Talk of The Villages Florida

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-   The Villages, Florida, General Discussion (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/)
-   -   Questions From a New Golf Cart Owner (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/questions-new-golf-cart-owner-344594/)

Joecool 10-08-2023 05:53 AM

Use a gps app that will tell your acurate speed. Registration of a lsv Requires more than just insurance It requires you have the proper lighting windshield wipers there are many things. The vehicle goes a maximum of 25 M p h. Once your vehicle is registered you will get a license plate that is why you can Not put a license plate on it. A golf cart has a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour no higher.

toeser 10-08-2023 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike&Silvia (Post 2263273)
My wife and I are new residents in TV and recently bought a golf cart. Last week, while my wife was driving the cart along Marsh Bend Trail, a Wildwood police officer pulled up alongside of her and made her stop. He informed her that the expired Illinois vanity plate on the rear of the vehicle was illegal and that she was traveling at 30 mph, which is in excess of the golf cart speed limit. When she mentioned that the cart was set to not exceed 23 mph, the officer suggested that maybe she was "going downhill" (on Marsh Bend Trail?). My wife did not argue further and that was the end of the conversation.

My wife's experience has me curious to understand the laws and rules pertaining to golf carts in TV. I have read sometimes conflicting legal information regarding the registration and need for insuring carts, such as:

"Golf carts that ride on public streets and are capable of traveling more than 20 mph and carry registration are considered LSVs, which means you must have insurance on them."

"In Florida, all golf carts operated on public roads require registration with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. All valid registrations must include a vehicle identification number. Golf carts must always display an up-to-date registration decal."

Other questions that I have include:

* I see license plates adorning golf carts all over TV, are they illegal?
* Do the golf cart lanes that adjoin roadways in TV qualify as "public roads" in the quote
above?
* When insuring a golf cart, what is the recommended coverage and what should I expect
to pay?

I have heard of people being fined up to $800 for going the speed your wife was driving. They don't hit you for a speeding violation, they fine you for all the missing features on a vehicle that can do 30 mph. You got real lucky.

RRGuyNJ 10-08-2023 06:24 AM

Turn in retired plates
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyT (Post 2263359)
If I remember several years back I read in the paper that Sumter County Sheriff's Dept was going to start writing tickets for expired plates on golf carts. I never heard what happened to that because I just removed mine and stuck it on the garage wall.

I was told that was something you did when you moved into TV to show from which state you relocated.

In Jersey, you are required to return your old plates when they are no longer used. Not sure about other states. Of course I know a fella who shall remain nameless that has a bird house made from old NJ plates.

Cheapbas 10-08-2023 06:39 AM

I doubt she was going 30 and that was an overinflated guess. The officers should be trained to know when a license plate is decorative and not rmv related.

MidWestIA 10-08-2023 07:04 AM

Carts
 
In general VERY few carts are street legal and need a plate most plates and tags you see are ornamentation to show people where they came from. You can get picked up for being a unregistered motor vehicle going over 24 on a street and they can impound your cart. Many people have the cart set at 24 and just watch it on hills. Golf Cart Requirements | The Villages Florida

JGibson 10-08-2023 07:25 AM

Maybe just stop putting decorative state plates on golf carts and stick to sports license plates.

Rzepecki 10-08-2023 07:35 AM

[QUOTE=Mike&Silvia;2263273]My wife and I are new residents in TV and recently bought a golf cart. Last week, while my wife was driving the cart along Marsh Bend Trail, a Wildwood police officer pulled up alongside of her and made her stop. He informed her that the expired Illinois vanity plate on the rear of the vehicle was illegal and that she was traveling at 30 mph, which is in excess of the golf cart speed limit. When she mentioned that the cart was set to not exceed 23 mph, the officer suggested that maybe she was "going downhill" (on Marsh Bend Trail?). My wife did not argue further and that was the end of the conversation.

My wife's experience has me curious to understand the laws and rules pertaining to golf carts in TV. I have read sometimes conflicting legal information regarding the registration and need for insuring carts, such as:

"Golf carts that ride on public streets and are capable of traveling more than 20 mph and carry registration are considered LSVs, which means you must have insurance on them."

"In Florida, all golf carts operated on public roads require registration with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. All valid registrations must include a vehicle identification number. Golf carts must always display an up-to-date registration decal."

