Run Over By An EVC

[popgfd]

DW needs an ECV due to MS. Many comments are dead on regarding people walking in front of an ECV and not seeing it ostensibly because the person is seated and not as visible. She has avoided most of the collisions because she keeps her speed setting on the "tortoise" side of the speed dial. it seems to me that these high speed drivers are completely unaware that the speed can simply be ratcheted down and the driver can just move along with the crowd instead of hitting the horn and yelling coming thru.

My observations in the park regarding these "too fast" drivers is generally using on or offsite rentals and no one took the time to show them the tortoise to rabbit dial and to use the rabbit only with a clear and open path --which is basically never.

there is never an excuse for boorish or poor manners.

Pop

Pop

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Gee, it sure is hearwarming to read all these nice opinions about ECV's and the people who use them. Obviously most of you have never driven one, or taken someone to WDW who needed one. You should all consider yourself lucky then that no one in your family has a disability. Of course, judging by most of the comments, it's apparent that many of you feel people with disabilities who need an ECV should just stay home and leave WDW to those who are able-bodied.

 

[AbbyPan]

I know ECV's are needed but I think they should come with some instuctional video or somethin'.

2 years ago at Epcot my sister got rammed in the ankle twice by a woman and she just kept on shoving it in. It hurt her so bad that she was limping for a few hours after that. The lady never apologized for doing this. I was so startled that I didn't realize she didn't apologize until later on!

3 weeks ago at US, we were entering the Twister ride and a woman in her ECV almost ran over my mom. I don't exactly know what happened but all i see is my mom's arms going up and whole bunch of people screamed "AAAh!!!!"...when I ran to my mom, the lady backed into her again, this time grabbing her flip flop and almost driving away with it !!!

We laughed about it later, but at the time, I was very annoyed becuase my mom's not a spring chicken and she could have seriously been hurt!!

Ah memories...

 

[jessily]

Sorry that happened to you. I had a close call on my last trip... a women sitting on her ECV in front of me in line decided to leave and didn't realize it was in reverse I held on to the back of it, and jumped backward, and luckily she stopped then. Also lucky that my friend was standing behind me so I ran into him instead of a stranger

 

[darlak]

Gee, it sure is hearwarming to read all these nice opinions about ECV's and the people who use them. Obviously most of you have never driven one, or taken someone to WDW who needed one. You should all consider yourself lucky then that no one in your family has a disability. Of course, judging by most of the comments, it's apparent that many of you feel people with disabilities who need an ECV should just stay home and leave WDW to those who are able-bodied.

How interesting that I also read this entire thread and yet I didn't feel that one single poster has implied that ECV users weren't entitled to be at WDW. In fact, I have been impressed that everyone was able to have such an open and fair discussion about how maybe we could all work together to see each other's point of view and to actually make ECV and walking guests co-exist more peacefully.

 

[Shannon84]

I was trying to keep it lighthearted, but I guess everyone wants to be serious and angry about something. Honestly the ECV is really hard to drive, it terrified me, i would never want to drive one in a crowd. And if i remember correctly theres no break, so if someone walks in front of you, you just have to let go of the gas and hope you stop in time not to hit them. So lets all watch out for each other, so Disney can be fun for all!!! Especially since they are the best parks for those with disabilities - from what ive seen!!

Have a great day everyone

 

[AbbyPan]

DW needs an ECV due to MS. Many comments are dead on regarding people walking in front of an ECV and not seeing it ostensibly because the person is seated and not as visible. She has avoided most of the collisions because she keeps her speed setting on the "tortoise" side of the speed dial. it seems to me that these high speed drivers are completely unaware that the speed can simply be ratcheted down and the driver can just move along with the crowd instead of hitting the horn and yelling coming thru.

My observations in the park regarding these "too fast" drivers is generally using on or offsite rentals and no one took the time to show them the tortoise to rabbit dial and to use the rabbit only with a clear and open path --which is basically never.

there is never an excuse for boorish or poor manners.

Pop

Pop

I have to agree that most ECV drivers are very good and do not speed.

 

[catne]

How interesting that I also read this entire thread and yet I didn't feel that one single poster has implied that ECV users weren't entitled to be at WDW. In fact, I have been impressed that everyone was able to have such an open and fair discussion about how maybe we could all work together to see each other's point of view and to actually make ECV and walking guests co-exist more peacefully.

Agree

 

[winnapooh]

Gee, it sure is hearwarming to read all these nice opinions about ECV's and the people who use them. Obviously most of you have never driven one, or taken someone to WDW who needed one. You should all consider yourself lucky then that no one in your family has a disability. Of course, judging by most of the comments, it's apparent that many of you feel people with disabilities who need an ECV should just stay home and leave WDW to those who are able-bodied.

