Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

There have been many discussions/questions re: golf carts, their legal speed limits, Florida statutes, etc.
If you really want to know the Florida law(s), when you're bored you can go to this site and enter your topic of interest.


http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/ind...2&Tab=statutes

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

One law that is constantly broken in the Villages and surrounding areas is the handicapped parking rule.

Villagers who have handicapped placards for their cars constantly use the handicapped parking spaces in and around the Villages. The law is that a vehicle must be ROAD WORTHY to be eligible for handicapped parking. The fact that the driver has a handicapped placard does NOT entitle them to park their golf cart in a handicap space. The only vehicles other than cars, etc. are the golf carts like GEM cars that can be driven on the roads and have a state vehicle license.

I for one am tired of these golf cart drivers assuming that they can park in handicapped spaces. I just wish the sheriff's department would ticket these vehicles.

Yes, I do drive a car and am entitled to handicapped parking due to severe back and leg issues and get tired of looking for a parking space near the store only to see golf carts in handicapped spaces! :edit:

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

BestMickey--Nowhere in Chapter 316 is there any mention (that I could find, and I have been there several times looking for this information) of golf cart speed limits or modified carts. Please tell me the statutes that I am looking for and where I can find them.

Re:handicapped placards and golf carts
 

the sumter county sherriff department sdvices that golf carts abide by all motor vehicle laws including using legally issued handicap placards to park in handicap parking places.
as a handicap person with a legally issued handicap placard where else would people suggest i park my golf cart?
i would welcome links to specific florida statutes.
jan

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Sorry chacam. I'm not a lawyer and I'm not familiar with Florida laws. I only wanted to share the website so that those who are interested can search the site for themselves. You will need to do your own leg-work. Suggestion to you is that rather than entering "golf carts" in the search site, why don't you try entering "speed limits" or "golf cart speed limits" and see if that gets you to the statute you seek. If you do find the statute, please share it with us. Good luck!

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Actually, it isn't in Chapter 316. I found it in Chapter 320. And it doesnt say anything about speed limits, only that a golf cart is defined as a motor vehicle that is not capable of exceeding 20 MPH. So, I guess over 20 MPH, you are treated just as if you were driving a car. How about for example the golf cart path down 466. It is very easy for fast carts to exceed 20 MPH, but the path isn't a road or a county highway, so does the 20 MPH speed limit apply there as well?

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

OK....I got curiouser and curiouser (is that a word?), so I did a little dig. I now recognize that Flordia State Government sure doesn't make it easy to find the laws. :dontknow: If I did the dig correctly, it appears you need to know what year the legislative bill was created for each applicable statute, in order to locate it. ??? Heck, in New York you can search our laws quite easily. :) Of course, maybe I can search NYS laws easily because I've lived here all my life and I worked for state government for 38 years. :barf:

You can read the statute, approved by the Governor on May 13, 1999, but I specifically refer you to page 2,
320.01 (22) which states:

"Golf Cart" means a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.

Since this clearly defines that a golf cart doesn't exceed 20 miles per hour, I expect this is the "final answer". If any of you find a different statute that illustrates that golf carts go faster than 20 miles per hour, please share it with the rest of us. While we know in reality that golf carts are being altered to travel faster than 20 mph, they are not (legally) defined in statute.

http://election.dos.state.fl.us/pdf/.../ch_99-163.pdf

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

So, I guess that a golf cart that exceeds 20 MPH is a motor vehicle? It is confusing. I am lucky if my piddling cart reaches 18 downhill. I asked a deputy about this sometime ago and he didn't know. Imagine that ! !

I'm still looking for the statute that says it is illegal to alter factory equipment as Talkhost states.

Best Mickey, where in NY? I'm from upstate.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Been here 2 yrs, orig from Oswego

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

More info here:

http://www.ladylake.org/Police%20Dep...rtpamphlet.pdf

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Good Find! :clap2:

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

"Chief Ed', in his pamphlet, seems to stretch his logic without referencing any controlling statute. He references 320.01 and somehow comes to the conclusion that is a "restriction". Actually all it appears to be is a definition of what Florida considers to be a golf cart.

Then, without any legal reference at all, he states "It should be noted that it is illegal for a manufacturer or dealer" to alter a cart. I guess it's OK for anybody else (body shop, individual, filling station, etc. etc) to do it.

Lastly, he states violations of this "restriction" could result in charging against a "person or company"' modifying said vehicle?? What?

Sounds like the law according to Chief Ed?

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Oh yeah!! 50.5 mile an hour record in an electric golf cart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjRPM...elated&search=

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

:cop:
If you have your golf cart covered in your Homeowners policy an you are with Villages Insurance, give them a call and ask what happens if you are involved in /cause an accident while operating a modified golf cart capable of speeds in excess of 20MPH. One of their agents spoke at a club meeting in TV and basically indicated that your application for coverage was fraudulent and claim may not be honored.

The ability to get somewher in TV 5 minutes sooner is hardly worth the price. You might also be concerned about a "golf cart" that has been souped up and has not done anything to improve its braking ability or stability to prevent rollovers.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Having spent over 30 years in the claim department of a major insurance carrier I seriously doubt the validity of the comments allegedly made by the insurance agent. Unless the insurance carrier only insures golf carts that can't go over 20mph, and that is specifically stated in the application or the policy, nobody is going to have a claim denied for a 21 mph mishap.

