Bloody Mobility Scooters

[Gareth]

I had to nip the 400 metres or so to Anglia Square here in Norwich on a quick errand, and I have just been knocked down by one mobility scooter, and run over by a second. To make matters worse I was on foot, walking along a 2 metres wide pavement with steel safety rails along the roadside. The two ignorant bitches crept up behind me ... I didn't hear the electric motors, the first one clipped my right leg knocking me down, and the second ran me over while I was on the floor. To make matters worse these weren't the normal little wheeled 3 wheel scooter thingies, but bloody great 4 wheel Galaxy 8's; veritable stretched limos of the scooter world, the Community Support Officer on patrol refused to get involved, and the two bitches refused to give me their details. Although I almost unhurt ... I'm going to have a bruise, and I am absolutely bloody fuming!


It is about high time these bloody things are: Registered, Taxed, Insured with the drivers licenced, and put on the road ... not the pavements; I was knocked down within a few metres of a sign informing cyclists they will be fined £30 for riding on the pavement...... the 4 wheeled Pedal powered vehicles that I have and make, have to be road legal, use the roads and have to be registered, taxed and insured, so why not these bloody self propelled mobility scooters.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

You should have just pushed them over. Who's laughing now, you old boot?

Seriously, sounds nasty. Hope you're not too bruised.

 

[chillyuk]

So apart from coming on here for your cyber group hug what do you intend doing about it.

If the PCSO waster refused to anything I would be banging the counter at the police station.

 

[bauldbairn]

Glad to hear you're almost okay!

They're a pet hate of mine - the inconsiderately/badly driven ones anyway.
Some really don't give a $hit who they hurt, I've seen collisions with prams/children. Anybody(regardless of ability/capability)seems to be able to get one.

Last year whilst walking towards some high rise flats(Callander Park) occupied by elderly people, I spotted one resident stuck halfway up a hill on a mobility scooter. I asked what was wrong and was informed the battery was flat - so I offered to push it. On reaching the top of the hill, I realised the driver was drunk and had just been to the shop for a carry-out(more booze).

They should licence/moderate motability scooter users - there use is a privilege not a right.

 

[AndyCarolan]

So apart from coming on here for your cyber group hug what do you intend doing about it.

If the PCSO waster refused to anything I would be banging the counter at the police station.

I agree that it needs to be resolved but how do you report someone who refuses give you their details?

 

[vernon]

They should licence/moderate motability scooter users - there use is a privilege not a right.

Their use is limited only by the ability to pay for them so ownership is far from a privilege.

Looking at what's available in our local disability chariot shop at the end of my street there are some models that are eminently affordable.

I'd love to have a go with a brace of them, one for each foot - I'm talking about the smaller models here and see how they perform in a simulated chariot race on the local playing fields.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Mobility scooters for people with 'genuine' mobility issues are not a problem.

Fat useless wasters using them as transport because walking is too hard, are idle scum IMO.

Sadly every town in the UK is now infested with them.

 

[wafflycat]

Complain to Norfolk plod about the community support officer's lack of support if you feel strongly enough. Perhaps there's CCTV coverage of where it happened? Perhaps it's a Norfolk thing, this inconsiderate use of mobility scooters, I often see it in Dereham. Nightmares. Then some damn woman reversed into me in the checkout queue at Morrisons. Bah!

 

[ComedyPilot]

We ought to start a 'Get off and walk' campaign before a child is hurt???

 

[downfader]

Mobility scooter... never had a problem with them or their drivers (even if they're fat wasters). I've worked in and around hospitals too and havent had problems their either.

I wonder if this is because for the past 10 years we've had a council run scheme of free training. Sadly this is now being ditched to "lack of funds".

I also worry about moaning another should be "taxed/insured/registered/tattoo'd" when doing the same to drivers has made b*ggerall difference. It would also be a nail in the coffin to our rights, and the rights of those really on disability allowance.

 

[bauldbairn]

Their use is limited only by the ability to pay for them so ownership is far from a privilege.

I believe many/most are paid for by disability allowance as someone else(downfader) has mentioned. There is no need for them to operate at any faster than walking pace as this is what they replace/enable.

I've no doubt there are responsible/safe motability scooter drivers out there - as there are cyclists.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Round here about 50% of users are "disabled" by obesity and they are the problem ones, the genuinely disabled users are fine.

 

[marinyork]

I believe many/most are paid for by disability allowance as someone else(downfader) has mentioned. There is no need for them to operate at any faster than walking pace as this is what they replace/enable.

The problem has been that there have always been people that break the speed limit and in cramped/busy spaces one often sees aggressive driving darting through spaces where they should probably wait and this is often where it involves clipping someone's foot, knocking them down or knocking something else over. On pedestrian areas here I've seen them break the law when PCSOs etc make a fuss of cyclists cycling slower!

 

[downfader]

The problem has been that there have always been people that break the speed limit and in cramped/busy spaces one often sees aggressive driving darting through spaces where they should probably wait and this is often where it involves clipping someone's foot, knocking them down or knocking something else over. On pedestrian areas here I've seen them break the law when PCSOs etc make a fuss of cyclists cycling slower!

I would imagine that is because its hard to tell what speed they're doing on the pavement - however seeing a pavement cyclist its pretty easy to tell if they're breaking a law.

Most of the ones I see tend to be with someone else (carer perhaps?).

 

[Headgardener]

There are two types; ones that don't need to be taxed and can only do 4mph and are only allowed on pavements and the larger type which need to be taxed and can do 8mph and also are allowed out on the road.