Mobility scooters are a lifeline for many older Australians, providing them with independence and the ability to participate in community life.

The safety of our elderly citizens using mobility scooters on the road has been brought into sharp focus following a shocking incident in Perth where an elderly woman was struck by a car while attempting to cross a busy motorway.

The incident occurred near the intersection of Guildford Rd and Fourth Ave East in Maylands around 11:20 am on December 8.

The dashcam footage, shared by Dashcam Owners Australia, showed the woman on the scooter attempting to cross the road.

Dashcam footage showed an elderly woman in a mobility scooter colliding with a car while crossing the road. Image source: Facebook/Dashcam Owners Australia.

She successfully signals a car in the inside lane to stop, but a white Toyota Camry in the outer lane, presumably with its view obscured by the stopped car, continued forward.

As the scooter moved in front of the stopped car, it was hit by the Camry.

Thankfully, a catastrophic collision was avoided, but the impact was enough to topple the scooter and its rider onto the busy road.

The woman was seen back on her feet after concerned motorists pulled over to assist her.

The incident has sparked a flurry of comments online, with many viewers expressing little sympathy for the elderly lady, arguing that mobility scooters 'shouldn’t be on the road'.

'Absolutely not shocked by this,' one commented.

'The next block down has a footbridge across this main road,' a second added.

Another viewer pointed out: 'Many of the scooter riders have a tall orange flag and usually try to cross at a marked crossing of some sort.'

Other commenters noted the lack of pedestrian crossings on that stretch of Guildford Rd. The closest crossings from the collision scene are an intersection 420 metres west and a footbridge 360 metres east.

It is understood that the WA Police has been contacted for comment on the incident.

This news comes after motorists nationwide expressed their disdain after a Woolworths shopper parked their mobility scooter in a space designated for disabled drivers.

The driver who shared the photo on social media recalled that they were trying to pull into the vacant disabled parking space but found that the scooter was already there.

They also thought that this act was ‘surely not legal’, and clarified that the mobility scooter wasn’t displaying a disabled parking permit when they saw it.

The photo ignited a debate online about the regulations of parking mobility scooters in disabled parking spaces. However, many agreed that it is not legal to do so.

You can read more about this incident here.

Key Takeaways

• Chilling dashcam footage has captured the moment an elderly woman on a mobility scooter and a car collided on a busy Perth motorway.
• The collision occurred near the intersection of Guildford Rd and Fourth Ave East in Maylands.
• The woman was later shown back on her feet as motorists pulled over to assist her.
• Viewers in the comment section claimed mobility scooters 'shouldn’t be on the road' and noted the lack of pedestrian crossings on Guildford Rd.

What are your thoughts on this incident, members? Do you think our cities are adequately equipped to accommodate mobility scooters? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Now are you sure that is not your own story you are telling View attachment 37507

I quite like that emoji!

Then again, physically mobile shoppers aren't always angels either. I was a temporary manual wheelchair after a severely broken ankle. Again, a crowded shopping centre, namely Dandenong Plaza, a male of Oriental persuasion was aimlessly walking with his surgically attached phone. I hit him in the ankle with the footplate and he didn't miss a beat and kept on going, totally oblivious to what happened. Oh well....no skin off my ankle.

 

[Dennis]

I agree with you Dennis, many of us may need a scooter one day. Unfortunately, many phone users don't watch but some mobility scooter operators speed and don't obey traffic signal or rules either.
I'm pretty sure if I was in a car, I wouldn't be allowed to cross double lines. The lady wasn't walking she was on a mobility scooter and should follow the road rules.
I personally think she should have a helmet on as well, like bike riders, as she could have caused herself a serious head injury.

That is a question I have asked myself many times why us scooter riders Do not have to wear Helmuts, but there are many cyclists who do not wear them now.

 

[David Otto]

Mobility scooters are a lifeline for many older Australians, providing them with independence and the ability to participate in community life.

The safety of our elderly citizens using mobility scooters on the road has been brought into sharp focus following a shocking incident in Perth where an elderly woman was struck by a car while attempting to cross a busy motorway.

The incident occurred near the intersection of Guildford Rd and Fourth Ave East in Maylands around 11:20 am on December 8.

