8mph mobility scooters

MouldyOldDough

Cyclamen said:

Sadly there are people who drive both mobility scooters, cars, bicycles who dont follow the rules.

Class 3 are counted as road/ pavement scoters and can only be used on the pavement on the 'slow setting' many not all have a tortoise/hare switch.  Some of the newer ones just have a speed dial and can actually go pretty fast.. great if you know what you are doing and are on the road following the rules really scary on pavement.

I used a mobility scooter for about 4 years , was previously a car driver and now use a wheelchair.  There is no training requirement for mobility scooters or powerchairs bought privately.  The shop is meant to check you are competent but thats pretty much 'this is start, stop and steer here'.  The NHS issued wheelchairs do come with some 'driver training' and an outdoor use orientation but it is limited.   

This does not excuse unsafe driving.  You could ring local non emergency police and give details so they can do an 'education visit' . 

I am horrified by some peoples lack of manners, thought and consideration .  

But please for those of us who do try to be safe considerat scooter/ wheelchair drivers dont think we are all like that.  Mistakes do get made, accidents do happen but i think most of the community are equally cross and frustrated by the bad drivers just as car drivers and cyclists are by the few who are unsafe in their categories. 

I am a 4mph pavement scooter user myself and always am aware of pedestrians and always give them priority
I am still a car driver as well

teddysmum

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

MouldyOldDough

teddysmum said:

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

15mph is illegal to use in UK as well as dangerous for the user and other road /pavement users 

Spoonie_Turtle

teddysmum said:

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

This sounds like a powered front wheel add-on.  There are quite a few different legit ones on the market (most likely even more expensive then the Amazon one as they've had proper safety testing), but I don't know the top speed of those.

MouldyOldDough

Spoonie_Turtle said:

teddysmum said:

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

This sounds like a powered front wheel add-on.  There are quite a few different legit ones on the market (most likely even more expensive then the Amazon one as they've had proper safety testing), but I don't know the top speed of those.

Top legal speed will be the same as a mobility scooter - 4mph on pavements and 8 mph on roads

Although virtually uncontrollable at any speed due to steering being difficult

Spoonie_Turtle

MouldyOldDough said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

teddysmum said:

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

This sounds like a powered front wheel add-on.  There are quite a few different legit ones on the market (most likely even more expensive then the Amazon one as they've had proper safety testing), but I don't know the top speed of those.

Top legal speed will be the same as a mobility scooter - 4mph on pavements and 8 mph on roads

Although virtually uncontrollable at any speed due to steering being difficult

I know several people who use them and they are most certainly in full control at any speed.

MouldyOldDough

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MouldyOldDough said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

teddysmum said:

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

This sounds like a powered front wheel add-on.  There are quite a few different legit ones on the market (most likely even more expensive then the Amazon one as they've had proper safety testing), but I don't know the top speed of those.

Top legal speed will be the same as a mobility scooter - 4mph on pavements and 8 mph on roads

Although virtually uncontrollable at any speed due to steering being difficult

I know several people who use them and they are most certainly in full control at any speed.

At 15 mph ?
I very much doubt it.

Spoonie_Turtle

MouldyOldDough said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

MouldyOldDough said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

teddysmum said:

Amazon are marketing an appliance which changes a manual wheelchair into a 'scooter' capable of 15mph. It is as expensive as some electric wheelchairs and looks like the front end of a chunky tyred scooter .

This sounds like a powered front wheel add-on.  There are quite a few different legit ones on the market (most likely even more expensive then the Amazon one as they've had proper safety testing), but I don't know the top speed of those.

Top legal speed will be the same as a mobility scooter - 4mph on pavements and 8 mph on roads

Although virtually uncontrollable at any speed due to steering being difficult

I know several people who use them and they are most certainly in full control at any speed.

At 15 mph ?
I very much doubt it.

Any speed at which they use them.  Some come with limiters, they all have speed settings, and every decent one comes with info about the legal speed limit for using them.

I don't understand why you think disabled people can't control them - people control motorbikes, powered bicycles, cars, what's the difference?  Other than these being smaller than a motorbike or car.  Perhaps you are envisioning specific older people who wouldn't be safe to drive a car on the road, but the people I know who use them are all fully competent, including one elderly gentleman well past retirement age (who is still a good driver).

teddysmum

I think the speed was a seller's error, as it has been deleted.

wild666

I travel at 8MPH on the pavement but only if it's clear with no obstructions. If I come up to someone on the pavement I reduce my speed to that of which the person is walking at. Most of the time they step aside and let me pass them once they notice me on the scooter.
One thing I Object too is those who travel on the road at 8MPH and get a queue of traffic behind them because the road isn't wide enough for them to pass because cars are parked on each side if the road or it's one way and there is only enough room for one vehicle plus a parked vehicle on the road. I've seen some people ride down the middle of the road so that no vehicle can pass them and they won't move even if there is a space for them to pull into for motor vehicles to pass them.