UK Government Wheelchair Speed Consultation

[stevember]

The UK government is doing a consultation on the speed of electric wheelchairs and other mobility devices, as well as looking at other things. You only have one week to put in your thoughts.

I'm hoping you guys might be thinking that 10 MPH or 12 MPH on the road might be actually a good idea for many reasons. And as much as I wouldn't want to give you or expect you to go with my thoughts, I also worry the consultation might be hijacked by subjective fears and people that don't use Class 3 wheelchairs. Of what it's really like and what the extra speed boost does for safety on the road. I don't know what everybody's thoughts are.

Plus, we also need Class 3 chairs to be able to use cycleways, which, although we all do, we're not legally allowed to above 4 MPH.

Anyway, here is the survey link. Please fill it out.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... ty-devices

[Burgerman]

Filled...

[Burgerman]

What baffles me is that they seem to lump rehab style powerchairs that are intended for the disabled/severely disabled as full time essential needs, so indoors, in public areas etc, with scooters that are huge, faster, shouldnt be on pavements or in public spaces like shops etc at all. In my opinion.

So I told them so.
Wheelchairs should have no restrictions in weights, speeds, places they can go, pavements and rods, age, etc at all. Those are essensial to move 6 inches and should ONLY be used and have zero restrictions for essential medical need.

Scooters or powerchairs that are for people able to walk more than a few yards should be treated very differently. Why do I say this? I see many huge scooters that are being used as cheap transport by the sort of people that stop me using a bus. That seem to be way too large for footpaths, or shops etc. Used by people that seem to be able to ambulate just fine. Different misused category. Not to mention 1000s of very fast chinese scooters and various contraptions zooming about all over the public shopping centres and pavements.