Published: July 26, 2008 01:50 am      

Jeff councilman searching for a fair way to use golf carts?

Mike Smith has plans for his golf cart.

Orange paint, alloy rims and perhaps even a chrome exhaust pipe could be in the works.

“It’s going to be a ride,” the Jeffersonville city councilman said.

That’s in advance of an ordinance Smith plans to introduce that will allow golf carts on Jeffersonville’s city streets. He said it’s a measure that would help residents save on the cost of gas.

However, there may be some legal issues to clear up first.

Smith’s already written a draft version of the ordinance that calls for the carts to be allowed on city streets with a speed limit under 30 mph. Under the proposal, drivers would need a valid license and insurance. Carts would have to be equipped with seatbelts, turn signals, brake lights, horns and windshields.

“In my [downtown] district you can do a lot of things (on a golf cart) — you can go to the grocery store, you can go to the hardware store, you can go to Warder Park, you can go to RiverStage.”

He said since bringing the idea up Monday night during a meeting of the Jeffersonville City Council, the response from fellow members has been positive.

“The majority of them want to do it in their districts,” he said.

Mayor Tom Galligan believes it would be a good idea, as well. The problem, he said, is that they’re not accepted street vehicles in the state of Indiana. The mayor recently attended a roundtable discussion with other city leaders and the topic was discussed.

“One (mayor) had done it and the state police came in and ticketed everybody,” he said. “Other than that little glitch, I think it will be fine.”

Even if the city were to declare golf carts legal, local and state police could ticket drivers, said Sgt. Jerry Goodin of the Indiana State Police.

A similar law was passed in the city of Lebanon and a traffic ticket was taken to court.

“Our charge was upheld,” Goodin said.

The problem is that Indiana considers golf carts to be vehicles, which have to be registered. And you can’t register a golf cart.

The proposal doesn’t have the support of local police either. Jeffersonville Police Chief Tim Deeringer said he’d worry about children driving around in them. Even with all the safety regulations, “it’s still a golf cart,” he said.

Such an initiative would not only make the city a “greener” place — as most golf carts are electric — but would also facilitate a way for residents to reduce the amount they have to pay for gas, Galligan said.

He recommends talking to state legislators about changing the Indiana law.