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Man's plan for carts shoots a hole-in-one
Town passes new law allowing use on streets.
Hobart man's plan for carts shoots a hole-in-one

By Ron Jackson Comments 6
Published: July 31, 2008

HOBART — Horses might soon be strolling Oklahoma's downtown streets again if gasoline prices continue to soar. For now, at least one small town is turning to golf carts.

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Hobart's city council unanimously approved an ordinance this week that will allow licensed drivers to operate golf carts on city streets in order to combat rising gas prices. The ordinance — possibly the first of its kind in Oklahoma — will take effect in 30 days.

"I thought it was a pretty neat idea,” Hobart Police Chief Dale Uptergrove said Wednesday. "I don't think it will increase our workload all that much. There are probably some older folks in town who are on tight budgets that this might help.

"So I think it's a great idea.”

Retiree Kent Preston first pitched the idea to use electric-powered golf carts around Hobart to City Manager Wilt Brown. Preston stumbled onto the thought about a year ago when a close friend began to battle macular degeneration. He watched as driving became a serious issue.

"I thought a golf cart would be a good way to get around,” Preston said. "Then gas prices hit $4 a gallon. It just seemed to make sense for the older generation, and being that we live in a small enough town, it all seemed to fit.

"I thought Hobart would make a great golf cart community.”

Brown listened to the idea and smiled.

Details of law to come

Preston soon found himself standing before the city council with a written proposal for an ordinance — one that will now go into effect Aug. 31. The council will first fine-tune the ordinance Aug. 11, stipulating the requirements of the ordinance before citizens begin zipping around the downtown square.

Permits are expected to cost $10 per driver. Council members also are expected to require seat belts, limit usage to daytime hours and ban any carts from highways.

"This is a progressive move for Hobart,” said Stephen Boyd, director of the town's chamber of commerce.

"Our courthouse square downtown is quite beautiful, and a lot of our shops are located in that downtown district. Golf carts would fit in perfectly.”

Hobart has two stores that sell and service golf carts.

"I think it's a wonderful idea,” Brown said. "Gas prices are just killing us. I know personally my wife and I used to drive down to Dallas to see our girls maybe once or twice every two weeks. Now we go down there once every six weeks ...

"Our fuel costs with the city are about 50 percent higher than it was three years ago. It's crazy.”