Instead of ticketing golf carts, Sumter Co.
 

should be set up along Hillsborough and ticket the speeding construction vehicles. We were going down the road in our cart and a speeding dump truck almost took us out. He missed us by inches.

a pick up carrying construction debris also had junk blowing out of his trailer. A piece of sheet aluminum just missed a cyclist we were behind. Insulation flying out, paper, plastic, etc....why aren't they required to secure their loads?

Construction and delivery vehicles drive through the neighborhoods way too fast! I live on a corner lot and my grass is always getting trashed by commercial vehicles.

Sounds like to me if your riding a bike in the road or driving a cart in the road, your better off to use the cart paths, for safety. Why take that chance?

Cart paths only get you so far. You have to use the roads to get to where you are going. I agree that speeds here in The Villages are creeping up along with more aggressive driving, and lets not put the blame solely on the contractors and snowbirds.

Other than the radar trailer showing you how fast you are going, seems like traffic enforcement here in The Villages is less than minimal.

This too shall pass. We have all gone thru this phase of construction. When construction is done the trash will be gone.
Ain't right........just happens.

Always.....the voice of reason.

As soon as every golf cart keeps it under the speed limit, uses their turn signals correctly and stops at all the stop signs, then we might be able to consider not ticketing them! I've seen enough commercial vehicles pulled over in the Villages to know that they aren't being ignored by the Sheriff.

Slow down on BV just north of LSL or you will get a ticket. Sometimes two days in a row the deputies are there with their radar. What is less than minimal?

Why slow down? If you are driving at the posted speed limit, you do not have to slow down. 35 mph is the posted speed on Buena Vista. Anything over that is breaking the law. N'cest pas?

This was advice to the speeders and to point out that the enforcement is more than minimal.....whatever that is.

Did you mean, N'est pas?

the path on Hillsborough is ON the road, just as it is in many neighborhoods

There is a huge amount of construction in the hillbourgh area and the new fruitland park area ,all the way down to 44. I'm sure it will be going on for the next year or so. Many of the contractors are driving way to fast and many using cells while driving. I would like to see a cop presence every once and a while.

Why not just call the Sheriff's Office and complain there? Enough complaints and they just might take action.:police: Seems like that would do more good than complaining here, although those complaints are very valid. I have also observed The Villages marked vehicles committing the same transgressions, as well. And 20 mph in the roundabouts for any of the aforementioned......forget it!

That Annoying Thing
 

It never ceases to amaze me when those not affected by "that annoying thing" always suggest patience , it will pass, etc. It is easier said then done when you are the one facing "that annoying thing".

If I encounter one of these uncovered trucks littering the highways I intend to do my level best to get the ID of the truck and call the cops before someone gets killed with flying debris:cus:

In Fl, a speeding ticket can not be issued if you are doing less than 5mph over the posted speed limit. Just a reminder if you tie with a car & you're driving a golf cart--guess--who loses.

good point

Call and speak to Lt. Wolfe. Sumter County is a huge area to cover. Lt. Wolfe will listen.

Hillsborough is the cart path

Amen!!

I have never heard of anywhere that a speeding ticket cannot be issued if you are doing less than 5 miles over the speed limit. I have spent quite alot of time with police officers on a friendly basis, and they always said they did not even have to give you the 5 miles over the limit that everyone feels entitled to if they did not want. They usually will, but they told me that they have actually ticketed people for going 1 mile over if the driver had a sh**** attitude. Now this was not in Florida.

I believe a small variance over the speed limit is normal for most police officers.

A speedometer is a mechanical device that has some amount of error. That error is probably linear, if your speedometer is off by 2 mph at 30 mph, it might be off by 5 or 6 mph at 60 mph and above.

In my car, the error is actually under, so at 70mph, I'm actually doing about 67 or so.

I understand that the cart path is the road, but on your original post, you had said you were "Going down the road" not mentioning cart path road, so I understood it as in the open road like Morse or Buena Vista!!! No mention of cart path road, so I mis understood. Sorry. Your post said ..." We were going down the road in our cart and a speeding dump truck almost took us out. He missed us by inches".

On my current car (2014 Saburu Outback AWD) the variance is 2 mph- linear. EX. reads 40 - actual 38.
It has been the same on at least my last 5 new cars, Japanese, Korean, and Lincoln Navigator.

Police officers in Florida can stop you for doing up to 5 mph over the limit and check your drivers license, registration and insurance but not issue a ticket for exceeding the speed limit.

Sadly, this is a common complaint and issue, especially in the new neighborhoods. I'm pretty cautious in my golf cart in general but even more so when driving on a main street where I'm sharing the road. When I have to drive on Hillsborough or another main drag with construction, I hold my breath.

I know you won't like this, but here are a couple of suggestions to make you a little safer: take Pinellas as much as possible. Cut across Charlotte or Anne Maria, whichever is closer to your destination. Try not to be on the road early in the morning, lunch time or quitting time. It is inconvenient but much safer and repeat this mantra, "This too shall pass. Buildings almost done here." I say this through gritted teeth a lot.

Is it correct that a person can drive 20mph in a school zone and not get ticketed?

I had never heard of this before, so I did a Google search, and it is correct, except for in a legally posted school zone.

"(b) For moving violations involving unlawful speed, the fines are as follows:

For speed exceeding the limit by: Fine:

1-5 m.p.h..........Warning

6-9 m.p.h..........$25

10-14 m.p.h..........$100

15-19 m.p.h..........$150

20-29 m.p.h..........$175

30 m.p.h. and above..........$250
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), a person cited for exceeding the speed limit by up to 5 m.p.h. in a legally posted school zone will be fined $50. A person exceeding the speed limit in a school zone or designated school crossing shall pay a fine double the amount listed in paragraph (b)."

Source: Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

Of course, if you are exceeding 19.9 mph in your golf cart on a street (even if in the golf cart lane), you are actually operating an unlicensed and uninsured motor vehicle on a public street. The tickets for that are a bit more than speeding and (as a number of people have found out) will be issued. Good luck with the judge.

not a problem, my club car maxes out at about 19.5

I was given a ticket for going 5mph over the speed limit and hired an attorney .

the attorney spoke with a judge friend wo told him that the ticket was for exceeding the speed limit and legally while the cop was being a horses a-- he was on legal ground. I had to pay the fine and my insurance company inflected their pain.

Mine also...I just wish they would ticket the ones with souped up carts. The ones that go flying past me in the car lane, when I am in the GC lane.

Show them no mercy, Deputy.:bowdown:

Well, you did break the law, didn't you?

thought I was clear, my bad

"should be set up along Hillsborough and ticket the speeding construction vehicles. We were going down the road in our cart and a speeding dump truck almost took us out. He missed us by inches."

Local authorities can issues tickets 24/7 nothing will change
Morons are Morons

I think your post needs a little explaining. Who are the morons.....the cops or the violators getting the tickets? :shrug:

On 441 this morning going South to Starbucks. Shocked at how many ran red lights. Coming back same thing.

No, he meant n'est-ce pas.

Thank you. The phrase sounds so much better in French than the "nicht wahr" in German, doesn't it?

Ah oui!