Life must present quite a challenge when you are no longer able to walk very far under your own power. The mobility scooter is a blessing for those who can afford one. It gives much greater range than predecessors that were powered for however long your arms could push. In fact, I checked a man zooming down the side of a freeway in a shiny new one. The vendor had promised him a range of 17 kilometers and he was testing the truth of it.
Pedestrians, and the law considers the disabled person in a mobility scooter as a pedestrian, often take risks and fail to follow the rules. I've even seen scooters being driven like a car, the driver calmly sitting in the middle of the lane at a four way stop, left hand signal light on waiting his turn. Of course, this is not how it is supposed to be done and invites a collision.
When the sidewalk is present and passable, this is where the scooter operator must be. Otherwise, the left edge of the roadway facing traffic like any other pedestrian is where to "walk."
Having said that, I've noticed that many homeowners have planted trees and hedges at the edge of the sidewalk in front of their homes. If proper maintenance is not done, these plants soon encroach on the sidewalk and prevent scooter operators from using it. I'm nimble enough to walk around, but there may not be an opportunity for the scooter operator to follow suit. Take a careful look at your landscaping and trim it if needed. There's no sense causing a problem for others or having bylaw enforcement knocking on your door.
The author is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. To comment or learn more, please visit drivesmartbc.ca.
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