Golf Carts in Tulsa

[mrB]

Similar thread over in the Forum Chat area!

Mini Trucks?

quote:
Here's the info on the OK Senate Bill

SB1998 || 2/4/2008 || Motor vehicles; providing for registration and operation of imported mini-trucks. || Effective date. || Schulz(S), Armes(H)
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2007-08SB/SB1998_int.rtf

==========================

STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 51st Legislature (2008)
SENATE BILL 1998 By: Schulz
AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to motor vehicles; amending 47 O.S. 2001, Sections 1102, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 177, O.S.L. 2007 and 1105, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter 202, O.S.L. 2007 (47 O.S. Supp. 2007, Sections 1102 and 1105), which relate to definitions and motor vehicle registration; defining term; limiting applicability of certain registration requirements; providing for registration of imported mini-trucks; providing for certain operation of imported mini-trucks; providing for codification; and providing an effective date.
...

11. "Imported mini-truck" means a foreign manufactured import vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine with a piston or rotor displacement of six hundred sixty cubic centimeters (660 cu cm) or less, which is sixty (60) inches or less in width, with an unladen dry weight of one thousand six hundred (1,600) pounds or less, traveling on four (4) or more tires, having a top speed of approximately fifty-five (55) miles per hour, equipped with a bed or compartment for hauling, and having an enclosed passenger cab;
...

SECTION 4. This act shall become effective November 1, 2008.

==========================

[Ed W]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

While running your stats, how many traffic related fatalities were pedestrians or bicyclists?  

I think the NHTSA attributes the most motor vehicle fatalities for 2 categories: excessive speed and alcohol.

They use the quaint term "pedalcyclists" for bicycle riders.  About 800 per year die on the roads, and if I recall right, about 42,000 motorists do also.  It's difficult to compare them on a per capita basis since there are no hard figures on the number of cyclists.  When they're compared on a per mile basis, driving appears to be much safer.  But the most rational comparison I've seen is on a per hour of exposure basis.  Cycling (as opposed to driving) was less likely to result in a fatality or injury, and both of them were far less dangerous than motorcycling.

The most dangerous activity was skydiving.  I'll try to find that statistics site again.  

Finally, I believe Claremore permits golf carts on streets with speed limits of 25mph or less.  A disabled guy was using one to get to work when the Claremore PD cited him for CROSSING a street with a higher speed limit.

[patric]

quote:They use the quaint term "pedalcyclists" for bicycle riders.  About 800 per year die on the roads, and if I recall right, about 42,000 motorists do also.

I guess the logic here points to -- if you want to survive being hit by a tank make sure you are also driving a tank -- but that's one reason we  got into the SUV mess in the first place.

quote:The most dangerous activity was skydiving.

 Im going to resist the temptation to try that next grocery trip (moreso than I resisted the temptation to have fun with that at someone's expense).

Maybe (for the purposes of a new ordinance) vehicle classifications should lean more towards speed capability and crash-worthiness than whether they are electric, use a chainsaw motor, etc.

I would also be a little more excited about having electric carts for getting around the neighborhood than I would having 2-cycle gasoline engines with little or no emission control all over town.  Golf carts are just a start, but they are available now.

[Double A]

Tiger Trucks



Made In Oklahoma

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

Tiger Trucks

These might have a place not too far down the road (and they have their own thread on TulsaNow at http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10815 )
but I dont think they would be classified as either golf carts or personal electric vehicles.

[Conan71]

I'm getting ready to go see one of my biker buddies in the hospital who got run off the road by a car Friday night near 31st & Memorial.  The driver of the car left the scene.  I'm willing to bet he/she was drunk.  If anyone happened to witness it, I'd love to help the police track down the POS who did it.

A lot of motorcycle accidents happen due to other's inattentive driving.  It's going to get worse as we see more scooters and other two-wheelers on the road unless drivers become more vigilant.

Best piece of advice I was ever given when I started riding on the street many years ago was: "Ride like you are invisible."  That's kept me out of a lot of scrapes so far.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

A lot of motorcycle accidents happen due to other's inattentive driving.  It's going to get worse as we see more scooters and other two-wheelers on the road unless drivers become more vigilant.

I would agree, and probably to the point of saying  that most cycle accidents are the fault inattentive car drivers, but it's not enough of a "crisis" to have some special interest group fund an enforcement "event".
Regardless, the amount of gas guzzlers on the city streets will continue to lessen in favor of pedestrians, bicyclists and smaller vehicles, and we can either adapt or fail.

