More about Golf Cars in Sun City AZ

Discussion in 'Sun City Sheriff's Posse - Arizona' started by pegmih, May 15, 2013.

  1. pegmih

    pegmih Well-Known Member

  2. bmac007

    bmac007 Member

    Great article but is it really a problem... everyone is Sun City is responsible with Golf Cars.. right? Tickets.. really? the Posse is great to help but is the Golf Cars really the problem... By the way not to plug them but I was on the site www.thegolfcartguide.com and it's a great site with amazing carts to buy or sell!! Here is link:
    http://thegolfcartguide.com/index.php?page=index
     
  3. pegmih

    pegmih Well-Known Member

    I personally have not experienced any problem with golf cars.
    And, it is my personal opinion that they should be able to drive next to the curb inside the white line.
    If a car is parked there, they can just move over to the regular lane.
    Is someone listening??????
     
  4. bmac007

    bmac007 Member

    lol...I hope someone is listening... agree with you..
     
  5. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    Couldn't agree more on the whole golf car issue gang. DEVCO (the Del E Webb Development Corp) built the streets wide enough for golf car use and car use simultaneously. Unfortunately some of the more aggressive car drivers felt these two lane roads had become four way speedways. Prior to the white lines being painted on Boswell it wasn't uncommon to find some cranky old speedster pass cars on the inside lane while people were walking on the sidewalks inches away.

    The county painted the lines to try and contain cars to single lanes and it was agreed golf cars could drive within the white lines (there are no state or federal laws specific to golf cars other than speed limits). For some reason the Maricopa County deputies started ticketing after 7 years of allowing this. Odd?

    In any event I attended a meeting at SCHOA last week and clearly there was a good discussion about the need to address this issue. Forcing golf cars out into the moving car traffic is nonsense. The deputy assigned to Sun City was there along with the Maricopa County folks and hopefully a deal will be struck.

    Golf cars are and always have been an important part of the Sun City way of life and most of us want that to remain a constant.
     
  6. SCPossecmdr

    SCPossecmdr New Member

    Golf Cars in Sun City


    There has recently been much discussion and several newspaper articles regarding golf car operators who have received citations for driving their golf cars in the painted area on the right side of some of our Sun City streets. I have received phone calls and some visits from people asking why the Posse is ticketing people for this violation. The Sheriff's Posse of Sun City is not a law enforcement agency. We do not have the authority to stop, cite, or arrest anyone for any reason. Any traffic stops performed or citations issued were the responsibility of the sworn deputies of the Sheriff of Maricopa County.

    Those white lines in the road were painted several years ago by the Maricopa County Department of Transportation. The objective at that time was to make it clear to all drivers that the very wide streets here in Sun City were only one lane in each direction, and to eliminate passing on the right. Unfortunately, these lines caused the mistaken impression that a special lane had been established for the use of golf cars.

    The area to the right of the painted line is the shoulder of the road, and it is not legal to operate a motor vehicle on the shoulder of the road. Because a golf car is a licensed motor vehicle, it can not be operated to the right of the white painted line. On streets where there is no painted shoulder, no such prohibition exists.

    There have also been some published reports that golf cars are restricted to use on roadways where the speed limit is 35 mph or less. This is not true. A golf car is a licensed motor vehicle which must be operated by a licensed driver and as such it can be legally driven on any street where it can keep up with the flow of traffic. If you are travelling well below the speed limit, you could be cited for impeding the flow of traffic.

    When driving a golf car on a street where the shoulder of the road is indicated by white painted line, the proper procedure is to travel in the traffic lane to the left of the line. When traffic begins to back up behind you, pull to the right of the line, stop and let the traffic pass, move back into the traffic lane and proceed. Always make sure you clearly signal your turns and lane changes. Again, if you fail to pull over and let vehicles pass, you could be cited for impeding the flow of traffic.

    The Sheriff's Posse of Sun City is an all volunteer organization formed in 1973 to serve the residents of Sun City. We receive no financial support of any kind from any government source. Our only funding comes from the gratitude and generosity of our Sun City neighbors. If you would like to know more about us, or are interested in joining us, call our office at 623-972-2555 or visit our website www.suncityposse.org.

    Art Jenkins
    Commander
    Sheriff's Posse of Sun City
     
  7. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    While I deeply appreciate your willingness to engage in this discussion Art, this is one topic that frankly enrages me. I find it interesting the sudden spurt of "expert opinions" relative to how and why the white lines came to be and what they mean. The reality is, most are speculation and conjecture.

    I'll try and be objective here, but when you tell little old Ma Kettle to move out into the flow of traffic while doing 14 miles an hour in her 1963 three wheel T-bird golf car, I find it utter and complete nonsense. But wait; you make it far safer by telling her it's illegal to drive within those white lines but feel free to pull into them and stop every time some maniac doing 40 near on rear ends her. Too bad they took down the old King's Inn; at least if that was still up she could have spent the night there before her trip home from Fry's (God knows she would have never made it there in the same day in the middle of January when our roads are jammed).

