Sheriff in golf Cart
 

On Buena Vista golf cart path this evening I passed a golf cart with a Sheriff emblem on it. (It was going north, I was heading south). At first I thought it was someone formerly in LE, but the driver was wearing a uniform. Are they patrolling the paths? I thought they had no traffic jurisdiction on the paths.

???
 

Probably heading to Dunkin Donut.:a040::a040:

We saw him too. I go everyday from Bonnybrook to Colony and many other

places in a golf cart. I can't tell you the number of accidents I've seen.

Carts blow off stop signs, hit other carts, hit curbs, and drive where they shouldn't. Many many speed and others are drunk. Also a number of cars are on paths including going into tunnels. I've had a few near death experiences myself as well as helping others who are hurt.

I am all in favor of anything to make cart travel safer.

People are doing dangerous things here because many new folks or guests "don't know the ropes". Welcome Sheriff!

lovesports: In all due respect your post appears to be a bit hyperbolic. Perhaps I am not as observant but in my travels periodically I see a speeder or someone overshoot a white line. However in six years the only cart I have seen hit was a street legal trying to pass the intersection of Morse and 466 and I only witnessed the aftermath. I have never seen a cart driver who was drunk.

What does any of this have to do with seeing a deputy in a golf cart??

The Marion County SO has a street legal golf cart. They use it to patrol the parking lots in the shopping center and do some stop sign watching and give tickets for any kind of infraction on the streets.

Yes you will see them on the paths.They have a few carts. They receive so much state and federal money they have to spend it on something. Wait to you see the "Tank" that they have.Maybe to control us rowdy villagers.

I am all for having the SO patrol any area in TVs. It would make things safer for all of us. Obay the laws, dont drink and drive, no speeding and you will most likely, have no problem.

Ditto

Even though they do not have jurisdiction on the private property of the golf course for minor traffic infractions, they would have it at the various places the golf carts go through public roads like at various golf cart/public road intersections.

They would be a deterrent though to bad golf cart driving. Just the sight of an official uniform puts drivers on their best behavior.

is the cart all tricked up and cool looking or is it one of those plain clothes jobs.....:laugh:

Lawbreakers, beware.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...GlhMTAdWYfOLcw

He could have been around yesterday! We observed a red sports car on the golf-cart path off from Morse Blvd. by the Lutheran Church..headed towards the wood bridge! There was a plethora of golf carts bunched up on the grass etc. Cannot believe that the driver made the turn to go there w/o someone allerting them first!!! Either car drivers or cart drivers. We've seen some bizarre driving...but this one took the cake!

Crime in the Villages has no boundries. Having said that, assuming it was a Sumter county patrol, I can't see where any area is prohibited. As for Lake County in the Villages, the Town of Lady Lake has its own Golf cart, and patrols mostly Spanish Springs Town Square, they are paid for by the Developer yearly. That doesn't mean they can't patrol where the wish in the development. I have seen them in Paridise park late evenings, where children hang out.

You can't limit the crazy golf cart antics to new , and visiting, some of our regular residents are pretty unreliable too.

A Ford Crown Vic
 

I'd lOVE to see it tricked out like a black and white Ford Crown Vic with a Red Gum Ball on the top. Ahhh, the good old days! lol!


Joaniesmom

Its a common occurrence believe it or not

people are implying more infractions on the cartpaths that really exist so they can justify intrusions by police officials

:gc: I don't pretend to read Rubicon's mind but I believe he was trying to make the point that perhaps "reckless golf carts" running around TV might be a bit exaggerated. Personally, I saw one minor golf cart accident in the years I've been in TV. I have always lived south of 466 if the makes any difference. There is something about any Deputy Sheriff "regulating things" on private property that strikes me as Big Brotherism. They have more important things to do. :gc:

The EZ Go Cart store in Wildwood had a Car all painted up White and Black . Black Police Rims. Looked just like a copy of a Police Cruiser. I saw this a month ago. Wonder if it was the same cart?:gc:

The more time on golf paths, the more you see and hear.
 

Rubicon,
If you want to see drunk golf cart drivers, go to any bar or square and watch a guy stagger to his cart and start driving away. And yes I know people who got DWI tickets in their golf carts.

I also was almost run over by a big Ford SUV in the golf tunnel by Havana.
The more time you spend on golf paths, the more you see and hear. I go to the gym everyday and hear about many more accidents than I see and I see a lot.

Anyways, I'm glad to see the Sheriff golf cart.

