Mobility Scooter Overload?

[BrennaRN]

This thread is the exact reason why I am scared to death of having to rent and use a wheelchair for my trip in September.

I am 28 years old - look completely healthy, yet i was just diagnosed with MS this month. I can not feel my entire lower body, not to mention the shooting pains that come and go throughout the day. Can I walk? yes. Is it painful and difficult? yes. do i think i could handle walking for a whole day in a theme park, let alone a week long? no.

As if i'm not scared enough about having this disease or what my future holds, then i have to worry and be self concious about what other people are thinking of me and why i'm being pushed around in a wheel chair on my vacation in the happiest place on earth??? come on. why don't you stop and think that maybe being on vacation in WDW is one thing that actually makes people happy... imagine having a disablility or an illness and finally getting the opportunity to go on a fun vacation that will make you and your family happy... and then you have to deal with ignorant people who make assumptions and judgements on who deserves to use a wheelchair or scooter.

I can not believe the ignorance that is being thrown around in this thread.

Mia..........we aren't talking about things like that. I'm 29 and look perfectly normal as well. I went to my doctor's appointment after my surgery at DUKE and a kid asked his mom why was I in a wheelchair. If you need one get it, but it's the abuse that we are all discussing. For goodness sakes I won't even go to Walmart and use a scooter. I just don't go. I don't want to get in anyone's way. It's the utter lack of respect for others in the scooters way that we are discussing. Hope you do enjoy your trip.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I have a question for those that have been to the Kingdom recently. Is there an overload of people using mobility scooters?
When I was in Busch Gardens Tampa last year, these scooters were everywhere, with people clogging walking paths, I felt like I was in Italy, only instead of Vespas it was Rascals everywhere.
I understand if your injured or have real mobility because of age or some other physical issues and a scooter is really needed to get around, but a great many people I saw looked to be able bodied, if just obese. The most blanant example of what I mean is I saw an eldery woman using a walker to get around(she probably should have had a scooter) and she walked on by some fat guy whos scooter was broken down, and he was using his legs to inch it aloung.
I even saw some college aged guys riding in them just because they could.


Is this abuse of these machines prevelant in Disney, and if not, is it because they have more restrictions on who can rent them?

Okay, in an effort to not alienate the fat who ride these things, i will attempt to answer your question.

Since these are an FDA approved medical device, there is no way Disney can ban them or restrict their usage. However, they do milk them for every dollar, renting them out for a lot of money and requiring a deposit.

What i hate seeing is when people who legitimately need these devices - people with rheumatoid arthritis, people who are amputees, people who just had surgery, etc., being unable to ride them because they're all out because someone couldn't stay away from the buffet table for the past 10 years.

I also get y when my bus service has 20 minutes added to it because of the way disney loads/unloads them. (Handicapped only bus, Hello!?!?) I feel that i am inconvenienced by fat people on scooters because thats something you can control. You cant control when a guy gets his legs blown off by a roadside bomb in Iraq, that i won't get y about.

I refuse to feel sorry for anyone who cant put down a fork.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It's the utter lack of respect for others in the scooters way that we are discussing.

Who respects a fat-______?

 

[DivineMadness7]

What i hate seeing is when people who legitimately need these devices - people with rheumatoid arthritis, people who are amputees, people who just had surgery, etc., being unable to ride them because they're all out

I edited a good portion of your text because I don't agree with it or think it is constructive in this conversation. I do, however, agree with the above text and it is the first I've seen this specific issue come up in the thread.

That is my concern, someone who genuinely needs one not being able to access one because of lack of availability. People are going to do this and we can't stop them. I don't know the numbers of the available rentals or if this is even an issue, but to me it is more concerning than someone blowing $40 on a scooter they don't need. That's their own fault and let them blow that money. I can't control what other people do and I won't let it ruin my vacation.

And to that youtube video, that is another concern I have. You go ahead and drive your scooter, but do you really think laying on the horn will help? Come on. The scooter does not give you a waiver to ditch all of your manners. I've been hit in the heels by a scooter and even more strollers :lookaroun...but, I guess that's for another (also controversial) thread.

To me it isn't about the devices, but the people using them. Is there any sort of waiver that you must sign to get behind the wheel of one of the beasts? Surely there is, but I can just imagine some fool who doesn't know how to operate it, winds up hurting themselves and suing. Not to open another can of worms....but I'm curious about the paperwork involved.

 

[msk0879]

me being one of the more heartless people on this thread i have to say i agree with the majority that most of the people i ve seen using the scooters dont need them. just like with the past segway topics if your disabled get a note from your doctor like you would to get handicapped parking its the same thing PERIOD Mia i cant relate nor pretend to and im sorry but piglet your reasoning is nothing you gave no points no nothing but your overweight and prefer to use a scooter heres and idea exercise

 

[cabihler]

just my 2 cents on this

my parents are 83 and 84 and they have not been to the world in quite a few years and are very interested in going especially since their 60th anniversary is this november. trying to arrange a family get together so i think we will go in march.

given their age and physical limitations i am going to arrange to have scooters for them while we are there. YEAHHH... i know so what???

my problem is not so much with who should or should not be getting them. i honestly tend to agree with the thoughts that wayyyyy to many obese people get them when they should be walking around but of course no one can or should make a judgment about them and i am just expressing my opinion

BUTTTTT here is what bothers me... when i was there last month with my 7 y/o grandson and 3 y/o granddaughter i cannot begin to tell you the number of times that i had to literally forcibly stop a scooter person from running them over so they could move up closer for this or that or trying to get up front to watch the parade and not care about who they are running over.

yes this could happen with anyone but the ATTITUDE of who was driving was telling. on more than 1 occasion the rider would stop and apologize and it seemed from appearances that the rider SEEMED to be a person that needed the scooter while the BAD ATTITUDE of the person who was on it because they had a serious weight problem sort of like well we had no business being in front of them etc. etc.

look its the WORLD and everyone is excited and want to go where they see something wonderful like a character etc..... and for certain my grandkids more than once ran into someone's legs in their excitement for which i certainly apologized profusely....

so my 2 cents worth is YES i agree TOOO many people use them who should not be but the answer to their problem goes far beyond using a scooter in the world.... but whomever you are scooter rider or stroller pusher PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop using them like you are jousting in King Arthur's court because they are NOT weapons... and there are people like me who will not tolerate it and will stop you because i will not see you hurt children out of your own selfishness and/or laziness. being fat or old or physically needing them or having a child in a stroller is no excuse and you do not have a license to kill or injure or runover or push up. if i am in front of you holding my granddaughter watching the parade and you cannot see then stand your butt up or maybe even say excuse me but don't DON'T push your scooter up into the back of my legs.

 

[awalkinthepark]

Wow ....I am really alarmed at how much animosity there is towards overweight people. I wonder why anyone cares? I have seen entire average sized families of 5 cruisin' through Epcot yet we are waging war against one segment that may or may not be abusing ECVs.

I am going to go out on a limb and guess at least half of the anti-fatties were somehow rejected by a fatty when they had every confidence they were a safe bet...crushing their gentle egos and leaving chips in their shoulders that are quite obvious even to this day.

Anyone the absolutely requires a ECV or wheelchair will most likely have one to travel with...my FIL had 3 to choose from in his house depending on what his needs were. And why would anyone who needs a wheel chair want to burden a family member to help push them around when there is a better option?