I don't think anyone really feels that way, but there's no reason that people shouldn't take precautions, or that Disney shouldn't take precautions to help avoid accidents and having people get hurt. There's nothing wrong with people needing ECV's, it's the people that don't know how to drive them, never did before, then get on them for the first time in a very crowded location and have problems handling them. I just think Disney needs to step up and show people how to safely use them! Even go-cart places dial down the speed when people are having problems driving them (yes, it happened to me on theh 60 mph ones...), ECVs are still vehicles and people need to drive them with the same respect as any other vehicle, and learn how to do it before hand (which I think the responsibility of showing people how to use them lies with the rental facility).

I don't think there's any reason to be as defensive as you are. I know people that need ECV's to enojoy Disney; they have every right to be there, and noone's saying they shouldn't be there!

 

[rrkman]

Gee, it sure is hearwarming to read all these nice opinions about ECV's and the people who use them. Obviously most of you have never driven one, or taken someone to WDW who needed one. You should all consider yourself lucky then that no one in your family has a disability. Of course, judging by most of the comments, it's apparent that many of you feel people with disabilities who need an ECV should just stay home and leave WDW to those who are able-bodied.

Right, that is exactly what we all said. While we are at it....could we also make english mandatory?...and get rid of all strollers? If you can't walk at the exact average walking speed of a 25 year old male, speak english, and can eat any allergen that exists.....YOU ARE NO LONGER WELCOME AT DISNEY. Give me a break...this is why these threads always turn out this way...time to get the and watch this turn into 'you are against people with disabilities' thread.

By the way, it is people like you that should be most concerned (for lack of a better term) about the ECV riders that we are talking about....these people with no regard for others give EVC riders a bad name. And just to clear it up....I expect disney to cater to everyone and that is what makes disney so special. For me, it is a great place to take my son - who has food allergies....but, I certainly don't expect them to change the menu for everyone just so that my kid can eat whatever he wants. Hope this makes sense.

 

[winnapooh]

And just to clear it up....I expect disney to cater to everyone and that is what makes disney so special. For me, it is a great place to take my son - who has food allergies....but, I certainly don't expect them to change the menu for everyone just so that my kid can eat whatever he wants. Hope this makes sense.

That's a great point! Disney caters to everyone, or finds a way to do so if they don't already. But noone should expect Disney to only cater to them...people in ECV's have every right to be there...so do people walking. And the people walking have every right not to be run over by people that don't know how to drive ECV's!!

 

[Twitterpated Dad]

When I've pushed a stroller, I haven't expected people to clear a path for me. Why do some ECV drivers expect everyone else to make way? A little blue placard hanging from your mirror gets you a preferred parking spot, it doesn't cause rush hour traffic to part in front of you.

I agree that the max speed on the rentals is too high.

Why just the rentals? Because every rude or reckless ECV incident that I've seen personally has involved a rental. (Including the time Grandma let our 5 year old drive. Just kidding! We never could get Grandma to try one. I think she was too worried about clipping someone's heels. )

Maybe Disney should have renters sign an ECV code of conduct: don't follow too closely, don't push through a crowd.... Maybe they already do. I've never rented one. I know, I know. You can't teach courtesy in 30 seconds.

Oh, I just had a great idea. Disney needs to make the bumpers touch sensitive. Any time that an ECV hits something in front. It should shut off for 20-30 seconds. Kind of like giving a rude or careless driver a time out. At the very least, it would give you a chance to get away, so that, you don't get bumped again. I know it sounds silly. But, it just might work.

 

[Clotho]

While I think it's inexcusable for someone in an ECV to "hit and run" without apologizing, after having recently been to Disny with my MIL in one, I have to say I'm much more sympathetic to people using EVCs.

They do not stop on a dime, and it was very nervewracking for her to be driving and constantly maneuvering around people jumping in front of her trying to get around the EVC instead of waiting their turn...

I understand that some EVC drivers just aren't considerate at all, but others are, and by being a little more accomodating and giving them some extra space we could go a long way in preventing EVC accidents too.

Lori

This was my exact issue. I had to rent an ECV on my last trip for a foot and back injury. I cannot believe how many people ran in front of me, stopped suddenly, ran into me from the side...people just don't SEE the ECV riders (they are lower I guess?), and nobody was apologizing to ME that's for sure!

I had to drive soooo slowly, and as others have said, I had to have hubby walk in front of me at times to try and make sure and run interference for me, which is so unfin--we can't talk or be "together" if he has to be out front playing cow scooper to my little engine that couldn't!

It was really hard to drive slowly. The controls are pressure sensitive--the more you push on them, the faster you go. I am a young gal compared to most who ride these, and I found it hard to control the speed and maneuver reliably. For older folks...I imagine it is incredibly difficult and frustrating.

