Every Municipality Views Golf Cars Differently. What is YOUR
Golf Cart's "Street-Legal"
Status Where YOU Live and Drive?

Skyrocketing gasoline prices have everybody looking for alternatives to filling up their automobile tanks with expensive foreign oil. Various studies have shown that the typical daily commute or "daily use" for typical errands (such as getting the kids to and from soccer practice, grocery-store runs, etc.) is between 20 and 30 miles per day. While of course these numbers are affected by a wide variety of variables (size of community being chief among them), the fact is that a substantial number of 2-car families could easily replace one of their gas-guzzlers with an economy- and earth-friendly "Neighborhood Electric Vehicle" or "NEV". Which is, of course, a fancy new name for what you and I know as an electric golf car.

However, there are problems inherent in towns and cities making the change to simply allowing NEVs and golf cars to share the roads with today's typical traffic. The primary element in discussion in every community where golf car and NEV owners wish to use their energy-efficient vehicles is: SAFETY. No matter how 'green' your politics run, you have to address the serious issue of NEVs weighing a few hundred pounds sharing the streets with 2-ton steel cars and multiple-ton trucks.

NEVs typically have a smaller profile which is an inherent part of their efficiency; but also makes them more difficult to see. The top speed of a golf cart or NEV is rarely more than 25 mph, which means automobiles coming from behind at higher speeds have less time to see and react to the slower, smaller vehicles. Many golf cars have no lights, turn signals, or rear-view mirrors...issues that make them more prone to accidents when combined in traffic with higher-speed, higher-weight vehicles.

Still, in view of the potential energy savings and elimination of noxious fumes spewed by even the cleanest modern gasoline car, the task of making city streets safe for drivers of all types and sizes of vehicles is important to undertake. The resurgence of bicycle traffic on city streets over the past several decades, and it's safe integration, proves that it can and should be done.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR GOLF CAR STREET LEGAL:

Requirements may vary by municipality, but in general, golf cars need the following items installed to be considered "street-legal": Head lights and tail (brake) lights, turn signals, rear-view mirrors, windshield, seat belts, and parking brake. Some municipalities will require a license plate, and others require a sticker inside the vehicle stating "WARNING: This vehicle must not be operated on public roads at a speed more than 25-mph."

In no case may a golf car be operated on a federal highway, though you are allowed to cross one. Various municipalities have instilled regulations permitting golf carts legal only on streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, which seems prudent. Some allow golf cars to use sidewalks.

GEORGETOWN, KY — Maddy McCord, 7, leaps into a seat on the back of a golf cart driven by her mother, Jenny, and pulls her tiny fingers into the sleeves of her pink jacket. The cart rolls over grassy hills near their home in Oxford Manor subdivision as the bitter cold wind whips through her hair. "She loves it," her mother says. Jenny McCord and her husband, George, who runs a business that upgrades golf carts, can list reasons folks in Georgetown might want to own a golf cart if an ordinance to permit the carts on some city streets passes after a second reading before the council on Monday. It's convenient to hop on a golf cart in the spring or summer and pick up a loaf of bread at the grocery store, supporters say. Golf carts require less room for parking. Golf carts burn less gas than many cars and trucks. Electric golf carts can run for hours before recharging. And they're fun, say the McCords and Richard Ray of Georgetown, who brought the issue to the city council in January. Ray, who jokes that his wife won't allow him to have a motorcycle, has used a golf cart at the Kentucky Horse Park campgrounds for about five years. But he's never been able to take the cart to the nearby Kroger or to his doctor's office. "It would be convenient for a lot of people who just want to jump on and run to the grocery store," Ray said. Georgetown is just one of at least a few Central Kentucky communities that have recently discussed ordinances to permit golf carts on public roads. Winchester passed an ordinance in September. And Franklin Fiscal Court discussed a possible golf cart ordinance in January, but the issue was dropped. High gas prices and a state bill passed last year help the golf cart cause. The state gave local governments permission to authorize and regulate the operation of golf carts on public roadways under their jurisdiction. The carts can be operated only on roads with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less and within 5 miles of a golf course. The bill also requires permits and inspections. And golf cart drivers must have a valid driver's license. In Winchester, and in the proposed Georgetown ordinance, the carts can be operated only from sunrise to sunset. "I keep waiting to see one," Winchester City Attorney William Dykeman said. "I'd be surprised if I don't see several come spring." Dykeman said Winchester city officials hope the golf cart ordinance will help revitalize downtown, where parking is limited. He said most of the community supported the idea, and he couldn't recall any negative feedback. Jenny McCord said it would make traveling to a neighborhood yard sale much easier. Ray said his 2-year-old great-granddaughter loves trips in the cart. George McCord, who customizes carts with his friend Alan Haycraft of Georgetown, said he knows a man who uses a golf cart for hunting. "Golf carts aren't just for golf courses anymore," George McCord said. Winchester adopted a tougher ordinance than the state requires. The carts in Winchester are required to have a bicycle safety flag, rearview mirrors, brake lights, headlights, turn signals, brakes and seat belts. McCord's business, Blackstar, upgrades carts for a few hundred dollars. But the Georgetown ordinance, which was read for the first time Feb. 9, requires only a safety flag. During council discussions, police Chief Greg Reeves said the carts should be as visible as possible on the roads. The Georgetown City Council has received little opposition to the ordinance. At least one golfer was concerned that he would be required to pay to equip his carts with lights and other features. But supporters argued that it would currently be illegal for him to drive on a public road anyway, even if the law isn't strictly enforced, and this ordinance could change that. "I think what the ordinance is really doing is getting us into compliance," council member Don Hawkins said. It could also make Kentucky communities look more like towns in states such as Florida, where golf carts are commonplace, especially in retirement communities. "I think it'll catch on real quick," Ray said. story from the Lexington Herald-Leader: www.kentucky.com

 

CHRYSLER'S NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE:

Here's Chrysler's pitch for a street-legal electric car that looks like it could do double-duty on the golf course as well:

"Eco-friendliness gets a fresh new face with the GEM Peapod. And GEM takes on new meaning as GreenEcoMobility. Building on 10 years of battery-powered innovation, the GEM Peapod brings groundbreaking style and modern functionality to a gas-free, emission-free vehicle.

The Peapod doesn't pollute and doesn't take up any more space than it needs to, making it the perfect way to get around your neighborhood or commute to school or work. Every inch of interior space is thoughtfully designed, too. The center console offers an iPod dock and allows for hands-free operation of your iPhone. The seating is both ergonomic and eco-friendly (made from recycled and recyclable materials).

GEM is already USA's number one zero-emission electric vehicle, with 38,000 of its six models in active use today. The Peapod will be available for purchase in 2009, with more redefining models to come from GEM soon. The U.S. Army has recently ordered 4000 of GEMs for use on its bases, presumably in a snappy camouflage design.

Visit http://www.greenecomobility.com/peapod for more info.