You all put your thinking caps on for any ideas

[papbouv]

Ok here is my story I walk the dogs Buddy & Patches on a Medical scooter when on the street Patches rides or going across streets she does not walk beside us until we are on a wide sidewalk. Of course Buddy walks all the time, Buddy is a 90 # Black & Rust Doberman about 30" at the shoulder, he usually wears a Red & Blue back pack with extra water poop bags & treats in it.The scooter is RED has a bicycle flag on back with a USA Flag taped to the top of the orange bicycle flag.Have an Air Horn tied to the scooter but is hard to use and use the throttle to run the scooter. I also have a Dog Whistle around my neck this is the problem to go to the Fairgrounds where the wide sidewalks are we have to cross a busy street twice. Once to go over to the Fairgrounds & once back the I push the walk button wait for the light that says walk we start across. Cars in front of us can make right hand turns but are suppose to YIELD for persons walking across the street. NOT twice I have had to stop and have a car make a right hand turn in front of us, I have taken to blowing my Dog Whistle at them ? Hubby thinks some one will shoot us or beat us up for me blowing the whistle??? I cannot stay in the street stopped have to get to the other side since I'm about 3/4th of the way across anyway. Any ideas how can I make myself & the dogs more visible??? You would think everyone could see us ?
Thanks
Papbouv
Buddy & Patches

[auntydoxzz]

Do you have a local newspaper that does human interest stories.  Tell them you are disabled and when using the electric cart to get across the busy intersection cars are not yielding as required, forcing you to stop in the intersection which will cause major problems when the lights change.  Remind them what is happening is people are making illegal right turns forcing you to stop in a dangerous position and also could cause accidents for other drivers who are driving legally!

Or call the police, and ask them what they suggest. Remind them you are using a electric cart which is because of a disability.  It would seem there should be local or state laws requiring vehicles to yield based on that. If they shrug on that then indicate that to your knowledge the law says right turns are to yield to pedestrians, and that is what YOU ARE, so they are breaking the law.

Another possibility would be to check and see if there is a local organization who advocates for disabled people.  Ask them for help in how to solve the problem.

One other possibility would be to contact the company you got the scooter from and ask they if they have any advise or can offer any help.

Not sure if it would work but another possibility would be to figure out a way to make up or find a blue handicap logo sign and put it on the side of the cart. 

Check with the fairgrounds and ask them for help!!  Tell them are attempting to cross the street using the proper walk signs, and the vehicles are not yielding.(actually it would seem the police should do something....since I think what you are describing is people making a right turn on a red  light and I am quite sure every state law requires they stop and yield to pedestrians. YOU are a pedestrian using an assistive device.

I don't think using the whistle will work well. It might make them mad or some idiot will continue driving ahead while looking around in the wrong direction for the whistle.

[JetEd73]

Do you have a local newspaper that does human interest stories.  Tell them you are disabled and when using the electric cart to get across the busy intersection cars are not yielding as required, forcing you to stop in the intersection which will cause major problems when the lights change.  Remind them what is happening is people are making illegal right turns forcing you to stop in a dangerous position and also could cause accidents for other drivers who are driving legally!

Or call the police, and ask them what they suggest. Remind them you are using a electric cart which is because of a disability.  It would seem there should be local or state laws requiring vehicles to yield based on that. If they shrug on that then indicate that to your knowledge the law says right turns are to yield to pedestrians, and that is what YOU ARE, so they are breaking the law.

Another possibility would be to check and see if there is a local organization who advocates for disabled people.  Ask them for help in how to solve the problem.

One other possibility would be to contact the company you got the scooter from and ask they if they have any advise or can offer any help.

Not sure if it would work but another possibility would be to figure out a way to make up or find a blue handicap logo sign and put it on the side of the cart. 

Check with the fairgrounds and ask them for help!!  Tell them are attempting to cross the street using the proper walk signs, and the vehicles are not yielding.(actually it would seem the police should do something....since I think what you are describing is people making a right turn on a red  light and I am quite sure every state law requires they stop and yield to pedestrians. YOU are a pedestrian using an assistive device.

I don't think using the whistle will work well. It might make them mad or some idiot will continue driving ahead while looking around in the wrong direction for the whistle.

what she said ^^^ All are excellent ideas

You've got a cop on the local force that would be glad to help you with this problem for sure.

Visibility is NOT the problem, drivers failing to yeild are.

[auntydoxzz]

I will confess especially after I used a walker for 5 years after breaking my leg and my arthritis being cranky....I tend to rabble rouse on issues like handicap parking, accessability issues etc.

