# Legal age to drive a go cart on apublic road.



## multibeard

We have an 11 year old that is tearing up the roads with a Go Cart. His dad claims that it l is legal. The Deputy Sherriff I talked to today said that he needs to be 16. This is in Montcalm county where it is legal to run them on the roads if of legal age.

Who is right?


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## Petronius

It is legal for golf carts in communities that allow it, but since when are go carts allowed on public roads? I thought that any vehicle other that golf carts had to be titled, registered, and insured for on-road use.

I would contact the state police at this number 517-332-2521 or submit your question through the electronic form on this state police site. http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,4643,7-123-1579_1656-330194--,00.html


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## Big Frank 25

ATV http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-324-81129


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## Thirty pointer

Check the penalties for knowingly letting a minor drive an atv on a public road and being injured or killed .You may be subject to severe charges .


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## multibeard

Thanks Big Frank!!

That is exactly what I needed. I had the kids dad after me last night when I confronted the kid. I took the key out of the GOKART and the guy was saying he was going to charge me with assault. I did give it back to him long before his dad showed up. He kept saying that it was legal for his little kid to ride on the roads. I told him it was if he made up his own laws.

Edit--- After reading the law over again GoKarts are not mentioned so what are they classified as?

Another stupid loop hole in our laws.

Edit Montcalm county what a CF. I talked to a Leo at the number Petronius supplied. He suggested I talk to the Pros. Attorney for his opinion as they are the final decision makers. PA office after going around in circles would not offer any opinion. Said go to Sherriff, Round in Circles again and never did get to talk to any one their.


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## Far Beyond Driven

Why would you want to allow your kids on poublic roads on a go-kart anyway? Sounds like a piece of work you're dealing with. Neighbor used to use a gator when she could have walked. She's dead now and the 17 year old down the road gets to drive past the cross marking where he hit her every day...


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## multibeard

We have some real cases around here. Young kids driving golf carts, utility vehicles, quads you name it. NO adults in sight. Trying to get a cop out here is worse than pulling teeth. A few years ago I had a state cop stand on my porch tell me that he was not supposed to be even patrolling out here. Told him that he just drove in on a county road. Even though we had a private lake and parks the properties were no different than down town Howard City. He said that idea came out of the county.

I called 911 last night trying to get a deputy. Howard City partnered up with the Montcalm Sherriff's dept. and shut down their dept. I was told that the deputy was assigned to be in the township next to us for his shift which is the one HC is in. Our problems are only a mile out side of the township he is assigned to patrol but I guess our taxes do not count. 

As hard as I tried I could not get to talk to any one in the Sherriff's department today. I sure love the automatic answering systems that keep running you around in circles so you finally give up.


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## Boardman Brookies

multibeard said:


> We have some real cases around here. Young kids driving golf carts, utility vehicles, quads you name it. NO adults in sight. Trying to get a cop out here is worse than pulling teeth. A few years ago I had a state cop stand on my porch tell me that he was not supposed to be even patrolling out here. Told him that he just drove in on a county road. Even though we had a private lake and parks the properties were no different than down town Howard City. He said that idea came out of the county.
> 
> I called 911 last night trying to get a deputy. Howard City partnered up with the Montcalm Sherriff's dept. and shut down their dept. I was told that the deputy was assigned to be in the township next to us for his shift which is the one HC is in. Our problems are only a mile out side of the township he is assigned to patrol but I guess our taxes do not count.
> 
> As hard as I tried I could not get to talk to any one in the Sherriff's department today. I sure love the automatic answering systems that keep running you around in circles so you finally give up.


Sounds like my sub. We have one family that rips it up with quads, dirt bikes , golf carts and snowmobiles right on the road. The kid is probably 12-13 and ofen rides without a helmet. Neighbors called the cops but nothing was done.


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## Barry McCockner

multibeard said:


> We have some real cases around here. Young kids driving golf carts, utility vehicles, quads you name it. NO adults in sight. Trying to get a cop out here is worse than pulling teeth. A few years ago I had a state cop stand on my porch tell me that he was not supposed to be even patrolling out here. Told him that he just drove in on a county road. Even though we had a private lake and parks the properties were no different than down town Howard City. He said that idea came out of the county.
> 
> I called 911 last night trying to get a deputy. Howard City partnered up with the Montcalm Sherriff's dept. and shut down their dept. I was told that the deputy was assigned to be in the township next to us for his shift which is the one HC is in. Our problems are only a mile out side of the township he is assigned to patrol but I guess our taxes do not count.
> 
> As hard as I tried I could not get to talk to any one in the Sherriff's department today. I sure love the automatic answering systems that keep running you around in circles so you finally give up.


You called *911 *about a kid driving a go-gart? I hope there were no real emergencies taking place during that time.

If the cops won't / don't want to do anything about the "go-cart kid", then let it go...is he really hurting you?

I'm not trying to make light of your frustration...just trying to suggest that in the big picture- this might be a minor thing- not worth getting upset about.

We were all 11 year old boys once- how [email protected] would it have been to be able to go fast on a cool go-cart?


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## ESOX

I remember back in the late 60's, early 70's a kid came down a driveway and stuffed his go cart under the car in front of us on M88. My Dad went to go help, came back shaken up, said there was nothing to do for that kid,.....


