Can-Do-Ability: Answers and Solutions from my personal experiences of living with a disability

Crackdown on Speeding Scooters

15 Oct 2012Recently A Current Affair segment was about a crackdown on pensioners speeding in their mobile scooters.

I don't watch much TV, and when I saw this I felt that A Current Affair were really scraping the bottom of the barrel to find this story.

The story went on to discuss how a ‘spate of serious injuries has led to calls for uniform speed limits for motorised scooters and harsh penalties for breaking them. But as nursing homes ban usage indoors and shopping centres review their policies, is it fair cop or a step too far?'

I do believe that anyone in a motorised or manual wheelchair needs to mindful of those around them but people walking around need to watch where they are going also. I can't tell you the amount of times I have stopped stationary and still had people walk into me. It is very frustrating.

I do agree that the scooters should all have a ‘safe' maximum speed limit and that they can still be used in shopping centres and nursing homes providing the user is cognitive enough to care about those around them.

The introduction of ‘harsh penalties' sounds interesting. I wonder what penalties they can give a poor pensioner – a fine they can't pay? Throw them in gaol? They turn their scooter off and take away their key? They dump them on the floor there and then and tell them to walk or crawl?

I don't think anyone has a right to take away someone's mobility, just like we can't stop crazy walkers!

Link to view story: http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8543567



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Previous Comments

Mal Codling from Victoria Australia posted on 24 Oct 2012
I have been in a Power chair for nearly 5 years now & the subject of 'safe speed's for Scooters' has bugged me all that time.It is very noticeable wth the increase of Motorized Mobility Scooters & large double prams, clogging footpaths & Shopping Malls.If ambulatory pedestrians used, even a little bit, of Rules of the Road there would be less accidents involving motorized pedestrian's! The speed in cars is law but how many speed? I know speeding is a problem but so are ignorant pedestrians.RANT FINNISHED.

Bill from MO posted on 15 Oct 2012
Scooter typically don't travel more than 5 MPH. Most people walk faster than that. You say people aren't as dangerous as heavy scooters? I was at Walmart in my electric chair following a clerk at about 2-3 mph. I woman barged out of an isle with a heavy shopping cart and ran the cart right into my right arm. Shopping carts ARE just as dangerous as scooters.

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