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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I being unreasonable to suggest that scooters should be banned on pavements?

277 replies

Morgause · 07/09/2013 14:36

An hour ago I went up the lane to pay the papers. The pavement isn't particularly wide but not very narrow either. A little girl aged 3 -4 scooted past me quite quickly which made me jump a bit as I hadn't heard her coming. I looked round to see her mother with a buggy quite a way back down the lane. She shouted the little girl's name and told her to wait.

I walked past her and into the shop round the corner and paid the bill. As I came back around the corner the mother had caught up with the little girl and she had begun to scoot on again. Unfortunately she scooted straight into an elderly lady just leaving her gate and they both went flying. I called an ambulance and other neighbours came out to see what could be done to help. It looks like the little girl has broken her arm and the old lady may have broken her hip or her leg - maybe both.

The ambulance man said that scooters are a "bloody nuisance" and if kids aren't falling off them they are ploughing into people on them. He thinks they should be banned anywhere but gardens and parks. The local bobby, also present, agreed.

I think the same after what I saw today. M (the old lady) is the sole carer for her elderly husband who is very disabled following a stroke. Goodness knows what will happen to him now. A neighbour is with him for now and is hoping to contact someone from social services for some emergency care.

OP posts:
olidusUrsus · 07/09/2013 16:19

The old lady could really suffer from this long term Sad

YANBU and I don't think what happened is isolated, tbh. I have scratches and bruises all up my legs from collisions that have happened on the pavements and in supermarkets.

Kids too young, with no concept of speed, or consequence, or space have all bumped into me (just to clarify, I have shouted shit and cried once but never been mean). Older kids are fine because they appreciate they have to slow down and move around someone they are approaching from behind.

I can actually see them being banned and I think I would support it. Unfortunately not every parent is considerate or keeps their child close - the children who haven't yet learned how to move around people or whose parents aren't very responsible will most likely ruin it for the sensible scooters.

Never thought I'd use the phrase "sensible scooters"

sarahtigh · 07/09/2013 16:21

as above if the old lady has broken her hip unless operated on and she is walking albeit with zimmer frame in a few days the fatality rates are upto 10% ( ie if still in bed in 4 days time and not able to stand) the permanently disabled not able to live life as before are much higher than 10%

the chances of the little girl having any more serious side effect than 6 weeks in plaster are slim

so though an accident and both hurt the consequences and results are not equal

if you are on a pavement it is your responsibility even when walking not to bump into people coming the opposite way or those in front of you if you are going faster than them, if someone is walking slowly you have to overtake or slow down if no space so a scooter needs to do the same

PresidentServalan · 07/09/2013 16:22

Scooters and bikes on the pavement piss me off! It doesn't matter whether it is a kid or an adult. And kids on scooters in shops are even worse!

sarahtigh · 07/09/2013 16:29

checked research figures

this relates to hip fracture in over 65's with average age around 83

study of cases over past 40 years

50% of people living independently before hip fracture fail to do so again

mortality rate in first month 5-10% and 20-30% within a year

although women account for about 70% of fractures the mortality rate is higher in men

coffeeinbed · 07/09/2013 16:35

I dread it.
There's always children zooming past, chasing each other and most mums either can't catch up or have just given up.
There's a few blind corners where it's a miracle someone hasnt been scooted off their feet yet.
I walk my dog, always on lead and am terrified someone will plow into him.

rottentomatoes · 07/09/2013 16:43

It's called an accident. They happen!

overmydeadbody · 07/09/2013 16:45

Accidents happen. It is one of life's risks.

I think it is stupid to try to prevent all accidents form ever happening.
Stupid.

And how exactly would kids get to skate ramps and parks in order to scoot if they weren't allowed to scoot on the pavements? Just walk their scooters there in case of a very minor risk of injury or nuisance?

My DS is a huge scooting fanatic, spends all day every day at various ramps throughout the city using it, and he uses his scooter to get there, without me accompanying him either. He is not unaware, he slows down or walks if there are lots of pedestrians, he uses a bike path where there is one, he stays on the left.

Isolated accidents should not have us all up in arms wanting to change the laws.

rottentomatoes · 07/09/2013 16:47

I think we should ban scooters for children just in case they cause an injury. In fact children should be put into buggy's or cars if they have a long commute to school rather than scoot.

Also we should ban all dog walking just in case they poo and the owner doesn't pick it up thus causing distress to all those who stand in it.

Sirzy · 07/09/2013 16:50

Accidents might happen but that doesn't mean a lot can't be avoided. The accident the op described could have been avoided by the mother in question watching her child and keeping her close - I am sure she has now learnt that is essential, unfortunately the hard way.

overmydeadbody · 07/09/2013 16:50

What about runners on pavements? Is that allowed? Because runners move at a considerably faster pace than a walking pace.

overmydeadbody · 07/09/2013 16:51

but Sirzy by that logic the accident could have been prevented if the old woman had simply looked before walking out of her gate.

