Mobility Scooters

The Regulations state that in order to use a mobility scooter ”legally” you MUST be over 14 years old and MUST be registered as disabled. Does that answer the point raised???

Given that being in a wheelchair or mobility scooter renders a person either invisible or fodder for the patronising brigade D.O.A. it would seem highly unlikely that anyone would actually CHOOSE a mobility scooter over another mode of transport as a matter of preference, unless disabled.

@dead_on_arrvial wrote:

I don’t know about that.

What do you call a golf cart ?

Er….. a ”golf cart”

Well I am looking at one now pb, theres no disable sticker on or anything esle.

MMMMmmmm……….

Time for a test on scooters
New laws needed to protect users and pedestrians
A CALL has gone out for action to put the brakes on a three-wheeled menace.
While most users of mobility scooters are careful and considerate, others are proving to be a hazard to pedestrians … and themselves.
Shopmobility, which provides scooters for shoppers with mobility problems, recognises there’s an issues and wants a two-pronged approach to tackle it.
It believes new laws are needed to govern the use of scooters and it wants drivers to undergo a basic test before taking to the pavements.
Currently, there is no legal requirement for anyone purchasing a motobility scooter to receive any instruction on the vehicle at all.
There is also no need for insurance or road tax – although some scooter owners do have insurance.
Peter Rowe, Falkirk’s community access officer, and Shirley Erskine, Shopmobility customer liaison, believe companies selling motobility scooters to private customers without giving them any training or guidance can lead to dangerous situations.
Peter said: “At the moment there is no government legislation that states people must be competent to drive the scooters when they buy them.
“However, if they come to us we give them a minor driving test on the motobility scooter, which is basically just advice to get them used to the controls.”
Shirley added: “Even if they have prior experience on the vehicle we still put them through our little test just to cover ourselves.
“They need to demonstrate they have control over the scooter. If we feel they are competent enough we let them head out.”
Shopmobility workers have to use their own discretion when it comes to who they let drive off in a motobility scooter.
But, on some occasions, people are simply not fit enough to handle the vehicle.
Shirley said: “If they come in here straight from the pub and you can see they’re a bit worse for wear, you would definitely refuse them. If someone is registered blind you would also have to refuse them.”
Some of the scooters in the Shopmobility office can do up to eight mph, but most just reach a top speed of four mph and there is a system in place in users are found to be abusing them.
Although Shopmobility doesn’t have the staff to keep tabs on them all, every scooter is numbered and names of the users are logged.
“It’s a way to keep track of people and, at times, find out who the guilty party is,” said Peter. “We give them a warning and after two warnings they get an official letter asking them to calm the speed and toe the line.
“I think the police have problems with them as well as they are not classed as motor vehicles and don’t come under the laws that correspond to cars and motorbikes.”
The police can take some action against erratic or drunken scooter users, but only if the machine they are in charge of can be classed as a motor vehicle.
Chief Inspector Donald McMillan said: “We have dealt with complaints about motobility scooters before and it’s a complicated area, there’s no doubt about that.
“The big question is whether or not the scooter is being used as a motor vehicle. I know there are a variety of these scooters and, depending what it was and what it was used for, it may fall into the category of a motor vehicle.
“Each case would be judged on its own merits. If they are drunk and the scooter is being used on the road, there is a strong possibility they will be charged with drink driving.”

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19 October 2006