A Warrenton man has taken issue with city ordinances that effectively bans golf carts and similar “low-speed vehicles” on city streets, without making that prohibition clear to the public.

“I bought a golf cart some time ago. I had done research prior to that to make sure ... if there were any city ordinances that prevented me from driving it here,” resident Kenny Ruth explained to the city’s board of aldermen during an Oct. 17 meeting. 

Having found no outright ban, Ruth bought a cart that otherwise conformed to state law regulating low-speed vehicles on public roads. Then, while driving the vehicle, Ruth said he was stopped by a Warrenton police officer, who politely told him he couldn’t drive the vehicle on city streets.

City attorney Chris Graville tried to explain the confusion.

“There is not an ordinance that specifically says you cannot drive on city streets a golf cart or low-speed vehicle,” Graville said. “Somewhat incongruent, any motorized vehicle of any type, which includes a golf cart, is required to have all the state licenses and inspections and safety features required under state law.”

Graville said since golf carts realistically can’t meet all the requirements of a car, the city ordinance is ambiguous about whether that type of vehicle is actually allowed.

Several aldermen advocated for explicitly allowing low-speed vehicles on some streets.

“Right now, you really do have an ordinance that bans it,” said Ward 2 Alderman Gary Auch. “If he or anybody gets pulled over in a low-speed vehicle, they’re going to get a ticket for not having registered, which he can’t do. He’s going to get a ticket for not having a safety inspection, which he can’t do.”

Alderman Greg Costello, Ward 1, said the city ought to open its mind to alternative forms of transportation. He said low-speed vehicles should be allowed on all city streets with lower speed limits. 

But even if the city doesn’t loosen restrictions, Costello said the law needs to be more clear so people don’t accidentally buy a golf cart and then find out they can’t use it.

Police Chief Larry Ellard cautioned that there could be safety concerns if golf carts are allowed places they weren’t before. Even carts that have some safety features, such as seat belts, are normally only facing other vehicles of the same size, he said.

“Even allowing, in my opinion, one of these vehicles to operate in an area where three-quarter ton, half-ton trucks are being backed out of parking spaces ... I can’t say that it would fare too well in a collision, even a low-speed collision.”

Aldermen replied that some street-legal vehicles, such as smart cars or motorcycles, wouldn’t fare well in a collision, either. Even bicycles are allowed to be ridden on public streets.

“I understand your concerns about public safety, but we all are responsible for ourselves to a large degree,” Costello said. “I just think we need some consistency.”