The dashcam footage, shared by Dashcam Owners Australia, showed the woman on the scooter attempting to cross the road.

View attachment 37445

Dashcam footage showed an elderly woman in a mobility scooter colliding with a car while crossing the road. Image source: Facebook/Dashcam Owners Australia.

She successfully signals a car in the inside lane to stop, but a white Toyota Camry in the outer lane, presumably with its view obscured by the stopped car, continued forward.

As the scooter moved in front of the stopped car, it was hit by the Camry.

Thankfully, a catastrophic collision was avoided, but the impact was enough to topple the scooter and its rider onto the busy road.

The woman was seen back on her feet after concerned motorists pulled over to assist her.

The incident has sparked a flurry of comments online, with many viewers expressing little sympathy for the elderly lady, arguing that mobility scooters 'shouldn’t be on the road'.

'Absolutely not shocked by this,' one commented.

'The next block down has a footbridge across this main road,' a second added.

Another viewer pointed out: 'Many of the scooter riders have a tall orange flag and usually try to cross at a marked crossing of some sort.'

Other commenters noted the lack of pedestrian crossings on that stretch of Guildford Rd. The closest crossings from the collision scene are an intersection 420 metres west and a footbridge 360 metres east.

It is understood that the WA Police has been contacted for comment on the incident.

This news comes after motorists nationwide expressed their disdain after a Woolworths shopper parked their mobility scooter in a space designated for disabled drivers.

The driver who shared the photo on social media recalled that they were trying to pull into the vacant disabled parking space but found that the scooter was already there.

They also thought that this act was ‘surely not legal’, and clarified that the mobility scooter wasn’t displaying a disabled parking permit when they saw it.

The photo ignited a debate online about the regulations of parking mobility scooters in disabled parking spaces. However, many agreed that it is not legal to do so.

You can read more about this incident here.

Key Takeaways

• Chilling dashcam footage has captured the moment an elderly woman on a mobility scooter and a car collided on a busy Perth motorway.
• The collision occurred near the intersection of Guildford Rd and Fourth Ave East in Maylands.
• The woman was later shown back on her feet as motorists pulled over to assist her.
• Viewers in the comment section claimed mobility scooters 'shouldn’t be on the road' and noted the lack of pedestrian crossings on Guildford Rd.

What are your thoughts on this incident, members? Do you think our cities are adequately equipped to accommodate mobility scooters? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

It is worth noting that the mobility scooter driver had to cross over double lines. It is illegal for vehicles to cross these lines. These lines are in this location for a reason, namely safety, as there is a curve in road restricting visibility for both the scooter operator and the vehicle traffic. Not much further down the road there is an apparent straight stretch of road with a dotted line and clear visibility in both directions. Surely a safer option. When breaking the road rules, they should be held accountable as any motorist would, and incur a fine. Lessons learnt

 

[DLHM]

About ten years to the day, this old gargoyle on a mobility scooter was going full tilt through a crowded Sugarland Shoppingtown in Bundaberg. People were jumping out of the way left, right and centre. An accident waiting to happen? Well, it did happen with this Stirling Moss of shopping centres hitting another woman, throwing her into a display window and from my observation, she may have suffered some serious fractures. This battery powered psycho just kept going, out the northern exit and into the carpark on Johnston Street. The ambos and police arrived but I'm uncertain to whether this nutjob was ever apprehended.

The story you told wouldn’t have been funny for the victims at the time, but I burst out laughing before I’d even finished reading you first sentence!
There are a number of these riders that seem to feel they have the right of way at all times. I’ve damned near been knocked down by a speeding mobility scooter on the footpath. Don’t they have a certain speed limit when around pedestrians?

 

[Veggiepatch]

The story you told wouldn’t have been funny for the victims at the time, but I burst out laughing before I’d even finished reading you first sentence!
There are a number of these riders that seem to feel they have the right of way at all times. I’ve damned near been knocked down by a speeding mobility scooter on the footpath. Don’t they have a certain speed limit when around pedestrians?

Good question! Maybe they are speed limited like electric scooters and bikes (another pain in the arse) but is easily bypassed.