DingbatsFur · 07/09/2013 16:52

I think the problem here is the age of the child. I would 't even really trust a 3 year old to walk independantly and not run ahead when near traffic and there is no way they could be expected to scoot along with the correct control.
My kids use scooters on the school run and understand they need to respect other people and give way but they are older than 3 and have had it drummed into them.
Scooters should not be on the roads.

rosyryan · 07/09/2013 16:52

I'm quite cheered by how many posters agree with the OP. I have seen so many accidents due to poorly supervised children on scooters and the general attitude I have come across from parents is "Leave my little darling alone, they are the centre of the universe and bollocks to everyone else". And yes, I am a mother, before anyone asks.

Sirzy · 07/09/2013 16:54

She probably did look but didn't expect a short child shooting down towards her. I don't think you can blame someone walking out of their gate for an unsupervised child

Saffyz · 07/09/2013 16:58

YABU

3birthdaybunnies · 07/09/2013 16:59

Well done Morgause on taking control of the situation and contacting emergency services. I know that we would all expect to do the same but it takes a clear head to manage the situation and look after yourself as it can take a while for the shock to set in.

I do let ds go on his scooter but I have a lead on it and so he remains next to me - I do this for his safety and others. It means that he goes at walking speed and is under my control. When the girls were younger I was always 'lazy' because I felt I couldn't manage a preschooler scooting while pushing a pushchair. When they are 6/7 you can start to instill scooter safety but at that age they need to be in your control (except in park etc).

I hope that your neighbour has a quick recovery although I'm afraid if it is the hip/ pelvis it could be a long time before she recovers. 2.5yrs on FIL hasn't regained some of his previous independence.

Original poster
Morgause · 07/09/2013 16:59

M did look but the child was hidden by the height of the fence initially (only 3ft). By the time she came into M's sight she was travelling too fast for her to stop or for M to avoid her. The child could easily have seen M but just wasn't looking. If she'd just been walking both could have stopped.

M's son is on his way (he lives 60 miles away) he may be at the hospital already. He's asked my neighbour to stay with his dad until he gets there. Looks like M's husband A will have to go into a nursing home for a while. Not much alternative.

This is such an avoidable mess.

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 07/09/2013 16:59

Pavements are for pedestrians, wheelchairs and prams/pushchairs.

Bikes should ride on the road and, if a child isn't proficient enough, they should push their bike on the pavement.

Scooters are for parks and other wide open spaces. Scooters should be pushed or folded on pavements.

What is so wrong with children having to walk?

Sirzy · 07/09/2013 17:02

What is so wrong with children having to walk?

That is slower/not as much fun. Often allowing a child to scoot is the easy option, which is fine if the parents are going to make the effort to control them.

DS is 3 and the vast majority of the time he walks, scooter only comes with us when we are going to the park and the walking route is very quite - but he is still alongside me the whole way.

YouTheCat · 07/09/2013 17:03

And why must everything be 'fun'?

Sirzy · 07/09/2013 17:04

It shouldn't. I am all for children having to walk to places (which for a young child should be fun anyway!) - they were just the reasons that parents often give for allowing them to scoot everywhere.

YouTheCat · 07/09/2013 17:06

One of the mothers at the school where I work, scoots on her child's scooter.

Tbh she's more of a menace than he is.

laeiou · 07/09/2013 17:07

That's awful- a broken hip could leave an elderly person with permanent mobility problems and the mortality rate is an issue too. These two elderly people could have the quality of their lives severely impaired, they could both end up in care homes, and it's not their fault at all. Just a consequence of someone else's thoughtless.

I don't know what the answer is, but maybe a 1970s-style public education advert would help.

laeiou · 07/09/2013 17:15

Posted after reading only the first page. OP I didn't realise you know M personally, I didn't mean to be insensitive talking about worst case scenarios .

Rufus43 · 07/09/2013 17:21

Hate scooters, especially on the school run. My children have scooters but they have never been allowed on them on the way to school

I hate the fact that the little children especially try squeezing through the smallest gaps nearly taking my kids out because they don't want to go on the grass. I've had some some up behind me and expect me to stop/move of of the way. Worse still when they have squeezed through they stop a few metres in front of me because (good children) they have to wait for their mummy, I walk round them and they bloody do it again!

My poor ds has just asked me why I hate scooters, I have just stopped ranting!

Having said all that its the child not the scooter and there are some very considerate children around (apparently)

Disclaimer...I have not read the thread (just about to read it) so if its now moved on and scooters have been known to save lives or kittens then I apologise

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