How sad is this!

[kaytieeldr]

Certainly a DUI should be issued for someone operating an ECV under the influence, just as is done for golf carts. I would imagine the potential for danger to others (& yourself) is quite large at WDW & I hope that's not something CMs ever look the other way on.

I don’t disagree. I do disagree, though, that simply because somebody is operating an ECV with one hand (again, all that’s required to do so) and carrying an actively-imbibed drink with the other hand does not prove that person is under the influence of alchohol.

My embarrassing story: The very first time I ever went to Disneyland, I couldn’t get in until about 10 PM (the park had been at capacity earlier). I entered on an ECV, rode onto the sidewalk and then – for some silly reason, thinking the curbing was just trompe l’oiel, that it was actually all flat, like the Hub in Magic Kingdom,,, I fell sideways off the curb. Now, I may have been under the influence of stupid, but probably the last drink I’d had was two months earlier at Epcot.


Madi - yes, it IS possible they're being abused. More than one company around the country (can't speak for the world ) that rents ECVs advertises the 'save your energy' aspect of it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

kaytieeldr,

You get your new ride yet? The one with the custom Mickeys all over it?

No, but I'm bringing my Lime Green DIS T-shirt to pin securely around the seat-back this coming trip. Keep an eye out for me, everyone! Especially around that curbing!

 

[LittleLebowski]

I am glad that I am going to miss that!!! We are leaving in 7 days and only going to be there until the 17th! Have you started packing yet?

 

[cabanafrau]

When I said someone operating an ECV "under the influence", I was referring to what would apply to anyone operating their car under the influence. I specifically didn't mention the one-handed driving w/ a beverage because I have no desire to p-u my flame-retardant suit from the dry cleaners, so I just let that be.

 

[LittleLebowski]

I have no desire to p-u my flame-retardant suit from the dry cleaners,

Quote of the year!

 

[honeymo78]

In response to the post about the family who said "who's turn is it next to ride in the wheelchair" I'll admit to being guilty of that on at least 2 separate occasions. My grandma always rented a wheelchair when we were at disney (ok for short walks but couldn't handle long distances). As a child too big for a stroller, yet jealous of my little brother being able to ride in his stroller, grandma would let me "ride" in her wheelchair for short distances where she knew she'd be okay walking. Fast forward to a trip as a teen when I cut my foot while on vacation and couldn't walk much so I need a wheelchair for the last few days of our trip or spend the time in the hotel. Yes, I let my little brother "ride" in the wheelchair while I sat on a bench and had a snack.

Back then it seemed that many rides let you skip the line but not always get on faster (I know its different now), but I would much rather have not had a wheelchair at all then get on rides faster.

 

[KPeveler]

The reason that I asked that question is because if there are guidelines then everyone who uses one has a disability. I have never tried to rent one before, so I didn't know if you had to have a doctor's orders or whatever. There are people stating that they think that people use them just because and don't really need them. If you don't have to show proof, then it is i possible they are being abused. I just asked an innocent question. I have no problem with anyone that wants to use the scooters. If you want to drive drunk on them, if you want to attempt to run my children over with them, etc. It really doesn't bother me. I don't think it's nice or right, but we are usually too busy doing our own thing to be bothered for too long about any one person at WDW.

i wasnt trying to attack you, but i was trying to prevent the inevitalbe questions that follow my answer of "no proof is needed." someone always asks why not, and i just thought to offer my reasons why...

i really think the number of "abusers" is much smaller than people think. after all, what one person thinks is a good reason to use a scooter, another person will not... everyone has their own limits, and i really hope that people don't just based on appearances...

 

[allisonswonderland]

One of the craziest things I have ever seen is little old lady driving an ECV wildly with a margarita from Mexico in one hand. Not kidding at all.

Then later she let her grandchild drive it (for some reason we kept seeing these people that day) around and around in circles until he broke the thing. It just quit (FINALLY), which I thought served them right because he was running people out of the way and no one said anything- it was when they were bringing out the Illuminations stuff near Africa and the bridge was up. He almost ran into us twice....

 

[Passions71203]

One of the craziest things I have ever seen is little old lady driving an ECV wildly with a margarita from Mexico in one hand. Not kidding at all.

Then later she let her grandchild drive it (for some reason we kept seeing these people that day) around and around in circles until he broke the thing. It just quit (FINALLY), which I thought served them right because he was running people out of the way and no one said anything- it was when they were bringing out the Illuminations stuff near Africa and the bridge was up. He almost ran into us twice....

I am sure that was a sight to see (The old lady with a margarita in her hand driving that thing )
Come on Mike...I wanted to share some popcorn with you

 

[fey_spirit]

I think her point was that these things are hard enough to navigate through a sea of humanity when you're stone cold sober...

