Sidewalk scooter use

[VicHockeyFan]

Scooters becoming a hazard, police say

Drivers untested, uninsured and sometimes unmanageable

By Cindy E. Harnett, Times Colonist July 31, 2010

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/to...#ixzz0vLZwpqqm

One complaint a week, and that's a problem? Give me a break. Last night probably a dozen or more Canadians were killed in car crashes, and a hundred injured. I don't think scooters are causing much grief.

Police aren't about to stand behind lamp standards with radar guns clocking speeding scooters, Ducker said, but he suggests scooters should be licensed by the province...

Why does everyone think that licensing somehow makes things safer/better? Among the most licensed and regulated things in our lives are vehicles and booze, I don't know that their licensing has an impact on their safety very much.

[Bingo]

Scooters are no more hazardous than cyclists or skateboarders who ride on city sidewalks. Crack down on those people before picking on the elderly and disabled.

[victorian fan]

Elsie Farr, 95

Bless her heart. Leave her alone.

[Holden West]

"I'm not a psychologist, but it seems when these people use their electric scooters they develop a sense of entitlement, as if they have the right of way on the sidewalk," [Vic PD Deputy Chief John] Ducker said.

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/health/...#ixzz0v1GQ88dn

Don't tell me you've never been walking down the sidewalk minding your own business only to hear a "meep meep" behind you as a scooter blasts by with inches to spare without even an "excuse me" from the driver?

I hate that lazy argument that because some aspects of traffic control are tough (cyclists, skateboards, jaywalkers) we should throw in the towel and enforce nothing.

[spanky123]

Now this is a scooter.

http://www.automotto.org/entry/man-w...cooter-pimped/

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by Holden West

I hate that lazy argument that because some aspects of traffic control are tough (cyclists, skateboards, jaywalkers) we should throw in the towel and enforce nothing.

That aspect of traffic kills no one, injuries hardly anyone (none seriously), and doesn't affect my vehicle insurance rates. I don't need another 35 cops hired and a whole new bureaucracy to register and insure scooters to add to my taxes and fees.

If someone rams you with their scooter, you can still have police investigate, and sue them privately. But let's not waste resources on this perceived "problem".

[sebberry]

In the eye of the government, humans are quickly becoming nothing more than parcels on a UPS conveyer belt, requiring constant sorting and supervision. Anything the government can do to keep each package neatly in line just makes their job easier. Occasionally a box will get dropped, dinged, damaged or beaten, sometimes for the hell of it, sometimes accidentally. Everything needs to be monitored and scrutinized and anything even slightly out of step is treated swiftly by the justice department.. er.. package handlers.

Just wait for the day RFID implants become the norm


And haven't you heard? Granny is much more likely to be run over by a reindeer.

I remember back in 1991 when I moved to Canada, I was with my grandmother on a bus downtown and she spotted a man in a wheelchair outside the Bank of Montreal. It was one of those manual wheelchairs used in racing and the person in it looked like he was trying to go as fast as he could down the sidewalk. My grandmother said "he is positively dangerous!" (If you knew her you'd know why that would be funny). Who knew she was predicting a major societal safety issue?

[Barra]

I liked the approach used by the Medi-chair representative, as reported in the TC article. He assesses the potential user, talks to their caregivers, provides training etc.

There are risks. I almost hit someone in the roadway because I mis-judged his speed. I thought he would be going at the same pace as a pedestrian, but he took off quicker. A learning experience for me, for sure. But what do you do about the Downs syndrome guy who lives near me and has taken over his mother's scooter and chugs along using the roadway. I told him it was not safe, but he has ears like a teenager's (can't tell em anything). There is an elderly couple in my building - she is blind and he is 'lame' and they have a double wide scooter. The route from our bldg to Thrifty's has a narrow, obstructed sidewalk. They only way they can get there is to use the roadway. I looked up the distributor of this machine and it is sold out of somebody's apartment. I emailed the distributor to ask whether they advise people that they shouldn't drive it on the road, just to get them to think a bit about who they are selling this thing to and how it is used.

[yodsaker]

This is an emerging issue and regs will come as the aging population will mean more and more scooters. IMO there will have to be some testing, there's going to be a lot more of them over the next 20 years or so.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by yodsaker

This is an emerging issue and regs will come as the aging population will mean more and more scooters. IMO there will have to be some testing, there's going to be a lot more of them over the next 20 years or so.

I suppose that in 1850 or 1900 or whenever, bicycles were an "emerging issue" but we've managed to stay sane about them ever since.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by VicHockeyFan

I suppose that in 1850 or 1900 or whenever, bicycles were an "emerging issue" but we've managed to stay sane about them ever since.

I'm a strong supporter of bicycle-rider licencing and insurance. Testing would also be good too. Back that up with some good cyclist training in high-school.

