Obviously, the law is not being

enforced, so why is there such an uproar? Ignore the law. The kids don't

care, the parents don't care and the police don't care.

The kids don't want to be subjected

to the cruel and unusual punishment of walking or, God forbid, the lifelong

emotional scars of riding a school bus. The parents don't want to confront

their children with the foreign and uncomfortable concept that laws are

made for the safety of everyone and are to be obeyed by everyone. The

police explain that finding someone breaking the law by underage/unlicensed

driving of a golf cart would tie up the officer's time for hours.

I have read the numerous rationalizations

for allowing unlicensed (hence, uninstructed) children to drive golf carts.

"It is a good way for Billy to get a feel for driving before putting

him behind the wheel of a car." "It is a rite of passage."

"It is a way of rewarding him." "It is so much more convenient

than driving him myself."

So why should we interfere

with this system of reward and training? Better yet, why don't we extend

this method to other facets of growing up? When Billy is 12 or 14, get

him a bottle of Jack Daniels and a gun. After all, he has to learn how

to handle both of them and we may as well use the old sink or swim method;

it works with golf carts.

I realize that the police are

busy, but isn't my safety on the paths as important as ticketing someone

for doing 45 in a 35 zone? A 15 mph golf cart flying around the corner

on the wrong side of the road is as lethal as a Honda Civic (adults, that

goes for you, too).

Can't the police force utilize

trainees to spend an occasional day doing plain clothes duty on the paths?

Can't they pull the carts over, remove the keys and tell the kids their

parents can pick up the keys at the same police station where the fine

is paid? A few fines would get the parents' attention. Penalizing the

children would soon get everyone's attention.

How about if the offenders

have to wait until they are 17 to get a driver's license? It's not a law,

but maybe someday it will be. In the meantime, I will sit in my window

and watch my neighbor take her cart to the pool, with her 5-year-old on

her lap and behind the wheel.

Richard Appelhans

Peachtree City