Wednesday, April 21, 2004

PTC police, patrol cart paths

It appears we will soon have our privileged golf cart law back in place, and I have a few requests.

Parents of non-licensed drivers (and I include myself), please see that your kids know the rules and be honest with yourself about whether your child is responsible enough to take care around pedestrians and fellow drivers. Please do your job of parenting by removing the privilege of driving if your child is caught driving unsafely.

Parents of kids under the age of 12, please make your child wait until it is legal for him to drive. I am a jogger and have been put at risk by more than one young child steering from Daddy’s lap. Surely fathers can find some way to spend time with kids that does not involve breaking the law. You are setting us all up for future problems if you teach your child the law does not have to be followed.

Finally, Peachtree City Police Department, please patrol the cart paths the way you did when the law was first changed, especially on the weekends and over summer break. We need to see you out there to prevent the problems I’ve listed above.

Personally, I was happy with only allowing licensed drivers to operate golf carts, but I do think allowing younger drivers can be successful, if we are mature and responsible enough citizens to respect the law.

Cynthia Smith

Peachtree City, Ga.