PLEASE READ - A WARNING TO ALL MUMS!

[mammabelleboo]

Wasn't too sure where to post this, so thought I'd use this category as it's a popular one and I want as many mums to read this as possible.

My 2 yr old dd had a near miss of an accident this morning involving an infirm lady in a motorised wheelchair and I want to warn all other mums to keep their little ones as far away from these lethal things as possible.

I was in the local Co-op queueing at the till when I decided I fancied a bar of choc so I asked my little one to go and choose me one......big mistake. The choc was by this old lady in the wheelchair and I think she meant to reverse the chair to let dd get to the choc easier but accidentally put it into fast forward and my dd ended up being dragged horizontally along by the chair and was squashed in between the chair and the cash counter. The old lady was in such a flap, she wasn't concentrating on stopping the thing. I was absolutely helpless and the look of panic on my dd's face will stay with me to my dying day. An ambulance was called - thankfully she is OK and just has a very grazed abdomen and a bit of shock - it could have been so much worse. My fear was that at any minute she was going to go under the wheels of this thing and the consequences of a 2 yr old being run over by a heavy chair with a hefty old lady sat in it dosn't bear thinking about.....I am one grateful mummy, someone was watching over her today - words can't describe how lucky I feel that she's in one piece..........she can play up merry hell today - I don't care!!!!!

I don't want any other mum to experience what I did today - panic, hysteria (a few choice words were said to the old lady, I think the odd f word here and there , completely lost the plot basically and thought I was going to lose dd . Please be aware of these motorised chairs - the ambulance lady said they get called to so many incidents of old people losing control of them and running people down. At the end of the day the combination of being old and slow coupled with infirmity equals dulled reflexes - I don't think they should be allowed to use them unless they can prove they are in control. Keep your little ones well away. x.

[BrandyButterGalore]

i am loving:

"I would like to appologise for spelling, grammer and possibly stong tone of this post. I have had several glasses of wine "

what a fabulous way to end a post, think i need an avatar made which says that

[Twinklemegan]

OMG Mammabelleboo, that's terrifying. I hadn't thought of that before when I've let DS wander a little way in my sight. Will definitely be using the reins much more in future.

[generaldogsbody1]

I'm afraid I would have called the police, I am aware that these skooters are a life line to some, however they are a menace.

What happened to your daughter may well have been an accident but what about the next person?

The person who is in control of the vehicle is responsible not just for them self but for those around them also.

My brother, who is disabled, would gain so much from having one of these would not dream of having one as he is aware that he would not be able to drive it properly. He is more physically and mentaly able than others I have seen on these death traps.

Unfortunately there is no legislation regarding them. I would support any action. As a mother, a carer and a potential victem.

I would like to appologise for spelling, grammer and possibly stong tone of this post. I have had several glasses of wine

[lovecat]

So glad your dd is safe and well (apart from her battle scars!).

Those things are a liability, I don't see why they can't be speed-limited, I have lost count of the number of times I have had to leap out of the way at the shops in Romford (where they have a place in the mall that hires them out to all and sundry, for frick's sake!) thanks to some mad old get speeding down the pavement like they own it. Had a similar incident with a 'lady' in Hobbycraft a few months back when she reversed at speed to block off her place in the queue (not that she was actually in the queue but she saw us approaching and decided to get ahead of us) and if I hadn't done the 'superman' thing and yanked dd out of the way she'd have backed over her.

Outlaw them!!!

On the subject of elderly drivers - they should definitely have to retake a test at 70 and every year thereafter. My dad should NOT be driving, at 77 his reflexes are no longer what they were and he just pulls out in front of people with inches to spare (at 10 mph) - I refuse to get in the car with him anymore, esp. now I've got dd, but really he should not be on the road.

How do you start a campaign like this? Letter writing to your MP? He still hasn't responded to me over climate change, so I doubt that this will get much response...

