[JoeC1947]

Originally Posted by mikeod

As far as alcohol is concerned, a golf cart is the same as a car, truck, or whatever. You cannot have an open container while the vehicle is on a public roadway. The parking areas around the town squares are part of the public roadway, so sitting in or on the cart with an alcoholic beverage is a violation. Drinking a beer while traveling in a golf cart is the same as doing it in a car. I think that the recent incidences of golf cart accidents, including fatalities, has caused the local authorities to enforce the existing laws more thoroughly. Also, one has only to look at the number of plastic cart signs on the paths that are destroyed by being run over to see that some of the residents/visitors are having trouble navigating in their cars and carts after enjoying their drinks.

[paulandjean]

I think a lot of it has to do with the police officer.I have had a beer in my golf cart at LSL while talking to a cop.Know if I was driving away with it in the cup-holder it probably would be a different story. I found they just ignore you if you are sitting and siping listening to the music.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by paulandjean

I think a lot of it has to do with the police officer.I have had a beer in my golf cart at LSL while talking to a cop.Know if I was driving away with it in the cup-holder it probably would be a different story. I found they just ignore you if you are sitting and siping listening to the music.

I wouldn't bank on that.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by jgbama

This may not answer your original question, but it is an answer to the speeding issue! Attachment 1993

lol

[CarGuys]

Originally Posted by handyman

Why don,t they pull over the contractor trucks that are blowing stop signs and driving twice the speed limit, I see alot more of them then speeding carts and by the way maybe while they are sighting the driver they could check for green cards of the six to ten passengers that are packed illeagally on the back of the truck,or are they afraid of stepping on Big toes

We were here last week for work on our new home. The people were nice the carts all seemed to be doing the legal thing?

The darn construction vehciles were weaving, running stop signs. turn signals are optional to them? They were speeding and I was shocked to see from our car how close they drifted to carts in the Diamond path heading up St Charles to Tamarind.

Also in one week the inner gate post completely smashed twice. Once bent up bad second time ripped off!

I guess this is the STRESS of new developement growth?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by CarGuys

We were here last week for work on our new home. The people were nice the carts all seemed to be doing the legal thing?

The darn construction vehciles were weaving, running stop signs. turn signals are optional to them? They were speeding and I was shocked to see from our car how close they drifted to carts in the Diamond path heading up St Charles to Tamarind.

Also in one week the inner gate post completely smashed twice. Once bent up bad second time ripped off!

I guess this is the STRESS of new developement growth?

No...more likely the twofers at happy hour.

[Skybo]

Originally Posted by CarGuys

We were here last week for work on our new home. The people were nice the carts all seemed to be doing the legal thing?

The darn construction vehciles were weaving, running stop signs. turn signals are optional to them? They were speeding and I was shocked to see from our car how close they drifted to carts in the Diamond path heading up St Charles to Tamarind.

Also in one week the inner gate post completely smashed twice. Once bent up bad second time ripped off!

I guess this is the STRESS of new developement growth?

CarGuys...I have posted a few times about this problem in the St. Charles/Tamarind Grove area, as have others. It is a scary, scary stretch of road for both cars and carts. Your description of how the contractor vehicles drive is spot on. We’ve had a couple of accidents, including a fatality. I've had several close calls in both my car and golf cart. It is mainly due to the construction going on...with St. Charles being the only main road into the last remaining construction going on North of 466A.

There were people complaining in another thread about the police issuing tickets on St. Charles. Those folks (the complainers) obviously haven’t spent much time driving that stretch of St. Charles, or else they’d be welcoming police presence. Edited to add...Jeez, it's this thread that folks are complaining about tickets on St. Charles !DOH!

Originally Posted by graciegirl

No...more likely the twofers at happy hour.

Sorry GG, wrong assumption on your part. That gate gets knocked down at least once a day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. And I am not exaggerating one bit. It has nothing to do with drinking and driving. The gates are set to open automatically (I assume because of all of the construction). And on the left side, the contractor vehicles don’t even slow down...because they are expecting the gate to pop open before they get there...which it does, 8 out of 10 times. The other two times...the gate gets smashed. AND, there is a golf cart crossing on the other side of the gate. It’s beyond ridiculous, and we’ve been living (by the grace of God) with this situation for months.

