Mobility Scooters

[sunny-dave]

A blessing or a nuisance?

Increasing independence or encouraging idleness and a dependence on the scooter?

There are very few scooters anywhere else in Europe (I've been in Ireland, Spain and Portugal recently and you could count the scooters on the fingers of one hand). Those that there are, are being used by people who are demonstrably unable to walk (eg by reason of missing legs) or have something like motor neurone disease.

I know that not all disabilities are obvious (believe me I do) - but have we bred a culture where the scooter is a first rather than a last resort?

The safety issue worries me too, in my neck of the woods, badly driven Mobility Scooters are a fecking menace - I think the whole law surrounding them needs tightening up. Not necessarily to prevent anyone using them, but to ensure the safety of other pavement and shop users.

Restrict the dratted things to 3mph (which is still better than parity with other pedestrians) and insist on proper training/licensing/insurance - with a damn great ID plate so that the user can be found and prosecuted for dangerous driving - I know two people who have been quite badly injured by a scooter, which then departed the scene without a 'sorry', let alone any recompense.

[baza]

over the years I have noticed an increase in these scooters and must admit most are driven by sensible people however, in the local town they seem to be driven by idiots with a death wish.

[cazzz1975]

I dont have an issue with mobility scooters, why are these things such a big deal to people, why are people so judgemental these days?

[Svejk]

methyl /// This would be easier on a thread which was not cluttered. Posting in Chatterbank rather than Body&Soul is at your own risk./// 01:04 Sat 12th Apr 2014

does being offensive come naturally to you or do you have to work at it?
as your own opinion seems to be the only one you're interested in why not start your own thread(s) or even better, your own website somewhere(far away)

[woofgang]

There is a difference between being disabled and being registered as disabled. No one can be forced to register as disabled but if they have a disability, then they can use a scooter.

[hc4361]

There is no system for registering as disabled in the UK. You can register as deaf or blind or partially sighted. That's it.

[DrFilth]

you end up with pips hc -)

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/2571.aspx?categoryid=155

[tiggerblue10]

I was nearly run over by someone driving a mobility scooter last year. They were going quite fast on the pavement with someone else in another scooter in hot pursuit!

[pixie373]

That is true, hc.

[whiskeryron]

//
cazzz1975
I dont have an issue with mobility scooters, why are these things such a big deal to people, why are people so judgemental these days? //

The real dangerous things are the bloody morons who insist on riding cycles on our pavements.

[Old_Geezer]

Not going to read 4 pages, but just to say I don't have any real issue with them, although I think they ought to be prevented from going faster than a brisk walking pace; and ideally have audible sensors to tell all if the motorised vehicle on the pavement is getting too close to someone/something. But otherwise, who am I to say whether someone needs one or not ?

[anneasquith]

I agree ron. the pavement cyclist is much more dangerous, and they appear to be 'able bodied'.

[netibiza]

Yes certainly not many here. Last summer there was a fat man on his scooter waiting for the ibiza bus, well being Ibiza not every bus is scooter friendly, so he was told he would have to wait half an hour for the scooter friendly bus, no way, so he stood up and carried the scooter onto the bus. We did laugh.

[Postdog]

Couldn't answer yesterday as I couldn't log in, but for all those ABLE bodied people who begrudge those of us UNABLE to walk for far (as most users can walk, just not for long), shame on you.

My brain tumour and the growing effects of what it has done has highlighted just how being disabled can really screw your life up and it is quite clear now most "normal" haven't a clue.

BTW, I didn't read all the posts, but i saw one factually wrong. Not all scooters do 8mph...the majority do just 4.

Believe me, if we could walk easily we would.