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## hillbillie

Barry McCockner said:


> You called *911 *about a kid driving a go-gart? I hope there were no real emergencies taking place during that time.
> 
> If the cops won't / don't want to do anything about the "go-cart kid", then let it go...is he really hurting you?
> 
> I'm not trying to make light of your frustration...just trying to suggest that in the big picture- this might be a minor thing- not worth getting upset about.
> 
> We were all 11 year old boys once- how [email protected] would it have been to be able to go fast on a cool go-cart?


It's all fun and games until little Johnny gets hurt . Then there's a go fund me page because good little Johnny's family can't afford the medical bills or final expenses.

Sent from my Torque using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Barry McCockner

I understand both previous posts...it sucks and it's sensless...but those kid's parents are responsible for thier well-being and actions- no one else.


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## Magnet

I prefer to avoid confrontation and therefore I have a tendency to keep my nose out of my neighbor's business, especially if it involves something petty (like kids being kids). If they were poaching, trespassing, murdering, raping, abusing kids, beating their spouse, cooking meth, selling drugs or practicing cannibalism, then I might be concerned enough to stick my nose in their business. Otherwise, not so much.

Just sayin'.


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## eyeball

I think your out of line on this one. Looks like an interpretation of the law to me. Pick your battles


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## multibeard

The stupid sss 11year old had just a few minutes earlier almost hit a car when he ran a stop sign.

I do not know if I made it clear in a previous post but you can not get through to any one at the Sherriff's department to make a non emergency call. What other means is there to get through than 911. I got run around and around in circles by the answering system this morning trying to get the rules on gokarts in the stupid law that was passed to allow quads etc to run on the road.

If you have a law it needs to be enforced or take it off the books. I was brought up to obay the law. It is to bad that so many these day that so many figure the law does not pertain the them just every one else.


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## hillbillie

multibeard said:


> The stupid sss 11year old had just a few minutes earlier almost hit a car when he ran a stop sign.
> 
> I do not know if I made it clear in a previous post but you can not get through to any one at the Sherriff's department to make a non emergency call. What other means is there to get through than 911. I got run around and around in circles by the answering system this morning trying to get the rules on gokarts in the stupid law that was passed to allow quads etc to run on the road.
> 
> If you have a law it needs to be enforced or take it off the books. I was brought up to obay the law. It is to bad that so many these day that so many figure the law does not pertain the them just every one else.


Our Twp. recently passed the same law allowing atvs, golf carts ,dirt bikes and other off road vehicles to travel our gravel roads. 
The Dnr was to get extra funding to enforce the rules pertaining to these off road vehicles.

Maybe you could call the rap line. I would go to your Twp. office and ask them for a copy of 
the rules,/laws and who is responsible for enforcing them.

If all fails you can rest assured you've done your due deligence and be guilt free if the kid gets hurt. 


Sent from my Torque using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## hillbillie

Multibeard
Hear is a link to your orv rules. Hope it helps.

http://www.montcalm.org/downloads/orv_ordinance_710.pdf


Edit: Lapeer co rules

http://www.lapeercountyweb.org/finance/ORV.pdf


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## multibeard

Thanks Hilllbillie I only glanced at a couple paragraphs but it is going to take a while to study it out.

Calling the rap line sounds like a good idea but getting a CO is not going to happen 99% of the time. Every one around here that tries to get a CO finds out that we share ONE CO with two other counties. He is always in another county. Not the CO's fault. Even if he is Montcalm, we are in the panhandle, 7 miles from the Newaygo/Montcalm line and maybe 4 miles from the north Montcalm line.

It is not the CO's fault but that is the way it is. Sure hope it is not long before we see more CO's from our license increase


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## hillbillie

Magnet said:


> I prefer to avoid confrontation and therefore I have a tendency to keep my nose out of my neighbor's business, especially if it involves something petty (like kids being kids). If they were poaching, trespassing, murdering, raping, abusing kids, beating their spouse, cooking meth, selling drugs or practicing cannibalism, then I might be concerned enough to stick my nose in their business. Otherwise, not so much.
> 
> Just sayin'.


At my place the orv traffic for the most part is done legally and respectful and I actually enjoy the golf cart and tractor parades 
But
When someone is doing donuts in the intersection causing ruts or otherwise tearing up the roads. I call that trespassing and vandalism of property that I pay taxes for.
When they're being reckless ,not following the laws and not properly insured. If hurt I call that poaching off the system resulting in my insurance rates to rise. There's a lot of folks drawing SSD and Medicaid because of bad decisions.

If they're not tearing up the roads I also mine my own business but don't ask for my help or place crosses and memorials on my property..


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## multibeard

As this is a county ordinance it is the duty of the Sherriff to enforce it. I will not be calling the rap line. Now all I have to do is find a direct line to Montcalm dispatch. LOL

I looked over the ordinance. A go cart does not meet the definition of an ORV in the ordinance Section 1 E due to it can not be driven cross county with out a trail. Flat out right there is it illegal to be on the roads. There are a few more places that show that the 11 year old can not be on the road. The main one is that he is not in direct eye contact with his dad.


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