Scooter speed limit 'ridiculous'

Greg Sweeney says he drives to the conditions when he’s on his scooter.

CARMEL HINKS

Poll

Should the speed limit of mobility scooters be lowered?

This poll ended on 28 February 2011.

Yes

28%

No

66%

Undecided

5%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

A SUGGESTION by Maryborough MP Chris Foley to reduce the speed limit for mobility scooters to 5kmh has been labelled “ridiculous” by Fraser Coast scooter users.

The current speed limit is 10kmh.

Safe Scooter education sessions are held regularly in Hervey Bay.

Torquay man Greg Sweeney has attended one and was also instructed on scooter safety when he bought his scooter.

“Dropping the speed limit down to 5kmh is absolutely ridiculous,” he said.

“I’ve got one of the bigger scooters and I ride around the mobility corridor at about 10kmh.

“On footpaths around town I slow down and inside shopping centres I go at a minimum speed.

“It’s a bit like a car – you have to ride to the conditions.

“I’ve never crashed my scooter but I have nearly been taken out by motorists a couple of times.

“The scooter is basically a motorised wheelchair for people who can’t walk and most riders I see are very responsible.”

One Maryborough woman said the real issue was making footpaths safer for mobility scooter users.

The woman did not want to be named because she had already suffered abuse.

“I’ve been verbally abused because people think I’m not disabled,” she said.

“This scooter only does up to 9kmh and I go about as quick as an Olympic walker.”

She said a reduced speed limit for mobility scooters was not needed.

“If people are educated properly in the first place it’s not necessary,” she said.

“You can easily tip these things. The three-wheelers tip very easily.

“I am careful and when my scooter was donated to me I was shown all the dos and don’ts.”

Mr Foley suggested reducing the speed limit for scooters after receiving complaints from residents about “irresponsible” scooter riders causing accidents and injury to pedestrians.

He asked Transport Minister Rachel Nolan to consider introducing a speed limit of 5kmh – the average pedestrian speed – and restricting the maximum speed of the machines to 10kmh.