To think that mobility scooters are bloody dangerous?!

[EmeraldThief]

I don't have a problem with them if they are used responsibly and with consideration for other members of the public, but more often than not they aren't. I've just been bashed in the foot by a hulking great one in Morrisons, why the man driving it felt the need to use one of that size in a supermarket when they provide their own smaller and more suitable for going around shop mobility scooters, I don't know? I couldn't have very easily end up with a broken foot, and I should imagine an elderly person could have been quite badly hurt by it.

Furthermore if he'd actually looked where he was going or said excuse me, before just barging through I'd have moved out of the way.

Why are these things allowed on roads, pavements and in shops without any kind of training or licensing? Half of the people who use them don't seem to know how to control them properly!

I agree. Basically they are a really shit design. (And I wish I had a pound for every time I've said that on mumsnet).

the sales people do not help. My almost blind mother was being badgered by a salesman and put a deposit down...until my brother got wind of it.
The salesman knew she was blind (white stick and all) but said there are no regulations.

Which sums up the issues perfectly. And shows why there is an obvious need to test people's ability to use scooters safely, for their benefit as much as for others

The driver didn't stop either and despite extensive enquiries, he was never caught

They don't go that fast ....

amicissimma

I'm well versed in physics, thanks. My question was more over the idea that a mobility scooter (max speed 8mph) could knock down and kill a person, and the culprit escape into thin air. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but it's stretching my credulity.

FWIW, these scooters are a lifeline for MrsLH, who is an overly (in my opinion) responsible driver. That said, having seen some absolute morons driving them around (a few months ago there was some cretinous pensioner whizzing around the local square at full speed (8 mph) at night with no lights. Luckily the kids that he didn't see were able to jump out of the way, and then shout behind them so the rest of the public could dodge).

I have no idea what the answer is. However given that cyclists are still killing pedestrians, and nobody has any sympathy for them, I suspect it'll be a long time coming.

Meanwhile those of you who really hate disabled people can cheer yourselves up with the knowledge that mobility scooter users are far more likely to be greatly inconvenienced, if not stopped completely, by your thoughtlessly parking than have an accident with a pedestrian. So at least there is justice in life.

(I mean parking across dropped kerbs at junctions. If MrsLH wants to pop to the shops, and takes 25 minutes instead of 15, I'll know there was a car parked at the top of our road, and she had to go 1/4 mile down the road, and 1/4 mile back, to get around.)

LurkingHusband it is not OK for you to judge other mobility-aid users and describe them judgementally as 'cretinous', just because your wife uses a scooter.

You are making a huge leap to accuse anyone of 'hating' disabled people, I've seen nothing on this thread to suggest that anyone hates them 'per se'

There's also no need for your patronising tone to amici

I would want to go out if I were stuck indoors with you

A cyclist who was seriously injured by a pedestrian stepping straight out in front of me, LH. Because I was paying attention I slammed on the brakes and they were fine. I wasn't and oasers by had to call an ambulance. So it isn't as straightforward as you'd have it with regard to cyclists.
You know of at least one mobility scooter user who is dangerously irresponsible. And a mobility scooter user being inconvenienced by a stupidly parked car is not compatible with being injured by a mobility scooter user who either cannot or does not use the thing safely.

I agree helpful in the right hands!! My mum suffers from scolyosis (sp!) and many many moons ago now she worked in a shop, a elderly gentleman was on a large mobility scooter and was trying to squeeze down the side of the checkout (this was back in the 80/90s when you only had a few disability check outs which were designed for wheelchair access) my mum who was standing behind her counter explained that he'd need to use the other check outs as his scooter wouldnt fit. He ended up 'reeving' the scooter which slammed into my mums back. She ended up in a lot of pain, and two slipped discs and now cant stand for long periods. The gentleman never apologised and blam

Phone posted too quick! In the end we think there needs to be training in place and consideration on both parts!! :)

*The driver didn't stop either and despite extensive enquiries, he was never caught

They don't go that fast ....*

Indeed they don't lurking but given the full circumstances aren't known we don't know if only one person came to assist. Faced between the choice of dealing with a casualty on the ground or chasing someone leaving an accident they know they have caused which do you go for? I suspect the majority deal with the patient because if the scooter didn't have the decency to stop now it's not going to do it with you chasing it.

