Are We Scooter People THAT Bad??

Do any of you get tired of hearing people complain about us scooter people, basically calling us the bane of society? I don't know about you, but I try so hard to be cognizant of everyone around me, even going so far as to wait for three or four elevators on a cruise ship so as not to inconvenience anyone, or run over any toes. While I know there are probably a few out there who are obnoxious, I really think a vast majority of us are responsible scooter owners. One poster recently said he'd rather be on a ship with 1000 screaming infants with diaper rash than with 10 scooter people. Is it really that bad on ships, or is he just a big jerk???

He is certainly a bit insensitive at least. I have felt there are two things at work here. First there is some jealousy. Even though I would love to walk easily (and being able to dance with my husband would be so wonderful) and never look at a scooter again I think some people think "Oh that is so easy, I would love to sit and go where I want on the ship" and also they seem to think there is some privilege being extended that they are being denied. Second I have found that people really do walk into me and then yell at me for bumping them. My height when standing was 6 ft. 2 inches - quite tall for a woman - so I can see how it might be easy to not see me when I am on the scooter. Other than that I just try to keep smiling and meeting the nice people.

I think it's the one bad apple scenario. One bad experience with a bad scooter driver and they hate all of us, even the good scooter drivers.

A lot of people who use scooters are not experienced with scooters. They only need them for distance so only rent one when they cruise which isnt very often. Then those same inexperienced scooter drivers have a sense of "I'm the boss". They have big horns on their scooters and go full blast down the promenade blowing their horns behind people, telling them to get out of their way. I have seen those scooter drivers and even I have a problem with them.

My mom cant walk at all and uses a scooter. She has owned that scooter for 10 years and is very watchful and careful of people. She never uses the little horn on her scooter as she thinks it is rude. On cruises she would also wait and wait for elevators even though she was there waiting before others. She has never hit anyone as she is so experienced with her scooter. Many able bodied people have walked into her and hit her though.

Once Mom was waiting for me in the atrium. She always turns her scooter

off when she stops for any amount of time. An able bodied person wasnt watching what they were doing and backed up right into her. Then the person says "You hit me". Mom says "How could I have hit you I wasnt moving and my scooter isnt even on". We laugh about it now but it wasnt funny at the time.

Not everyone who rents a scooter for a cruise and has little or no experience with them acts like they are the boss. I consider myself lucky that this is an option available to me. It makes traveling for myself and my husband a lot easier. I am very slow and cautious when I am on my rented scooter. The last thing I want to do is bump into or hurt someone. As my husband has pointed out we usually only remember the people who walk in front of us getting on the elevator or the people who just let that door go in your face. What about the ones that held that door and let you go first or the ones that got off the elevator for you. It sometimes goes both ways.

I use a manual chair at home, but rent a power wheelchair when I'm on a cruise ship. I've seen the obnoxious scooter and power chair users, for sure -- most often people like me who are unfamiliar with the scooter (or chair), and so "drive" erratically, or start up suddenly when they don't mean to, or can't figure out how to back up or out of tight places.. or yes, "zoom" down the aisle, madly beeping their horn. Gives the rest of us == who try to be careful and considerate -- a bad name!

But on the flip side, as considerate as I try to be, I can relate multiple stories about people "on foot" who trip over me, back up into me, kick me from behind, swarm around me to fill the elevator even though I've been waiting for it for 3-4 passes, move in front of me to go through a door even though I'm right at the door -- then b**** at me for "being in the way, etc. And yes, sometimes I also drive erratically, especially on the first day until I get used to how the power chair functions (they're all a bit different, with a different "feel"). I'm sorry.

YES you are probably right in that the few BAD scooter people cause over 80% of the problems. I have been assaulted by scooters several times & have gotten an attitude from them about their entitlement. Needless to say, I have gotten rather callous when this happens now. This will include calling Security, Police & anyone else in authority to document the facts & get your information in case I decide to litigate against you. Now if I observe you trying to do the right thing & something happens, we can all apologize & move on. So overall it is all about the attitude.

