Mobility scooters .......on the road!

I saw someone on a mobility scooter driving the wrong way up a narrow one way street recently.

Then on a visit to the RHS at Wisley last month I was almost mown down by such a scooter! I was admiring the plants in a border, and out of the corner of my eye spotted something approaching me. It was a scooter, just inches away and totally silent, no sound at all. I managed to leap out of the way, while the rider made no acknowledgement of my existence, let alone almost been run down by him.

Yes, you do need to be disabled to use a mobility scooter on public land, unless there is a good one-off reason, eg delivering after repair. I believe you need a blue badge.

Obviously there are some people for whom mobility scooters are essential as they would otherwise be stuck indoors all the time. However, it seems that there are also people who could get to the bus stop and manage to get around nearby shops without the use of one.

Perhaps more control of who needs to use them and training in driving them is required. As already said, they are often a danger to themselves and others.

Does anyone know if someone has to be registered, or certified, as being disabled to use one in public?

Is being fat and lazy an accepted reason?

It’s dangerous and they are also dangerous on the streets and in shops I ve been knocked over and had my foot run over Some are as big as small cars almost now

There has been a heated discussion on our local FB page about a couple who travel the roads on two of these machines. The pictures of them waiting in traffic queues to go over busy junctions/traffic lights and then pootling along very busy (even dual carriageway!) and sometimes narrow roads is scary. A lorry or tractor driver would have a job to miss them coming around bends on some roads.
I know a friend who has a taxi business says they are a danger to themselves and others as often they cannot be seen until the last moment, and some have a habit of suddenly popping out between vehicles.
Being an old town we have many narrow pavements which makes it difficult too.

I think it's dangerous and daft. And unfair on motorists too.