Aug. 13. By Dave Vieser. Summer is supposed to be slow and easy, but some Cornelius residents are speeding. “It just seems like everyone is in a hurry to get some place. Maybe we should just try and quit trying to get everywhere so fast,” Mayor Pro Tem Mike Miltich said at a Town Board meeting.

On Brinkley, residents have taken matters into their own hands, spray-painting “SLOW DOWN” in the middle of the road, just east of the Victoria Bay subdivision.

Police keep an eye on motorists traveling in and around town but they can’t be everywhere.

MILTICH

There are other dangers as well. Police say golf carts are being used like cars—sometimes on the road, sometimes on sidewalks.  A one-year-old was killed when a golf cart hit a pothole in Iredell County and overturned.

Golf cart use is regulated by state law, unless local jurisdictions choose to designate their town as a “golf cart community.” In most cases, these are resort or vacation towns, such as Bald Head Island, a small and remote island off the east coast of North Carolina only accessible by ferry. Bald Head Island has very few automobiles so their primary form of transportation for residents is by golf cart.

In Cornelius, if a golf cart is on a public street or highway it has to be properly registered with the state and can only be driven on roads with the speed limit of 35 mph or less according to Kristen Pond, spokeswoman for the Cornelius Police Dept.

“Essentially, it needs to meet NCDMV standards and have a license plate.  If you fail to do so by not registering the golf cart, the golf cart driver is subject to be cited with state citations and the vehicle can be impounded,” she said.

They don’t belong on sidewalks either. “While there is not a town ordinance regarding a golf cart being operated on a sidewalk, we would suggest against that as sidewalks are designed for walkers/runners and not for vehicles,” Pond said.

Here are some safety tips:

• Keep your windshield clean. Dirt and streaks are especially pronounced under strong light.
• Flip flops are fine for the beach, but not for driving. Straps and flimsy soles can easily get caught under the pedals.
• Avoid distractions. For parents, that can be children in the backseat who are arguing with each other or using mobile devices.
• Don’t use a cellphone behind the wheel. If you have to make a call or send a text, find a safe place to pull over.
• Turn on your headlights during twilight hours. That’ll make it easier for other drivers to see you.
• Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip.
• Obey posted speed limits. Go slower around pedestrians and children.
• And, if you’re traveling with tots in the back seat, make sure to take them inside with you. The summer heat is deadly.