Mobility Scooters - MP's Urge Action

Oscar_The_Grouch

Good morning all

Perhaps forum members would like to post their views on the following BBC article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8605916.stm

My view:
I have a mobility scooter (Class 3), but I also have a car and motorcycle driving licence. If the government want me to take another driving test for a mobility scooter, it's no skin off my nose!! Perhaps we could all band together and set up a driving school!! £20 a lesson sounds like a good fee!!

WhiteHorse

Locally, we now suffer from a plague of these things.

There have been some nasty accidents too, including a child being run down and dragged along underneath, and a friend suffering a broken leg as a result of a pedestrian vs scooter collison.

I also find some of the drivers of these things to be very aggressive, deliberately driving right at people on pavements, in pedestrian areas, and even in shops (!).

So ...

(1) Insurance should be compulsory.

(2) Tests for those who do not already possess a car licence.

(3) Tests for those who are no longer deemed fit to drive a car.

(4) The same fines and penalties (including bans and confiscations).

Oscar_The_Grouch

I should just say that, as I am an insurance geek, I do have separate insurance for my scooter!

One thing I would like to point out, however, is that as there is no compulsory insurance requirement for third party liability (damaging someone else or their property), the liability cover provided free with your Contents Insurance will usually pick up any claim made against you. You should check with your insurance provider on the terms of their policy and you may also be able to specify the scooter under the "away from home" section so that you are covered for damage to the scooter itself too.

Oscar_The_Grouch

WhiteHorse wrote: »

I also find some of the drivers of these things to be very aggressive, deliberately driving right at people on pavements, in pedestrian areas, and even in shops (!).

I don't want to defend the morons that do this, but on the other hand, I do get sick to the back teeth of people who will walk directly at me and then move at the last minute. The turning circle of mobility scooters is good, but not as good as a pair of legs!! If you want us to be treated like cars and bikes, give us the courtesy of treating us as you would a car or a bike and give us some room too!!

WhiteHorse wrote: »

(1) Insurance should be compulsory.

(2) Tests for those who do not already possess a car licence.

(3) Tests for those who are no longer deemed fit to drive a car.

(4) The same fines and penalties (including bans and confiscations).

All mobility scooters have a chasis number, just like cars do. I think it would be a good idea to make the scooters have number plates too. They could then be registered with the MID Database (the thing used by insurers and police to check who people are insured with) and be easily identified in the event of accidents.

Here's another question for you:

Should the 4mph scooters be treated differently from the 6-8mph scooters? The 4mph ones are not "road legal" so can only be used on pavements (you can be done for jay-walking on a 4mph scooter). Should there be MOT's too?

Oscar_The_Grouch

ramsas wrote: »

And eye tests should also go with it.

Errmmmm.... I know this was probably just a throw away comment, but how would you regulate that? I accept that if tests are compulsory, you can include the "can you read that number plate please" part and I take it that this is what you mean.

If you mean that people with mobility scooters should be discriminated against and forced to have an annual eye exam, I'd like to pose this question to you:

As far as I am aware, there is no legal requirement for someone to have an eye test before they ride a cycle, but there are many accidents caused by children riding their bikes in pedestrianised areas. Should we be saying that all parents have to take their kids to Specsavers if they are buying them a bike for Christmas?

an1179

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

I should just say that, as I am an insurance geek, I do have separate insurance for my scooter!

One thing I would like to point out, however, is that as there is no compulsory insurance requirement for third party liability (damaging someone else or their property), the liability cover provided free with your Contents Insurance will usually pick up any claim made against you. You should check with your insurance provider on the terms of their policy and you may also be able to specify the scooter under the "away from home" section so that you are covered for damage to the scooter itself too.

I think you will find that your Contents Insurance excludes liability in respect of Motorised Vehicles (except for garden equipment).

nanamoo

where i live theres a guy that live in the next street, he is an absolute nightmare on his scooter, he flies along the pavements yelling and screeching at people, the police have been involved many a time because he has run someone over or rattled into a parked car.

having legislations concerning scooters shold make the pavements safer for everybody else in cases like the guy that lives near me

its that bad that as soon as i hear him i try to get to the opposite side of the street to him a he dont seem to give a toss who gets in his way

LameWolf

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

Here's another question for you:

Should the 4mph scooters be treated differently from the 6-8mph scooters? The 4mph ones are not "road legal" so can only be used on pavements (you can be done for jay-walking on a 4mph scooter). Should there be MOT's too?

That was my first thought when I saw this mentioned in the newspaper.

There is a problem with some scooter-users (you only have to be in Central Milton Keynes shopping centre at a busy time to experience it).

My scooter is only a 4 mph one, and is primarily used for dog-walking. I have no problem in principle with taking a test (although I do have a clean driving licence!!) but I do wonder if scooter owners are going to be used as a cash cow - compulsory lessons, tests, all costing us the earth.

I'm probably not wording my thoughts very well - too early in the day for me, and two canine guests demanding my attention. LOL

Invasion

WhiteHorse wrote: »

Locally, we now suffer from a plague of these things.

There have been some nasty accidents too, including a child being run down and dragged along underneath, and a friend suffering a broken leg as a result of a pedestrian vs scooter collison.

I also find some of the drivers of these things to be very aggressive, deliberately driving right at people on pavements, in pedestrian areas, and even in shops (!).

So ...

(1) Insurance should be compulsory.

(2) Tests for those who do not already possess a car licence.

(3) Tests for those who are no longer deemed fit to drive a car.

(4) The same fines and penalties (including bans and confiscations).

Yes, lets confiscate the equivalent of a non disabled person's legs... That's basically what a scooter is, it's a pair of legs that work!

Until you've used a wheelchair/electric wheelchair/scooter, you have no idea how difficult it is to negotiate people who walk wandering from side to side, who stop with no warning, who walk towards you and expect you- the one with the harder-to-maneuver-than-legs-wheels to get out of the way and FAST!

jazabelle

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

I don't want to defend the morons that do this, but on the other hand, I do get sick to the back teeth of people who will walk directly at me and then move at the last minute. The turning circle of mobility scooters is good, but not as good as a pair of legs!! If you want us to be treated like cars and bikes, give us the courtesy of treating us as you would a car or a bike and give us some room too!!

Ugh, yes.

I have only rented one a couple of times from Shopmobility, and the amount of times people would just leisurely wander out in front of me, having seen me and then just stop, so I had to keep jerking to a stop on what was a clear road, which would have been annoying for anyone behind me.

I do wonder what checks there are for eye sight, and that kind of thing. I think anyone with a driving licence recently shouldn't have to though.

How will all this work for a couple of hours rental? Would I have to get a licence and insurance just to rent it as a one-off. It was the only thing that allowed me to go Christmas shopping for the bits that weren't available or too expensive online.

sheeps68

Maybe its a common sense appoach needed. Anyone who either drives or has driven providing they can see and have basic wits about them should be OK. Where those who have never driven maybe need a few lessons and checks to ensure they can maneouver them properley and have a reasonable spacial awareness alongside common decency and manners. In my experience pedestrians are lethal in walking in front of people especially those who havent driven. But with a pedestrian who walks out in front of you you get a toe trodden on where its a bigger bruise etc if they are attempting to drive a scooter and hit you.
I'm all for helping people to have independance but maybe those of senior years who have never driven any veichle and hence havent learnt road skills and spacial awareness should be helped in this before they purchase a scooter etc.
A shopmobility scooter once in a while is a trickier issue to solve. Maybe a quick check a person can effectively reverse park it (you after all need this skill to get in a lift and out again) and steer on first registration would be a way forward.