I think some are confused on how mobility scooters actually work. The vast majority don't have brakes (I've never seen one with brakes), you push to go forwards, stop pushing when you need to stop, almost always with ones hands. This makes them safe for many people who could not get a drivers' license (such as those with certain types of epilepsy or cannot reliably control their legs). It also means they tend to roll forward or back when they stop, meaning it is very difficult to stop instantly if someone steps directly in front of us. This causes a lot of accidents because people presume we can hit the brakes like a car, we can't, they are not designed like a car, they are designed like electric wheelchairs. They are also used by a wide range of people - I first used one in my early twenties.
Shop mobility do require users to take a test to rent them and they tend to be well labelled so if you have a complaint about one of those, you can make a complaint with them and they might require a retest. They often have numbers on the front or back as well as a sign saying they are shop mobility and usually around here who donated them. There are laws about which can be used on pavements and which on roads as has been mentioned and you can get police or security (in shops) to stop someone driving one unsafely just as you can with anyone else. And mobility scooter users have been sued for dangerous usage so it's not like we're all untouchable by the law just because we're disabled.
Also, a lot of mobility scooters are sold through the second hand market for those buying their own. I own two and both were given to us by my in-laws when they upgraded. I guess lessons could be included for those who get it through their DLA and mobility schemes, but for the vast majority it's just like buying any other disability or mobility device.
I've seen mobility scooter accidents. I've seen one malfunction badly. Much like anything else they have risks that need to be balanced. But I've also had the experiences of being attacked while on one, I had to protect my toddler daughter who was riding with me from being attacked, I've had people destroy the wheels (which are incredibly expensive), I've had people screaming in my and my children faces for using one, I've had people literally try to remove me from my mobility scooter. And even then I like many others prefer them electric wheelchairs (which are far easier for other people to tip over from my own experiences). I know people like to think we have a chip on our shoulders, but all this talk of insurance seemed to be focused on everyone but the people needing to use them. As the people who face ableism every day and know these devices, aren't we the ones best suited to decide what is ableism and what these devices need to be safe and useful? Cause from these comments I can't use them on the pavement, I can't use them on the road, I can't use them without a license to drive a car even when they are designed fundamentally differently, I need to hit the brakes they don't have faster, and we need to not be insulted for the sake of it when people want to deny us all mobility.
I mean, I saw a pedestrian clock a guy on a bike this week. Almost sent him into oncoming traffic, could have killed him. Should pedestrians need a license? Do pedestrians need third party insurance? Would that have changed anything about that situation? Cause these things are our feet and people want to cut us off from them rather than say deal with the laws that are already in place regarding their usage that are openly available for everyone.