Just another tax or something that is needed?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-108238 6/MPs-want-L-test-mobility-scooter-drivers-sto p-accidents-Hells-Grannies.html

I myself think that riders of these scooters should take not only a free test, but should also be vetted that they really have a need to use a mobility scooter.

The following passage made me wonder though, how do they monitor the two different speeds, since they do not have speedometers?

The scooters weigh up to 100kg and are restricted to speeds of 4mph on pavements and 8mph on roads, but there is no legal requirement for training or passing a test.,

Scooters are generally governed to a particular speed by the manufacturer, I would have thought.

[Ethel]

There are two different sorts of scooters - one restricted to 4mph, the other to 8mph.

The 4mph one is perfect for going round indoor shopping centres and that sort of thing, but hopeless for roads and pavements. Too often, the user is forced off the pavement and into the road by cars parking on the pavement and other obstructions.

The ones that travel at 8mph have to be registered with the DVLA and licensed. Of course the tax is free, as with a car used solely by a disabled person.

[Ethel]

And I can assure you that very few people would use them if it weren't absolutely necessary. I was very pleased to see the back of mine, after my operation.

It is no fun travelling with your eyes at crotch level, getting hit in the face by handbags, shopping baskets, lit cigarettes and not be able to see where you are going in a crowd.

[1rovert]

I agree with Ethel. But how about a test for cyclists, they ride on the pavements, over 8mph, and cause more accidents, and they have their own cycle paths, which I might add are paid for by the poor b****y moterists.


I wish I could afford a scooter, I can only walk a short distance, and stand for a short time. Asda have them, and are a great help, but when I went to Sainsbury's, they wanted me to fill in a form, and having spent some time in my life filling in forms, I told them what to do with it.

[anotheoldgit]

I dont know why you did not want to fill in a form surely this was a small price to pay for the use of a shopping cart.

I suppose Sainsburys have to ask you to fill in your particulars for their insurance purposes. B&Q superstores requires one to do this also.

[tigerlily11]

I would agree that most of the people that have them need them, but having been on the recieving end of being rammed in the legs by the users, I would like to see some form of instruction to help some of the users understand that just because they have one it, does not entitle them to force others out of the way by running over feet and running into legs.
And an 'excuse me' now and again would be nice.
This I would also like to see applied to mothers with pushchairs.

[ludwig]

What we need is a fleet of police scooters fitted with sirens that could chase and apprehend the miscreants. They'd obviously have to use powerful machines capable of 10mph or more.