[mumof2pixies]

I have to sympathise, although my experience wasnt as bad, but could have been! i was in a local supermarket with my ds who was 14 months old at the time. We had pulled away from the tills and were loading the pram with our shopping when a lady in one of those motorised things came speeding towards us from the till point...i can only assume she must have lost control of it! The chair was ramming into the buggy with me pinned to the wall. I couldnt get to my ds who was screaming...it was just horrifying! Eventually she managed to untangle herself from my buggy and sped off...but unfortunately in doing so she seared of the wheel off my buggy! My pram is a mamas and papas three wheeler all terrain contraption, so is very hardy...couldnt believe this happened! A very kind gentleman ran after her as she sped out of the shop at full pelt to ask her to apologise, and apparently she just said no and carried on speeding out of the shop! The manager of the store had to take me home in his car as we had no way of getting back! I was so upset...we had no spare funds to fix the pram. My dp had the genius idea of emailing the pram manufacturer about it, and they fixed it for free which was so kind! I dread to think what would have happened to my ds if he had been in a lightweight stroller! It would not have stood the force at which we were being rammed! We also wrote to our local newspaper as we wanted an apology from this woman, but nothing came of it, except a response from shopmobility saying that the vehciles were safe! Hmmm! I definitely stay well away from them now!!

[honey2theb]

bloody hell, thats so scary! big hugs to you an dd.
i get stressed when i see old people on scooters driving them down the middle of busy roads, happens a lot here! so dangerous!

xxx

[needmorecoffee]

I don't get why they have to go so fast. They are there to replace walking, not sprinting!
My wheelchair goes at 3mph. Those scooters scare the crap out of me cos I have been boradsided and nearly knocked out. I can't walk but the old man driving his scooter could (saw him walk into a shop).
What on earth did old people do 20 years ago? They still went shopping. They just went slow and with sticks.

[hazeyjane]

My MIL was knocked down by a motorised wheelchair, it was horrible, she suffered a broken collarbone and cracked ribs, even worse because she had just come out of hospital where she was being treated for cancer. The lady in the wheelchair not only didn't apologise but actually sped of up the road shouting "It wasn't my fault...". We wrote a letter to our local paper, and MP, but nothing came of it, there should definitely be some sort of a license required to use one. I hope your dd is okay, it must have been really scary for her, and you.

[mammabelleboo]

tbh beautiful, part of me just wants to wash my hands of the incident and leave it as far behind as i can & just move on from it - but what you have said has struck a chord in my conscience - maybe it should be raised. my bruv in law is high up in insurance & has been cajoling me into claiming against the lady - but, no - don't want to as I simply want to forget it......but I think a line to my MP would be worthwhile - who knows what it could achieve? x.

[beautifulgirls]

Have you been in touch with your local MP to see if there is any chance a debate could be started to see if some sort of legislation about competence can be brought in for users of these chairs? You should be able to find your MP details online and get in touch by email. It is scary the numbers of other stories that are being mentioned here. I agree they are a great lifeline to those unable to get about - but so are cars and they have to be fit to drive those safely. Ultimately it is of no use or sense if they are running people down and even causing deaths.

[loopylou6]

bloody hell, your poor lil dd, and poor u , its funny actually coz i was only saying to dh yesterday that these things shouldnt be allowed, some little old lady was holding a row of traffic up with hers yesterday ON THE ROAD they are very dangerous things if ua sk me, big hugs to u and dd

[WalkingCinderWinterWonderland]

Oh Mamma ? I am so glad DD is OK!

My DH grandfather, past 70, still drives a car, and in the last 6 months has had his wing mirror replace 4 times, yet doesn?t recall where he lost them. He clearly hit something with some fore to break them off. And they were off-side to him, so pavement side. I am disgusted that someone so close to me puts people?s lives in danger. I think a full, proper test should be taken every year. I wouldn?t object, because it?s about safety, although by the time I?m 70, the powers that be might have realised and have done something about it!

[needmorecoffee]

I reckon they should have to have a test. I'm disabled and use a powered wheelchair (not a scooter) and you have to pass an NHS test before they let you lose with it. Wheelchairs are far less dangerous than scooters.
Neice, I do find it scary that old people are in cars. They will have a licence (its mandatory) but past 70 they just sign a form each year saying they feel chipper. So get to keep their licence without anyone checking they can see/steer etc

[niece]

They should have to pass a test or something, cos most of them don't even have a driving license, and from what i have seen they look very difficult to control.
I have nearly been run over by an old man who must have had it tuned up or something, cos he was going like the clappers!
I think he was aiming for me lol.
Glad shes ok.

