[samhass]

As I pulled out of my drive yesterday, a street ready cart came ripping around the cul-de-sac. It was driven by a young blond male child. Grandma sat in the middle, and a younger female child sat on the remainder of the seat. The speed limit in this village is 15MPH. I broke the speed limit keeping pace with this child. He was running 25-30 MPH all the way down Ternberry Forest Drive. He made a right and I followed him home. He took several turns at high speed and made several jerking movements with the cart. I pulled up to the end of the driveway. They quickly got out of the cart. I could not tell if seat belts were on the cart or not. I nicely told Grandma that the speed limit is 15 asked if she was aware that the cart was running at a sustained pace of 25-30 MPH. She smiled and said "Sorry!" I drove off. What could she have been thinking??? This child looked to be about ten and the girl about eight. A 12 yo was killed by a golf cart in my hometown the day before. It flipped and rolled on top of him. At present, we have a neighbor that sustained very serious head injuries in a golf cart accident several weeks ago. She was airlifted to a trauma center . I can't believe this Grandmother would allow these children to drive at such a dangerous and illegal speed. Grandma..you are a Grandparent. Stop trying to be a cool buddy. Your precious grandchildren could end up dead or maimed for life. What were you thinking?????? Oh, you weren't.

[Rokinronda]

Sam, GOOD FOR YOU! I also would have followed and given Grandma my 2 cents. Golf carts are not very stable and can be deadly. My neighbor had an accident while trying to avoid a collision with a 'speeder' and broke her back. After several months of rehab she is much better, thank goodness. So sorry to hear of the tragic death of a child in your hometown. I hope all Grandparents take heed of this advice!! Let the adults drive!!

[Peachie]

Wow, Sam... was Granny sober? If so, what the heck was she thinking? Sad part of the story is she probably will continue business as usual with the grandkids and the cart. ??? Thanks for taking the time to enlighten her!

[samhass]

Peachie, I was torn by the MYOB bug, but felt someone should say something for the sake of her grandchildren. I wonder what their parents would think?

[Cassie325]

More than likely their parents would be fine with it...as atleast one of them was raised by this woman. It is very sad to see mis-use of the carts...however I think that if a grandparent wants to teach a child how to drive it...they should do it respectfully and slowly. I have seen many young teens driving with an adult and they do just fine...however unfortuanately there are many that do not! Perhaps that should be part of the "kindness test".

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Hi Sam I totally with you.

We were in one of the rec parking lots and it was the father who was allowing his daughter of about 6 years drive the golf cart.

I politely :dontknow: informed him of the rules and regulations of the use of a golf cart.

He immediately changed seats with his daughter.

What bothered me most were the TV'ers who said "Thanks" to me for telling him the rules and regulations. They saw what was happening - why didn't they say anything?

HB

[swrinfla]

Sam:

Too bad there probably wasn't time to call Bill Farmer's finest! There'd have been a different attitude at Grandma's that day, for sure!

SWR

[samhass]

How old must you be to legally drive a golf cart?
SWR, I'm not big on reporting people to the authorities unless it's really a criminal act.
I do hope that Gramma was embarrassed enough that she will never allow it to happen again.

[Cassie325]

You must be 14 years old to legally drive a cart with out an adult present. It might be 14 period...not sure....

[samhass]

Gramma was sitting between the two kids.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

I think the minimum age for a person to drive a golf cart is 14 years.

HB

[JohnN]

14 for a golf cart (20 mph max), but I'd bet a street legal one requires a licensed driver.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

JohnN - you raise an interesting point.

HB

[downeaster]

Unfortunately, sam, this was not an isolated case. I see similar cases all of the time. Maybe your little chat with Grannie convinced her it was a bad idea and she will not let it happen again.

DC

[samhass]

downeaster, somehow I doubt that. She had plenty of opportunity while riding with the child to make him slow down to a safe speed. She did not. I feel sorry for those children.