Jul 21st, 2008 by Liz Opsitnik
In the new era of $4-a-gallon gas, more people are using alternative forms of transportation, like carpooling, public transportation and bicycles. Add to that list golf carts. For quick trips to run errands, these all-electric carts are becoming more popular as an alternative form of transportation.
While some states are approving golf carts “street legal” on local streets, others are not, citing the safety issue, reports USA Today.
I have witnessed this new trend myself recently. I live in a residential neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Over the weekend, I saw a golf cart cruising down my street. I also recently saw a tricked-out Cadillac Escalade golf cart driving on a busier four-lane street as I was driving to work one morning.
Wow, what a great way to beat the $4 gas blues, I thought.
But then I also think of the terrible drivers we have down here. Nearby Miami, Fla. was voted the city with the rudest drivers yet again. South Florida is known for its large amount of bad drivers. So although golf carts help reduce the amount of gas we use, I can honestly say I wouldn’t feel safe driving down the street in one.
As I watched the golf cart drive down my street over the weekend, a few minutes later I watched a big truck fly down my street as if it were drag-racing. I think to myself that if the big truck doesn’t see the golf cart as it’s speeding down the street, this could get very ugly.
Are golf carts a genius way to save on gas or a major accident just waiting to happen?