[Baro]

I'd walk over to the corner store but my pedestrian insurance expired and even though I have my controlled-intersection crossing permit, I'm still waiting to get my class B crosswalk use license. I'd hate for one of the automatic jay-walking cameras to pick me up as if I get another point on my general pedestrian license the government's going to take my shoes away. But it's all good, shoes can do a lot of damage to people and we really need the government to license and test and insure us to keep the sidewalks safe.

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by sebberry

I'm a strong supporter of bicycle-rider licencing and insurance. Testing would also be good too. Back that up with some good cyclist training in high-school.

Yes, the carnage on the roads caused by bad cyclists is unreal. We all know someone that has been killed or injured by a rogue cyclist.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by VicHockeyFan

Yes, the carnage on the roads caused by bad cyclists is unreal. We all know someone that has been killed or injured by a rogue cyclist.

Actually, I know more people who have been injured by busses (pedestrians)...

I think we should ban busses.

[LJ]

Why is it that the scooters have to go faster than walking speed?

You are just using it to get around locally, theoretically you would be walking if you were able, why not restrict them to 5kmh. If they have to go a longer distance take the bus with their scooter aboard and then walk/scoot to their destination, via the sidewalks.

[talldude123]

Originally Posted by sebberry

Actually, I know more people who have been injured by busses (pedestrians)...

I think we should ban busses.

Now I must disagree with you. I think we should ban cars all together, and only have busses and handy-darts on the road. Also, more busses would mean more frequency, less pollution, and it would be nice to make all people with mobility issues to use Handy Dart or the Community Busses. Think how nice it would be, no more cars on the road...

[VicHockeyFan]

Originally Posted by LJ

Why is it that the scooters have to go faster than walking speed?

You are just using it to get around locally, theoretically you would be walking if you were able, why not restrict them to 5kmh. If they have to go a longer distance take the bus with their scooter aboard and then walk/scoot to their destination, via the sidewalks.

Seems reasonable.

[sebberry]

Originally Posted by talldude123

Think how nice it would be, no more cars on the road...

Ya, real nice for people who actually enjoy driving.

Originally Posted by LJ

Why is it that the scooters have to go faster than walking speed?

You are just using it to get around locally, theoretically you would be walking if you were able, why not restrict them to 5kmh. If they have to go a longer distance take the bus with their scooter aboard and then walk/scoot to their destination, via the sidewalks.

Now, is that "old person with a walker" walking speed or speedwalker walking speed?

These people are getting old, they don't have the luxury of time on their side. I say if they want a high-speed scooter, give it to them

[yodsaker]

Originally Posted by VicHockeyFan

I suppose that in 1850 or 1900 or whenever, bicycles were an "emerging issue" but we've managed to stay sane about them ever since.

Not wanting to see the oldsters hassled, but whenever gov't sees an opportunity to regulate it has a hard time resisting the tendency so I see gov't. stumbling into the breech so to speak. I'd prefer common sense on the part of the scooter-ers and maybe some suasion by family and friends about safety issues.

[Bingo]

Be responsible on that scooter

Times Colonist August 5, 2010

"Used improperly, scooters can injure and even kill. In January 2007, Albert James Wick died when his scooter tipped off a curb in Langford, ejecting him into the path of a dump truck."

Read more:

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion...megadrop_story

While on his scooter, the man hit a patch of icy sidewalk that caused him to fall off the curb into oncoming traffic. The sidewalks are supposed to be kept clear during those conditions, and this accident could have just as easily happened to a pedestrian at the same location. This one incident is not a reason to go after scooter users.

[sebberry]

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/...sharepermalink

[Baro]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9bd_1286400540&c=1
Korean on a scooter gets angry the person didn't hold the door for him, rams through the door and to his death.

[aastra]

That's amazing. If only he had taken a moment to ponder how an elevator actually works. He seems to have assumed that there was an endless train of lifts behind the doors, and that the doors were only there to annoy people. Maybe a lot of people think that?

[sebberry]

Notice how the guy on the 71mph scooter is still alive?

Further proof that it isn't speed that kills, it's stupidity.

[Holden West]

Tonight, a dude on a scooter blew behind me while I was walking, missing me by a couple of inches. I yelled at him to slow down and watch where he was going and he became enraged--telling ME to watch where I was going, as if I should be constantly checking behind me for speeding scooters.

Anyway, this guy didn't take my criticism to heart and instead began yelling, screaming, swearing and insulting me, getting up from his scooter and flailing and swinging his canes at me. I mean, this guy was insane with rage because I dared to comment on his dangerous driving. I was too stunned to note to him that ICBC says scooters should travel at a walking pace and that a bell or horn should be used when overtaking pedestrians.

As much as I would have enjoyed beating the crap out of this self-righteous dope with his own cane, common sense got the better of me and I decided to disengage and walk away before something stupid happened.

Of course this guy played the sympathy card by screaming at me that I was discriminating against the disabled which I laughed at because I would have yelled at anyone who came close to making me eligible for a wheelchair, be it a scooter user, skateboarder or sidewalk cyclist.