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Thursday, April 02, 2009

Ind. Law - Warm weather reawakens "golf carts in city streets" issue

The Columbia City Post & Mail had this story by Chris Meyers on March 23rd, which begins:

As the temperature starts to rise, more alternative modes of transportation hit the streets.

Whether it be a bicycle, mo-ped, ATV or golf cart, the options are plenty for those looking to save gas money, but one of those options could result in an extra expense to pay the fine if someone is found driving a golf cart on a public road.

Although some cities and towns in Indiana decided to allow the use of golf carts on public roads in 2008, local ordinances follow state statute which prohibits their use on roads.

“Obviously, we will not pass an ordinance contrary to state law,” Frank Kessler, Churubusco Town Council President, said recently of the issue.

Churubusco Town Marshal Chad Fulkerson said at the council’s most recent meeting that he would also not like to see golf carts allowed on local streets out of safety concerns.

Columbia City and South Whitley also follow state law regarding motorized carts on streets. To be allowed on a public road, the carts would have to be registered with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, but the BMV will not register them because they don’t meet safety requirements.

Sgt. Ron Galaviz, public information officer for the Indiana State Police in District 22, said Indiana traffic code doesn’t specifically ban or restrict the use of golf carts provided they meet the proper registration requirements, but if the BMV doesn’t allow them to be registered, it can put the brakes on someone’s plan to legally use a cart.

Functioning head and brake lights, turn signals and other equipment are needed to make golf carts street legal, but standard carts don’t come from the factory with such features.

Here is a list of earlier ILB entries on using golf carts on city streets. The most recent entry, from March 2nd, concludes:
[The ILB] has posted many entries on golf carts and on the sustained interest of citizens all around the state in being able able to legally use the economical golf cart as transport on city streets. Five bills to accomplish this goal were introduced this year, all remain in first house committee.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 2, 2009 01:04 PM
Posted to Indiana Law