[Talk Host]

Today, I saw a golf cart crossing 27/441 from the Hospital to Lowe's. It looked exactly like my cart, with the plastic, fold down half way windshield and no wipers. Aside from sitting a little higher than mine and having a "Street Legal" sign on the back, it was exactly like my "NON Street Legal" cart.

Can anybody tell us what is necessary for a cart to be "Street Legal" Are there hoaxers out there who are labeling their non street legal carts?

JLK

[GMONEY]

From my understanding, Must have Lites, turnsignals, all the mumbo that is required to run on the road. Must also be registered and insured i was told. If so, then it can be on road in which the speed limit is 35 or less. Seen one cross the road at belvedere and 466 going torward Summerhill. It was a Parcar that looked like all other Parcar's. But had a plate and a sticker on the plate.

G out

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by GMONEY

From my understanding, Must have Lites, turnsignals, all the mumbo that is required to run on the road. Must also be registered and insured i was told. If so, then it can be on road in which the speed limit is 35 or less. Seen one cross the road at belvedere and 466 going torward Summerhill. It was a Parcar that looked like all other Parcar's. But had a plate and a sticker on the plate.

G out

It's that "mumbo jumbo" that I'm interested in. What is it?

[billethkid]

golf cars most of us drive. That is the biggest factor plus if you got the hots to want to be on the "street" the car must be insured as a low speed vehicle and be registered with the state like your automobile.
I for one cannot see the additional expense....to do what? Get there 2 minutes quicker? Expose yourself to the hazards of being on the street?
These folks around here can't see the full size vehicles let alone a golf cart on the highway.
My vote would be to have all golf cars as be 19.8 max mph vehicles relegated to the cart path system. Do away with the high speeders.

BTK

[GMONEY]

Thats right the main difference is having it registered and insured. Like your car. If you sit a golf cart side by side with a street legal one. indentical twins. except for the tag on the back with a current registration. That is all

[billethkid]

Not even close to a justification. But if ya wants one, have at it and good luck!!

BTK

[billethkid]

Missed this important aspect!

BTK

[EdV]

Talk Host,

To try to answer your specific question about this, here’s a link to the extensive Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for “low-speed vehicles” under 49 CFR 571 http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...s/lsv/lsv.html

But to summarize this, an LSV is one that is capable of going faster that 20mph but less than 25mph and must be equipped with the following safety equipment:

Headlamps, stop lamps, turn signal lamps, tail lamps, reflex reflectors, parking brake, windshields of either type AS-1 or type AS-5 glazing, rearview mirrors, seat belts and vehicle identification numbers (VINs), and must be registered and insured as an LSV in the state it will be operated in.

A registered LSV can operate on any road with a posted speed limit of 35mph or less, but cannot operate the vehicle in excess of 25mph. An additional provision allows the vehicle to cross a highway that intersects a 35mph or less road provided that the intersection has traffic lights.

Although that law applies to any motor vehicle, regardless of the propulsion method, a sub class of vehicles that are electric are now referred to as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (Nev). The major cart manufacturers offering NEVs like ParCar, Gem, and Tomberlin have certified their NEV models with the Department of Transportation to simplify registration of the vehicle by the owner.

Now, can you take a standard golf cart and turn it into a qualified LSV/NEV? Yes, but the process is not simple. Not only do you have to purchase and install all the required safety equipment and juice up the motor to operate in the 20-25mph range, but you have to document all the purchases fastidiously, fill out RMV application forms and transport the vehicle to the RMV for a certification inspection.

But pay particular attention to the windshield requirement/specification because I don’t believe that a split windshield qualifies and the vehicle you describe is probably not in compliance with that requirement. None of the NEV’s from the manufacturers listed above have split windshields. After all, the purpose of the specified windshield is to provide some protection from a rock being hurled at it by a vehicle passing at 35mph.

In short, sticking a “Street Legal” sign on your souped up golf cart doesn’t make it legal.

Hope this helps.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by EdVinMass

Talk Host,

In short, sticking a “Street Legal” sign on your souped up golf cart doesn’t make it legal.

Hope this helps.

I think this is exactly what is happening in some cases. Thank you for your thorough reply.

JLK

[Bryan]

One other little item to consider also. If you go to the trouble, and have your golf cart qualified as "street legal", and then decide to get back on the golf cart trails, you have to keep your speed under 20 MPH (19.7 MPH officially, I think it is) which is the top allowable speed for golf carts and thus the default speed limit on the trails. Going faster than 20 on the trails could get you a speeding ticket.

The reverse is true also. If they catch you going over 20 MPH anywhere, your cart has to be "street legal" which means all that is said above, including you have to have a drivers license (not required for a golf cart). You will be ticked for operating an unregistered vehicle (in addition to speeding) and made to bring your cart up to "street legal" standards.

[chacam]

Originally Posted by Bryan

Going faster than 20 on the trails could get you a speeding ticket.

Baloney ! ! ! Hogwash ! ! ! Not true ! ! !, etc

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by chacam

Baloney ! ! ! Hogwash ! ! ! Not true ! ! !, etc

It is my understanding that over 20 miles per hour is a violation. I guess you have information proving otherwise.

[chacam]

As mentioned before, multi modal paths are private property, not public roads and deputies have no jurisdiction regarding golf cart speed. Unless there is an accident, then careless driving comes into play.

[downeaster]

Originally Posted by chacam

As mentioned before, multi modal paths are private property, not public roads and deputies have no jurisdiction regarding golf cart speed. Unless there is an accident, then careless driving comes into play.

You may want to do a little more research on this subject.

[EdV]

TOTV folks, please keep this in mind. Operation of any motor vehicle in the U.S. is not a RIGHT, it’s a PRIVILEGE regardless if it’s a car, truck, NEV, LSV or even a lawn tractor. And for good reason. A vehicle weighing a thousand pounds or more can cause serious injury, or worse to others. Abuse this privilege and be prepared to deal with the consequences.

That’s why the local authorities can site you for driving a motor vehicle under the influence even in a golf cart on a multi modal path in TV after you doubled up on the two-fers at the local watering hole.