The idea of someone trying to do it while intoxicated makes me nervous...
You could really hurt someone (Esp a little kid) if you hit them with one... esp if you hadn't had the presence of mind to at least slow down.

I know I'm going to get in trouble for this but... who administered the blood test or Breathalyzer, and what does the picture have to do with the post?

This is going to sound strange but, surprisingly, it really does take only one hand to steer/operate an ECV. There's a throttle and a handlebar on each side of the main column. This enables right-handed people, left-handed people, ambidextrous people, people who favor one hand but whose hand is tired (from controlling the throttle and the steering through crowds), and people who only have the use of one hand, to all use the same equipment. Nothing has to be specially-designed.

Note: This does differ from electric wheelchairs, which are customized to the user's needs.

 

[fey_spirit]

Maybe it was your scooter but the one I drove last year could move faster then those around me could walk... so I doubt point A...

But I hear ya on pt B - F

I have a health condition that hits me now and then pretty hard. One of those times was at AK last week and I had to rent an ECV for part of the day. I learned some things that morning.
A) the park scooters only go about .3 miles an hour, you could crawl faster
B) they don't have brakes
C) you are INVISIBLE when you are on one, unless someone wants to laugh at you and shake their head, which happened to me
D) people will walk in front of you, then get angry that you don't stop for them
E) the phrase "if you love your child, you'll stop throwing them in the path of this blade-less lawn mower I'm driving" tends to upset people
F) drinking would have made the entire experience better

 

[fey_spirit]

Actually, let's be honest... in some places in WDW it kind of does... not all, but a few.

That said I wasn't using it for front of the line purposes... a lot of times we would want to park the EVCs and wait in line (we can stand for short time periods, and walk for short time periods) and they wouldn't let us.

Though I really do wish that all of the lines had special access for EVCs (I don't mind if they find someway to make me wait until it would have been my turn -cutting isn't my reasoning) but trying to get those EVCs through some of those Ques was flat out scary... not to mention humiliating.

Being Handicapped does NOT get you front of line access.

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Some points. Intoxication is intoxication and should not be tolerated. Disney security should remove such persons. As for carrying and drinking a drink on a ECV, IF a person with the full use of their body is allowed to walk and drink a drink at Disney then so is a person whose legs, for whatever period are wheels.
On the subject of abuse. Since as has been stated being in a wheelchair or ecv does NOT get you special perks, in fact often means you wait LONGER to ride and since no medical condition is required to rent an ECV and since Disney calls them convenience vehicles and will rent[not give] them to anyone who pays the $40 a day then there can be no ABUSE can there.

I use a power chair at home and a scooter when I travel, and my husband rents a scooter [off site] because he has diabetes that affects his feet, in normal day to day life he is ok but Disney is not day to day life is it.

 

[minnie61650]

...On the subject of abuse. Since as has been stated being in a wheelchair or ecv does NOT get you special perks, in fact often means you wait LONGER to ride and since no medical condition is required to rent an ECV and since Disney calls them convenience vehicles and will rent[not give] them to anyone who pays the $40 a day then there can be no ABUSE can there.....

.

I agree.
I think most guests feel the ECV's should be used by guests who need them because the guest is disabled even temporally (which can include the fact that a guest just does not have enough stamina needed to do the amount of walking that most guests do in a Disney park on any given day.)

------------------------------------------------------

What one guest sees as an ABUSE in a certain situation other guests may not see that as an abuse.

Do all people who use the handicapped stalls in the restroom really need an HA stall ?

Many times when I enter the rest room there are many able stalls empty but the Handicapped
one (which is the only one I can use) is being used by a mom and 1 or 2 children. I could say she is abusing the use of the HA stall or I could think perhaps she has an invisible disability or a special needs child. I always chose the benefit of the doubt.
Because it is a HA stall and it really is only for people with special needs just as the scooters are.

Or is it?
Just a little food for thought.

 

[KPeveler]

I agree.
I think most guests feel the ECV's should be used by guests who need them because the guest is disabled even temporally (which can include the fact that a guest just does not have enough stamina needed to do the amount of walking that most guests do in a Disney park on any given day.)

------------------------------------------------------

What one guest sees as an ABUSE in a certain situation other guests may not see that as an abuse.

Do all people who use the handicapped stalls in the restroom really need an HA stall ?

Many times when I enter the rest room there are many able stalls empty but the Handicapped
one (which is the only one I can use) is being used by a mom and 1 or 2 children. I could say she is abusing the use of the HA stall or I could think perhaps she has an invisible disability or a special needs child. I always chose the benefit of the doubt.
Because it is a HA stall and it really is only for people with special needs just as the scooters are.

Or is it?
Just a little food for thought.

