Stay-Safe committee hogwash...

[Peter Ward]

ABC news (Sydney) tonight ran a piece on motorised scooters for the edlerly.

Shock horror. 71 deaths in around the last decade have occured with an elderly driver at the throttle (yes, Virginia, around eight people a year die on motorised scooters in Australia)

Shock Horror x2.. Speed...yes a cracking 10km/hr....may have been a factor !!!!

(play down any other geriatric problems CHD, Stroke, respiratory disease, Diabeties etc. )

Who writes this brain-dead-drivel? Worse still, who actually believes it???

P.S.

In 2007 some 44 Australians died from falling out of bed. Perhaps they were beds... err...with wheels?

[Ian Robinson]

Some of those geriatrics really fly on their motorised chairs .... a lot faster than 10 km ph.

Nuff said , this thread is a bit too reactionary for me.

[Fossil (Jonathan)]

This sort of brain-dead drivel is churned out by "experts" who are usually "qualified" and, unfortunately, are listened to by that other brain-dead group - politicians.
Once, holding a driver's licence was a privilege, and the holder usually took some pride in their ability to drive.
That was back when people were taught to drive, not taught how to get their licence.
It is indeed unfortunate that our politicians and judges/magistrates listen to these "experts" rather than listen to people who know what they are talking about.
As for scooters, they are a menace on our roads and, fortunately, natural selection will take care of most of them.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Im in this game. Liability is where its ALL at. Just a scratch on one of those elderly darlings and the Manufacturer, retailer and RTA/council gets there arse sued. We are catching up to a litigouse US type attitude, fast.

[stephenb (Stephen)]

I agree in part, Peter. I don't take much notice of these "column filler" stories from the newspaper.

However we do have several motorised scooter users in our town and they do not obey "courtesy rules" when it comes to keeping left on the foot path and "speeding" I have personally witnessed some questionable driving from these citizens in recent times, most of the behavour comes down to common courtesy and obeying simple road rules. Some here in our town cross against pedestrian lights, assuming that they have right of way and expect vehicles to stop for them. We have one particular gentleman who crosses at a cross-road intersection diagonally! from corner to corner, instead of crossing using two sets of ped lights, he uses one! I politely abused him once and he told me to go forth and multiply!!! Couldn't believe it!

[sheeny (Al)]

Typical sensationalist media.

What's something that we can use to shock the readers/viewers? Nice old people being killed by these evil machines... Perspective has no place in the media unfortunately.

Yep, scooters are so dangerous you are at greater risk staying in bed!

The swine flu is the flavour of the season, but how do swine flu mortality rates compare to the normal flu? How do they compare to the road toll, or workplace deaths?

Nah... it all just sensationalism to sell papers or keep you watching the box... Hell, some countries are governed this way!

I'm afraid I'm a crusty old cynic when it comes to the media (I have several years experience as a media officer! Spin??? Which way???), marketing and sales people.

Al.

[Enchilada]

Ian said;
"Some of those geriatrics really fly on their motorised chairs .... a lot faster than 10 km ph."

No electric wheelchair or scooters goes faster than 10 kph, or they have to be registered with State Governments as vehicles. Most wheelchairs are restricted to less than 8 kph - one I've measured is 7.2 kph as maximum.
Considering most people can run faster than this, running would be much more dangerous!
The problem is of course mass, via momentum, in hitting something. 150 to 300 kg at max speed is possibly dangerous. Most deaths actually occur when the wheelchair or scooters which are 'wrapped' or crushed by moving cars. - they don't stick to footpaths but drive down the roads. (You can be booked for DYI in any motorised devices.)

There is a push to registrar all wheelchairs and scooters for a few years now... no doubt do gooders continuing wanting a strong grip on society.. Mongrels IMO.

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Actually, thats quite a LOT of people killed by something so slow.
I am trying to envisage a scenario were someone could be killed by one.
I suppose if the driver nodded-off and ran into traffic...
Or if the victim were themselves a bit aged and slow...
Drive-by shootings committed by pensioners, I have trouble believing.
A little more info on "how" would be interesting.
I've wanted a senior-scooter since I was 25. Mostly to get from the living room to the fridge.
Now with 65 a lot closer than 25, I may be able to justify one (though it'll have to be a 4X4 ). Rest assured I will bring the same responsible attitude to scooter-ing as I do to driving my sports car

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Before you know it, they'll be trying to take their scooters and wheelchairs off them, "For Their Own Good".
I'd like to immobilize them for just a week and see how they'd cope.

