scooter rage. Am I the only person who suffers from it?

[noobydoo]

Seriously, I see scooters everywhere: busy roads where children could easily have an accident; playgrounds where there are mixed ability walkers (as in toddlers); high streets; supermarkets and even cafes - I was in a cafe yesterday afternoon and was nearly ran into with a bloody scooter.

Do people not realise that there is only one place scooters should be and that is in a park on a path?

This has been brewing for a while and my rage is coming out after seeing a friend whom I usually highly respect run after her child shouting "not in the road" and another woman who I am also friendly with allow her children run into the heels of little old ladies in the high street with their b*** scooters.

God yes. We went to London a couple of months ago and I couldn't believe the number of mothers lugging their kids' scooters around everywhere, including inside the science and natural history museums. Why oh why would you let your kid take them there? The number of parents I saw battling the crowds with bags, coats and bloody scooters.

I live in London (well about 10 miles from the centre) and the problem does seem to be particularly bad around here.

There are thousands here. And mine have them too, but I've periodically stopped them riding to school if they can't follow directions not to weave in and out and alarm elderly people.

nooby - are they micro-scooters?

If someone ran into me in a cafe or shop, I'd say something to them or the mother

YABU - they're only scooters! Children do need to learn to ride them respectfully but to be as upset as you sound is extreme - far scarier than a scooter rider!

I thought this was going to be about irritating, tinny-sounding engines.

Couldn't agree more.

I can't stand scooters. Usually as mine get fed up of them after five minutes then I have to carry the blasted things.

Really irritating child in John Lewis who could only scoot 2 inches without stopping because it was too crowded.
Why can't parents say No?

Scooters I don't mind. But don't get me started on Mobility Scooters.....

The place for them is in the park. And bikes. I saw a young kid ride out into the road. Her mother was way behind her. 1 minute earlier and she would have been squashed under a bus.

Scooters should never ever be allowed in shops or cafes and I would say something to the mother.

I thought you were talking about mobility scooters

I am talking about the micro scooters.

My rage only vents itself when I see a child is about to hurt himself or someone else, when I will tell him (and if he doesn't listen his mother) to stop playing on it, if I think it is inappropriate. Although I have to admit there was one occasion when I screamed at a child who was about to run into DS (who was only 17 months at the time) - it would have been a really nasty accident and he was doing it in the playground as his mother was sitting, watching and being completely ineffectual. It was not my best moment.

I am so glad I am not alone.

Although mobility scooters can also be a bit dodgy. I had an elderly aunt who used to drive hers in traffic. She was in her eighties and none of the police officers wanted to tell her off, the tailbacks she caused...

As long as the children learn to ride safely and politley, they are fine, good exercise and encourages some children to move.

YANBU to complain about people not teaching their children to ride with consideration.

YABU to expect them to be only used in parks on paths.

Scooters totally changed my life. I don't drive, but that's not an issue as I live in London. My son has a physical condition that affects his core strength. Using a micro scooter had opened up a lot of activities for us that we couldn't have done before. Even the walk from the bus to the London Zoo would be too much - not at the beginning of the day but at the end of it. Now with the scooter he can stand on it and I can pull him along.

So yes, I'm one of those parents you see carrying the scooter around, and am happy to do so. He doesn't need a SN pram, but he does need that extra bit of help.

Incidentally, for anyone who goes to the Natural History Museum, scooters are treated as pushchairs, which means they're free to leave in the cloakroom. There's no need to lug them around the museum!

Mn makes me laugh

Is this too far for my child to walk to school
Mn nah just get the a scooter

Am I the only one who thinks kids should wear helmets while riding them? I keep seeing children going at frighteningly fast speeds on them and always think 'if s/he falls off now it will really do some damage!'

Nope, you're wrong, they are a godsend.

I don't drive and they get us about. Not on the road, never in shops or cafes, but to and from places. My kids are really really good and very careful.

Some parents are rubbish and fail to teach their children how to behave considerately.

I don't mind them outside but it annoys me inside places, there was almost one on every aisle of the supermarket the other day zipping up and down between trolleys.

I have no objection to scooters in the street but I have noticed them appearing in shops and shopping centres which I find completely annoying and unecessary. They should be carried inside. It really winds me up.

I have no objection whatsoever to scooters outside but I have noticed them appearing in shops and shopping centres which I find completely annoying and unecessary. They should be carried inside. It really winds me up.

I've really had enough of scooters. Round here they are ridden by the High School kids and they think it's really clever to come up behind you at great speed as close as they can. I've had 2 lots do it in the last week or so and there's another crowd who like to scoot across the traffic when the pedestrian light is red. I'm seriously thinking of shoving the next one.