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!!!

Yabu to want them banned outright, but ywnbu to want a proper system of licensing and insurance in place. For incidents exactly like that which happened you.

Genuine question, I wonder if you can sue her for damages?

Then that person sounds like they were breaking the highway code.

I have to say I have noticed people don't see you as much when you are in a wheelchair, there seems to be a blind spot, like when you are lower down you are not as noticeable - people walk into my path a lot and it's often very abrupt, so I need to stop suddenly.

I agree. They should have a licence. I hope you're OK, OP.

I use a mobility scooter and I find the comments that I should use and electric wheelchair instead and should be on the road like cyclists incredibly offensive and disctiminatory. Why can't I 'walk' along the pavement with my family like everyone else? Why should I have to 'walk' along the road with cars flying past at 40mph?

I still think you are being very, very unreasonable.

A lot of them have a speed limiter switch that can be turned on or off so it's meant to be 4mph on pavement and can be 8mph on road, however there's no policing that and I know plenty who use 8mph on the pavement which I agree is dangerous. Even 4mph, which they say is based on an average man's walk, is quick when you consider they are mostly used in busy shopping centres or high streets where people are very very rarely walking along at a brisk 4mph.

Not sure what the solution is, I agree everyone has a right to access everywhere and I've seen the fantastic freedom a scooter can give but I suppose like everything it relies on the user being responsible and unfortunately not everyone is.

Sounds like you had a particularly bad and scary experience though OP, hope you are soon on the mend.

I understand what you're saying OP they can be bloody dangerous.

An old lady not too far from me (90yrs old I think) died a few years ago due to an old man ploughing into her on a motorbility scooter...he just drove off and was never caught.

Then a few years ago I was posting on another forum and a very distraught lady posted to say her toddler had been dragged along by one and had some awful injuries...including loss of parts of her scalp when she got dragged along by it.

I've just Googled to try to find the story (gave up) and found lots of different stories about people being hit by them on pavements

However, I don't really think it's feasible to expect people not to drive them on pavements when they're shopping.

Perhaps they should be louder so we can hear them coming?

Worraliberty - this one?

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/6207076/No-prosecution-for-mobility-scooter-driver-who-knocked-down-and-killed-pensioner.html

No they shouldn't be on the pavement - or the road.

Quite right. We should stay indoors, on our own and starve so we don't get in your way.

My driving instructor told me that mobility scooters are not allowed on the pavement.

Oh gosh no freddie that's another one

This old lady died a few months later...on Xmas day I think.

But it was the story of the toddler being hit and dragged along under the wheels that I was searching for.

Kladdka, can I ask what you would think if you were required to have third party insurance for your scooter?

Kladdkaka, nobody is saying that, but there does appear to be an issue, as there always is with vehicke vs squishy person. The fact that the vehicle is an essential tool to allow people to get out and about doesn't detract from the fact there is a problem. Agree with others saying licences and insurance are the only ways to deal with the problem.

Ohh worra was that on fhg??? i remember the little girl x

Mobility scooters should stop when the handles are released. I am sorry this has happened to you but YABU to think all mobility scooters should be banned from baths.

Having said that, I think there needs to be some sort of legislation in place regarding the use of mobility scooters. It should be possible to prosecute scooter users who drive dangerously and cause injury to other people or damage to property.

There are certain types of scooters that can be used on both path or road, they go up to 8 mph for road use, but I've witnessed scooter uses zipping along paths at the faster speed. I know this because they were going noticeably faster than walking speed.

But aren't mobility cars/scooters tax exempt?

Oh right, sorry. The one I posted was local so it stuck in my mind

Kladdkaka, nobody is saying that,

Yes they did. They said we shouldn't be allowed on the pavements or the roads. So how else are people who need them supposed to go shopping?

Kladdka, can I ask what you would think if you were required to have third party insurance for your scooter?

I'd think that was fine when you have to have third party insurance for you legs.

*your legs

Your accident sounds horrendous and YANBU to be upset.

Drivers of all sorts of vehicles need to be in control and careful, and be capable of managing the vehicle. Whether they are able bodies or disabled, old or young. The child of a friend of mine was hit on a 'green man' crossing by a cyclist going through a red light, numerous accidents are caused by careless car drivers. It may be that not all users of scooters have the capacity to contol them - but I'm nt sure what the best way to regulate this is. I don't think scooter users should be singled out from any other pavement, road or vehicle user and subjected to any more regulation than anyone else. We all need to be careful and responsible.

I hope your foot and ankle heal quickly.

YABU although in your position I would probably be seeking legal advice

It's a walking aid, not a vehicle. There ought to be other things in place though but people use them to get in and out of shops and they are far safer on the pavement than on the road where older and disabled people are put at risk. There should be speed limiters of course, training and licensing.

I think the problem could be solved if we had a proper network of cycle/mobility scooter lanes like the Netherlands most civilised countries... A campaign?

Oh for goodness sakes. Look, I'm not saying disabled people shouldn't go out or whatever else. I'm not an idiot. I'm just asking a genuine question - surely there has to be a better way of making mobility scooters slower or eeven an automatic stop button on the front that can be pressed in an emergency?! Maybe if electric wheelchairs cannot "walk" into town because of kerbs etc maybe that needs to be addressed by manufacturers rather than mobility scooters that can effectively crush a baby (if my ds had fallen out of the pram for example) or don't stop effectively.

I also question the fact that a lot of the very elderly people driving them would not be able to drive a car due to slowed reactions and yet its perfectly ok for them to pottle about in a machine capable of driving reasonably fast.

ddubs yes that was the one!

Here's the link

From the link....

Six shoppers pulled the 70 year old rider from her scooter and confiscated the keys as she allegedly tried to make off before police arrived. Two year old Madison is due to see a plastic surgeon after suffering cuts to her head in the incident six months ago

the poor mother was distraught

Kladdakaka, my legs couldn't cause the type of injury that the op has got