By Megan G. Razzetti
The common scene at the college involves heavy foot traffic with the hustle and bustle of students and staff traveling from one place to another. Among them numerous golf carts with irresponsible drivers behind the wheel, putting students,staff and faculty at unnecessary risk.
The golf carts that many of the staff and faculty members at ELAC have the privilege of using are often seen impatiently rolling through clusters of people in these congested areas.
Those allowed to drive these carts are often impatient, ignore safe driving practices and are distracted while in motion. This is putting students, staff and faculty at an unnecessary risk and must be addressed before its too late.
Many don’t seem to think that the rules of the road apply to them simply because they are just driving a golf cart on a small path. Golf carts can only manage to reach 15 mph for top speed, but that is too fast when driving in a cluttered area of people.
According to the BuildLACCD Master Format Health and Saftey requirements, provided to construction workers, section 1.36 clearly lists the standards that employees must follow when operating motor vehicles.
The on-site speed limit on the document is five miles per hour. Drivers are also expected to observe the pedestrian ‘right away’ rule.
I’ve seen with campus police in one instance while walking between the swim stadium and the construction site.
As I was walking, I had no idea that there was even a cart behind me until it rushed past me only a few inches from hitting me. I was upset to find as I turned the corner to head towards the E7 building, to see the driver stopped in front of it.
The driver was a sheriff of campus police who was in no way headed to an emergency as one would think by how fast he was going. He had sped and only stopped in front of the building to chat with another member of campus police.
Not only are drivers in a rush to get from point A to point B, but many have a groups of people tagging along with them.Specifically student workers, who think its ok to have their friends tag along on joy rides on campus.
Not only are those behaviors putting those walking around them at high risk, but also the people on the actual carts as well.
To reduce these risks, there should be a driving test given to employees of the campus because having a driver’s license simply isn’t a qualification for responsible driving.
If nothing is done about these drivers, it will only increase the risk of someone getting hurt or causing other damage to school property.