Should mobility scooters be insured ?

Chepfer · Should mobility scooters be insured ?

They can be a menace on the pavements and a danger to others ..... should proper tests be implemented and insurance be taken out by the drivers ?

Also ...... is it fine for them to be on the pavement .... when cyclists can not ?

rosco

I think they can go on the pavement as long as they cannot exceed a certain max speed of 4mph (which should be walking speed). It's an idea that they should have insurance but then again, cyclists don't have to either.

Local lass

I thought they do have insurance i know you have to pass some sort of test thing before you have one.and yes they should be allowed on the pavement providing that they keep to a reasonable speed.there a nightmare on the road as you often dont see them till last minute.
I also would agree that some cyclists also be allowed on the pavement especaily young kids .I travelled to malbrough the other week and there must have been some sort of event on the a4 i must have passed over 200 cyclists which turned out also to be going to malbrough.most were fine and rode single file.one complete dork pulled out to overtake a bike in frount of him straight in frount of a car .the biker stuck his vs up to the car yet he was in the wrong.
one thing i would ban from roads are bloody horses there ok if you are on a country road as you kind of expect them but they should remain off the main roads.

kathy27

push bike riders think they have all the rights on the road, ive had that happen to me a couple of times, motor bike riders know they cant ride side by side yet push bikers think its ok for them

I think they should have to pay tax and insurance.

And dont get me started on horse riders

what is wrong with all the fields to ride the thing in, even country roads why the hell take it on a main road??

Chepfer

So are you saying push bike riders dont have all the rights of the road or that car drivers do !.

Dont worry i'm not having a go at you or anyone but i'm trying to open a good debate on it.

If the road were safer and offered proper cycleways and yes i'd be prepared to pay a tax to keep them in good order ..... i'd be cycling !.

GTB

I think it should be mandatory that these mobility scooters be insured. Some of the people who drive them don't even need them, they are just too fat and lazy to walk. The other bug-bear that I have with them is when you meet them on a narrow footpath whilst pushing a pram - who has right of way?? You normally have to venture out into the road (and dodge cars in the process!!

) to let them pass. They are nothing short of a nuisance, to be honest with you, on footpaths!

kathy27

Peter Dolman

there is no requirement for any insurance or test to be able to use a mobility scooter, I think there should be. they take up far more of the footpath than is safe to do so often forcing pedestrians onto the road.
the scooters should be inspected on a regular basis to ensure that they are safe to use.

any sensible cyclist will be making sure their bike is fit for purpose, it true you are more at risk riding a bike than sat in a car.
in my experience most car drivers are not cyclist aware!

win2212

Looks like most push bikes dont have any lights, and some dont even have any relectors fitted. Yet I thought they had to have both, by law.

this kinda highlighted the issue last winter - I saw a push bike being rode in the road by a kid, in the dark, even though this bike had no lights and no main reflectors at all. I just managed to catch sight of the strip reflector on the pedals. Anyways, I over took and glanced in my rear view mirror only to this kid vanish into the dark within moments. It was like a cloaking device.

I wonder if there are national numbers collected for the number of push bike riders knocked off by cars in the dark.

Chepfer

I dont thing theres a law for having to have lights on bikes unless your riding it in the dark and then you do .... though i think your right about having to have reflectors.

I agree with kathy about the weaving and stuff though, its pure careless, though i dint think there is anything wrong with over taking stationary cars in a sensible and safe manor !

As for mobility scooters, it was fine when they were a bit of a novelty but they are everywhere now, not that it is a bad thing of course but i do feel it's now time to introduce some laws in respect to driving them on the pavements ... they are after all a mechanised vehicle and are really no different to small cars !!!!

kathy27

the scooters as far as im aware have to go on the path or a side road they are not meant to be on a main road ( a friend of mine got turned around by the police going over the golf course and they followed her home)
I think everyone that uses them needs to take a test, my nephew got run over by one in sainsburys.
they just seem to think they have the right of way!!

daffy

they should have some form of insurance .
i have found swindon to be the worst place for flubber carts they think they have the right of way by just barging past and nearly knocking you flying ,as G.T.B. said and i would have to agree with him you look at the people using them ,there are very few slim people using them they are grossly obese and probebly due to there size canont walk much.

and i have also seen young people in there late 20s using these things .

Calne_Lokal

The only good things to ever come from Mobilty Scooters is the motors as they always seemed to be the No.1 choice for designers on the classic tv show Robot Wars.