DetN Hypes Golf Carts, Forgets Safety
The other day, we caught– but didn't have time to blog– a story about golf cart safety from the Associated Press. "The Ohio report, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, said about 148,000 people have been treated for injuries related to golf carts since 1990. The UAB [University of Alabama] found there were some 48,255 golf-cart related injuries between 2002 and 2005 alone, or an average of about 1,000 each month." Bone fractures and head injuries were among the most common injuries. And, here's the kicker: "About half of the injuries occurred on golf courses or in other sports venues, such as football stadiums. The rest were on streets or residential property." So when I read an article in this morning's Detroit News about an entrepreneur hawking golf carts to beat gas prices, I was sure they'd mention the potentially lethal downside. Nope. "The cart, he said, is not only cheaper but fun to drive too. Now he's making plans to furnish similarly "pimped out" carts to others who want to cut their gasoline bills. Auld is working with a golf cart manufacturer to make and sell the street-legal vehicles to the public, starting next month." Donorcarts? [Note to Jennifer Youssef: Google is your friend.]
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I'm guessing half those injuries at the country clubs were from bored caddys and valet parkers, speaking from experience ages 17-24 as a valet. Put those things in neutral down a steep grade with a sharp turn at the end... My last year there I took a 17-year-old caddy to the hospital after he rolled the gas "club tow" cart 5 times... broke both his wrist, at least not his neck.
My 65 year old Dad just brought a street legal mini dune buggy as his daily driver and sold his old vehicle. Has plates, tags, everything. 5 point harness and a roll cage so it is safer than a motorcycle or a golf cart. It goes 50mph so he doesn't drive it on the freeway. The freakin' thing is getting 88 MPG. 88! He is like a celebrity too, everyone asks him about the thing. He is conscious about theft and safety. Now I do worry about him surviving an accident with a truck, but he is definitely more safe on it than the millions who drive a motorcycle.
Would it not have been more humane for Mr. Auld to have had a vasectomy rather than trying to kill his children this way?
That's right - the world is out to get you. Better stay home.