[paulandjean]

I agree, sometimes we are giving the drinkers to much credit.Lots of drivers should not be behind the wheel.Poor eyesight, Poor hearing, Under Medication,and lets face some people will never leard to drive.As far as drinking a beer sitting in a park cart at the square,like I said I have talked to the police in conversation and never never,been told You cannot do that. Sorry bogieboy. Just a thought remember some of these young police where young college students drinking beer and partying on college game days just a few years ago.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by paulandjean

I agree, sometimes we are giving the drinkers to much credit.Lots of drivers should not be behind the wheel.Poor eyesight, Poor hearing, Under Medication,and lets face some people will never leard to drive.As far as drinking a beer sitting in a park cart at the square,like I said I have talked to the police in conversation and never never,been told You cannot do that. Sorry bogieboy. Just a thought remember some of these young police where young college students drinking beer and partying on college game days just a few years ago.

Sorry Paulboy & Jeangirl, your assumptions are wrong. Also I don't understand what the last sentence has to do with the law.

The following from the January POA Bulletin-

7) I have heard recently that someone received
a $116.00 ticket for having an opencontainer of beer while sitting in his golf cart
in the square. What are the rules regarding
open containers containing alcohol in the
downtown square areas and while just sitting
in a golf cart? A: It is against the law to
have an open container of alcohol in any
motor vehicle, whether it is parked or stationary
if it is situated on a road which is
defined by the Florida Statutes as, “…a way
open to travel, including, but not limited to,
a street, highway or alley. The term includes
associated sidewalks, the roadbed, the rightof-
way, and all culverts…” You can also get
an open container citation if you are operating
a golf cart (moving vehicle anywhere in
Florida) on the cart path. This applies to
both cart drivers and passengers.

[skip0358]

I agree with the other posters. The contractors are out of control. It's like a hands off them order. How many are driving around without names on the vehicles, against TV rules. Nothing happens as for a gate getting crashed not a golf cart. I drive around a lot and believe me from the garbage trucks to the concrete trucks they're all pedal to the metal. A petition signed by the neighbors to the sheriffs office will work. Why is it always drinking, I just don't get it.

[paulandjean]

7. I have have heard reently that "someone" received $116 ticket for an open container of beer sitting in his golf cart in the square. Could be just gossip, never seen this take place at the squares ever. We are there almost every night.Could have been drunk, pulled over for stop signs who knows. All I can tell you is from past experience. If you want to believe fine, if you do not want to believe fine. These police understand the square climate,if you are not causing a problem they will ignore you. Remember they like having a beer also.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by paulandjean

7. I have have heard reently that "someone" received $116 ticket for an open container of beer sitting in his golf cart in the square. Could be just gossip, never seen this take place at the squares ever. We are there almost every night.Could have been drunk, pulled over for stop signs who knows. All I can tell you is from past experience. If you want to believe fine, if you do not want to believe fine. These police understand the square climate,if you are not causing a problem they will ignore you. Remember they like having a beer also.

Did you read the answer to the question?

[cappyjon431]

there was a whole thread on this a while back, started by someone who was ACTUALLY busted for having an open container while sitting in their golf cart on the square, as well as replies from others who have seen this occur before. I think this is it:

Busted at Lake Sumter Square

Note: It looks like the original poster has edited his initial post, but it can be found copied in the replies.

Here is another thread where this type of ticketing has been reported:

Violation Tickets

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by paulandjean

7. I have have heard reently that "someone" received $116 ticket for an open container of beer sitting in his golf cart in the square. Could be just gossip, never seen this take place at the squares ever. We are there almost every night.Could have been drunk, pulled over for stop signs who knows. All I can tell you is from past experience. If you want to believe fine, if you do not want to believe fine. These police understand the square climate,if you are not causing a problem they will ignore you. Remember they like having a beer also.

I sincerely hope this is not true. If a police officer observes a law being broken it is his/her duty to take appropriate action. Ignoring it is not appropriate.

The open container law was passed to address a very serious problem. I would hope it is enforced.

[NJblue]

Originally Posted by downeaster

[/B]

I sincerely hope this is not true. If a police officer observes a law being broken it is his/her duty to take appropriate action. Ignoring it is not appropriate.

The open container law was passed to address a very serious problem. I would hope it is enforced.

If the police enforced every law that they saw broken, they would run out of ticket books. Have you ever crossed the street at the square without going to the corner first? If so, you should readily accept a ticket as would hundreds of others each night. Law enforcement can't possibly enforce every single violation - and thank goodness they don't or no one would be too happy.