Sumter county golf cart citations 8/1-10/11
 

Received this from a person who was at the meeting.


I just came from a District 6 meeting at which the Sumter County Sherriff’s Dept. presented the golf cart citations issued between Aug 11th and Oct 11th. There were 64 citations in all, 9 for Ran Stop Sign, 1 for Possession of Open Container – Driver, and 56 for No Motor Vehicle Registration. The No Motor Vehicle Registration meant that the non-street legal golf cart was operated in excess of 20mph while on public road – path portion or otherwise. The citation requires a court appearance. In general, offenders are required to demonstrate to the judge that repairs have been made to limit the cart’s speed to 20mph and pay court costs of $250. At the judge’s discretion, the several hundred dollar fine is waived.



Drive safely

I am delighted to hear the above. I have been under the impression golf carts were somehow immune from traffic citations. This is one time I am glad to be wrong.

The 56 No Motor Vehicle Registration paid to have their carts "souped up" and now they must pay to have them restored to meet the 20 MPH rule. How ironic is that? On top of the $250 fine it looks like some serious $$$$ are involved.

The word must be getting out. I find fewer carts passing me lately.

"Big Brother is watching!!" Sounds like the police are getting real serious!

Wonder how a citation works for an individual operating a rented cart?

Bill

Most rented carts will not go over the speed limit I don't think.

B

It ends up depending on where you rent it. If you get one from The Villages Golf Car Store(s), for example, they are indeed on the slower end - box-stock straight from Yamaha. But if you get one elsewhere (from other businesses/individuals), many are set up to run faster.

Bill

Then I should think that the operator not the owner of the cart is at risk for knowingly exceeding the speed limit. Just mho..........Get-em Danno

:police: Wooooooooo-wooooooooo...... "Yonta pull it on ovah there? Y'all ain't from around here, ah ya....boy??? Hands on the hood, son - feet back and spread 'em!!" :laugh:

Bill

I am delighted that citations are being given to those who break the law in their golf cart. Too many people treat them as special allowance vehicles or toys and rev up the motors or whatever to go greater mileage. Too bad that they have to pay a ticket!! I am once again, delighted to hear the police are getting busy with this. The operator should be ticketed also if they don't own the cart especially if the engine has been messed with.

That was not necessary :boom:

Fran:

Haven't seen you post lately - welcome back!


Chuck

Sorry - just joking around.....................:wave:

Bill

How fast are these carts going? I hope they are not being stopped for 2 mph over. No sane cop would stop a car for 2 mph over. Would they?

Yoda

You are going to stand out if you are passing other golf carts. Seems like easy pickings for the cops.

Thanks for the info BogieShooter. Like I have said in another thread, I think this is a good thing for the community in general. I hope it curtails some of the aggressive driving I see (tailgating and passing carts that are going 20 MPH) more than nabbing the folks going 22 MPH.

Sunday I saw some police activity focused on my cart on my way to Gator's Dockside.

I rolled (<1 MPH, but no stop) through the stop sign at the beginning of the cart path on Morse, headed north, at 466 gate. I must admit I roll stop through that sign alot. Ahead I see a police car with officer inside. I thought to myself, :censored: I have just been reading about this. As I rode by he seemed to be oblivious to me.

I proceeded up Morse on a wide open rode and within a minute I see a police car behind me. I do not know if it was the same one, but it was going the same speed as me. I looked down and was going 23 MPH. :censored: I thought again. Instinctually I slowed a bit to 22, then 21, then 20.5. He followed me for what seemed to be an hour, but it was more like 30 seconds and then sped by.

Maybe I got lucky or maybe they do not care so much about folks doing 22-23, but I will take it as lucky and keep an eye on my speed.

Any cart rental company that rents carts that can exceed 19mph should be forced to rectify this.

The majority of people renting these carts are out-of-towners renting homes in TV. As such, these people would not know about the 19mph rule and when they cited for “unregistered vehicle” they were most likely driving well under the posted speed limit, which is 30-35 mph.