to think that mobility scooters should not be allowed on pavements after one fractured my foot crashing into me today?

[Wigglewoo]

I was out with my ds 9 weeks earlier about to cross the road outside my nearest tescos when a very elderly lady in her mobility scooter came alongside me and proceeded to cross the road with me. For reasons known to her she then zig zagged in to me causing me to fall over and then dragged me into the kerb, with her still failing to apply the brakes despite me screaming at her to stop. I luckily managed to push the pram with ds in it half onto the pavement and out of the way (it could have been really very nasty had I not).

The woman still did not apply the brakes and to cut a long story short my foot was crushed between the kerb and her moving wheel, which then drove over me and only stopped when I effectively pushed her nearly over.

She said to me that she did not know what happened and that "it normally brakes when I let go of the handles" - ????

I spent the afternoon at hospital. I have a fractured ankle and lacerations to my leg. Dh has had to take time off work (which we will lose money for) to care for me and ds.

I was in shock after the incident so I didn't say anything much to the woman who was in her 80s or 90s I think but now I am home I am livid. I realise old people need to get around but surely they should have a sensible speed limit and shouldn't be on the pavements??? Its illegal to cycle on the pavement isn't it so how comes that's worse!? Or is it illegal!!? Confused!! And in pain!!!

She doesn't want mobility scooters banned. If you are going to accuse people of not reading posts, make sure you have yourself.

Op does want mobility scooters banned, banned from the pavement.

banned from the pavement isn't the same as banned, is it? You can tell by the extra words that entirely change the meaning of the sentence.

sashh
Sorry I should have made it clear I was only talking about mobility scooters.

I don't doubt for a minute that you face other expenses, I remember my friend being very upset about being charged by the motability scheme (on top of the usual payments) for the scratches caused by her pulling her wheelchair into the car which was a car specifically adapted for a wheelchair user. How the hell was she supposed to get her chair in if she didn't pull it given that she was totally paralysed from the waist down. I thought it was reasonable wear and tear given the car was provided for that specific purpose but the provider didn't agree .

I thought the OP had realised that she wasn't being reasonable and that her initial response was an emotional one based on her hurt.

Did it occur to you posting on a disabled theme thread, that disabilities go beyond not having fully functioning feet?

I'm sure it did, but it is specifically a thread about mobilities scooters, not all and every possible disability.

Banned from the pavement is banned for all useful function - for a start a road legal scooter is £2k and up, a pavement one is £500. And if you need a mobility scooter you can't just park it and walk into the shops, you need to drive in - invevitably on the pavement

This thread reminded me of the psychiatrists comments regarding the man who abandoned his juniour school aged children. "limited attempts" and "dissapointing" were used to describe his parenting abilities, this was after two short term abandonments and before the long term abandonment. That Man blames others and has a personality disorder, psychiatrist diagnosed adjustment disorder and if after 6 months no better its a personality disorder...

In fairness to the OP she has posted this
"I never said mobility scooters should be banned full stop. I said they should be banned from pavements and as the course of the discussion has gone on I have taken on board the views of others and I now think they should be moderated and changed to make them safer."

I think the OP has changed her view over the course of the thread.

wrong thread

Sensibly?- Speed limited and compulsory instruction course and insurance ( perhaps available as a benefit add on to DLA or one off payment ? but to me that?s the sort of thing DLA is to pay for ) As a person with a disability and two disabled children I am amazed at the people who thinks their disability trumps responsibilities to other people .

DLA is not a never ending pot. and an adult would have to use that ot pay for any care they need.

DLA is spent on lots of different things by lots of different people the fact that it?s not actually ring-fenced is its main feature and benefit for most disabled people ? every disabled person who get sit makes their choices to best suit themselves ? insurance is to protect the insured as well as the injured party as there may be a civil claim against the scooter user and I can see it?s something more people will pursue as this people become more aware ? the op probably has quite a good claim.
As a responsible person I would not drive my car without insurance even if severely limited my mobility as a disabled person I would feel the same about a scooter with the potential to hurt people. I think it was quoted at something like £35 a year in ?Yours? magazine last year but I could be wrong -
so thats about 2 hours care against a years protection

Would you give up 2 hours of care raspberry, if it meant you were insured but sat in your own faeces until tomorrow?

If it ment I was mobile for a year ?- erh yeh to be honest

I have two kids with SN face much worse choices than this - maybe not a shit related but more to do with what therapy /care/equipment I can afford for them.

So you think disabled people should be put in the position of having to make that choice. Nice.

You think 35£ is not worth it for when you mow people down and break their ankle?
You know the irony is that you could do enough damage with a mobilty scooter to permanently disable someone else. Would it be worth 35£ then?

I've never mown anyone down or broken their ankle.

Besides £35 is fine if you have it, but if you don't, you're housebound. It effectively charging disabled people to go out in public.

I AM DISABLED - everyone has to make choices - the sitting is shit is YOUR made up senario and does not apply to every diabled person, lots of other ways to save up for the insurance, the way that everyone has to save up - give up stuff for other things they want or need. I'm diasbled not special - how about you?

It's not, its treating them like everyone else.

Being disabled does not mean you are exempt from all rules of society. If you drive a vehicle that can injure people, you should have insurance. Hyberbole does not excuse these kinds of requirements.

It's not a made up scenario. My dad had carers come in 4 times everyday for half an hour to take him to the bathroom. He also had a scooter. It was YOUR senario that he give up 2 hours of care to pay for going outside.

I can't believe you want disabled people to give up stuff they need just to be able to travel down the street like anyone else does.

So there is no other way that he could save up £35 a year to keep moblie ?? Nothing he could do to save that amouth of money ? How does he afford to charge and service his scooter to make sure its safe???

He can give up something else. It's called life, you have to pay for stuff you need. including insurance.