Mobility scooters

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sounds different to the 8mph one we have, but are you saying there is no fine grained control of motor output? You can't press the accelerator eg 10% of its total travel to creep slowly?

You can, it has really good slow control, except when the brake is even slightly applied. Just applying the brake, at all, inhibits power to the motor. The slow-start, must be time based, beginning when the throttle is opened, the result is - the system assumes you are moving when you are not, and as you release the brake, the power comes on with a massive jolt.

On ours the hill starting is done as an auto interaction between the electric "handbrake" bolted onto the motor, and the motor itself, rather like a car with auto handbrake release would work

Similar to the Rascal, you have no manual brakes at all, just the automatic one, the control is go, or stop, with the brake only acting on the driven wheels. Mine is very different. A throttle to go, but the motor only drives, or it freewheels.To slow down, you have to use the brakes, two hydraulic on the front, two cable/drum brakes at the rear. The later also serves as a handbrake, you squeeze it on, then push a peg in, to have it stay on. Both brake levers, operate the brake light, and both inhibit the motor drive.

 

[Mottie]

Ah, that’s what my dad’s one was as that was switchable. I Think he paid over £2k for it. I let a friends dad have it for £300 - after I'd given it a good thrashing round the streets with my mums dog on the footplate.

Something strange happened today. I was round my mums place clearing stuff out as it looks like contracts will be exchanged soon and a letter arrived addressed to my dad. Bear in mind he passed away over 10 years ago. It was this:



Now, to my knowledge he never had a V5 or a registration plate/number and the friend who had it for her dad (who also passed away last year) passed it on to someone else I know. I phoned them and he said it was for his partners dad and is still sitting in their garage, unused.

I just can’t understand what’s going on and have spent over an hour on hold with the dvla, having been passed to the mobility scooter section!

 

[blup]

If it cost £2k back then I'm guessing it was registerable and the only address they have is from the dealer who sold it. 'Since then something has triggered the letter, maybe Tell Us Once.

 

[Mottie]

maybe Tell Us Once.

Could be but it would have to be 'tell us once and we'll sort it in ten years time' lol.

 

[securespark]

I can only guess ownership was never transferred.

But that doesn't explain why you haven't had the letters every year.

I get one every year.
Interesting to see your Dad's scooter was a Q plate. I wonder why that was?

 

[Mottie]

Interesting to see your Dad's scooter was a Q plate. I wonder why that was?

That even threw the DVLA person I was speaking to. He couldn’t understand it either. Anyway, they’ve sent me an email telling me what info to send and they’ll take it out of my dads name, cancel the tax and any new owners will have apply for a new V5 and pay £25 for the privilege.

 

[Brigadier]

Didn't Q plates get issued for self builds or kit cars, or something like that?

 

[securespark]

It's where the age or identity of the vehicle is in doubt.

But yes, kit cars and self builds were often Q plates.

 

[securespark]

cancel the tax and any new owners will have apply for a new V5 and pay £25 for the privilege.

A bit harsh, but I guess that is the only way out of the issue for them.

 

[blup]

Could be but it would have to be 'tell us once and we'll sort it in ten years time' lol.

I was thinking of the person who passed last year, it might have triggered their system to issue the reminder.

 

[morqthana]

I just can’t understand what’s going on and have spent over an hour on hold with the dvla, having been passed to the mobility scooter section!

If you can't find any evidence of road tax payments having been made, just ignore them.

 

[morqthana]

That even threw the DVLA person I was speaking to. He couldn’t understand it either. Anyway, they’ve sent me an email telling me what info to send and they’ll take it out of my dads name, cancel the tax and any new owners will have apply for a new V5 and pay £25 for the privilege.

Just ignore them.

 

[Mottie]

If you can't find any evidence of road tax payments having been made, just ignore them.

Road tax for mobility scooters that can go on the road is free. Don't even need mot or insurance.

 

[Mottie]

I was thinking of the person who passed last year, it might have triggered their system to issue the reminder.

He passed without ever going out on it.

 

[morqthana]

Road tax for mobility scooters that can go on the road is free. Don't even need mot or insurance.

OK.

Although the latter seems wholly wrong - you could potentially inflict life-changing injuries on someone if you ride into them on a scooter. I know that statistically it's mobility scooter riders who are disproportionately victims of accidents, as are cyclists. But we saw a few years ago that cyclists can kill pedestrians.

And these didn't take long to find:

Taunton woman died after mobility scooter knocked her over

A coroner warned that the use of mobility scooters should be regulated to prevent future deaths.

www.bbc.co.uk

Boy, 3, hit by mobility scooter and taken to hospital

Police say the man driving the grey mobility scooter was in his 60s and was of large build.

www.bbc.co.uk

Insurance should be mandatory.