They can be a lifeline, but there needs to be some regulation around their ue. There's an elderly man around here who is going to get himself killed one day. He lost his drivers licence because his sight became so bad he couldn't drive, so he got himself a scooter instead. He has no mobility problems around walking, he just uses it as a substitute for the car he had to give up. He comes back from the pub every night at the same time on one, and drives his scooter up the middle of the road with no lights on. Locals all know and drive at snails pace at about the time he is usually on the road, but non locals like to use these roads as a rat run to avoid the breath testing after they leave the pub, and they fly down them at a great speed. We've all (neighbours and I) have called the police but they say that they can not stop him from doing it. They've stopped him several times and had a chat to him and asked him to stop, and the pub runs a shuttle service and have offered to pick him up and drop him off everyday for free, but he insists on driving his scooter. The number of near misses on the corner near me is insane (I can see it out of my study window every night) and I am terrified of the day that someone doesn't see him in time to stop.

There is provision for prosecution under the 1872 Licensing Act which creates an offence of being drunk in public and of being drunk in charge of a carriage - since reinterpreted to include bicycles and there has been a successful prosecution for being drunk in charge of a mobility scooter, so this may be a precedent to include mobility scooters under this category too.

However, this does not address the problem of people who are not capable of using mobility scooters safely (eg through vision problems) who insist on behaving like the man in Midnite's post. His behaviour is really dangerous and likely to cause an accident.

YANBU. I also hate it when mobility cart users park their carts in the middle of supermarket aisles or other narrow places, making it impossible to walk around them.

Crocodopilis - that isn't really the same thing. People who use mobility aids have just have much right to use supermarkets and shops, and by their nature the mobility aids take up a bit of room, surely it isn't that big a deal to wait or squeeze past?

I was once minding my own business in town when someone ran over my foot on one and clipped my arm. I turned round expecting an apology and she shouted at me for being in the way!!

I'd also argue that an argumentative sod using one as a car when they have had their license revoked for non-mobility reasons but are perfectly capable of walking is not the same as someone who would be housebound otherwise.

I do wonder (it might already be, even?) if improper use of one (including going above 4mph on the pavement) should be prosecutable?

But taking that one step further, should a person who is dependant on a mobility scooter to get to the pub be allowed to drive it while drunk without any consequences if they injure someone and then be allowed to continue to repeat the behaviour without anything being able to be done about it?

I try not to be too judgemental about mobility scooters because there may come a time when I need one, but I do think there should be compulsory training, especially if people are going to use them on the road.

Felicity what an incredibly nasty post. I suggest you spend some time in a wheelchair and see where she was coming from. It's so much easier to take a step to the side than to manoeuvre a wheelchair around someone who is just standing in the way. Why is it entitled to ask? Should disabled people have to grovel for things to make their lives easier or be treated like human beings?

Oh, and people don't see you ins chair. The number of times my kids have had people actually step over them in their chairs and the be given evils because they tripped - would you step over the head of someone sat on a dining chair

And then blame them when you trip?

I suggest you stop seeing said friend. With friends like that who needs enemies.

I had forgotten until I saw it this morning but a charity shop...Cancer Research I think....has a sign on its door saying that it cannot allow large (their highlight not mine) mobility scooters into the shop anymore due to a serious accident involving one.

I can see why, the shop is tiny and there really isnt room for the big ones, the small ones would struggle tbh. When it first went up my aunt (who has Parkinsons and uses one) said that she was waiting for the first person to do a sadface in the paper about it, she has no patience with stupid people whatever their disability may be! But funnily enough it has never happened, so perhaps common sense is prevailing!

That is, our local CR shop, I dont know if it is a national thing.

I'll be driving mine drunk later. Its my legs. I know people will moan, but until you are unable to walk, meh.

Would it be okay though if it were a powerchair? Somehow, people often claim there is a difference?

can be dangerous in the wrong hands. But none of the do 70mph or kill between 2 and 3 thousand a year