from the obvious dangers, why would anyone in their right mind let a kid drive something that costs close to $20 grand to replace with about a 6 month wait time? They aren’t children’s toys, they’re dangerous sources of transportation.

What makes you think they are in their right mind? All evidence points to "not" as far as I'm concerned. The grandparents should have the right to drive ANYTHING taken from them. They've proven a decisive lack of judgment.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Grandpa needs to go take the Sumter county golf car safety course. Sheriff's office will set him straight about letting an unlicensed driver operate golf cars. Golf cars are not toys. If a minor is the cause of an accident they will be charged along with grandpa. Oh and forget trying to flee the scene of an accident with a minor. They will track you down and that list of charges only grows. Kiss your future good by as well the grandchild's future.

You don't have to have a drivers license to drive a golf cart. That is WHY some of the residents drive them - because they're not legally allowed to drive cars for whatever reason. They think that if they get "too old" (I hate that term but there it is) and have to give up their license, they're not "too old" to drive a golf cart.

Here's some news for ya: if you are no longer capable of driving a car, navigating corners, parking, noticing lights changing from red to green or vice versa, don't notice stop signs anymore, don't remember what "yield" means, then you should not be driving anything.

And if you think it's a fun thing to give a death machine without doors to a pre-teen, you shouldn't own a vehicle, let alone be allowed to drive it. You shouldn't even have possession of the thing.

[JMintzer]

Oh what a misconception. You better have insurance on your golf cart because if you have an accident they will own everything you have, and I know this from someone who sued a driver for everything they had, and almost won.

"Almost" only count's in horse shoes, hand grenades and atom bombs...

[Bay Kid]

16 is the age it should be, with a drivers license.

[EviesGP]

Like many have said here, we(grandparent) want to be doting and accommodating, and have them visit. I would consider letting my little ones drive around my closed neighborhood(with an adult), but NEVER let them on the open road(MMPs, etc)?!

[Mortal1]

The legal age is 16 yrs old to drive golf carts. They might feel because they are with an adult its ok. On the golf course playing golf with granddad to me is ok, BUT that is where it stops.

when in doubt look it up and it's NOT okay if it's on a golf course.

[ThirdOfFive]

You don't have to have a drivers license to drive a golf cart. That is WHY some of the residents drive them - because they're not legally allowed to drive cars for whatever reason. They think that if they get "too old" (I hate that term but there it is) and have to give up their license, they're not "too old" to drive a golf cart.

Here's some news for ya: if you are no longer capable of driving a car, navigating corners, parking, noticing lights changing from red to green or vice versa, don't notice stop signs anymore, don't remember what "yield" means, then you should not be driving anything.

And if you think it's a fun thing to give a death machine without doors to a pre-teen, you shouldn't own a vehicle, let alone be allowed to drive it. You shouldn't even have possession of the thing.
Yep. A bad combination: pre-teens with no clue how to drive occupying the same space as some geezers whose cognitive losses indicate they should be piloting nothing moving at a rate of more than a walk.

[YouNeverKnow]

Grandchild maybe about 10 years old driving a cart with proud grandpa sitting beside him looking at his cell phone totally not paying attention to grandson. Grandson pulled out of Walmart Market parking lot on to Heald Way right in font of a car coming down Heald Way and narrowly missed being T-boned. The consequences of what can happen are not worth the “fun” you are thinking you’re giving your grandkids.

[Two Bills]

The legal age is 16 yrs old to drive golf carts. They might feel because they are with an adult its ok. On the golf course playing golf with granddad to me is ok, BUT that is where it stops.

Florida

Legal age of the driver is 14 years
In Florida, a golf cart can be driven on public roads at a speed limit under 25 miles per hour as the driver is at least 14 years old.
If the cart is driven over 20 miles per hour, the driver will need to have a special license.

[Stu from NYC]

Where are the parents during all this?

[dewilson58]

Where are the parents during all this?
Grandpa was sitting right next to him.
Luckily it was a minor bump.

Hopefully this thread will make a Grand or two re-think letting the young-ones drive.

Hopefully.

:pray:

[Madelaine Amee]

Grandpa was sitting right next to him.
Luckily it was a minor bump.

Hopefully this thread will make a Grand or two re-think letting the young-ones drive.

Hopefully.

:pray:

Don't bet on it. The Grandpa is thicker than the kid.

[Garywt]

Oh what a misconception. You better have insurance on your golf cart because if you have an accident they will own everything you have, and I know this from someone who sued a driver for everything they had, and almost won.
I have it but it is not required. You are not required to have insurance on your car either.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I have it but it is not required. You are not required to have insurance on your car either.

You're not required to drive your car. But if you choose to drive it on public roads, you are required to have what's known as PIP and PDL. When in doubt, google, duck duck go, bing, or any other search engine will return results:

Florida Insurance Requirements - Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (https://www.flhsmv.gov/insurance/)

[dewilson58]

Don't bet on it. The Grandpa is thicker than the kid.

Not betting, just hoping.

[Seasonal]

Visit any campground that allows golf carts. In the afternoon, while the adults are getting crocked, the kids or grandkids will be buzzing around the campground for hours entertaining themselves on the golf cart. Not sure why adults think golf carts are toys to be played with by children. :ohdear::ohdear: