Open Container In Cart & Street Drinking
 

Hi Folks, I have a couple questions that you may be able to answer.

#1 Is it legal to sit in your golf cart with a alcoholic drink in your hand at Lake Sumter Landing while listening to the music?

#2 Is it legal to walk down Canal Street around the Too Jays area with a alcoholic beverage in hand that was purchased at the square?

I haven't officially retired and moved into The Villages yet and am trying to stay out of trouble. Thank You!:police::police:

You will have opened up a "can of worms" on this one...that being said there is a very lengthy, previous, thread on your first question on here. The answer would be "no!" to your 1st question...though there are some who will dispute that.

Don't know the legal answer to your 2nd question but I was raised with..."If you have to ask...probably shouldn't do it??"

Check this link out:

http://www.poa4us.org/bulletins_file...etin201201.pdf

Look at page one, Questions and Answers, starting at question #7.


My personal answers to your questions:

#1 I will pay the $116 if it ever happens then reassess the situation <grin>
#2 Should be no issue, but just in case try this "but officer, I just found this on the curb and was looking for a trash can"

Answer #1 - No, it is NOT legal to be sitting in your golf cart at Lake Sumter Landing while holding an alcoholic drink. Those are public streets.

Answer #2 - Yes, it is legal to walk around the Lake Sumter Landing area while holding an alcoholic drink.

I think it is legal to have an open container/drink on the imitate square and around the square, I am not sure if it is legal to have an open container/drink down Canal out by Toojays.

Got it right.
 

Hey AJ, Thanks to the link. --No open brewskies in the cart:police: and yes to walking down the street with a cold one.:wave::police: ---Billyworld

There is a distinction between a drink purchased at the square and one purchased at a restaurant near the square. I think the restaurants cannot allow you to take a drink off premises. I don't know of any restriction for a drink you bring with you as long as it is not opened while you are driving car or cart, nor while sitting in car or cart.

I'm pretty sure I remember seeing people in Spanish Springs getting there beers put in plastic cups so they could leave and watch the band on the square. I think it was at Gators.

U R right Pat_RI, Both SS, & LSL, have a carnival licence (at the square's only) for anyone walkin/drinking alcohol. U can drink siting in ur cart, BUT don't have ur key's in it.........Have a Great night at the Square:smiley:

The law is about open containers of an alcoholic drink. If you have an open can of beer in your cart, you can be cited while just sitting in the cart. Same way for a bottle of wine. If the bottle is sealed, it is fine. If the cork has been removed (even though it is replaced), it is still an open container.

Not true about being able to sip on your drink while in a car or cart if the keys are not in the ignition. Say it as much as you want but it is still going to be a citation. You can try and fight it in court but the police officer is still going to cite you.

I have seen restaurants in SS set up temporary bars at the entrance to their patio area (not in the buildings) and sell to people walking down the streets during events in the square.


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Rules
 

As I understand it the rules are:
1. You cannot have an open container while sitting in a golf cart. The rules
are the same as though you were on the side of a road and had an open container
2. You cannot take a drink out of one of the restaurants and walk around with it. The license to drink is with the establishment and the drink is to stay on their property.
3. If you buy a drink at one of the little booths around the square you can walk around with it as the area is identified as a "tourist" area and under Fl.
law you can carry the drink around the square. :mornincoffee:

Penn BF:

See my post above about restaurants selling booze to passersby.


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Ya think ? ? ?

Another case of misinformation talked about in another post.

Billyworld, maybe I could answer. Been to the squares about 1000 times,never seen police give a ticket for someone drinking in their cart.I have talked to police while sipping a beer in my cart. no problem. However seems no one will believe this. I do not know of anyone who has received a ticke or knows of someone. Seems people feel its alright in a chair a few feet away but not in a cart,even though same people are driving home in a cart. Cannot please everyone. There are a lot of anti-drinkers here.