I always choose the handicapped stall in restrooms, because i have an invisible illness and invisible disability. when i dont have my cane with me, i look fine... unfortunately i cannot always stand up after sitting on the toilet without something to balance against. also when standing, especially in heat, i get dizzy. since i do not want to fall into the toilet, or have to do a "tuck and roll" to get off the toilet, I use the handicapped stall.

I agree that scooters and handicapped stalls should only be used by people who need them. however, we do not always "look" disabled. so give us the benefit of the doubt when we use a chair or handicapped stall...

by the way, what exactly does "handicapped" look like? If I am disabled, am i not allowed to drink? do you assume I am faking if I am in my chair and you saw me a few minutes ago with a glass of wine? if you see me get out of my chair and walk to a ride, and i do not limp, does that mean i don't really need my chair? what does "disabled" look like? that way i can look disabled next time i am in disney, so i dont get the glares...

 

[NYDisGuy]

IF a person with the full use of their body is allowed to walk and drink a drink at Disney then so is a person whose legs, for whatever period are wheels.

I agree and disagree. I agree that a person really doesn't have the option to have a designated driver but if the person knows that they want to get drunk then they could always get a wheelchair for that day. Going through a crowd of people in a motorized vehicle while drunk is never a good idea, handicapped doesn't make it acceptable. I don't think the issue is one drink, I have also witnessed people drinking around the world in an ECV and in some cases it does get dangerous for themselves and others.

 

[KPeveler]

I agree and disagree. I agree that a person really doesn't have the option to have a designated driver but if the person knows that they want to get drunk then they could always get a wheelchair for that day. Going through a crowd of people in a motorized vehicle while drunk is never a good idea, handicapped doesn't make it acceptable. I don't think the issue is one drink, I have also witnessed people drinking around the world in an ECV and in some cases it does get dangerous for themselves and others.

I agree with you. You are not allowed to be drunk at Disney (in fact being drunk in public most places is illegal - you just rarely get in trouble for it). Therefore whether you walk or roll, you should not be drunk and be walking/rolling through a crowd.

however, a person on a scooter must be more aware of their level of drunkeness, because they are now responsible for a several hundred pound vehicle. therefore they hurt a lot more than if a drunk person walking stumbles into someone else.

so this is not really an issue of handicapped or not... it is an issue of public drunkeness - you are not allowed to be drunk at disney, and it is never attrative to be sloshed in public. so drink responsibly, and be aware of your surroundings.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree and disagree. I agree that a person really doesn't have the option to have a designated driver but if the person knows that they want to get drunk

But my issue was, and still is, that simply because the person in the ECV was carrying (and, for the sake of this argument, let's agree drinking) an alcoholic beverage while operating the ECV does not mean he was under the influence of alcohol. Drinking and driving, yes; driving drunk, we have NO idea.

 

[Passions71203]

I agree and disagree. I agree that a person really doesn't have the option to have a designated driver but if the person knows that they want to get drunk then they could always get a wheelchair for that day. Going through a crowd of people in a motorized vehicle while drunk is never a good idea, handicapped doesn't make it acceptable. I don't think the issue is one drink, I have also witnessed people drinking around the world in an ECV and in some cases it does get dangerous for themselves and others.

100% agree

 

[minnie61650]

I always choose the handicapped stall in restrooms, because i have an invisible illness and invisible disability. when i dont have my cane with me, i look fine... unfortunately i cannot always stand up after sitting on the toilet without something to balance against. also when standing, especially in heat, i get dizzy. since i do not want to fall into the toilet, or have to do a "tuck and roll" to get off the toilet, I use the handicapped stall.

I agree that scooters and handicapped stalls should only be used by people who need them. however, we do not always "look" disabled. so give us the benefit of the doubt when we use a chair or handicapped stall...

by the way, what exactly does "handicapped" look like? If I am disabled, am i not allowed to drink? do you assume I am faking if I am in my chair and you saw me a few minutes ago with a glass of wine? if you see me get out of my chair and walk to a ride, and i do not limp, does that mean i don't really need my chair? what does "disabled" look like? that way i can look disabled next time i am in disney, so i dont get the glares...

I totally agree.
You will get no argument from me.

That is why I always give the benefit of the doubt.
I know very well about invisible disabilities as I have one myself.
Due a spinal disability I do not have strength in my thighs and I need the handrails to help pull myself up.

The message I was trying to get across(which I did not do a very good of ) is many people think nothing of using the HA bathroom stall for a "little more leg room' or as a 'family bathroom " but they will point at a person on a scooter and call them cheaters if the person can rise from the scooter and walk a few feet to get on a ride.

These same people would never think of themselves as "cheaters" for using a HA stall for convenience.

JMHO