Posted on 03/26/2004 6:56:53 AM PST by chance33_98
Disabled motorists pulling for 'golf cart' bills
It sounds like a bizarre proposal, but state lawmakers are considering a measure to allow golf carts on city streets.
And while you might think it sounds like a waste of time, for some Oklahomans it means access to their only mode of transportation.
You typically only see golf carts on a golf course, but if two lawmakers have their way golf carts will hit the streets with disabled Oklahomans behind the wheel.
"Some people, they'll spend $30,000 to $40,000 on a pickup or a Hummer or something like that. Well, this is my car," said Todd Vaughn.
It's a $7,000 custom-made golf cart, complete with chrome wheels, lights, even a horn. It's Vaughn's pride and joy - and his independence.
"Well, I was born totally blind, but with the miracle of science was able to see most of my life," he said.
In fact, Vaughn's eyesight has improved over the years. He's no longer legally blind and his doctors believe more than capable of safely operating a golf cart.
"I know this town like the back of my hand," he said.
Problem is, right now state law requires Vaughn to have a driver's license to cruise his cart onto city streets.
"We're talking about 15 miles per hour," he said.
But, if passed, two new bills would give Vaughn the chance to freely drive where no golf cart has before - on the streets of Lexington, Oklahoma.
"The post office, store, friends houses, have some sense of freedom," he said. "Disabled people, they're not a second class citizen."
Senator Randy Brogdon says so far his bill has met little opposition. Vaughn just hopes legislators will clearly see his daily struggle and he plans to fight for new laws until they do.
"I've always had to work twice as hard as most people to overcome," he said, "and the good Lord has given me the strength to do so."
The bills come with several restrictions. Drivers must prove they're disabled, they can only drive during daylight hours, and only on roads with a maximum speed limit of 25 miles per hour. The bills head to conference committees in the next few weeks.
Even if the bills become law, individual cities may still have final say on allowing golf carts on city streets.
Michael
I live in an area that has two golf courses about two miles apart. The speed limit is 30 on most roads, and golf carts don't run much over 15 or 20. They are a pain with the limited sight distances we have here.
There are two newer, battery powered carts that have state inspection certificates, registration stickers and run over 30 MPH.
Don't think I can afford one of those for a run-around vehicle.
I completely gave up bringing it after I found out that Bill Gates himself spent years and millions of dollars trying to get some Porsche 959s street legal. That included lobbying for modification of the law, new rulemaking from the bureaucrats, and lots more.
If I couldn't do it then they shouldn't be able to drive golf carts on the streets either without feeling the full wrath of government bureaucracy.
I've noticed that around golf course communities, there's lots of "outlaw" golf carts that scoot to the convenience stores and like places. Funny to watch the greyhairs keep a lookout for Smokie as they sneak to the 7-11 for a coke and beer. They also function for many as a motorized wheelbarrow for hauling mulch, plants, etc .
These carts should be highly restricted as per high-traffic roads, but it seems sensible for some accommodation to be made for low-traffic drives close to an individual's home.
In my own state, carts can be licensed for secondary roads within two miles from owner's home--making it convenient to go to the convenience. Fun, too.
Thanks to Bill, Paul Allen and Ralf Lauren he can now, with a bit of engine work to meet pollution requirements. The new street-legal 959 is even faster than the original, but it took 10 years, untold billable lawyer hours, and a lot of help from Porsche itself. The article is here.
It was fun. But it just broke down too much.
The new ones aren't exactly a beacon of reliability, but they are a lot better than they were back then. In addition to the Tuscan, she also has a Lotus Exige and a Subaru Impreza turbo -- she has lots of fun on- and off-track.
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