Other questions that I have include:

* I see license plates adorning golf carts all over TV, are they illegal?
* Do the golf cart lanes that adjoin roadways in TV qualify as "public roads" in the quote
above?
* When insuring a golf cart, what is the recommended coverage and what should I expect
to pay?[/

https://www.thevha.net/event/golf-ca...te/2023-10-18/
Best place to learn all you need to know about owning and using a golf cart.

MandoMan 10-08-2023 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by villagetinker (Post 2263362)
If he actually clocked the golf cart at 30 MPH, you dodged a bullet as this would classify the golf cart as an unregistered Low Speed Vehicle, and you could have faced several charges including going to court, various offences, and the requirement to have the speed reset to 20 mph. I have never heard of the "illegal out of state tag" as well have a out of date PA license on our cart for several years. I am guessing you caught the police attention due to the excessive speed.
IMHO, I would consider you very lucky and then get the speed reset.

Last week I was driving on St. Charles and clocked a golf cart without a license plate doing 35 mph in the golf cart lane. That’s the fastest I’ve seen. I think the original poster is failing to realize that she had a real license plate on her cart from another state, expired. What some people have is, say, plates showing team or state support. Those are legal.

Marmaduke 10-08-2023 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowlingal (Post 2263559)
Mike&Silvia....you must attend the golf cart safety clinic for rules and regulations of the road. The REAL answers. It is given every month ( it's free). This month it is October 18 at Colony Cottage rec center 9AM. It could save your life or avoid expensive tickets. Also, since you are new here, also go to the new resident night....given Oct 10 also at Colony ( 7:00 PM- also free)

Thank you for the reminder and especially for the details that you took extra time to post.
As new residents, if we learn ONLY one thing about golf cart safety, it is well worth the time.
We've been golf cart owners most of our adult lives in NC, but TV is a whole different animal.

We feel very confident with the speed debate.
We're very, very comfortable to have anyone pass us, as we're just happy to enjoy life.

We leave the house early enough to get to our destination and have always factored in the ENJOYMENT of the travel, but that's us.

RCMill531@comcast.net 10-08-2023 07:43 AM

Take most of the advice here with a grain of salt. Most people I know have carts that go above 20 mph and don’t register them, especially since they don’t have registration numbers. I don’t know about tags.

Bilyclub 10-08-2023 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheapbas (Post 2263583)
I doubt she was going 30 and that was an overinflated guess. The officers should be trained to know when a license plate is decorative and not rmv related.


No, when it's against the law you don't make excuses you remove the plate. Sorta like the people with those plastic covers on their car license plate. Tinted or clear, it's illegal in Florida and a few other states.

Mike&Silvia 10-08-2023 08:06 AM

Thank you very much. We will try and attend both events.

GATORBILL66 10-08-2023 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike&Silvia (Post 2263273)
My wife and I are new residents in TV and recently bought a golf cart. Last week, while my wife was driving the cart along Marsh Bend Trail, a Wildwood police officer pulled up alongside of her and made her stop. He informed her that the expired Illinois vanity plate on the rear of the vehicle was illegal and that she was traveling at 30 mph, which is in excess of the golf cart speed limit. When she mentioned that the cart was set to not exceed 23 mph, the officer suggested that maybe she was "going downhill" (on Marsh Bend Trail?). My wife did not argue further and that was the end of the conversation.

My wife's experience has me curious to understand the laws and rules pertaining to golf carts in TV. I have read sometimes conflicting legal information regarding the registration and need for insuring carts, such as:

"Golf carts that ride on public streets and are capable of traveling more than 20 mph and carry registration are considered LSVs, which means you must have insurance on them."

"In Florida, all golf carts operated on public roads require registration with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. All valid registrations must include a vehicle identification number. Golf carts must always display an up-to-date registration decal."

Other questions that I have include:

* I see license plates adorning golf carts all over TV, are they illegal?
* Do the golf cart lanes that adjoin roadways in TV qualify as "public roads" in the quote
above?
* When insuring a golf cart, what is the recommended coverage and what should I expect
to pay?

You have to remove the expiration date sticker off the license plate or they can ticket you.

Papa_lecki 10-08-2023 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheapbas (Post 2263583)
I doubt she was going 30 and that was an overinflated guess. The officers should be trained to know when a license plate is decorative and not rmv related.

Yes, as if she drove her golf cart down from Wisconsin.

I don’t know any traditional looking golf cart that goes anywhere near 30 MPH

Cindysum90 10-08-2023 08:26 AM

I wish they would start cracking down on all these carts that go over 20. It’s annoying being tailgated and passed when going the speed limit.


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