Mobility scooter

[slofox]

I know it is traditional for bikers to slag off scooters. But this is the first time I have had a problem with a mobility scooter. Went like this:

Heading to work yesterday morning in the cage with a bootload of beer for the shop. Rounded the roundabout and into Normandy Ave - four lanes plus median strip. I'm in the right hand lane. There's a pedestrian crossing about 40 metres into Normandy Ave.
I noticed, in the cycle lane on the left, a dude in a mobility scooter. He was ahead of me - closer to the pedestrian crossing. Didn't think a lot of it at the time, but just as I caught him up, a few metres from the Ped Xing, he swung a right to cross on the crossing. By this time I am almost abreast of him. For a split second, I though he was going to end up right in front of me...but as it turned out, I was forward enough to slip through ahead of him.
He didn't look at all before turning but by the look of him, he had very limited mobility anyway and I doubted he could have looked had he wanted to. It sure scared shit out of me for a second - I mean imagine running into him - how the hell would you feel running into someone so obviously disabled? Or anyone on a pedestrian crossing come to that.
Object lesson - never assume anything on the road.

A turn signal would be good on something like that.

[Edbear]

Orewa was noted for its high mobility scooter v. car accident rate for the same reason. The oldies just couldn't seem to "drive" the things properly. They'd drive them on the road like a car but of course no indicators or looking where they were going, and just veer out in front of traffic.

Lately the accident rate has been zero. I think the worst offenders got to the point they couldn't get out on them anymore , or died...

[slofox]

This guy was quite young - not an oldie at all. Maybe Cerebral Palsy or somesuch, judging by the way he was sitting in the chair - I'm no expert on this stuff.

[Hiflyer]

I know it is traditional for bikers to slag off scooters. But this is the first time I have had a problem with a mobility scooter. Went like this:

Heading to work yesterday morning in the cage with a bootload of beer for the shop. Rounded the roundabout and into Normandy Ave - four lanes plus median strip. I'm in the right hand lane. There's a pedestrian crossing about 40 metres into Normandy Ave.
I noticed, in the cycle lane on the left, a dude in a mobility scooter. He was ahead of me - closer to the pedestrian crossing. Didn't think a lot of it at the time, but just as I caught him up, a few metres from the Ped Xing, he swung a right to cross on the crossing. By this time I am almost abreast of him. For a split second, I though he was going to end up right in front of me...but as it turned out, I was forward enough to slip through ahead of him.
He didn't look at all before turning but by the look of him, he had very limited mobility anyway and I doubted he could have looked had he wanted to. It sure scared shit out of me for a second - I mean imagine running into him - how the hell would you feel running into someone so obviously disabled? Or anyone on a pedestrian crossing come to that.
Object lesson - never assume anything on the road.

A turn signal would be good on something like that.

I never trust people on mobility scooters. Not even myself when my foot was broken.


P.S you might wanna be careful with a post like this, given your avatar... :bleh:

[blackdog]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238892/Drunken-mobility-scooter-driver-caught-camera-boozy-night-bar.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1320101/The-worlds-fastest-mobility-scooter-Plumber-converts-vehicle-hit-69mph.html

and my favourite, wonder if they DQ'd him from driving? bummer

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1028726/Man-wheelchair-arrested-drunk-driving-charge.html

[slofox]

.


P.S you might wanna be careful with a post like this, given your avatar... :bleh:

I already have plans for transplanting the gixxer engine...:devil2:

[Dave Lobster]

Orewa was noted for its high mobility scooter v. car accident rate for the same reason. The oldies just couldn't seem to "drive" the things properly. They'd drive them on the road like a car but of course no indicators or looking where they were going, and just veer out in front of traffic.

Lately the accident rate has been zero. I think the worst offenders got to the point they couldn't get out on them anymore , or died...

I'm surprised. With the modifications they've made to the road, and the consequent lack of visibility, I've had far more near misses with the blue rinse brigade pulling out without looking.

[Edbear]

I'm surprised. With the modifications they've made to the road, and the consequent lack of visibility, I've had far more near misses with the blue rinse brigade pulling out without looking.

Car drivers are indeed another matter and the modifications to SH1 haven't helped visibility at all. Oldies in cars remain Orewa's nemesis...