Child Endangerment
 

On the not to be mentioned online news service there is a video of parents having a toddler try to steer a golf cart.

This holiday weekend I've seen numerous infants & small children in golf carts.

Why does anyone have to endanger their dearest possession, to prove how "cool" it is to have a ride in a golf cart?

I agree with your statement! I've heard grandparents say with a chuckle, that "little so and so" wanted to drive and we let him because he/she enjoys it so much! It's so cute to watch them!!

How cute will it be if "little so and so" has a horrific accident??

yes, I was merging at intersection of Canal and Bonita and the cart in front of me had a very young kid driving with a grandparent. You could tell the kid was nervous. It's one thing to let them go around the neighborhood, but out on some of the busiest streets is madness.

It's analogous to those parents who think it's cute, to let their children near wild animals.

All one can do is shake their heads and hope the child doesn't pay a price...for the adults ignorance. :(

I watched that video in utter amassment. It was an example of how stupid parents can be

If they were driving on a diamond lane and can be identified, I hope the police will pay them a visit. This is so dangerous in so many ways that I also believe that the child is being unnecessarily endangered.

Our 11 year old granddaughter visited us and wanted to drive the cart. She is quite proficient at driving because they live on a farm and she drives one there. I told her, sorry you must be 14. I know you can drive but that is the law. I hope she learned a valuable lesson that day. It doesn't matter how good you are. The law is the law and it should be,obeyed.

My boys have been driving mini bikes and dirt bikes and 4 wheelers since they were very young. Neither of them were allowed to drive our golf cart until they were 14. Period. I don't understand people letting young children drive. It's a tragedy waiting to happen!

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

Not just driving but riding in a golf cart-visualize an infant or toddler being crushed between an adult and a cart part or an infant or a toddler being launched out of a golf cart-there is not a person in the villages with enough strength to hold or prevent the launching of a child from a cart in the event of an accident

I'll wager that the chances of a resident who indulges in this practice is a member of TOTV but if they were they believe you were speaking of someone other than themselves .

Maybe it’s a generational thing. About 10 yrs ago I recall my dad taking my nephew, 4yo at the time, for a ride in the car (the child loves cars). Dad put him between he and the steering wheel to let him “drive.” When they returned my sister-in-law saw this seating arrangement and let in to my dad in a big way. Dad had a deer in the headlights look. He just didn’t see a problem. Now dad is 80 and I have no doubt he still sees nothing wrong with it. The old, I’m a good driver nothing will happen syndrome. Oh, I left out one key factor in the insanity I describe above – it was in NYC.

At what age or size is it safe enough to ride in a golf cart?

Hmmm...I'm confused...
 

you say the couldn't drive the cart till they are 14 and yet they drive mini bikes, dirt bikes and 4 wheelers. Seems to be a hypocritical statement there. Wouldn't they be harmed either way? There are numerous reports of young kids driving those bikes and 4 wheelers hurt/maimed/killed every year. Seems a responsible parent would have better sense as their reflexes and experience are a negative when it comes to reacting properly. Foolish.

I cringe also I will admit. Some of these kids just look to young but I had a neighbor who shot me this from Englishtown Raceway Park Englishtown N.J. It is aimed as a family unifying event. All four of his kids, 3 boys and 1 girl were involved and finished high school with no drug or alcohol addiction. They all started driving on their grandfathers farm in south Jersey on a Golf Cart.

Raceway Park is the only facility of its kind that offers a separate 1/8th mile drag strip solely for the Jr. Dragsters. On most Sundays throughout the year, you will find close to 100 racers and their families participating in fun group activities in this safe and controlled environment where they compete for trophies, savings bonds, and bragging rights in our points series . We are also proud to send our finest racers to compete at the Eastern Conference Finals in Bristol, Tennessee and the Divisions event in Maryland every year.
When you watch the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League, you’re watching the future of NHRA Drag Racing . The Jr. Dragsters are a great steppingstone for those looking to get into a full size race car, and many former Jr. Dragster racers have gone on to do great things in the sport, even piloting top fuel dragsters!
Here are some Fast Facts about the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League:
Competition takes place from a standing start, and the track is 660’, or 1/8th mile in length
Jr. Dragsters reach a top speed of 85.00 mph, traversing the course in as little as 7.90 seconds
Drag Racing is a highly competitive sport, with races being won or lost by thousandths of a second
The average age of a Junior Dragster racer is 12 years old, and of the Jr. Drag Racing League's roughly 4,500 members, about 35 percent are girls.
Raceway Park hosts two large events throughout the year, The Founder’s Classic in May, and the Halloween Bash in October
Joining the JDRL…
Boys and girls of all ages can join the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League as either a non-driving MEMBER or a driver/PARTICIPANT. You don't have to race to be part of the scene, however, to actually drive a Jr. Dragster, you must be 5 to 17 years old. FIVE TO SEVENTEEN!!!

I'm assuming it has more to do with the law than safety.

Don't care, not my kids doing that to my grandkids, nor would they be as stupid.

:bigbow:

Thanks, barefoot!!

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

My boys always wore helmets, were supervised and grew up on a rural farm, where these practices are accepted and expected. My point was they were responsible drivers, could have easily driven golf carts, and didn't because we followed the rules.

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

Everyone should know that if a child under 14 is caught driving a cart the infraction is recorded by the DMV and that child will not be allowed to get a drivers license when it hey are 16. I think they have to wait another ther two years

When they go back to their home state, they will be charged with being an unlicensed operator , when they apply for a driver's license

However; the endangerment is when you have a child unrestrained in a golf cart, when if they were in a CAR they would have to be in a child seat or booster seat-considering a car has air bags, a real structure than is designed to mitigate impact.

Got carts are truly death traps for children & small adults--they have no inherent safety features.

Same here.

Mine (sons and daughter) were raised riding dirt bikes, 4-wheelers, go-carts and snowmachines...with the appropriate PPE of course.

They were also restricted to the less powerful machines at first...which were age appropriately designed.

While there is no question in my mind that they could safely operate golf carts (better than a large number of current elderly drivers), they would not have been allowed to drive here because of one thing...the law/rules.

Not to mention that current golf carts, especially those without seat belts...are much more dangerous than what they learned to ride/drive.

There is a video of golf cart crash tests carried out by the European saftey association, the tests were conducted @ 31mph--very revealing, the dummies were strapped in--any child in the vehicle IMHO would be killed, especially if held on the lap of any occupant

The final conclusion is" these vehicles are not designed to share roads with cars"