Carguys,
The cart we saw last night I think had green lettering.

Green outfit on the Sheriff too, just like what all the other Sumter Sheriffs wear.

I heard that the police officers that patrol in the golf cart have been rewarded doing other things in the department.Everyone is trying to get this patrol.

I was coming around a curve, right before crossing Old Mill Run...and did not see him until he was passing next to me. All I could notice was that it was white, with the sheriff emblem on the front, (where most folks place sports logos).

One of the associations (POA or VHA) had stated in an issue of their that they had no traffic jurisdiction (couldnt cite you for speeding), but if they observed a "misdemeanor" (reckless driving?) on the cart paths, of course they could take appropriate action.

If you dont exceed the speed limit, not to worry....

That too!

lovesports: In another thread that went on for pages, a couple was given a ticket for having any open container in their cart "while parked". So someone getting a ticket DWI ticket loses its shock impact here. Again and I have lived here quite a few years. iPeople who generally complain about getting passed by other carts are just the people who travel the paths 10-14 miles per hour. I just don't feel the police are justified in many ways the way they treat people here ...I'm just saying. However it is more popular to cry law and order.

I think it's great that the police are out policing in golf carts. They should be. I'd like to see them on bikes and horses also.

" I just don't feel the police are justified in many ways the way they treat people here"

I just saw this comment after posting my last post. What in the world does this mean?? How do the police treat people here??? Really??? They don't treat people well here in The Villages??

Confused
 

rubicon,
I didn't get your response to me at all.
You had said you had never seen a drunk golf cart driver so I told you where you could see them. There wasn't suppose to be any shock value to the DWI on golf carts.
What was the comment about cart going 14 miles being passed.??
I was talking about a Hugh Ford SUV driving on a golf path and in a tunnel. But if you want to bring up speeding on golf paths, I've seen plenty of that too.

I've been here since 2005 and visited before that.

I travel many many miles everyday by cart.

I happened to pass the sheriff in the golf cart last night. That's what started this thread. So as I've said twice before-After seeing many accidents and near misses and listening to stories of friends, neighbors, and acquaintances-plus we have had 7 or 8 people killed in cart accidents- I'm happy to see that sheriff on the golf path.


Happy to see that sheriff.

No horses please. Ya know...horse poop. If you think dog poop is a problem...

Just sayin'..

Horse poop is good for the garden. It is only a problem if you step in it!:0000000000luvmyhors

Maybe they can train the horses to poop in your garden.

Keep patrolling
 

I would think we would welcome law enforcement patrolling our cart paths. Just their presence will make people drive better and safer. If everyone is behaving themselves then they won't have a thing to do, so better be safe than sorry. I do wish they would patrol the bridge over Lake Sumter. I've seen cars go so fast over there and being that the road and the cart path are so close together people need to slow down to keep both carts and cars safe. Just my 2 cents.....

I think we can all agree that a "falling down drunk" has no business driving a car or a golf cart. A couple parked on the Square enjoying the music and a "cold one" is given a ticket for having an open container I'm not sure we can all agree there is any justice in that! A sober serious golfer (who is late) and on his way to a 9:00AM tee time is given a ticket for going 22 mph........Well, how about requiring everybody to get a license for his/her golf cart for $100.00 a year so we could put a whole bunch of Deputy Sheriffs out there protecting us and our golf paths from all these "crazy" Village people. Something that Ronald Reagan was quoted as saying comes to my mind: "Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves." Well said Mr. President.

Agreed! That could be a thread all of its own!

:mademyday:

Maybe plant some oats as an enticement.

Safety
 

I just want to be protected from others killing me or hurting me.

One thing I now realize is I use the golf paths a lot more than others.
Some posting here have said (in past posts) that they never use a cart unless they are playing golf. That's not me.

I go from one end of the Villages to the other almost everyday. We only have a car and a cart and we are both very active. Wife gets the car and goes her way and I get the cart and go the other way. I'm in my 50s. ( Wife is a little older but we won't go there.!)

So I want to be safe on all my travels. I want protection from others not obeying the laws.

Also, horse manure is very good for gardens!

Not to go too terribly off subject......In my hometown here in Cedarburg WI, we used to have horse and buggy for the tourists. The horses name was Bob. The folks in Cedarburg didn't like the horse poop either, so poor Bob had to wear a diaper.....seriously, he had a diaper. So....there ya go Gracie.

If they have no authority on the paths then are they violating your RIGHTS....Don't be so flipped and give up more of your rights in the name of SAFTEY !