Laws on mobility vehicles to be tightened - Telegraph
Better late than never. There are too many users of mobility scooters who are either incapable of controlling them correctly, or don't give a dam for the safety of pedestrians, believing that they (scooter users) have a superior right of way!
Unfortunately it's the same old story of an inconsiderate minority necessitating action to be taken against all scooter users to protect the public.
It is important that those persons with mobility disabilities have a means of independent movement/travel thereby giving the facility for a fuller dignity of life. But not at the threat of the safety to other members of the public, using the pathways, highways, or other public areas, or infringement upon their quality of life.
There has to be an acknowledgement of the liability to the protection of the public, both physically and financially, in the case of accidents, by mobility vehicle users. Every other motorised vehicle has controls placed upon the both the vehicle and the user and mobility scooters must be treated the same.
p.s. 04.03.2010
Interesting comments added to this article 'Got a mobility scooter? Then you'll need to take a 'fitness to drive' test' in the Mail
Wednesday 3 March 2010
2 comments:
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I use a mobility scooter and find that the general public also need to be trained. They step out in front of us and also step back into us and then proceed to complain loudly that it is our fault. Unfortunately, we (the disabled) are not fitted with ESP and therefore do not know that these people are about to step out.
ReplyDeleteI'm intriqued as to what training you feel the public needs in using/walking in a pedestrian area being it a footpath, or a shop, or any public area. In such an area it is the powered mobility scooter, often travelling at some speed, that is the stranger ( out of the norm).
ReplyDeleteDid you have training when you purchased your scooter before using it amongst the public?
Do you have public liability insurance in case of an accident where a member of the public is injured, or private property damaged, due to an error on your part as a scooter user?
Perhaps you might include your name, rather than anonymous, in a reply.