 

[PepeLePew]

Many years ago my now deceased BF was forced to ride his mobility scooter in the bike lane of a local road due to there being no footpaths on either sides of the road where he lived. A group of louts came along in their car and slowed down just enough for the person in the front passenger seat to lean out his window and push my BF off his ride. They then laughed and yelled abuse at him before driving away. My BF was missing both his legs. He was left lying on the side of the road with a cut to his head and gravel rash down his back and due to no legs could not get back onto his scooter. Thankfully about 10mins later a middle aged couple came along, helped him and transported him to the local hospital. He was left traumatized by this and it took took him a few wks before he was able to actually get back on his scooter and get his independence back.

 

[Brody]

That is a really dangerous thing to do. The person in question could have been
Seriously hurt permanently or worse.

The Buggy is not all that easy, to see I hope the lady is a whole lot more careful
in future.

 

[Brody]

Many years ago my now deceased BF was forced to ride his mobility scooter in the bike lane of a local road due to there being no footpaths on either sides of the road where he lived. A group of louts came along in their car and slowed down just enough for the person in the front passenger seat to lean out his window and push my BF off his ride. They then laughed and yelled abuse at him before driving away. My BF was missing both his legs. He was left lying on the side of the road with a cut to his head and gravel rash down his back and due to no legs could not get back onto his scooter. Thankfully about 10mins later a middle aged couple came along, helped him and transported him to the local hospital. He was left traumatized by this and it took took him a few wks before he was able to actually get back on his scooter and get his independence back.

That poor Man, how traumatic for him.
I. can well understand, how difficult his life was, there are some cruel people out
there. words just don't cut it, My heart goes out for him. At least his troubles are
behind him now. How pathetic that those terrible people could even think of doing that to someone so defenseless.
Thank God there were people there to help him. So very sad.

 

[Leenie]

Maybe we should mention how many dickhead drivers there are who think they can do what they like. Then the situation of being rammed with shopping trollies with able bodied people and kids. Not to mention the people who park in Handicapped spaces without permits or all the clowns on bike and scooters with no regard for road rules. Those who complain about mobility scooters might need one in the future. Can wait to see the way way these dickheads will ride them.

Many years ago my now deceased BF was forced to ride his mobility scooter in the bike lane of a local road due to there being no footpaths on either sides of the road where he lived. A group of louts came along in their car and slowed down just enough for the person in the front passenger seat to lean out his window and push my BF off his ride. They then laughed and yelled abuse at him before driving away. My BF was missing both his legs. He was left lying on the side of the road with a cut to his head and gravel rash down his back and due to no legs could not get back onto his scooter. Thankfully about 10mins later a middle aged couple came along, helped him and transported him to the local hospital. He was left traumatized by this and it took took him a few wks before he was able to actually get back on his scooter and get his independence back.

They are not human ,just animals ,this is what society has come too, I feel for your friend and hope he recovered from his abuse by these thugs.

 

[gamiry]

These people on mobility scooters are a menace on roads and elsewhere , especially in supermarkets they ram you have little patience and think they have more rights than others , being a victim of their behaviour ,I give them a wide berth .

I've had a gutfull of ignoramouses like you. Put brain into gear before puting mouth into action. HERE ARE YOUR FACTS. On the front or back of a scooter you will find a REGISTRATION PLATE which , by law, you MUST have before you are legal on the road. They come from DEPT OF TRANSPORT. We are ruled by the same laws governing cars, motorbikes and trucks unlike those on ebikes and escooters. People seem to be so entitled they park in the disability spaces. NOT ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED LOOK IT. What do you want me to do? Go into an old folks JAIL with little freedom? I live alone and do my own shopping, care for myself. In the space of 5 minutes I had 3 carloads of hoons yelling abuse and rubbish at me while I waited at a designated crossing spot.

The story you told wouldn’t have been funny for the victims at the time, but I burst out laughing before I’d even finished reading you first sentence!
There are a number of these riders that seem to feel they have the right of way at all times. I’ve damned near been knocked down by a speeding mobility scooter on the footpath. Don’t they have a certain speed limit when around pedestrians?

