[Redtail]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

I agree with most of the posts here regarding golf cart speed. I personally see no safety issue caused by a cart that goes 21-23MPH. (Yes, yes, yes I know it is no longer a golf cart). I personally did not soup up my cart so I could pass other villagers. The cart is a 02 Club Car. It topped out at 20 MPH as it should by design on flats. The issue with this cart was that if it was into the wind or up a slight grade the speed would drop to 17-18 MPH, how about 15 MPH through the mountains of Mallory. This always would bug me as I felt like I was holding up carts that can go 19-20 MPH all the time.

What I discovered is there no easy or inexpensive solution to this. I did as others who wish to resolve this do and put in a high speed motor ($400) which gets the cart up hills of Mallory at 18 MPH and it can maintain 20 on minor grades. The problem with that is it solution is now the cart goes 23-24 on flats. I have a speed ohmmeter and I keep it less that 21 when I am travelling on a road, e.g., Morse north of 466 to avoid speed traps. I also have a personal rule that I will never pass a cart going the speed limit (about 20 MPH) even if I can. Pulling me over for going 22MPH and giving me a ticket does not raise safety on the cart paths in TV one bit IMO.

With that said, I think a safety issue is how the carts that go 24-25 MPH are driven. Some drivers run up on your tail even as as you are going 20 dodging in and out looking to pass every cart they can. Have you ever witnessed a cart passing 3 to 5 carts all the way up Beuna Vista through the Palmer stretch. very scary, makes my blood boil I must admit.

If the police wish to crack down on golf cart speeding/safety, buy 4 unmarked carts that go 19.9MPH. Drive them up and down Morse and BV by Palmer pulling over everyone who passes passes them.....

i drive a lsv and i was passed 3 times today by golf carts on rio grande. some of these carts are really out of control.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

I know some cops and they usually say that they will give leeway to a highway speed of 9 mph over (in our area that would be 74 max). But they are more strict on smaller side roads.

In TV I would give golf carts leeway up to 23 mph.

I'd like them to concentrate more on reckless actions and maybe more education on round-a-bouts. What I mean is, if they see a bad roundabout move, pull the person over and explain what they did and how dangerous it is. Give them a warning (into the system so they can look it up if they stop them again). I personally think the round-a-bout moves are more dangerous than speeding down the straight away.

Makes sense to me.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by dpingram

As a teacher, my second grade students most recent writing example had to be an explanation.

As a teacher, you shouldn't have written that sentence.

[downeaster]

It is my understanding a golf cart going 25MPH in a 25MPH zone it is not ticketed for speeding. After all, it is not exceeding the limit. It is ticketed for not being properly registered, insured or equipped. This is more serious than a speeding ticket and requires the offender to appear in court.

A golf cart capable of exceeding 20MPH is in violation at any speed. Capable is the key word and it is clearly spelled out in Florida Statutes. If such a cart is involved in an accident, regardless of speed or fault, the police and the insurance adjuster will check it throughly.

BTW, there are some cart repair firms that will no longer make any adjustments that will enable the cart to exceed 20MPH.

[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by downeaster

It is my understanding a golf cart going 25MPH in a 25MPH zone it is not ticketed for speeding. After all, it is not exceeding the limit. It is ticketed for not being properly registered, insured or equipped. This is more serious than a speeding ticket and requires the offender to appear in court.

A golf cart capable of exceeding 20MPH is in violation at any speed. Capable is the key word and it is clearly spelled out in Florida Statutes. If such a cart is involved in an accident, regardless of speed or fault, the police and the insurance adjuster will check it throughly.

In line with what you stated above, I thought you and others would be interested in the following article:

http://www.tampastpetersburginjuryla...residents.html

[JUREK]

I agree with Russ and Ritchie. Cut them a break. They should have better things to do.

[cybermuda]

Why the rush?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by cybermuda

Why the rush?

Its a macho thing.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by JUREK

I agree with Russ and Ritchie. Cut them a break. They should have better things to do.

How about the question. At what speed do you not cut them a break? How much over the limit?.

