The Old Lady in the Neighborhood

I remember, and yes, I can remember that far back, being a kid and talking about the old people who lived in neighborhoods who would come outside and yell at kids for tromping on their flowers, or teasing their dog or breaking a window with a ball. I swore I would never become one of those grouchy old women. Golf Carts and go carts changed my mind.

When I purchased my home in Sarasota, I knew the kind of neighborhood I wanted to live in. It was not a golf course community. I did not have much to choose from because I also did not want to live in a deed restricted one. 

My neighborhood is neither. I live on a dead end street, relatively quiet, and the neighbors on the street know one another. At one end there are some teens and closest to me there are some little ones. These don't worry me.

When I first moved in there was a father from a few streets down who insisted on running a go cart up and down the dead end roads in my neighborhood. It was annoying and upset the dogs and also illegal. I called the Sheriff's Department and as soon as they caught him, the go-carting stopped. I have lived in relative peace, except for fireworks which are also illegal, since then. 

The past several months my neighbors and I have been dealing with golf carts. We apparently have some new neighbors who believe it is okay to run up and down these dead end roads in golf carts. Sometimes drinking and full of kids; not paying attention to driveways or cars or the law.

In Florida, it is against the law to operate a golf course in a regular neighbor. The actual statute is as follows: 

316.212 Operation of golf carts on certain roadways.—The operation of a golf cart upon the public roads or streets of this state is prohibited except as provided herein:

(1) A golf cart may be operated only upon a county road that has been designated by a county, a municipal street that has been designated by a municipality, or a two-lane county road located within the jurisdiction of a municipality designated by that municipality, for use by golf carts. Prior to making such a designation, the responsible local governmental entity must first determine that golf carts may safely travel on or cross the public road or street, considering factors including the speed, volume, and character of motor vehicle traffic using the road or street. Upon a determination that golf carts may be safely operated on a designated road or street, the responsible governmental entity shall post appropriate signs to indicate that such operation is allowed.

My neighborhood is NOT one of those designated. So on social media I asked the Sheriff's Department if they were legal. The very nice sergeant who returned my call asked me questions which consisted of: was there a tag on the vehicle and who was driving and how many people were in the vehicle? It seems if it is titled, tagged etc. they are allowed because they must be insured and registered. The ones in my neighborhood are not. 

I asked him should I say something to the people and he said NO! Let the deputies handle it. Just call the non-emergency number and they will send someone out. I told him I hated to call and report something this minor and he explained that it was minor until a kid fell off the golf cart, or hit a child in their yard, or caused a wreck because they were behind a car in a driveway who was trying to back out. 

Ok, that made sense to me. 

Last weekend we noticed a new one. One red and one white. Teens driving the red one. Adults with kids hanging off driving the white one. I called. Last night it was the red one. I called and my neighbor called. 

The problem is the deputies must catch them on the road. I am not sure how many times I will have to call. But I will. Maybe they will move away. Maybe they will continue and get ticketed. 

I am now the official old, grumpy woman.