A Tragic New Trend?

[TB Roye]

During the past 2 weeks 3 people have been killed in accidents involving the Scooters for the disabled. 2 were people crossing the street at night and not in the cross walk and one got the scooter hung up crossing railroad tracks. It is a concern for law enforcement but they don't know what to do about it. They may have to redesign/change the size of the whees/tires on the scooter so the don't get caught in the tracks. They are talking about making the scooters more visable at night with reflectors and a flag on a stick like dune buggys use. Around here the people tend to not use the side walks but use the bike lane or shoulder of the road. I think it has to do with going up and down the curbs with the scooters. They also tend not to look where thay are going. I feel they are going to need to be trained on rules of the road or there will be more accidents. I can see some law suits coming also.

Tom

[Richard in Smithville]

We get a convoy of about three or four "golden girls" going down the main drag through town. The road has a parking shoulder and they usually traverse the parked cars by going out in the driving lane thats used by cars and big rigs alike instead of using the sidewalks. I'm sure the day is coming that one will get hit.

[cabinetman]

Senior biker's bar.
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[leehljp]

There certainly needs to be some kind of control and training. Unfortunately, the age with which this involves, mental awareness faculties become difficult to determine with consistency. I am noticing some things that I take for granted and forget - that I did not do a few years ago.

I used to be scared as all get out when my FIL used to look this way and that way while driving - and the car would quickly wander in the direction he looked. I am finding that this is starting to happen to me and I am aware of it! I used to be able to look without drifting. This brings me to wonder what will happen when I get 80, and will I be one of those cart drivers that does not pay attention! Am I headed in that direction? Physical ability and mental alertness go hand in hand.

[LinuxRandal]

We had a problem with them and powered wheelchairs a couple of years back. There is a low spot between two hills, that the people were crossing on, instead of going up the street to either a hill, or further to the crosswalk. They made a law that requires those long orange flag poles on them and got the story out so others would THINK about where they are trying to cross, rather then just expecting the world to fall into line around them.

[Ed62]

One of my sons father-in-law drove one of those a few years ago. I don't remember the circumstances, but he took it on the highway, and got a ticket from a cop.

With the population getting older all the time, I agree there needs to be training in safe operation, and probably some changes in the way they're made if people will use them on the road.

Ed

[cabinetman]

With the population getting older all the time, I agree there needs to be training in safe operation, and probably some changes in the way they're made if people will use them on the road.

Ed

Maybe one day Skip Barber or Bob Bondurant will have training courses for "seniors on wheels". I can forsee a series starting and televised on Speed TV. Competitors will have a pit crew of seniors (65 and older only), moving as fast as they can.

That should prompt an interest in training.
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