[NJblue]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

How about the question. At what speed do you not cut them a break? How much over the limit?.

If the police have everyone going through the roundabouts in full compliance then they can start to ticket golf carts going 25 since 5 mph over seems to be a generally recognized margin that is given to autos.

Originally Posted by downeaster

A golf cart capable of exceeding 20MPH is in violation at any speed. Capable is the key word and it is clearly spelled out in Florida Statutes. If such a cart is involved in an accident, regardless of speed or fault, the police and the insurance adjuster will check it throughly.

.

I have a 2010 EZ Go that I bought new! I've never done anything to it to speed it up but it goes 23 (actually 22.9) mph.What are my options?

[Bryan]

I think a lot has to do with the training of law enforcement officers and how much discretion they have in issuing citations. The law is the law so anything over the posted speed limit makes you 'fair game' to be stopped. I support stopping people (cars and golf carts) breaking the law. One problem is that there are so many, which one does the officer stop? That's where their judgment come in. The aggressive, reckless, belligerent, freely giving out one finger salutes, etc., driver(s) get stopped over the polite, careful but 'fast' driver. Once someone is stopped, whether a verbal warning, written warning, or ticket is given depends (not in any order of importance) on the degree of violation (3 miles over limit vs 10 miles over limit), attitude, cooperation, demeanor, other observed driving behaviors and/or violations, and (of course) their past record. This requires a fairly sophisticated degree of judgment and discretion on the part of the officer involved. Most are trained and ready for that but a few are not. As far as traffic circle law enforcement goes, a few more dash cams and 'red light cameras' will take care of problems caused by 'citizens' wanting to fight those tickets in court.

[ajdeck]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

Almost every time there is a discussion about police enforcing automobile or golf cart speed in The Villages, there is a flurry of comment that the police apparently have nothing better to do. It's posted that they are doing it to raise money for the county coffers. The comments read like a "us versus them" story.

Here's my question (questions). At what amount of speed over the limit should tickets be given? 10, 20, 30 over, or what? Or, should no tickets be given in The Villages.

If unregistered golf carts are permitted to travel a maximum of 19.5 miles per hour, at what speed should they be ticketed? 21, 33, 43 or what? Or should police mind their own business and leave all golf carts alone?

I am interested in replies from those who have complained about the police enforcing the speed laws.

Maybe, just maybe, a golf cart path should be used for a true golf cart. If anyone wants a road legal then they should be restricted to 'THE ROADS'. That way the people who are trying to enjoy their retirement at a peaceful pace (and who came here for that reason) can enjoy and the fast pace ones can just go as fast as they want on the roads without holding anyone up.
aj

[skip0358]

Just some info I was given at diner the other night. A lady went over to pay her ticket. She was told it would take a while for her fine to be posted.Reason being PD has found a cash cow in TV. They're at least a week behind because of the number of tickets being handed out in TV. Tickets equal a LOT of money. This doesn't mean they're all from TV residents. That's why they target Morse and BuenaVista so much. I think the golf cart situation has calmed a lot. But the problem is once a GC goes over the GC legal limit it's not a golf cart. Therefore the fine is more MONEY then the speeding ticket would be. Question for those in the know. If you get a ticket for unregister motor vehicle on your GC what does the insurance company do? And does it go on your liscence since you don't need a liscence to drive a GC. But if your going over 19.9 it not considered a GC ? So then you need a liscense.

[memason]

I just don't get it.... I've driven all over TV, in my golf cart and just don't see the issues that are discussed on this forum. Driving a golf cart is no different than driving a car. People do boneheaded things in carts; they do boneheaded things in cars... including me! Doesn't matter if I'm going 19.92543 or 29.93465 in my cart. When I do something stupid, I wave and say "sorry". I normally get a return wave and a smile.

TV is the safest place I have ever lived, in every respect!

So, to answer the question, at what speed should the police ticket golf carts? I don't care about speed, if the cart is driven reasonably; with the flow and not recklessly... the police should have more important issues to address.

Just my opinion and I know it'll be unpopular on here... But, here's my and "sorry".