    There's more: In 2007 I stood with the Maricopa traffic controller (Nicholas Schwartz?) while those white lines were painted on Boswell. Gary Bourne (deceased) was instrumental in getting them done and it was plain and simply about golf car safety. Boswell was often one of those wide streets where people felt compelled to pass on the inside or drive on or very near the sidewalk. You are right about this; putting those lines on Boswell was intended to keep car traffic contained into single lanes going each way.

    Here's where we flat out disagree: For 6 years golf cars have driven inside the white lines (from the day they were first striped). No question there are no laws saying they could, but the simple truth is (other than for a one week period a few years back) golf cars have been able to drive in them with zero worries of being ticketed. I guess you could tell me a Maricopa County Sheriff never saw them, but we both know that is 100% not the case. They elected not to go after golf car drivers.

    It get's worse though Art. My golf car does 29 miles an hour. If I read your comments correctly, you are suggesting that as I drive down 103rd Street towards Grand Ave I should pull over and stop so cars wanting to get by me (even though i'm going faster than the posted limit) can pass me. Really...and if I don't, I may well get tagged? Huh?

    Here's how simple this all is to me: From day one, Sun City was built as a golf car community. Streets were made wider on purpose. There's more than enough room for all of us. What there's not room for is a lack of tolerance or worse yet a disdain for those of us who elect to drive golf cars. I find the current attitude coming from a couple of organizations troubling (SCHOA and the POSSE). Those of us driving golf cars aren't the problem. Most of us just want to feel safe when we get in them but when you tell me and countless others to drive in the flow of car traffic, you insure some jerk in a hurry will try to run me off the road (something that has happened all too many times already).

    There are clearly answers to these problems that make perfect sense...unfortunately pushing golf cars into the middle of the road isn't one of them.
     
  8. SCPossecmdr

    SCPossecmdr New Member

    Bill
    If you will re-read my post, you will see that I am not expressing my opinion, I am just stating facts. Unfortunately, my current position precludes me from stating my opinion on this matter. Do I make my point ? (my personal golf car goes 18 mph)
     
  9. bmac007

    bmac007 Member

    Art,
    Thanks so much for coming on the site and stating these facts... That is what is great about this site as everyone can give their opinions and also I would think it's important to you and the Posse to hear them so maybe things can be changed to what makes sense to Sun City residents like in the case of the golf carts being tagged.. I understand you don't want to give your opinion as your position has to state the facts but all the residents of Sun City only care about is safety and it might make more sense to encourage designated lanes for the golf cars and promote golf car safety. I think everyone is in agreement that it's so great your on this site and representing the Posse and to give the updates and facts on what's going on.... I can only imagine the opinions given (right or wrong) will only help the Posse be the best it can be... :D
     
  10. BPearson

    BPearson Well-Known Member

    I do read you Art. The problem is we are stuck on the "facts" and common sense seems to be lost. We were both in the same meeting at SCHOA and I left totally frustrated by this sudden decision to start forcing golf cars into the flow of traffic. The challenge has been we lived for years with being able to drive inside those white lines and now someone, somewhere has decided that is no longer the case. I know its not the POSSE and that your hands are tied but the net is we now have a fairly unrealistic solution that will only make matters worse.

    Back in 2007 when we struck this deal with the county, it wasn't what we were looking for but it was far better than the 4 lane freeway that some Sun City residents saw Boswell to be. Like I said at the meeting, I could live without the white lines, but if that's the case on the wider streets we need to create that center lane so as to prevent people from passing on sidewalks.

    I know there has been a spike in golf car accidents and that is troublesome to all of us. This issue needs to get some serious attention and in fairly quick order. I've lived in Sun City for 10 years now and probably log as many or more golf car miles than most. I had an electric cart that could do 35 miles an hour and even when moving quickly I found people were trying to run me off the road.

    In October of last year I bought the new EZGO gas cart and set it at 29 miles an hour. Within the first three weeks of purchase, I was driving down 103rd and pulled inside the white lines so a car moving quite fast could pass. He got by and with 30 feet to the corner at Cameo he snapped a right turn with no signal and no brake lights. I dumped the car, did several thousand dollars worth of damage and injured my shoulder. I'm convinced it was intentional and the driver of the new red truck sped off as I lay sprawled in the street. This is the kind of crap that golf car drivers put up with all the time. Thankfully the outcomes aren't always this ugly.

    You know I have enormous respect for the POSSE and the work you guys do. Same goes for SCHOA but this latest round of ticketing has painted all of us into a corner. I know what the law says about the white lines. I also know for years we were allowed to drive in them; the Sheriff's department turned a blind eye. It is imperative we get consensus on how to handle this and what makes the most sense.

    Not trying to be stubborn on this but every time I get in my golf car I wonder if I'll get into a scrape with an angry driver who wants me to get out of his way. In the end, it still comes down to finding ways to keep our residents safe.
     

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