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Monday, June 30, 2008

Law - "N.C. legislators debate golf carts as transportation as gas prices remain near $4 a gallon"

The Wilmington NC StarNews had this story Sunday, reported by Joe Johnson, that begins

Raleigh | Golf cart owners who want hit the highways instead of the fairways in an attempt to beat $4 gas prices should wait until regulations are in place.

Existing state law already allows street-legal golf carts to operate on any street or road where the speed limit is 35 mph or less.

State Rep. Danny McComas, R-New Hanover, has pending legislation that will allow Wilmington and New Hanover County to establish rules for using golf carts as transportation. Last year Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach got the power to regulate the use of golf carts in their towns.

"It is only permissive and it's best to do it before it becomes a problem," McComas said. "Sometimes people have golf carts for other uses. It's going to be up to the cities set up their own regulations."

Wrightsville Beach Police Chief John Carey said he could not recall anybody using a golf cart improperly in his town in the past year. Even though Wrightsville Beach received the power to regulate golf carts last year, Carey said there presently are no town ordinances concerning golf carts. That doesn't mean it is legal to hit the roads in Wrightsville Beach in a golf cart, though.

"A golf cart would have to be street legal," Carey said. "Otherwise, a person could be charged with driving an unregistered vehicle and a myriad of other charges."

Caswell Beach in Brunswick County was one of the first communities to seek the ability to regulate golf carts in 2006. Caswell Beach has a whole section of regulations regarding the use of golf carts in town. Unaccompanied drivers have to be at least 15 and possess a state-issued permit, and the have to follow the town's traffic code. The golf carts have to be street legal. Golf carts are not allowed to be operated on the town's main thoroughfare, Caswell Beach Road, however.

"Safety is the main consideration," said Caswell Beach town administrator Jim Carter.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on June 30, 2008 04:15 PM
Posted to General Law Related