that leaving the country thread....
that leaving the country thread....
Author
Discussion

tinman0

Original Poster:

18,231 posts

269 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4371431.stm

You've got to admit - leaving the country is sounding more and more attractive when we have people who suggest a driving test for these disabled vehicles.

jimothy

5,151 posts

266 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
I think they should do more about bikes first. There's rather more of them and they can be downright dangerous when ridden by tts that have no regard for the highway code.

rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all


Sick but I nearly PMLS when i read this:-

"One woman reportedly died when she reversed her wheelchair off a pier into the sea. "

I just got a mental image in my head followed by "Gran, gran! Has you seen were your gran is Tommy?"

Have to say though that there should be some basic training, sort of CBT for wheelchairs/mobility scooters, and a, say £100 per year premium, third part insurance requirement.

Some of the people who navigate these things are Fing nuts! There's one old boy round here who's got one that'll do 30, wears a helmet and drives the roads and pavements like a 12 year old on a BMX - nutter.

Add to this the number of grannies I have seen use them like snow ploughs in packed shopping centres, particularly at times like Christmas!

JagLover

46,737 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
There is not going to be a mass exodus of Ph's leaving the country is there.

Will I be the last one left- giving reports on the lastest madness while you chortle away in some foreign land.

wolves_wanderer

12,951 posts

266 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
BBC News said:
Motorised wheelchairs used by pensioners and disabled people need to be governed by more safety regulations, says a Liberal Democrat MP.
Bob Russell says the machines help many people but is worried they can be a threat to pedestrians when used badly.


Suprise suprise that a Lib Dem MP suggested this latest piece of pathetic nannying. If Bob Russell was my MP I would be asking him if he has nothing more important to do than prod his hooter into the minituae[sp?] of our lives.

BBC News said:
Last year, eight wheelchair users died in crashes and there were 1,142 "adverse" incidents involving all types of wheelchair, according to government figures.


Oh my God, 8 whole people Out of how many journeys made on wheelchairs?
What the hell is an "adverse" incident?

JagLover

46,737 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
wolves_wanderer said:

Suprise suprise that a Lib Dem MP suggested this latest piece of pathetic nannying. If Bob Russell was my MP I would be asking him if he has nothing more important to do than prod his hooter into the minituae[sp?] of our lives.



Someone needs to tell them that 'Liberal' means freedom from the oppression of an overmighty state. They need to either change their entire set of policies or change their name.

tinman0

Original Poster:

18,231 posts

269 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
JagLover said:
There is not going to be a mass exodus of Ph's leaving the country is there.

Will I be the last one left- giving reports on the lastest madness while you chortle away in some foreign land.


no its okay, we just need to set news.bbc.co.uk to the UK Edition.

tinman0

Original Poster:

18,231 posts

269 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
jimothy said:
I think they should do more about bikes first. There's rather more of them and they can be downright dangerous when ridden by tts that have no regard for the highway code.


we should start with walking.

once you have your "Diploma in Walking", you should be able to take your "Running Proficiency Test".

there should be an extra optional test for "Communicating Whilst on the Move", which is in short being able to use a mobile phone whilst walking or running.

JagLover

46,737 posts

264 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
tinman0 said:

jimothy said:
I think they should do more about bikes first. There's rather more of them and they can be downright dangerous when ridden by tts that have no regard for the highway code.



we should start with walking.

once you have your "Diploma in Walking", you should be able to take your "Running Proficiency Test".

there should be an extra optional test for "Communicating Whilst on the Move", which is in short being able to use a mobile phone whilst walking or running.



centurion07

10,395 posts

276 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
I can't remember the last time I saw a post on PH saying that elderly drivers SHOULDN'T be re-tested at a certain age/regular intervals......so the difference here is what exactly?

Bearing in mind that you can get straight on one of these things, never mind the fact that you may have never held a licence to operate any kind of vehicle whatsoever.

tinman0

Original Poster:

18,231 posts

269 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
centurion07 said:
I can't remember the last time I saw a post on PH saying that elderly drivers SHOULDN'T be re-tested at a certain age/regular intervals......so the difference here is what exactly?


errm, they only do 8mph max, compared to the slowest car which will do over 90.

you remember the sketch from Austin Powers with the steam roller? its like that.

egoboss

838 posts

259 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
JagLover said:

wolves_wanderer said:

Suprise suprise that a Lib Dem MP suggested this latest piece of pathetic nannying. If Bob Russell was my MP I would be asking him if he has nothing more important to do than prod his hooter into the minituae[sp?] of our lives.




Someone needs to tell them that 'Liberal' means freedom from the oppression of an overmighty state. They need to either change their entire set of policies or change their name.


as bbc radio 4/etc is now generally available via the internet-thingy, the reasons for staying in blighty are rapidly diminishing.

i can get bottled london pride couriered out to me, periodically, i already read the daily telegraph and the economist via the internet-thingy, i can't afford a thatched cottage in a quintessential village in devon, peter cook is dead .... i'm on the edge.

ginge

2,929 posts

272 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
I'm suprised these things are even legal. I thought that they would have counted as a powered mode transport meaning that they aren't allowed to drive on the pavement and would need to be taxed, insured and MOTed to drive on the road. This was the reason given for the go-ped things a few years back being illegal. What am I missing that makes these things legal?

parrot of doom

23,075 posts

263 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
Not very PC this, but whatever happened to those blue spaz chariots?

goo-goo-gjoob

812 posts

284 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
I've seen an old guy flying in a power chair around the corner of a shopping isle and almost collide with another guy in a power chair coming the other way.
Le Mans Disabled Series

rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
tinman0 said:

errm, they only do 8mph max.


That might be the case when they leave the factory but trust me they can be maxxed.

I know that some have been as the bloke I was referring to earlier was doing between 25 and 30 according to my speedo as I had to follow him through town.

centurion07

10,395 posts

276 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2005
quotequote all
tinman0 said:

errm, they only do 8mph max, compared to the slowest car which will do over 90.


8mph into the back of your ankles on one of those things is no picnic I should imagine!


....can of worms ahead......


Anyways, since when is speed the problem, as opposed to the ABILITY TO CONTROL vehicle X at ANY given speed?


Example: long story short, some old guy accused me of almost killing him by riding into him on my bike (cue lots of dirty looks from surrounding strangers). Never mind the fact that I was absolutely miles away from him, barely moving. The fact is that 1. he wasn't all that aware of his surroundings & therefore hadn't noticed me, and 2. because his reactions were measured in centuries rather than milliseconds, by the time he got round to taking what he thought was evasive action, he'd WRONGLY estimated my position/speed etc relative to his own.

It's THAT kind of person that needs to be tested, even if it's just a quick lap round the Shopmobility car park in front of one of the staff.