[bubblepop]

oh my god how bloody awful. glad your little ones ok

[moljam]

your poor dd and poor you!glad alls ok.

[mammabelleboo]

Thank you all so much for your kind wishes and support. DD has been bright as a button this afternoon - I think the trauma has been forgotten - by her at least! She has been proudly showing off her battle scars to her Daddy! Apart from breaking down while making a cauli cheese for tea, i think I'm OK - I just keep thinking of what could have happened and could I have done anything to stop it. It all happened so quickly but I wish I'd have had the lightening reflexes to have scooped her up out of harms way like Superman would have . I have to be thankful - and by God I am - that she escaped relatively unscathed...keep thinking of that poor mum whose little girl fell under the wheels of that lorry last week when she let go of the pram for a minute.......how do you ever begin to cope with that???

In answer to your question NAB3, no the lady didn't apologise and left the shop while I was waiting for the ambulance, so presumably couldn't even be bothered to wait around to see if dd was OK - hope she can sleep with her conscience tonight. The staff were great - called the ambulance and picked up my purse and bag & shopping which I'd dropped all over the floor in my panic.

I agree with a lot of your comments and think these scooters must be a lifeline if your mobility is impaired - but there should be proper assessments to see how fit and able a person is to use them - if they are too old, doddery, panicky or plain stupid they should never be allowed to have one.

[mammabelleboo]

Thank you all so much for your kind wishes and support. DD has been bright as a button this afternoon - I think the trauma has been forgotten - by her at least! She has been proudly showing off her battle scars to her Daddy! Apart from breaking down while making a cauli cheese for tea, i think I'm OK - I just keep thinking of what could have happened and could I have done anything to stop it. It all happened so quickly but I wish I'd have had the lightening reflexes to have scooped her up out of harms way like Superman would have . I have to be thankful - and by God I am - that she escaped relatively unscathed...keep thinking of that poor mum whose little girl fell under the wheels of that lorry last week when she let go of the pram for a minute.......how do you ever begin to cope with that???

In answer to your question NAB3, no the lady didn't apologise and left the shop while I was waiting for the ambulance, so presumably couldn't even be bothered to wait around to see if dd was OK - hope she can sleep with her conscience tonight. The staff were great - called the ambulance and picked up my purse and bag & shopping which I'd dropped all over the floor in my panic and gave me loads of support til the ambulance came.

I agree with a lot of your comments and think these scooters must be a lifeline if your mobility is impaired - but there should be proper assessments to see how fit and able a person is to use them - if they are too old, doddery, panicky or just plain stupid they should never be allowed to have one or they should always be accompanied by a responsible adult. I also think they should be banned from being used in shops where there are loads of people in very often confined spaces where it's not always easy to get out of their way. x.

[needmorecoffee]

Ols people often buy those scooters cos they don't want to look 'disabled' in a power wheelchair. The scooters are much heavier and a real bugger to steer. Like little cars really.

[Lazarou]

an old guy drove into my sons pushchair on one of those scooters but luckily the frame took the brunt.
Very frightening though Mamma, not surprised you were shaken up.

[KittyLetteItSnow]

oNE OF THESE REVERSED INTO ME THE OTHER DAY IN sOMERFIELD, AND THE OLD FELLA LOOKED AT ME AS IF IT WERE MY FAULT!! i WAS JUST STOOD THERE.

Oops caps sorry - Im not shouting lol

Really sorry about your DD

Do the old folk just buy these and drive them away or do they have to learn how?

[needmorecoffee]

Was it a powered wheelchair or one of those scooter things?
Glad you LO is ok. What an awful shock.

[NAB3littlemonkeys]

what a bloody thing to happen. Did the lady apologise? What did the staff do? Poor you and your DD.

[Weegle]

How awful for you . I hope your DD doesn't show fear of them in the future.

I too agree they are great for enabling the infirm to get out but I seriously think they need a top speed of 4 miles per hour, same as walking, especially if they are to be used in shops and on pavements. They also should have to have insurance.