FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) - The Fort Madison City Council has decided that golf carts aren’t suitable for city streets.
The council voted 5-2 on Tuesday night against an ordinance that would have allowed the carts on streets in the southeast Iowa city, according to the Burlington Hawk Eye (https://bit.ly/P5CUq2 ).
Residents had asked officials to consider the change, and at an earlier hearing had presented a petition signed by 120 people in favor of the move.
But on Tuesday, most residents opposed the proposal and gave the council a petition signed by more than 700 people opposed to cars on city streets.
“A campground with a 10 mph speed limit is the proper place for golf carts, not the streets of Fort Madison,” said Fort Madison resident Jim Posz, noting his mother owns a golf cart.
Council member Brian Wright said he decided to oppose the proposed ordinance after talking with Iowa Department of Transportation officials about the matter. For Wright, the issue came down to safety.
“There’s a reason why Iowa Department of Transportation doesn’t register them,” he said. “If you strike them with a car, accidents are more likely to be fatal.”
Truck driver Mike Pulis told the council he worries what would happen if his truck collided with a cart. He feared such a crash would be deadly.
“My conscience would bother me if I didn’t come and say something tonight,” he said. “If my bumper hits a golf cart, you’ve got a fatality on your hands.”
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Information from: The Hawk Eye, https://www.thehawkeye.com
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