Most golf cart sales businesses in Sumter County say they already are complying with a law that unregistered golf carts should be limited to a speed of 20 miles per hour.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold sent a letter to about a half dozen Sumter County golf cart sellers last month, telling them they should not sell golf carts capable of exceeding 20 mph. Golf cart sales businesses in Lake and Marion counties also serve The Villages.
“Due to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office citing golf carts exceeding 20 mph, this letter is a reminder that modifying or selling golf carts not in compliance with Florida Statute 319.14 is illegal,” Arnold’s letter stated.
However, that statute deals with vehicles titled and registered as low-speed vehicles that can be converted to golf carts. These converted vehicles become unregistered and may not exceed 20 mph on public roads, according to the statute. They also must display a decal on the back that says: “CONVERTED vehicle: Max speed 20 mph.”
Instead of speeding tickets, law enforcement officers usually issue tickets for driving an unregistered vehicle on a public road if they exceed the 20 mph limit. Sheriff’s deputies began cracking down on golf cart operators on Morse Boulevard last spring after local residents complained about excessive speed on the road.
Arnold said this week that he did not receive any response from his letter and did not expect any.
But golf cart sellers in Sumter County are taking it seriously. The letter is posted at Advantage Golf Cars, according to Stacy Riddick, manager of the store at Palm Ridge Plaza in The Villages.
“We don’t sell golf carts that have been modified to go faster,” she said.
Sales manager Tom Dennis of Village Discount Golf Car also said his firm does not sell golf carts that exceed the legal limit.
“We complied with that from day one when we opened the store,” he said. “We have several customers who want us to speed them up, but we won’t do it.”
Dennis said when customers bring carts in for service, they are adjusted down if a test drive following the service shows they exceed the limit.
Paul Ressler, sales manager at Street Rod Productions, said his company also obeys the law.
But a golf cart owner with mechanical knowledge can increase the cart’s speed by adjusting the governor or putting on larger tires.
“I’m sure there are clients who buy carts and turn them up,” Ressler said. “I’m sure that happens because I see in the paper that people get speeding tickets.”
He said his company turned down the speed on the cart of one customer who got a ticket and had to prove that his cart had been fixed.
Judy Baker, co-owner of Baker’s Golf Carts of Bushnell, which also serves The Villages, said she does not adjust carts to make them faster, but some carts already are speedy when she gets them.
“I’ve got carts out here that go 28 mph,” she said. “They’ve got a title.”
But Baker said she understands Arnold’s concern.
“I see their point because I’ve got a few friends in the Sheriff’s Office,” she said.