And before the Flames begin, I have had to use a Wheelchair & a scooter on occasion & maybe more soon due to health reasons. When I have used them I am like the person earlier, who is on Highetened Sensitivity about their use. Everyone has a right to the walkways & we all must cooperate together.

And yes, sometimes I also drive erratically, especially on the first day until I get used to how the power chair functions (they're all a bit different, with a different "feel"). I'm sorry.

I have found the best solution to this is to try & find a Empty Open area where you can practice turning, stopping & starting to get a good feel on the response. Sometime they dont instantly stop so you have to think ahead more when this is. Others I have seen, stop on a dime so to speak & almost throw their pax forward out of it.

My son is in a powerchair and we have traveled for many years (very few cruises). I think it really comes down to simple as "do you have good manners or not". That goes both to drivers of chairs and scooters and walkers. Some people will always hold the door/elevator for my son and some let it slam in his face. There are bad apples and good apples in all groups:D

Good apples will always be patient and want to help (makes em feel good). Bad apples will act like you are just in the way.

My DH uses a power chair at home, and we usually just take the manual chair on cruises. But this last time, my folks rented him a scooter. Pride GoGo. While we both loved the convenience, we found the scooter format to be a real challenge! Those scooters are just BIG, compared to a powerchair. Since he needs a wheelchair all the time, it was a real pain in the buffet area. He couldn't just drive up to a table to eat because of the long "handlebar" area. We had to find a long open area and let his chair take up 3 spaces so he could sit sideways and eat, and often his scooter stuck out, earning us annoyed glances.

Likewise, it did take up more room in the elevator than our manual chair did. In the past, I couldn't really identify with those "rude elevator users" threads, but I sure saw it on this cruise. Even my DH, who benefitted from it, felt as though he was just taking too much room.

We will definitely either buy or rent a travel powerchair for future cruises. But we came away convinced that scooters are more useful for people who can walk, but just can't handle the distances. They would be able to leave the scooter and just walk in crowded areas like the buffet.

Are there full-time wheelchair users who prefer a scooter over a power chair?

When I see someone in a scooter or powerchair all I think of is how great it is that they can get around and still be able to travel. Most of the users I've seen have been the polite ones, I guess.

And I can't, for the life of me, figure out how people don't see them - other than the fact that they just don't pay any attention at all where they're going. I look around when I'm walking - guess I was raised that it's not nice to run into anyone - whether or not they're walking, riding, or whatever. And I will always let the person in the scooter go ahead of me - and I'll hold the door.

My DH uses a power chair at home, and we usually just take the manual chair on cruises. But this last time, my folks rented him a scooter. Pride GoGo. While we both loved the convenience, we found the scooter format to be a real challenge! Those scooters are just BIG, compared to a powerchair. Since he needs a wheelchair all the time, it was a real pain in the buffet area. He couldn't just drive up to a table to eat because of the long "handlebar" area. We had to find a long open area and let his chair take up 3 spaces so he could sit sideways and eat, and often his scooter stuck out, earning us annoyed glances.

 

Likewise, it did take up more room in the elevator than our manual chair did. In the past, I couldn't really identify with those "rude elevator users" threads, but I sure saw it on this cruise. Even my DH, who benefitted from it, felt as though he was just taking too much room.

 

We will definitely either buy or rent a travel powerchair for future cruises. But we came away convinced that scooters are more useful for people who can walk, but just can't handle the distances. They would be able to leave the scooter and just walk in crowded areas like the buffet.

 

Are there full-time wheelchair users who prefer a scooter over a power chair?

I much prefer the power chair, for the reasons your husband experienced, and also for easier access to bathrooms, particularly those "regular" bathrooms with just one handicap stall. I've often seen a whole row of scooters lined up outside the bathroom -- obviously the person has somehow walked in -- rather than try to maneuver the long scooter into the bathroom and into a stall. A power chair gives me much more flexibility in tight spaces, especially the new ones with the zero-turning radius feature.

