Crosswalks are for people — not golf carts
By PHYLLIS HODGES
The golf cart privileges enjoyed in the Sun City Center area are pretty nice … and they are privileges, not rights. Unfortunately, some golf cart drivers are endangering that privilege — some because they are simply confused about safe driving practices and some simply don’t care.
BILL HODGES PHOTO
Sam Sudman, left, serves as the SCC Community Association liaison for government affairs. He is hopeful that these new signs Hillsborough County installed at crosswalks will remind golf cart drivers that they must stay on the street. Jeff Merry, HC Sherriff’s deputy emphasizes that carts on pedestrian crosswalks is illegal and endangers the cart driver and others.
The specific infraction being addressed at the moment is golf carts in pedestrian crosswalks. Jeff Merry, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy for this area, emphasizes that this is illegal and dangerous. The law is pretty clear on this: No person shall drive any vehicle, other than by human power, upon a bicycle path, sidewalk or sidewalk area. (Crosswalks are extensions of sidewalks.) Merry cites the extreme example of a golf cart attempting to cross U.S. 301 using the crosswalk to get to Wawa.
State Road 674 through Sun City Center has four intersections that are legal cart crossings (Pebble Beach, Trinity Lakes, Valley Forge/Kings and El Rancho). Those intersections also have pedestrian crosswalks and a signal button, which indicates when it is safe to cross. Some cart drivers are diverting from the street to push the pedestrian walk signal, not realizing that the lights on S.R. 674 will change just as fast if they remain legally in the vehicle traffic. The golf cart’s weight (just as with other vehicles) initiates a signal that interrupts the timed S.R. 674 traffic lights. Pressing the pedestrian button does not speed up that interruption, according to Sam Sudman, the SCC Community Association go-to guy for SCC issues that involve the county or state.
This golf cart handbook is available at the SCC Chamber of Commerce.
With a growing number of infractions reported that endanger both the safety of residents and the area’s golf cart privileges, Sudman has reached out to the Hillsborough County Public Works Department and Florida Department of Transportation for support and suggestions. “They have been very cooperative,” he said. “Two very recent examples are the re-timing of the traffic signals along S.R. 674 between 21st Street and U.S. 301 and the installation of signage at authorized-crossing intersections to alert golf cart drivers that crossing S.R. 674 in pedestrian crosswalks is prohibited.”
The county applauds the Sun City Center Chamber of Commerce for publishing the Greater Sun City Center Golf Cart Drivers Handbook and recommends that an effort be made to make all drivers aware of its existence. It outlines the “rules of the road” clearly, provides lots of information about golf carts and includes a very nice map showing golf cart paths and legal crossings. Copies are available at the SCC Chamber of Commerce, 1651 Sun City Center Plaza. Call 813-634-5111 for more information.
Sudman encourages any resident who has an issue that involves the state or county to contact him at msudman@tampabay.rr.com