Golf carts called 'plague' as neighborhoods clash over growing trend in America

Spotted these days on everything from quiet cul-de-sacs to bustling main streets, golf carts are no longer just for the fairway. They're now street legal in many communities as families ditch their minivans and SUVs to run quick errands or ramble around town.

While four-wheeled carts are changing the way small towns move, not everyone is on board with the craze. In the "r/nashville" Reddit forum, one user recently asked, "When did we decide golf carts were fine for the roads?"

"This sounds like a 'rich side of town' problem," commented another user.

"When wealthy people started to consider them fashionable," said a different user.

One Redditor wrote, "They are a plague in my neighborhood."

A user on a different Reddit forum, "r/homeowners," asked, "What's the deal with golf carts and UTVs (utility task vehicle)?"

The person shared that his or her neighborhood has changed over the years and said that it's "now starting to get what I would call more 'suburban' people."

The post continued, "I'm not judging. I just don't understand it. We don't have a golf course anywhere nearby. I feel like this is something that is maybe more common in the further-out suburbs."

It went on, "I'll often see them driving through the neighborhood or even on the larger streets nearby where the speed limit is 40mph. Sometimes it's teens/tweens driving them. Is this a common trend?" 

Another user asked, "Maybe it's becoming like a status symbol?"

A different person defended the use of the carts.

The public service announcement on its X account read, "If you own a golf cart in #GreenvilleSC, a new state law is in effect. Registration, driver requirements and usage rules have been updated."

Greenville isn't alone in aiming to manage the rise of golf cart traffic. 

In Peach Tree, Georgia - a city of just over 38,000 residents - more than 11,000 golf carts are registered, according to the town's website.

Golf carts and go-karts caused 50 traffic crashes, resulting in three deaths in Michigan in 2023, according to the state's Traffic Crash Reporting System.

Various counties in Michigan have enacted ordinances and implemented public laws to ensure the safety of people riding in carts.

The state does not allow operation 30 minutes before sunset or 30 minutes after sunrise, for example. Also, drivers should not weave through traffic. 

Carts are also not allowed to be driven on sidewalks.