Darcie, some people are just self-centered and can only think of their own wants and desires.

Whenever I'm in the grocery store and see someone shopping from a scooter, I always offer to get things that are out of that person's reach. I know what it is like to try to shop when you are not able to get what you want off the high and low shelves.

A little kindness goes a long way on both sides!

Oh, I just remembered a classic line from our "scooter cruise". We were trying to get to muster, and of course the elevators were all full. Finally an elevator arrived that had room, but as we were getting on, some lady was fussing about how long it was taking to get people rearranged to fit the scooter, etc. Her husband's brilliant reply, "Now, now, Honey. I promise they won't start the muster drill without you!" Kinda reminded everyone that it wasn't as though we were in any particular hurry!

People are oblivious to us. I just had a scooter lift put into my car, and for the first time today, I was able to go to the mall by myself. It was wonderful. BUT, I was able to see first hand that it really isn't us. Between the people walking around texting (that drives me nuts) and those just walking around in a daze or tearing out of a store without looking, I don't know what's worse. Plus, we're sitting pretty low, and people just don't see us.

We use a manual travel chair for my DS who is 20 as he cannot walk long distances or in hot conditions due to a heart problem and other disabilities. Just got back from our very first cruise and I would have to say I thought there were very few people on it using scooters or wheelchairs. They all seemed to have experience driving them. All the passengers and crew were very polite to us and the scooter people.

However, the use of scooters at Disney World, where we go a couple of times a year, is out of control. They are everywhere and the people don't know how to drive them. The drivers are very rude in general, we have found. I will take a few scooters on a cruise any day instead of navigating Disney World! :cool:

Oh, I just remembered a classic line from our "scooter cruise". We were trying to get to muster, and of course the elevators were all full. Finally an elevator arrived that had room, but as we were getting on, some lady was fussing about how long it was taking to get people rearranged to fit the scooter, etc. Her husband's brilliant reply, "Now, now, Honey. I promise they won't start the muster drill without you!" Kinda reminded everyone that it wasn't as though we were in any particular hurry!

Are you saying that there were able-bodied people in the elevators? If so, I dont understand as all the drills I have participated in, all had to use the stairs. You do however make the point.

Are you saying that there were able-bodied people in the elevators? If so, I dont understand as all the drills I have participated in, all had to use the stairs. You do however make the point.

Yep. Lots of them. The vast majority of people were using the stairs, but we had to wait through about 5 elevators before we got one we could even try to make work. There were three staff people at the elevators on our floor, but they weren't pulling people off or anything. Of course, the people in the elevator could have all been folks with conditions that prevented them from using the stairs but did not require any adaptive device. But I rather doubt that the majority were.

After muster was worse. In the past, the disabled passengers didn't have to go to the lifeboat stations, so we were dismissed before the masses and allowed to use the elevators. This time, on Solstice, at least, "muster" was just a lecture/slide show in the theatre with no going to stations, and all were released at the same time. We just wandered around the floor we were on for awhile, since getting on an elevator wasn't happening.

It really didn't put even a small wrinkle in a wonderful cruise. I just noticed the difference between how people treat a wheelchair vs. a scooter.

There is an inherent problem with the Solstice Class ships, and that's not enough elevators. On a ship that size, there should be three elevator lobbies, but on those ships, only two, and that's not nearly enough. I have no idea why they don't have forward, mid-ship and aft elevators, like nearly every other large ship has, but that's the way they were designed.

I've learned to stay put for 15 minutes in the muster area once the drill is over. I'm not going to fight the passengers who are pushing and shoving to get to their elevators.

Ah, then perhaps our experience with elevator problems was related to the ship design more than our use of a scooter on this cruise. We still adored the ship and plan to stick with S-class for the Med next summer.

We use a manual travel chair for my DS who is 20 as he cannot walk long distances or in hot conditions due to a heart problem and other disabilities. Just got back from our very first cruise and I would have to say I thought there were very few people on it using scooters or wheelchairs. They all seemed to have experience driving them. All the passengers and crew were very polite to us and the scooter people.