After being told in former office I was supposed to move my van because it was sticking too far out of the handicap parking spot(which basically was IN the fire lane). I parked so I could get out of van on the highest part  plus the parking spot was usually half full of snow! )  the person telling me to move it said coworker who was a volunteer firefighter complained. so I called city, and a cop who deals with access issues faxed me copy of the local laws and also a letter saying what the er was doing was in violation so if the coworker wanted to call and get me ticketed fine, because the employer WOULD also get ticketed for fact that the parking spot was half full of snow so could not be parked in safely! 

Also rabble roused and got the office in madison to add more handicap parking spots that were accessible to office in madison.  There were another FIVE spaces about a block away, with the only relatively close door going to the 2nd floor of building.  BUT once you got to the 2nd floor the elevator would not go to the first floor(where our office was).   bosses said while they felt they were NOT in violation of the law they admitted  there was  a serious problem. I was there for training, onlly 1-2 handicap spots by OUR door and at least 2 more of us needed the spots!!   

[papbouv]

Thanks to all who responded may write a letter to the mayor,newspaper,and anyone else I can think of.My doctor did not help me get the scooter but I 'm on Social Security Disability wanted to return to walking but just caused too much pain so I bought the scooter on my own.Dobermans require allot of exercise so when the weather is nice we try to go out as much as we can.We just do not want to get smashed in the process we do not go when it is raining,really cold,snow or ice of course and sometimes if it is super HOT but really want to take advantage of the nice weather we are having. A good dog is a tired dog.The big plus is Patches has went from 15# to 12# trotting by the scooter of course Buddy thinks we are going too slow for him & his long legs.Patches sticks her nose over on my leg or foot to let me know she wants to ride for a while.She drapes her self over the fender of the scooter with ears flying she is little Miss Cool rider.She is a hoot sometimes.
Papbouv

[jillkilleen]

inconsiderate\ driver and parkers drive me nuts! I say do all you can!  we had a guy tonite park his mercedes super close to our truck because he had to park all crooked in the spot, all cool like. we watched him as we came out of the store. It was a shame that I had to ding his mirror just to get in my side!!  :verdict:

[Barb]

DITTO on all the suggestions - definatly write them ALL !!!

[auntydoxzz]

I think I am getting into my rabblerousing mind frame!

BOTTOM LINE  it does not make any difference HOW you got the scooter!! DO NOT apologize or think that somehow gives you less rights than other disabled people(only saying this cuz i have the tendency to play same kind of mindgames on myself!!)!!

YOU have an electric scooter. THIS is considered an assistive device. Drivers must treat you the same way as other with these scooters.

Also more important is that they are breaking the law which gives pedestrians rights. They are also breaking the law (all state laws seem to be the same) that they MUST yield to pedestrians!!

[papbouv]

I guess I have always thought since I can walk, just not long distances like I'm not like someone that is paralyzed or lost their legs or something like that I just have back & knee problems.I also look at it like allot of Americans are getting older and they best figure out away to keep the streets safer for those on scooters & wheel chairs because I see more & more out there all the time. Plus whether you walk or using a scooter or wheel chair the traffic is supose to yield no matter what. I e-mailed all that I could think of if I do not hear from any one in a week I will e-mail them again.
Thanks for all your support & ideas I'm just trying not to get smashed by a car or pick up and still enjoy walking my dogs and being outside in the nice weather soon it will be too cold ,raining or snowing.
Papbouv

[auntydoxzz]

I admit a lot of times I am very thankful most of my problems are knees and due to my being overweight.  It is tempting to somehow think  I am not "as" disabled as others.  It is important to remember we do deserve any assistance we get due to mobility issues!  We are NOT LESS THAN others because we have a disability!!

Also admit that I think one ortho would have given me a prescription for a cart at the same time he told me to go sit in a wheel chair or use a cart 24/7 !! Because really I do have arthritis in both knees.  That said, I still have the walker and at times use it.  BUT since I am an office worker, am more afraid of messing up hands and arms instead of using walker all the time.  But I told my regular doctor I won' t go back to that one, cuz it took 5 years to get away from the walker, and am darned if I will go back to it as long as I can get aound without it.

Can also really relate to your fears about getting across the street.  When i walk for exercise I just keep walking around block I live on, or walk around the park next to work!  Am really intimidated by attempting to cross streets, so yes, I drive to work, and I drive to the Y!  It isn't the distance walking as much as the fear of drivers!  I think too a lot of people do not understand that the carts usually only go the one speed.  It is not a question of being able to step on the gas and go faster!!  Just as using a cart in a store, you can NOT stop on a dime!!

[doxielady5569128]

Everyone else has great suggestions! I can't think of any to add.  Sorry I missed this post earlier, hope you get this problem solved quickly!   Stay safe!