Then of course there is the problem of how to determine somebody was actually going over 20mph in an accident to even consider jumping to such a conclusion.

If an agent says coverage won't apply to a modified cart exceeding 20mph, have him show you the specific policy language which excludes coverage for such a loss, or in the alternative have him show you where on your application for coverage it states the cart is only insured under certain conditions and one of them is the lack of modification.

If in fact, such conditions or language does exist, which I sincerely doubt, find a different insurance company.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

First, I'm not a lawyer. I'm an engineer and a scientist. That said...here's my two cents. Here are two relavent "state' regulations which define golf carts and LSVs:

(22) “Golf cart” means a motor vehicle that is designed and manufactured
for operation on a golf course for sporting or recreational purposes and that
is not capable of exceeding speeds of 20 miles per hour.
(42) “Low-speed vehicle” means any four-wheeled electric vehicle whose
top speed is greater than 20 miles per hour but not greater than 25 miles
per hour, including neighborhood electric vehicles. Low-speed vehicles must
comply with the safety standards in 49 C.F.R. 571.500 and s. 316.2122.

Here's my interpretation: The regulations themselves place no "limitations" on speed...it simply defines a vehicle by its speed capability as intended by original manufactured design. If your "vehicle" was "designed" to have the capability to exceed 20mph, your vehicle "could" be defined as an LSV and MUST be registered and insured and fully equipped (i.e. mirrors, headlights, turn signals, seat belts...). If your "vehicle" was "designed" to have the capability to exceed 20 mph but not 25 mph your vehicle "could" be defined as a "MOTOR VEHICLE: It all distills down to what the original "design" criteria of the manufactur is and what was published as its maximum speed capability. Any modifications to increase speed output thereof is a grey area, in my opinion, and you could be on the hook. Notice that I use the worlds "COULD" and "MAY".

Here is an interesting motion filed in a Florida court which may illustrates how these things could be interpreted in cases of accidents:
http://www.swampcycles.com/Rules/2D04-4882.pdf

Here's a Florida Senate blub which may help you understand the INTENT of the new laws.
http://www.flsenate.gov/data/Publica...df/98-47tr.pdf

It astonishes me that folks worry about their cholesterol level but yet don't hesitate to zip about town in a 'golf cart' at 25 mph with no seat belts. I personally have clocked speeds of "carts" with my "motor vehicle" at 27 to 30 mph....no kidding. Crash in a golf cart at that speed, no seat belts, and cholesterol is the least of your worries. Now I toss this question out to the forum....."Are insurance companies aware of this liability and potential for serious injury? What are the probabilities of accidents occuring based on season, population density, activity, location etc. What is the average cost per golf cart accident in terms of injury?" You bet they know.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

he's baaaaacccckkkkk

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Looks like TOTV is as porous as the gates are in TV. I believed he'd be back but under another name. >:( >:( >:(

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Curry..
What country are you from???? :dontknow:
What neighborhood do you live in?? Where is your house in TV??

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

"Toto, people come and go so quickly around here, I guess we are not in Kansas any more." ;D

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Please tell me exactly what law it is that states that a vehicle must be road worthy to be eligible for handicapped parking?

Thanks

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

i belief i posted this previously but according to the sumter county sheriff dept legally issued handicap placards can be used on golf carts to park in handicap spaces.
a few years ago a group of us sought clarification on this issue both with the sherriff dept and the village developer. golf carts are supposed to abide by all vehiclicular laws of the road.
placards are issued to handicapped persons not assigned to specific cars so i legally use my florida placard in whaterver vehicle i'm traveling in. and 90 percenty of the time that's my golf cart.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

I am entitled to handicapped parkng. One day I was pulling into a handicapped space near Publix and there was a golf cart in the spot. I half parked in the spot and waited for the golf cart driver. Presently she showed up and I said something about carts paring in HC spaces. Just then her companion wheeled up in her chair. A very elderly lady missing both legs. I felt like a first class a** and apologized. Since then I believe that if you believe you need to park in an HC spot by all means do so. And if you don't approve check before opening mouth and inserting foot.

Peepop

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

golf carts parked in handicapped parking spots should display a legally issued handicapped placard.
if you live in sumter county applications can be obtained at the sumter county village annex on county road 466.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Personally I do not understand what the problem is. If you have a handicap placard, you should be able to park in a handicapped parking spot. Just because I decide to use my golf cart instead of my automobile does not make me any less handicapped.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

caveman, totally true.
but for some reason the issue seems to resurface from time to time
perhaps because parking is so tight for all residents. and some folks confuse handicap placards which are issued to individuals with handicapped license plates which are only issued to road legal vehicles.
i use my placard on my golf cart every day. and ignore rude comments or post-its left on my cart.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

Unfortunately, my wife - who has the handicap and uses the placard had it removed from her cart when it was parked in a handicapped spot. She looked all around just in case it had blown off and never found it.

Either a handicap hater or a overweight lazy slob took it and are using it for their own.

Re: Do you really want to know the Florida law(s) re: golf carts?
 

sorry to hear your wife's placard was stolen.
it's something i often fear but it hasn't happened yet and i imagine the folks who have left me "nasty" notes are fellow villagers with handicaps who mistakenly think their car has more rights to the handicapped spot than my golf cart. NOT SO.
we just have to keep educating villagers on the law.