 

However, the use of scooters at Disney World, where we go a couple of times a year, is out of control. They are everywhere and the people don't know how to drive them. The drivers are very rude in general, we have found. I will take a few scooters on a cruise any day instead of navigating Disney World! :cool:

The big problem at Disney World Orlando and Sea World (which is even worse by the way), is that "anyone" can rent them, no questions asked. On the two occasions that we took my mother-in-law there (who needed a wheelchair), I observed numerous folks in scooters and chairs walking around better than I while their kids rode. Yes, perhaps they only needed it some of the time, but the perception?

Just saying.

The big problem at Disney World Orlando and Sea World (which is even worse by the way), is that "anyone" can rent them, no questions asked. On the two occasions that we took my mother-in-law there (who needed a wheelchair), I observed numerous folks in scooters and chairs walking around better than I while their kids rode. Yes, perhaps they only needed it some of the time, but the perception?

 

Just saying.

I agree with you. I've seen so many people at WDW in scooters, who bound out of them and run to the rides, without any problem. I'm guessing some people use them to get to advance to the front of lines. Personally, and I know they can't legally do this, but I wish there was some way for people to prove they actually need a scooter and aren't just using them for convenience.

When I see someone in a scooter or powerchair all I think of is how great it is that they can get around and still be able to travel. Most of the users I've seen have been the polite ones, I guess.

 

And I can't, for the life of me, figure out how people don't see them - other than the fact that they just don't pay any attention at all where they're going. I look around when I'm walking - guess I was raised that it's not nice to run into anyone - whether or not they're walking, riding, or whatever. And I will always let the person in the scooter go ahead of me - and I'll hold the door.

I agree, wholeheartedly! By the grace of God I go!!!!

I agree with you. I've seen so many people at WDW in scooters, who bound out of them and run to the rides, without any problem. I'm guessing some people use them to get to advance to the front of lines. Personally, and I know they can't legally do this, but I wish there was some way for people to prove they actually need a scooter and aren't just using them for convenience.

Personally, I wish there was a way that they could limit the amount of scooters in a particular theme park on any given day. I know they have a limited amount to rent in the theme park, but the amount of people who rent them from independent vendors is huge. Sometimes it is so bad with the scooters at WDW that it is extremely difficult to navigate pushing a wheelchair/travel chair. They just clog up the sidewalks and roads tremendously. It is also an issue with the resort buses. You can only fit two or three scooters on a bus, and it takes a long time to load/unload them.

Anyway, my husband has even stronger opinions about the issue, especially when the disability is seemingly that the person in the scooter is overweight. He likes to say that if they got rid of the scooter and walked, then they would lose weight and wouldn't need the scooter. He does not want to understand that the person might have a heart condition, lung problems, arthritis, etc.

I digress to a subject that has been discussed at length over on the Dis boards. I just think that our first experience on a cruise had me amazed at how few scooters/wheelchair users there were on the ship, especially since I am used to the users at WDW. And they actually know how to drive them on a ship and are polite! ;)

Anyway, my husband has even stronger opinions about the issue, especially when the disability is seemingly that the person in the scooter is overweight. He likes to say that if they got rid of the scooter and walked, then they would lose weight and wouldn't need the scooter. He does not want to understand that the person might have a heart condition, lung problems, arthritis, etc.

! ;)

Personally I''m offended by this generalization that overweight people using a scooter aren't diasabled. Would gladly walk if I could as it would definitely help my weight issue. However having MS works against me so I must use a scooter.

Personally I''m offended by this generalization that overweight people using a scooter aren't diasabled. Would gladly walk if I could as it would definitely help my weight issue. However having MS works against me so I must use a scooter.

Any person who takes the time to "judge" other people is not only unkind but is undeserving of any comment or reply.

I hope that your journey's are easy for you and that you get to enjoy many happy and funfilled cruises.