What's the Purpose of Street Legal and Non-Street Legal Golfcarts??
 

I know the difference and how each can be used legally.

Street legal golfcarts on the same roads/streets with cars/trucks are an accident waiting to happen, and their expensive in price.

What's the Purpose?

Maybe to have only 1 vehicle that you can take almost anywhere in TV and close surrounding areas?

I’m still trying to concentrate about your computer software issue, can we worry about one problem at a time.
Another Villager died in an golf cart crash into a light fixture front of Sea Breeze Rec Center no seat belt on a cart path.

If you know the differences between the two and how each can be used legally then you already know the purpose. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live in a golf-cart-friendly development, some have to travel local roads to get where they need to be.

As far as I know, "street legal" of course means legal for the same roads/streets with cars and trucks. While I am sure we don't read about all the accidents that happen around here I don't believe I have seen a single article about an accident with a street legal cart. Apparently the waiting for a street legal accident goes on and on.

If you peel back the layers the only reason a difference exists is purely regulatory.

What is and is not a motor vehicle is established by the feds. In the case of golf carts the Department of Transportation established the 19.9 mph maximum speed limit and the safety equipment requirements for the carts that exceed 19.9.

If not for this some carts would have more safety equipment at 19.9 mph simply because it would fulfill a safety conscious consumer's needs. With this standard manufacturers can simply revert back to "This vehicle meets all standards for a 19.9 mph vehicle".

Just to clarify, there is no 19.9 speed limit or any actual speed limit. Just about everyone says that. It's maximum speed that can the cart was manufactured to obtain which is 20MPH. :) The actual law states: Golf carts are defined in section 320.01(22), Florida Statutes, as “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.”


That being said, in FLORIDA a "street legal golf cart" now requires additional safety equipment such as a DOT Approved Windshield like in a car and not those plastic split things "standard" golf carts come with as well as seatbelts for every seat etc. You no longer can just buy a stock Yamamamahah any more and get it plated as street legal (in the past you could).

Then of course you need actual $$insurance$$ which (depending on coverage) will cost you close to what you pay for your car if you want full liability, collision etc. (been there done that).

https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/mv/lowspeedvehicles.pdf

For those considering LSV AKA street legal here is a pretty good article: Florida LSV & NEV Laws | Santa Rosa Beach

Speed.

I did not hear about this. I live a stone throw's distance from Sea Breeze. Sorry to hear about this. When did this happen? Was it on the MM along Buena Vista?

You also have to be a legally licensed driver in order to legally drive a street legal golf cart on any public road.

The Florida Highway Patrol has released a report with information about a Friday morning golf cart crash which claimed the life of a Villager.

The 78-year-old Villager had been traveling south at 8:51 a.m. on the multi-modal path which runs parallel to Buena Vista Boulevard in front of the SeaBreeze Recreation Center. He “failed to negotiate a slight right curve and traveled onto the east shoulder of the path, crossed over the entrance drive for the SeaBreeze Recreation Center,” the report said. He continued on the east shoulder of the path “before colliding with a ground light fixture” and the recreation center sign.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was at the scene of the accident Friday morning at SeaBreeze Recreaetion Center

He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from injuries suffered in the crash.

The report indicated that the golf cart did not have seat belts.

The identity of the Villager was not revealed as FHP no longer releases names in accident reports.

The driver was driving on the golf cart path and failed to negotiate the curve in the road, and drove into the Sea Breeze sign.

That goes without saying ... but wait! You said it! Since it has to be registered and plated through FL DMV a license would make sense. ;) Actually, in many cases some (mine did) also have to be trucked up to Ocala for inspection to see if it meets all requirements. They did ask me for proof of age since I'm so young looking. :D

If you live in a community close to The Villages, like Lakeside Landing, for example, you can take your street legal cart down the road less than a mile to The Villages property, spend all day zooming around The Villages using the facilities (restaurants, squares for music, Ednas, other shopping) then get back home on that same road, legally, and not have to pay any amenity fees or other fees assessed to the members and feel smug about being a freeloader...just a thought.

Anyone can do that in a car also. Your amenities fee doesn’t go to support any of what you stated. Those are all private enterprises or supported by private enterprise. Those “freeloaders” spend their dollars and help support these businesses that you so cherish. Do you go out of the Villages to shop or eat and then return feeling smug about your freeloading in another community? When someone uses an amenity supported activity, they usually have to produce their Villager or Guest ID.

Pretty sure the main reason Morse (south of 466) and Buena Vista are 35mph roads is to allow street legal carts. They are four lane divided roads with limited access and reduced speeds at the traffic circles and bypasses. No reason not to be 45mph road other than keeping them LSV accessible