Mobility scooter riders 'taking their life in their hands' (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Mobility scooter riders 'taking their life in their hands'
4:00pm Friday 15th March 2013 in News By Alex Winter
DANGER: County councillor Peter Richardson with Oaktree Park resident Matt Barry, 79
ELDERLY people from St Leonards are “taking their lives into their hands” when they go out on their mobility scooters, councillors fear.
Oaktree Park residents who use the scooters are finding it almost impossible to get onto pavements next to the A31 because of the height of the kerbs.
County councillor Peter Richardson has now launched an initiative to get dropped kerbs properly installed onto footways next to the busy trunk road.
However, despite acknowledging the problem, the Highways Agency has now said that work to remedy the dangerous situation has to be part of a four-year programme.
Jim Crow, who is the treasurer of the Oaktree Residents’ Association and a parish councillor, said: “Our county councillor has realised the gravity of the concern about dropped kerbs, and is now helping us take this fight forward.
“Many of our residents are of a senior age, and as they get older, some are having to give up their cars and buy mobility scooters to get around on instead.”
He said he has seen two residents on scooters toppling over after trying to get onto the pavement.
“They are taking their life in their hands,” he said.
“It’s tying older people to their homes because they can’t get out to go anywhere.”
Cllr Crow said there is only one dropped kerb along the stretch, outside St Leonards Community Hospital, which was put in place quickly by the NHS after he registered his concerns.
“It’s a very dangerous situation,” he said.
“It is a 50 mile per hour road, but I defy anyone to say they’re going down there at that speed. It’s just far too fast.”
Cllr Richardson said he wants the work to be carried out as a matter of urgency, and he is now in contact with Dorset County Council’s highways department to ask for their assistance.
He said: “I firmly believe all residents at Oaktree Park Homes must have this dropped kerb issue resolved quickly, as a matter of real emergency, before a tragic incident occurs from poor road and footway design that has existed for far too long.
“I am very concerned for their safety when faced with poor, uneven surfaces and consequential danger, as users travel on the footway against the traffic flow of the A31 to reach their destination. One just has to see the road users attempting their journeys to appreciate this.”
Comments(17)
arti273
says...
5:00pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Tripod wrote:a) carried on driving and ploughing into car ports in Highcliffe, b) didn't go out very often or c) relied on friends and family to push them in manual wheelchairs.
This may be a silly question, but what did people do before mobility scooters became fashionable a few years back?
SeafaringMan
says...
5:02pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Old Contemptible
says...
5:31pm Fri 15 Mar 13
504gld
says...
5:35pm Fri 15 Mar 13
portia6
says...
5:42pm Fri 15 Mar 13
scooter a few years back, was a bit
hair-raising and had a badly grazed
knee! These pensioners are just
recycled teenagers out on the town!
saynomore
says...
6:51pm Fri 15 Mar 13
awsokend
says...
7:45pm Fri 15 Mar 13
504gld wrote:That's it then..... block the gutters
I wouldn't see any harm in the local Councillors mixing up a bit of cement and smoothing off the edge of the curb for the wheels to roll up and down as a temporary fix. Looking at the size of the wheels and the curb height seems ideal, probably no different than the fix most people use for their own home paths. Would that be an outrageous suggestion? or too much like a simple solution for the time being? or too much like getting their hands dirty for the community?
What a silly comment
Gutters need cleaning more often
Not filling with compo
Old Colonial
says...
9:58pm Fri 15 Mar 13
saynomore wrote:So, as a pedestrian I assume you never have to cross the road?
I guarantee a large majority of these scooters are not really need just a lazy persons cheap mode of transport,and what are they doing on the road, should only be used on pavements for their own safety and at a sensible speed not flat out.
arti273
says...
11:02pm Fri 15 Mar 13
saynomore wrote:How do you guarantee this?
I guarantee a large majority of these scooters are not really need just a lazy persons cheap mode of transport,and what are they doing on the road, should only be used on pavements for their own safety and at a sensible speed not flat out.
