Upper middle class folks in my urban neighborhood in my city are buying golf carts to zip around the city. Primarily it seems to be a way to surreptitiously drink and drive while having friends and family in tow. The owners/drivers are typically easily seen with a beer in hand. It seems to fall along racial lines as only white communities would be able to skirt DUI laws in such broad strokes.
Now I am in a city park and one of these assholes drove a golf cart 200 yards in on grass and dirt directly to park directly at the playground. This seems like a clear, “It’s only a problem when other people do it, I’m doing nothing wrong,” scenario. Fucking hate these golf carts, especially with the Kei car bans, but primarily because of how they are used and abused. I’m definitely a proponent of alternatives to cars, but this application ain’t it.
If street legal in your area, golf carts should be treated like any other small vehicle like a moped. Restrict it to 35 mph or lower roads, keep it out of bike lanes, register it if needed… the list goes on.
You mention PTC. There, they treat it like any other vehicle. You absolutely can get a DUI (and they love to hand them out). But PTC is a cart community and was born with those laws in place. In a more urban setting where carts are mixing with other light EVs, of course you should hold them to the same rules, but the laws haven’t been written yet.
Please don’t condemn an inexpensive, more sustainable mode of transportation just because a few douche-nozzles are trying to ruin it. A cart seats 4, runs off cheap rechargeables, has a small footprint and low wear and tear on our roads, is a neighborhood level form of transportation and is an attainable EV for anyone who wants to dip a toe in.
Driving across a park in your cart and tearing up the grass while being a tool should always end in a clothesline.
Edit: Sorry, I just realized I replied to the wrong person. We are arguing the same point. No animosity to you. Thumbs up.