If Deborah Connell had her way, the city’s golf cart paths would have speed bumps to slow down speeding drivers.

Connell submitted her question at the Peachtree City Town Hall meeting on Tuesday. When Peachtree City mayor Harold Logsdon was asked if the city would install speed bumps on its cart paths, he responded, “It’s not likely we will be putting speed bumps on our golf cart paths.”

Logsdon’s response elicited laughter and applause from the standing-room-only crowd.

Connell wasn’t amused.

“This is not a laughing matter,” Connell said.

Logsdon does, however, approve of one solution that he feels could address problems on the city’s golf cart paths: adding a full-time police officer to specifically patrol Peachtree City’s golf cart paths.

“We’ll do everything we can to afford that position,” Logsdon said.

Connell feels hiring a police officer wouldn’t help alleviate the problem.

“I don’t want to tie a policeman to that,” Connell said. “They have other things to address.”

According to Betsy Tyler, public information director for Peachtree City, Connell, who lives in the Braelinn Green Subdivision in Peachtree City, has had a fence on her property damaged by golf carts trying to maneuver the turn by her property. Connell claims there is a blind curve where the damage has occurred, so public works has been scheduled to examine the problem, Tyler said.

Tyler said that Connell’s idea, to install speed bumps on the golf cart paths, would be too dangerous for golf carts and bicycles and could lead to costly lawsuits.

“The problem is, speed bumps can cause golf carts and bicycles to topple,” Tyler said. “It would be a huge liability issue for the city. Also, golf cart manufacturers don’t recommend putting seat belts in golf carts because carts aren’t built to roll. If a cart rolls, it’s better to fall out than get stuck in the cart.”

Tyler’s solution to prevent accidents on the golf cart paths is simple.

“My main personal suggestion is to slow down,” Tyler said. “My car can go 120 mph. Golf carts can go 19 to 20 mph. It’s unnecessary to reach the top speed in both vehicles.

“The golf cart paths are very curvy, and sometimes it can be hard to see. There are many reasons to slow down and be careful.”

Frank Kadkhodaian, president of Golf Rider Inc. in Peachtree City, also feels that citizens must driving slower on the city’s golf cart paths.

“If people drive the standard speed, under 20 mph, there are not going to be any problems,” Kadkhodaian said. “It’s not necessary to go over the speed limit.”

login to post comments