[Talk Host]

Why won't anybody call their insurance agent and ask? It's better to be safe than sorry.

[GatorFan]

If you purchase insurance on a golf cart that you know is illegal when you insure it as a golf cart, why would the insurance agent be at fault? You misrepresented the facts at the time of purchase.

I still am at a loss for words as to why anyone would want to modify a golf cart to go over the LEGAL speed limit and BREAK THE LAW. If you want speed, buy a LSV and purchase the required STATE OF FLORIDA insurance.

[Chazz]

The Florida statute that is referenced here cites an LSV as an electric vehicle capable of a top speed of between 20 and 25. It seems to me that a gas powered vehicle capable of greater than 20 mph qualifies as neither a golf cart nor an LSV, under that definition.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...lies/faint.gif

[GatorFan]

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...s/lsv/lsv.html

[conn8757]

Gator Fan - who would know - you move here and go to a dealer and purchase a new golf cart, call your agent with all the info - in our case we went into the agency. We just bought the policy they told us we needed. We were never asked about speed, did not modify anything. In fact, we did not know how fast it went until we had it out. That doesn't mean it is driven like that around TV. I think you are out of line in saying someone deliberately deceives someone else without knowing them or the facts. There was a job to be done by the agent who handles most of these for the Villages and they failed to tell us or advise us.

[gratton]

I had a friend who also lives in the Villages, He had an accident with his golf cart, No one checked to see if his cart exceeded the speed limit, Never asked him anything about how fast his cart went, They just paid the claim. So I don't know how they would know if it was soup ed up or not, I'm curious if anyone else knows of an insurance company asking after an accident or checking the cart out. Not that I condone speeding but we hear a lot about this and I am curious how the insurance company's deal with it.

[EdV]

Originally Posted by gratton

.....So I don't know how they would know if it was soup ed up or not, I'm curious if anyone else knows of an insurance company asking after an accident or checking the cart out.

A while ago, someone posted a comment in TOTV about how the Sheriff’s officers have been trained to recognize souped up components (motors, controllers etc.) that have been installed on a golf cart. So if you were involved in an accident that the sheriff’s office writes up, they could site you for driving an unregistered vehicle as part of the report even if you had not actually exceeded 20mph. That would likely be spotted by your agent as part of the claim settlement.

[BogeyBoy]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

A while ago, someone posted a comment in TOTV about how the Sheriff’s officers have been trained to recognize souped up components (motors, controllers etc.) that have been installed on a golf cart. So if you were involved in an accident that the sheriff’s office writes up, they could site you for driving an unregistered vehicle as part of the report even if you had not actually exceeded 20mph. That would likely be spotted by your agent as part of the claim settlement.

So just because a golf cart is souped up that means the driver is in an unregistered vehicle? Suppose I soup mine up so I can climb every hill at 19 mph? I never exceed that speed, it can't go any faster, I just like to be able to go that fast up hills and have souped it up to do so. The deputy looks at it and sees it is souped up and I get a ticket? I don't think so - he would have to actually observe me going over 20 mph or prove the cart is "capable" of going over 20 mph.

[dillywho]

The police chief who conducted the first golf clinic we attended right after we came here in 2004 said, "If you are involved in an accident with your golf cart, the first thing we will do is check to see if you have tampered with the governor or have it "souped up". If we find that you have, YOU'RE MINE!" Those were his exact words, emphasis and all, and I have never forgotten it.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by BogeyBoy

So just because a golf cart is souped up that means the driver is in an unregistered vehicle? Suppose I soup mine up so I can climb every hill at 19 mph? I never exceed that speed, it can't go any faster, I just like to be able to go that fast up hills and have souped it up to do so. The deputy looks at it and sees it is souped up and I get a ticket? I don't think so - he would have to actually observe me going over 20 mph or prove the cart is "capable" of going over 20 mph.

A sheriff's officer said that an individual will be charged with "altering factory safety equipment."

[BogeyBoy]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

A sheriff's officer said that an individual will be charged with "altering factory safety equipment."

The statute is entitled "State Uniform Traffic Control: Equipment,. commonly referred to as "Unlawful Vehicle Modifications". It specifically addresses many items, lights, seat belts, not using headphones while driving, low beams, bumpers, brakes, horns, windshields - to name a few. I can't find any reference to vehicle/engine performance listed. When a ticket is issued they have to cite the statute violated, I would be interested in that officer's response.

But for the record - I personally dislike speeding golf carts, I think they are a hazard to others as well as the occupants of the speeding cart. And I particularly dislike Street Legal/LSV's speeding by on the recreational trails. (I guess when it is a more convenient route to their destination.)

[GatorFan]

Conn8757: If you check with Club Car, Yamaha, and EZ Go, they will tell you that as an authorized dealer they will not sell a golf cart modified to go over 19.6 mph. I understand that some people have purchased golf carts from private parties or unauthorized dealers and may have not realized the cart was modified to go over 19.6 mph. Per law enforcement, there is no law that makes it illegal to sell a modified golf cart, but it is illegal to operate one that goes over the allowed speed limit. Once they find out the cart is modified to go over 19.6 mph, what do you think they should do at that point?

[chacam]

Where, anywhere, is there a statute that says 19.6 ? ?

[GatorFan]

Section 70.151. Definition of Golf Cart. Pursuant to Section 320.01(22), Florida Statutes, a “golf cart” is defined 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

[EdV]

Normally, a motor vehicle operated on public roads in Florida must be registered and insured as described in Section 320 of the Florida Statutes. But that law provides an exemption for “Golf Carts” operated on certain roads designated for golf cart operation as is the case in TV. And section 320.001(22) defines a golf cart as a vehicle that is “Not Capable” of exceeding 20mph.

So, if you are driving a golf cart in TV that is capable of exceeding 20mph on one of the public roads that has a golf cart lane, the authorities can nail you for driving an unregistered vehicle regardless of how fast or slow you were actually driving. And this is a much more serious offense than a simple speeding ticket.