[Ed W]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71



Best piece of advice I was ever given when I started riding on the street many years ago was: "Ride like you are invisible."  That's kept me out of a lot of scrapes so far.

I really hate that gratuitous bit of advice, and I've received it both about bicycling and motorcycling.  If we really heeded it, we'd dodge off the road at every intersection in order to avoid all those motorists who couldn't see us.  Instead, let's teach two wheeled drivers to be visible by riding where motorists are looking.  Let's teach them to ride in the left hand tire track so they're more in line with a motorist's view and they'll have more maneuvering room if somebody screws up.  

Finally, I said that I'd find that statistics page.  Here it is:

LINK

[Red Arrow]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

quote:Originally posted by Conan71



Best piece of advice I was ever given when I started riding on the street many years ago was: "Ride like you are invisible."  That's kept me out of a lot of scrapes so far.

I really hate that gratuitous bit of advice, and I've received it both about bicycling and motorcycling.  If we really heeded it, we'd dodge off the road at every intersection in order to avoid all those motorists who couldn't see us.  Instead, let's teach two wheeled drivers to be visible by riding where motorists are looking.  Let's teach them to ride in the left hand tire track so they're more in line with a motorist's view and they'll have more maneuvering room if somebody screws up.  

Finally, I said that I'd find that statistics page.  Here it is:

LINK

Make yourself a visible as possible but to deny that many motorists won't see you is not going to keep you from getting hurt, gratuitous advice or not.  At least one of my friends on a motorcycle lost a foot since a motorist didn't see him.  My friend was doing everything right, headlight on, obeying the speed limit and so forth but he is still the one who lost his foot.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

quote:Originally posted by Conan71



Best piece of advice I was ever given when I started riding on the street many years ago was: "Ride like you are invisible."  That's kept me out of a lot of scrapes so far.

I really hate that gratuitous bit of advice, and I've received it both about bicycling and motorcycling.  If we really heeded it, we'd dodge off the road at every intersection in order to avoid all those motorists who couldn't see us.  Instead, let's teach two wheeled drivers to be visible by riding where motorists are looking.  Let's teach them to ride in the left hand tire track so they're more in line with a motorist's view and they'll have more maneuvering room if somebody screws up.  

Finally, I said that I'd find that statistics page.  Here it is:

LINK

Ed,

This actually came about when I was working at a motorcycle shop while going to college.  One of our customers rode about 15,000 to 20,000 miles per year.  I don't know if he even owned a car.  I asked Dave how he'd kept from having any accidents and he replied:

"I ride like I'm invisible."

I said: "Oh you mean you ride stoned?"

"No, make yourself visible as possible but don't assume everyone can or will see you.  Pretty hard to see a motorcycle when your head is up your donkey!"

It doesn't make me paranoid, but it does keep my watch much more vigilant, I rely a lot on my peripheral vision, and pay attention to much more than the car in front of me.  One habit I have, and it carries over to when I'm driving, is if I see a car at an intersecting stop sign, I'm prepared to brake until I can see them look in my direction.  I also anticipate even the slightest vehicle movement and I do slow down for most arterial intersections as everyone is in such a damn hurry these days.

There's a lot of people willing to take stupid chances at the expense of others.  I'm soley responsible for my safety whether I'm in my truck or on my bicycle or motorcycle.  Cliche phrases or not. []

[bbriscoe]

quote:Originally posted by patric


...but for every bicycle, motorcycle, 3-wheeler or golf cart on the road that's one less motor vehicle.

Well it might only be 1/2 of a motor vehicle less on the road, or even 1/3 less for every additional bicycle or scooter, instead of one less.  Contrary to politically correct steriotypes, some people actually car-pool in their SUVs.

[Chris]

quote:Originally posted by bbriscoe



Contrary to politically correct steriotypes, some people actually car-pool in their SUVs.

Very few.

[joiei]

If you want to investigate what a community is like that allows golf carts then check out Peachtree City, Georgia.  They have very strict laws and regulations concerning the use of golf carts and have a lot of citizens who do use the carts for getting around town.  

I think Tulsa is too car centric and too large.  I mean, how big is Hobart?  Have you ever been there, I have.  It would be much easier to control the golf cart use there than here where you have multiple communities interconnected and making the use allowable in all the government entities a major headache.  

If you build a private gated community, I worked at a couple of different ones in Florida, where golf cart use was allowed on the roadways then that community could control the use of the carts behind its gate but would have no ability to allow use beyond the gate onto public roads.