[Enchilada]

The ABC referred article is at;
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...10/2651426.htm

(Note the very first statement "Mobility scooter drivers have been warned to be extremely careful when using their vehicles." is wrong. They are not vehicles unless they are faster than 10 kpm. (None go this fast by law.)

Also the article says they are being killed on roads.

Those who ride in such devices should actually all be driving on the blasted footpath!

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

I think some of the factors will not necessarily be the fault of the scooter owners, but drivers on the roads etc. It's reasonably common to see drivers ONLY stop at zebra crossings at the very last moment. The old saying of never cross until you make eye contact with the driver seems to not be commonly adhered to today, especially with so many idiots on the roads.

Also, since scooters are primarily owned by older people, or semi disabled people, one has to question their ability, even at 10km/h, to control a scooter. The designs have several issues - very high centre of gravity being the main one. Another one is that they have no real safety capsule for the riders.

I'd like to see the percentage of users, vs deaths - it's probably still lowish, and probably matches the percentages for the same age brackets driver cars.

I agree that the media sensationalises, it's how they sell and make money. Swine flu, terrorism are 2 topics that come to mind that are sensationalised very heavily, but in reality, pose little threat to the ordinary populace. It doesn't help that most of the "aussie" media is owned by US moguls, and pushes US interests. Hell, our goddamn TV stations push US crap, not that I watch TV.

It's all about money. And power.

Dave

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

I've just realised...
Is anyone else not struck by the irony (read "mortally terrified"), that this anti-safety council thread was started by someone who appears to be a commercial airline pilot

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

Pilots train pretty damn hard to get where they are, especially commercial pilots. I think Peter is not so much knocking saftey, but knocking some idiocy and sensationalism in reporting.

Dave

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by Waxing_Gibbous

Actually, thats quite a LOT of people killed by something so slow.

Just remember...as was promoted by the QLD RTA....every kilometer over is a killer! ...these senior rev-heads were probably doing...12km/hr..maybe even 13 km/hr when they met their maker....what the Kenworth Truck was doing is simply not relevant.

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by Waxing_Gibbous

I've just realised...
Is anyone else not struck by the irony (read "mortally terrified"), that this anti-safety council thread was started by someone who appears to be a commercial airline pilot

Bugger. I keep forgetting speed kills!

Anyone got a 'wiz wheel' to tell me how fast Mach 0.86 is again?

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Bugger. I keep forgetting speed kills!

Anyone got a 'wiz wheel' to tell me how fast Mach 0.86 is again?

I'm just NEVER flying again

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by Waxing_Gibbous

I'm just NEVER flying again

Too right! I have the same thought mid pacific, 3.30am, stareing at dials
(OK, these days, LCD's ) with another 4 hours to ETA!! Bugger! Bugger !

BTW.... IMHO... the stay-safe council are indeed a pack of drongos.

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

Peter, surely you realise this kind of reporting is government sponsored to warm us up for some new, much needed safety legislation!? Ah yes, I see it now - we'll get those lovely old folks to wear helmets and seatbelts, license them (red 'P' limited to 5kph, green 'P' to 7kph), enforce a zero blood alcohol limit, have anti-hoon legislation (any old person caught dragging or doing doughnuts will have their scooter crushed) and finally put airbags in that form an inflatable cocoon around the driver so that in the event of a mishap they simply bounce around for a little while (visualise the mars lander system used for the rovers).

By the time you're hooning around in your scooter (with a yellow badge & black stallion on the bonnet), it will be a much safer proposition!

Cheers, Marcus

[marki]

Don't laugh about silly politicians, they will do anything to be seen backing a "good cause". I remember some fool british MP demanding the use of airbags on motor bikes in the UK . They were to be set off automatically if the lean angle exceeded 10 degrees or something similar.

If the oldies have to wear helmets do they get GT stripes on them

Mark

[Peter Ward]

Originally Posted by marc4darkskies

Peter, ............
By the time you're hooning around in your scooter (with a yellow badge & black stallion on the bonnet), it will be a much safer proposition!

Cheers, Marcus

Yeah Yeah....but as a priority...what are we going to do about the 44 odd Aussies...over 5x the number of hooning scooter fatalities... who kill themselves.. each year... falling out of bed.

Full face helmet on after brushing? (dental care is important too...)