Yes the scooters used to be set at 12ks but some government idiot decided to drop the speed to 10ks. Even escooters and bikes go faster and to Vegie, look around Water Street and tell me where the footpaths are. Not even the edges of the road are safe. We are ruled by the same laws as car drivers. I got my car licence at 18. After 25 years on the road 2 women smashed into me. I gave up my car 18 months ago through choice (age 81) with no other accidents and no fines. I set my kids and grandkids a challenge of no accidents or fines for 25 years. NONE of them could do it. I've lived in 4 States and travelled thousands of ks. I'm not an entitled idiot. I now use my scooter and obey all rules. I've tried to get Jack Dempsey to put footpaths in for ALL people and he just ignores me. Two cops suggested to me that I get all scooter users to block up the Council Chambers until they listen. Actually we are supposed to use the road or bike lane but where I live we have neither.

 

[gamiry]

Maybe we should mention how many dickhead drivers there are who think they can do what they like. Then the situation of being rammed with shopping trollies with able bodied people and kids. Not to mention the people who park in Handicapped spaces without permits or all the clowns on bike and scooters with no regard for road rules. Those who complain about mobility scooters might need one in the future. Can wait to see the way way these dickheads will ride them.

well said David. I can't tell you how many people almost walk INTO ME with phone in hand. Also seen some actually walk into poles and give me a dirty look even though I've moved as for to the left as I can get.

 

[Clancieblue]

About ten years to the day, this old gargoyle on a mobility scooter was going full tilt through a crowded Sugarland Shoppingtown in Bundaberg. People were jumping out of the way left, right and centre. An accident waiting to happen? Well, it did happen with this Stirling Moss of shopping centres hitting another woman, throwing her into a display window and from my observation, she may have suffered some serious fractures. This battery powered psycho just kept going, out the northern exit and into the carpark on Johnston Street. The ambos and police arrived but I'm uncertain to whether this nutjob was ever apprehended.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any drug and alcohol testing for mobility scooter drivers, and I am sad to say some may even have the beginning of some type of dementia, bought on by other health conditions. I say this from my experience in aged care and my own family experience, where I had to remove keys. I am not saying this is the case for all, but as in other vehicle drivers, it happens. Have a look at your local club where a drink is being enjoyed, no breath testing on exit.

 

[Clancieblue]

They are not human, just animals, this is what society has come too, I feel for your friend and hope he recovered from his abuse by these thugs.

Animals don't treat each other like that, they are not animals they are disgraceful human beings.
They have no empathy or intelligence. I believe strongly what goes around comes around, they may have gotten away with their stupidity that time, but the tides will turn, and they'll get their just desserts.

 

[gamiry]

Good question! Maybe they are speed limited like electric scooters and bikes (another pain in the arse) but is easily bypassed.

Yes Veg they are speed limited to 10ks and apparently locked in unlike escooters and bikes that, from what I've been told are very easy to alter.

 

[Leenie]

Maybe we should mention how many dickhead drivers there are who think they can do what they like. Then the situation of being rammed with shopping trollies with able bodied people and kids. Not to mention the people who park in Handicapped spaces without permits or all the clowns on bike and scooters with no regard for road rules. Those who complain about mobility scooters might need one in the future. Can wait to see the way way these dickheads will ride them.

 

[Leenie]

I think most of us have been in these situations at one time or another ,but no reason for scooter riders to get their curlies in a knot as I have said it is the ones who break the rules that give others a bad name.

 

[Leenie]

@gamiry Wow what a sourpuss you are ,you need to get some HAPPY PILLS .you are not the only one who lives alone and does everything for themselves ,only we don’t go on about it , so chill out.

 

[gamiry]

@gamiry Wow what a sourpuss you are ,you need to get some HAPPY PILLS .you are not the only one who lives alone and does everything for themselves ,only we don’t go on about it , so chill out.

I am actually a very happy person. What you picked out was only a small part of what I said. If you read what I wrote it was about the road rules scooter people have to abide by. Please read all

 

[Leenie]

@gamiry Wow what a sourpuss you are ,you need to get some HAPPY PILLS .you are not the only one who lives alone and does everything for themselves ,only we don’t go on about it , so chill out.

@gamiry ,really a happy p erson may be you should R eread what you wrote calling myself and others ignoramouses ,all you did was whinge hardly call that happy. Time out.

 

[Veggiepatch]

And here I am concerned that a standard convection oven can't cook a whole chicken in less than 15 minutes. Time to get my priorities right....