At a cost of around £1,500, a top speed of 7mph, no weather protection and the seat support of a church pew, I think most "lazy persons" would by a cheap second hand Ford Fiesta.
GAHmusic
says...
11:11pm Fri 15 Mar 13
BIGTONE
says...
12:20am Sat 16 Mar 13
EGHH
says...
7:34am Sat 16 Mar 13
Here we go again! I drive that route daily and 90% of traffic do 50mph. HGVs do a lot less. So don't try to reduce the speed limit further just because some old folks can't get their OAP chariots up a kerb!
Azphreal
says...
9:39am Sat 16 Mar 13
lilacTHREADS
says...
4:02pm Sat 16 Mar 13
By law it is 4 miles max an hour on pavements, BUT that works on a supermarket floor, BUT NOT ON PAVEMENTS as you have the elements, wind rain and very uneven pavements which slows you down considerably.
Ignore ignorant people, you have every right to be on the pavement, and the Rd, on the Rd up to 8 miles, you need to apply for a tax disc, which is free, again elements, very bad roads slow you down.
I’m a great grandma, and I pity my grandma who was stuck indoors for over 10 years as she was disabled from 1942 – 1954, as for me, they are MY WHEELS OF FREEDOM , am a free spirit, am independant
For the past 4.5 years have used pavements, but mostly ride on the roads now, am taxed, travel up to 35 miles on one charge, and I enjoy life.
For those who ride on pavement & roads, if you come up against problems like Potholes ,overgrown hedges ect , a pavement one side with a slope, and none the other side, or cannot get on a path or into a public area, because there is an A Gate or Kissing Gate that walkers and cyclists pass through, and you cannot, here is what you do, have you a computer ? if not ask a friend, type in on Google
FIX MY STREET, ok ,all you do is write down the problem, include a photo helps, your name, and an address, post code, you will then see a road map with a pin, it should be where the problem is, if not move it, and send, it will be sent to a Council Dept, they will deal with it, they always answer, all the very best, Purple Hat in Upton
retry69
says...
4:06pm Sat 16 Mar 13
lilacTHREADS wrote:Nice post well done!!!!
First mobility scooters are for all ages children, parents, grandparents, and great grandparents who are registered disabled.
By law it is 4 miles max an hour on pavements, BUT that works on a supermarket floor, BUT NOT ON PAVEMENTS as you have the elements, wind rain and very uneven pavements which slows you down considerably.
Ignore ignorant people, you have every right to be on the pavement, and the Rd, on the Rd up to 8 miles, you need to apply for a tax disc, which is free, again elements, very bad roads slow you down.
I’m a great grandma, and I pity my grandma who was stuck indoors for over 10 years as she was disabled from 1942 – 1954, as for me, they are MY WHEELS OF FREEDOM , am a free spirit, am independant
For the past 4.5 years have used pavements, but mostly ride on the roads now, am taxed, travel up to 35 miles on one charge, and I enjoy life.
For those who ride on pavement & roads, if you come up against problems like Potholes ,overgrown hedges ect , a pavement one side with a slope, and none the other side, or cannot get on a path or into a public area, because there is an A Gate or Kissing Gate that walkers and cyclists pass through, and you cannot, here is what you do, have you a computer ? if not ask a friend, type in on Google
FIX MY STREET, ok ,all you do is write down the problem, include a photo helps, your name, and an address, post code, you will then see a road map with a pin, it should be where the problem is, if not move it, and send, it will be sent to a Council Dept, they will deal with it, they always answer, all the very best, Purple Hat in Upton
susanas4321
says...
9:24am Mon 18 Mar 13
Tripod wrote:A far cheaper option than electric wheelchairs which are being denied to many needing them on NHS x as you used to be able to get electric wheelchairs now people are being told to use their DLA but if you already use this for your car you have no way of doing this.
This may be a silly question, but what did people do before mobility scooters became fashionable a few years back?
Tripod says...
4:35pm Fri 15 Mar 13