abuse shouted at me because I use a mobility scooter.

Exactly paddyann. This government has demonised the disabled and anyone claiming allowances. My sister had someone come and assess her st home. She was in bed as she always is. She can walk to bathroom and back and that’s all! She’s had severe ME for 20 yrs. the stress and upset at having her benefits stopped and all the time spent on filling in unimaginable forms has almost destroyed her. She was denied her benefits and the report said she could walk 200 metres!! Apparently it doesn’t count if there inaccuracies! Let’s face it it’s simply a cost cutting excercise and they don’t care that some people have been left homeless or committed suicide over this! And demonising disability has been a deliberate ploy just like demonising all immigrants!

I could not agree more NanaandGrampy..........these people, hell bent on going about their business, but totally oblivious to us Joe public, are very much a hazard nowadays.

Just try walking through the areas around these Superstores.......I walk with the aid of a cane at this point in time,and believe me the times I have been walked into,its unbelievable..............but because they are so thoroughly "protected from the world" via their ear `phones and/or phones they then march on gaily,totally unaware they may have caused someone damage.

They should have huge labels around their necks saying..............BEWARE I AM LETHAL!!.

I'm a mobility scooter user too but don't think anyone has ever made a comment to me ( and they'd get very short shrift if they did!!).

I drive responsibly , the same as if I was driving my car but Id like to say to all you mobile phone users out there, walking along, with your head down and sometimes headphones in ..... if you're not aware of your surroundings and I hit you .... maybe it would be a good idea to pay a bit more attention to where you're going !!

We don’t seem to have many mobility scooters around here (too many steep hills), but I remember that my mother was a danger to life and limb whenever she hired one!
We would be strolling along a seaside promenade and she would be disappearing into the distance!
But I can’t understand people shouting abuse if you’re using it responsibly (which I’m sure you are).

Come and move to Burnham on Sea. Here the scooters are in the majority, and some have go-fast stripes

Dear me. It should say another one who not a woman ne.
I shouldn’t post and watch Judge Judy at the same time!

I’m another woman ne who has been mowed down by a mobility scooter. She rounded a blind corner at speed, straight into me and then swore at me.

Is it reasonable to suggest that mobility scooters should be limited to walking pace if they are being used on pavements?

I agree with lemongrove in that I don't think it has anything to do with the Govt and was happening a long time ago. In 1987 when I was in my early 40s, I was extremely ill with an "invisible illness" and was awarded the disabled badge after endless medical examinations. It allowed me to park on double yellow lines for 3 hours. One time I was getting out of my car and a passerby, who had watched me parking, noticed I was wearing trainers and seemed to think that my footwear signified that I was a marathon runner and should not be parking there. Unfortunately, however, there are people who have fake badges bought illegally online, or who lie to claim disability when they are not entitled.

So let’s all blame the Government then! Cyclists get abused by car drivers, car drivers, get abused by cyclists and pedestrians and other car users.
It seems that anyone on the roads these days gets abuse hurled at them quite regularly, people are so aggressive once they get onto the roads.
I remember back in the day ( cue violins) when drivers and pedestrians used to thank you for courtesy on the roads, not any more, they’re all out to get you!
PS we have a chap in a mobility scooter in our small town and he is a menace on the roads and on the footpaths, does he care? Nope.

We need to stop blaming the Government of the day and start acting responsibly and taking the blame ourselves if we do something wrong.

Sorry for the rant, I expect you are a very careful driver caroline

I m sorry you have had problems and it is both nasty and unfair of people to target anyone disabled
Just a quick point I was knocked off my bike by a mobility scooter ramming straight into me from the side, not a back ward glance I don’t even know if it was a man or woman as they had the Perspex blinds down second time I was queuing in M and S and a mobility scooter backed straight onto my foot ( I didn’t say anything except ouch) but it really hurt some mobility scooters are as big as a small car and ride round quite small shops another time a lady’ and man were riding in tandem the lady’s stopped I asked if she was ok or needed any help she asked if I could give her a push to get her going, I did it started and they both rode off into the sunset without even a thank you We have loads here and even seen young lads with their girlfriends on their knee riding around
At the end of the day it’s about respect on both sides

I don’t think it has anything to do with the government at all, it comes from the people concerned ( the insulting ones)
Being world class gits!
It may also depend on where you live, some places have more WCG’s per square metre than others.

I have mobility issues because of arthritis in both knees, hip, feet (and hands as well) and so I use a stick when I am out. Due to dodgy pavements I have fell on more than one occasion, the last time outside the post office in our village. People actually stepped over me with one man calling me a fat a* and telling me to get out of his way. An elderly lady who was about 90 was the only one to ask if I was ok and could she help! I have also been pushed out of the way in the bus queue and of course left to stand when there are no seats. I think Paddyann is right to say a lot of the abuse comes from the Government targeting the disabled making people think we are all spongers.

I think you need to have some prepared replies to the comments ...not rude or angry but either straight to the point or jokey with a message - whichever suits you best really! So the Madge comment maybe something like " Never been to Benidorm but fortunately this scooter enables me to get to ....(holiday place or local park or whatever!)" The safe comment ..."Safer than you cracking jokes like that!!" All said with a gentle smile!! Alternatively straight answer as to why you need it and move on ...embarrass them a bit, might make the think!!!

People can be so mean and hearing that much of this abuse comes from us older folk whom truly should have well learned by now that one cannot afford to judge anyone simply by their outward appearance Caroline2016...........sadly though there are some people whom seem "to get off" on putting other people down,they are a scurge on society.
Point is it could well be their turn next.
No one asks to be disabled and the least they should meet with is just simple understanding and respect.
Sadly we live in a society that sometimes choose to hurt,poke fun/undermine those that are only weak because of their health situation.

Good luck to your daughter paddyann,this situation needs nipping in the bud and be properly addressed.She needs our backing for sure.

Exactly, just because you look able bodied doesn't mean you are. My DD and SiL get abuse for using disabled parking too. They have three boys on the Autism spectrum and need the extra space for them as they don't understand the dangers in car parks, and if they are stressed, they are a flight risk. This is a particular problem for DGS 2.

My daughter has started a campaign for INVISIBLE disability sufferers.She has Fibromyalgia and several other painful debilitating conditions.On a good day .... a very rare thing...she can drive to the nearest town with her girls .She came home in tears several times after being accused of being a fraud and told to get off her fat A.... by usually older folk who thought they had more right than she did to park in disabled spaces .Its shocking ,since she started the campaign 3 weeks ago she has had msgs form literally hundreds of people in the same situation.One women who was verbally abused while she tried to get her daughters wheelchair out of her car,her daughter has advanced cancer!!
I think the government targetting of the disabled has a lot to do with this,people see disabled as scroungers taking benefits when they "should get a job" another thing yelled at her .
She has managed to get a motion to the Scottish Parliament and she hopes to get signage changed to show that just because you look great some days it doesn't mean you are fit and well .