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We are members of the generation that moved to the suburbs and made the automobile the preferred mode of transportation. Entire modes of transportation were destroyed because of us.

I don't have any problem with using a golf cart to get from here to there, but I'll never give up my pick-up truck or automobile as long as I'm able to drive.

Everyone is different. I agree with the suggestion that it is best to buy where you are somewhere near a square and shopping. We live near Sumter, and its about a 4 minute ride in my golf cart to Sweetbay. I go there 2 or 3 times a week for shopping so it is very handy. I could just as easily go by car, but that really doesn't save me much time. And in the high season there is a tremendous amount of traffic both on the roads and on the recreational trails. Sometimes its just "easier" to go by golf cart. The Sumter area also has lots of doctors offices, and of course, all the restuaurants, shops, movie theater, etc at the square. I find it easier to get golf cart parking rather than car parking, especially if we're going to see a movie. I personally would not buy a house that is so far away from things that you have to take a car everywhere. I prefer to have options. The golf cart can be much more convenient to go certain places at certain times of the year, and additionally I think a centralized location has better resale value.

about a tank a month
 

is what we put in our car when we are here, as compared to about 5-6 tanks a month when in Ohio for the summer.

We have 2 golf carts and use them for almost everything, except at night when we are going to a rec center that is quite a distance away. It's quite possible to use the cart then, but it doesn't feel as safe (because I don't trust night-time senior drivers around here, to be honest). The paths and roadways are not brightly lit - it's kind of like "they" think you should be in bed by 9 (which we used to joke about when visiting - now that we live here, we're mostly tired by 9 pm from all our active living :).

I do a Sam's Club/Aldi's/Lowe's run about every 2 weeks in the car (although once I took the cart to Aldi's/Lowe's - was a long cart ride from south of Sumter Landing). I use the cart to go to Publix, Sweet Bay, Winn Dixie and the Farmers' Market and for golf, tennis, pickleball, and inside Rec Center activities. We eat in more than many here, only go out for dinner maybe once or twice a week.

Make a point of learning to drive the cart - and pay the bills, understand your finances, etc. Odds are you will need to know this stuff some day.

I like using the carts. Easy to get around, park and I never go but so far.

Not sure how a gas cart would be tough to use. Gas (every 200 miles) and go. You may not like it due to noise or smell but certainly not tough to use.

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