Akron Beacon Journal (OH)
Author: Gina Mace, Special to the Beacon Journal
Janet Hill can be found with her little brown dog, Betsy, cruising in the bicycle lane on Sackett Avenue on her medical scooter.
Hill, 76, wears a white jacket over her petite frame and covers her short hair with a white hat.
Her red three-wheeled Pride Sundancer scooter has taillights and rearview mirrors on the handlebar.
''I can see cars coming more than a block away,'' she said.
But not everyone is convinced motorists can see Hill and others who traverse the community in such scooters. The city wants the scooters to be equipped with bright orange bike flags.
Hill is not a fan of orange.
''I wear a lot of white,'' she said.
Scooters like Hill's can reach a speed just shy of 5 mph and can travel up to 20 miles between charges.
Hill, who suffers from spinal issues, said the scooter offers her freedom to travel from her Second Street apartment to run errands. Since she got the scooter nearly four years ago, Hill figures she has traveled about 2,000 miles around the Falls.
''It's like driving a car,'' Hill said. ''You've got to look where you're going.''
She says traveling on the sidewalks is not always an option.
Ward 2 Councilwoman Mary Ellen Pyke said she's noticed an increase in the use of scooters among her constituents, whose ranks include Hill.
Pyke is concerned about scooters sharing the road with motorists.
And Pyke said she's received calls from residents who share her concerns.
''Someone doesn't pick up the phone to say 'I'm concerned for the people on the scooters,' '' Pyke said. ''When they call, they either saw someone almost get hit, or they almost hit someone.''
Pyke said she tries to warn residents of the potential danger whenever she visits with the senior citizens who live in the Sutliff buildings on Second and Third streets.
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Julie Ehrhart said there is a reason the state doesn't track accidents involving medical scooters on roadways.
''They're not supposed to be on the road,'' Ehrhart said. ''The only kind that's allowed to be operated in the streets are the two-wheeled scooters, and you need a license to drive them.''
Falls Police Sgt. Gary Blevins said the driver of a medical scooter must obey the same laws as bicyclists if they travel in the street.
And like riding lawn mowers that may traverse the road, such scooters should have a ''slow moving vehicle'' sign.
Blevins said operators of medical scooters should also be mindful of what they choose to wear.
''White is good, but it's not the best,'' he said. ''You see white all the time. You have to wear something that brings attention to you.''
Blevins suggests bright pink, green or an orange traffic vest. A bicycle flag attached to the back of the scooter is a good idea, too.
Falls police have logged a handful of complaints involving the scooters on the roadways.
Blevins said he has witnessed some of the operators driving ''like a bat out of hell.''
''You can't come barreling down the street and not stop at intersections,'' Blevins said. ''I have no problem ticketing pedestrians or mobility-challenged people because they are doing something that is against common sense. You don't run out in front of a car.''
Hill, who gave up her car in 1994, said whenever she's riding in the street she always respects other vehicles.
''I'll pull over and let them pass,'' she said.
Blevins said a bit of education can go a long way.
''With a scooter, they don't have the mobility to get out of the way,'' Blevins said. ''All it takes is a split second that (a vehicle) doesn't see you.''
Copyright (c) 2008 Akron Beacon Journal
