Deer Park city streets will get a little more crowded after the Deer Park City Council approved a plan to make golf carts a legal form of municipal transportation.

The council approved the plan last week by a 3-1 vote (Councilwoman Dee Cragun dissenting and Councilman Randy Bean absent from the meeting).

Under the guidelines, the electric golf carts (gas powered carts are still illegal) cannot go any faster than 25 mph and must be operated by a person with a valid driver’s license. The number of people allowed to ride in the cart will be limited by the manufacturer’s guidelines for the vehicle.

The carts cannot be operated on Main Street or Crawford Avenue except at intersections to cross from one side to the other. Those without state-approved lighting systems cannot run between 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes before the next sunrise.

Some city councilmembers tried to eliminate the need for seatbelts on the vehicle, but state law prohibits municipalities from waiving the requirement. The carts will also have to adhere to child safety seat rules.

Tags: Fore! Golf carts to join city traffic

FAIRBORN — Wright State University moved in more than 1,300 first-year students on Thursday, Sept. 4, with the smooth precision of a military operation. The freshmen and their belongings were whisked to campus residence halls by 450 volunteers and a fleet of 100 golf carts.

“It looks pretty organized,” said Laurie Mays of Centerville, who was moving her son, Parker, to Wright State.

Tyrone Bruton of Columbus was impressed with the help he received with his daughter Tynesha’s boxes. “It gives you a feeling you’re at home,” Bruton said. “It’s like family.”

Wright State faculty and staff members loaded the carts and drove them to any one of 15 residence halls. Student volunteers quickly unloaded the carts and paraded the freshmen’s things into dorm rooms.

“Usually, it’s a couple loads because they’ve got a vehicle full of stuff,” said Albert Bondurant, Wright State director of organizational development and learning. “Then we go back and pick up another parent and do the same thing. Just over and over and over.”

The carts carried clothing, shoes, bedding, televisions, stereos, computers, fans and all sorts of small appliances.

“I’ve had kids move in with one small suitcase, and others where we fill the golf cart three times and wonder how we can cram all the stuff into the room,” said Bill Rickert, Wright State associate provost.

Rachel Stephenson, an incoming freshman from West Milton, said the move-in was exciting. “I’m nervous, and ready to get out of my house,” Stephenson said, laughing.

Jessica Jones, a first-year student from Columbus, was wistful about the move. “I’ve lived with my mom my whole life and to be away from her is kind of sad,” Jones said.

As of July 31, applications from first-time freshmen students for Wright State’s Dayton campus were up 11 percent from last year to 6,093, according to university officials. Wright State enrollment is on track to increase 5.3 percent from 2007, with a projected 13,662 undergraduate and graduate students. Classes start Monday.

New golf carts can have many extras that come with them when they are purchased but used golf carts can be customized to the individual taste of the buyer. The buyer could add any type of technology features such as lights, portable TV’s, charging station for cell phones and other devices, and they can even change the interior upholstery to make the used golf cart fit to their style. There are many extras that can be added to used golf carts just as long as the power is within the golf cart that is needed to support the extras and that the extras are legal per transportation rules.

HAMILTON — Golf carts are becoming a more common sight on Indiana’s streets and roads, but State Police say they fail to meet the safety and equipment standards for motor vehicles to be driven on public streets.

Several communities allow golf carts on their streets under ordinances such as one in the Steuben County town of Hamilton, which charges a $40 annual registration fee, requires insurance and limits the number and ages of passengers.

“With the economy faltering and gas prices going through the roof, this is a way to save gas,” said Milton Otero, the town manager in the lake community about 30 miles north of Fort Wayne. “Our residents are saving tons of money and loving it.”

An Indiana State Police statement released last week said that while state law does not specifically ban golf carts from public roads, they must have license plates issued by the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The BMV, however, will not give plates to golf carts without safety equipment required under state and federal law to be on the road, such as a horn, headlights, taillights, turn signals, windshields and safety belts, agency spokesman Dennis Rosebrough said.

Hamilton resident Tom Walker, who owns an electric golf cart that goes 18 mph and lasts days without a new charge, said not only do the carts allow people to drive around town at a lower cost, he has met dozens of others also driving their carts.

“The community is getting tighter and friendlier,” Walker said. “Until the State Police come flying into town and start setting up roadblocks, we will continue to enjoy it under our town ordinance.”

The State Police statement said that while the agency had no plans to actively crack down on golf carts, troopers would not “turn a blind eye” if they saw them on the streets.

Hamilton’s ordinance requires golf cart drivers to have a valid driver’s license and insurance. It also permits no passengers younger than the age of 2 and requires those younger than 10 to sit on the front seat. Other provisions are that the cart must have an orange flag or pennant, along with rearview mirrors, headlights, taillights and turn signals.

The central Indiana city of Lebanon also has an ordinance allowing golf carts on its streets and officials in southern Indiana’s Vincennes were considering a similar ordinance, but both have run into questions about being trumped by state law.

Lawrence County Sheriff Sam Craig said the use of golf carts is a public safety problem.

“Law enforcement usually tries to work with people, but this comes down to traffic issues and safety,” he said.

State Rep. Sandy Blanton, D-Orleans, said she was considering filing a bill for next year’s legislative session to make clear that golf carts are legal and that BMV can register them.

When going to the golf course or using a golf cart for some other specific traveling reason, you can rent new or used golf carts as reasonable prices. When you rent a golf cart, you usually have to put some sort of deposit down so that the place you are renting it from, knows that you will bring it back if you want your deposit back. Usually the deposit can be anywhere from $350.00 up to $500.00. With most places, they allow you to rent the golf carts by daily, weekly, weekend, or monthly increments and the prices will vary from one retailer to the next.

Tags: Renting used golf carts