One upside to the WDW ECV I had was that it had a knob which could control the top speed of my unit. So I could lower the overall speed and then "floor it" and never go faster than that speed cap. That worked in some instances, but in others, I needed to be able to speed up and slow down to be most maneuverable, so setting a cap down to slow wouldn't work out. Or else I would be going from speed control to speed knob to handlebars and back again all the time...let's just say that leaves one less hand steering the thing, which isn't ideal either.

So age and infirmity, a lack of understanding of the controls, a lack of using the controls as they are intended...these all add up to some dangerous folks running around on ECV's running little kids down!

Again, I am not talking about the people who intentionally use their machines as battering rams, nor of people who are clearly at fault and don't apologize. But to the poster who said it is up tot he DRIVER to be responsible for every idiot who jumps in front of their ECV...I say try it for a day or two in the World and see if you don't have a slightly more balanced view--it is everyone's responsibility to look out for each other, and be courteous and respectful in all instances.

 

[Clotho]

Oh, I just had a great idea. Disney needs to make the bumpers touch sensitive. Any time that an ECV hits something in front. It should shut off for 20-30 seconds. Kind of like giving a rude or careless driver a time out. At the very least, it would give you a chance to get away, so that, you don't get bumped again. I know it sounds silly. But, it just might work.

It frustrates me that so many people here imply that if an ECV bumps into someone, it was the driver's carelessness. Please read my previous post, and some posts of others, who have had to use an ECV and what it was like trying to dodge all the careless, reckless, thoughtless, oblivious people running in front of them! Why should I as the driver be stuck for 30 seconds in the middle of a path because someone jumped in front of me without looking where THEY were going?

I also am frustrated with the implication that everyone in an ECV is permanently disabled in some way. This is far from the truth. I had mine for a foot/back injury, and only used it on one day when I would have otherwise not been able to go to the parks at all without extreme pain. Some are temporary injuries, some are people who simply get tired quickly and walking all day is not an option but they want to keep up with their families, some are on doctor's orders for other ailments...not everyone is a blue-card carrying disabled person.

Try to see both sides, people!

 

[justtobeme2]

Sometimes I think the walkways in the park need to be divded into lanes, ECV lane, stroller lane and the stop and gawk at our map in one huge group lane.

I think you have hit on something

 

[jpeka65844]

OMG.....this thread reminds me of my two hilarious ECV stories!

In 2005, we saw a lady drive one straight, full throttle, off a curb in the hub in front of the castle at MK. It was broad daylight and there were tons of people around finding spots for the afternoon parade. The funny thing was that it made a huge KABOOM so loud it stopped people in their tracks around her and she just kept driving it down Main Street like she didn't even know what she'd done. Oblivious!

In 2008, at DTD, there was a couple in front of us, both elderly, who were having an argument about the other not knowing where they were going. They both had some strong words to say to each other, then veered their ECV's off into opposite directions. It was the ECV equivalent to stomping out of a room, I suppose.....

Okay...I think they're funny. Maybe you just had to be there.

I figure I can more easily control my movement then they can and I just do my best to stay out of their way.

 

[AbbyPan]

Again, I am not talking about the people who intentionally use their machines as battering rams, nor of people who are clearly at fault and don't apologize. But to the poster who said it is up tot he DRIVER to be responsible for every idiot who jumps in front of their ECV...I say try it for a day or two in the World and see if you don't have a slightly more balanced view--it is everyone's responsibility to look out for each other, and be courteous and respectful in all instances.

I wholeheartedly agree with this.

However, for those of you who feel attacked in any way, shape or form, i think most of us were simply sharing our stories of "ECV's gone wild".

BTW- My mom or sister didn't jump in front of anyone when they were both run over. We laugh about it now, but you can imagine, that we were disturbed with the ECV user. And that's just it, we were disturbed with these specific users, not EVERY ECV user, because as i stated before, most ECV users know how to handle gears.

But yes, i agree that we are all responsibe for creating a safe environment, sometimes its the pedestrian's fault and sometimes its the ECV users fault.

 

[justtobeme2]

I still say if people are getting hurt maybe they shouldn't allow them to be used in such large crowds of people.

Playing devil's advocate: I believe they should ban the strollers too. Some of those soccer mom's can powerwalk those strollers twice as fast as any ECV I've seen.

 

[AbbyPan]

OMG.....this thread reminds me of my two hilarious ECV stories!

In 2005, we saw a lady drive one straight, full throttle, off a curb in the hub in front of the castle at MK. It was broad daylight and there were tons of people around finding spots for the afternoon parade. The funny thing was that it made a huge KABOOM so loud it stopped people in their tracks around her and she just kept driving it down Main Street like she didn't even know what she'd done. Oblivious!

In 2008, at DTD, there was a couple in front of us, both elderly, who were having an argument about the other not knowing where they were going. They both had some strong words to say to each other, then veered their ECV's off into opposite directions. It was the ECV equivalent to stomping out of a room, I suppose.....

Okay...I think they're funny. Maybe you just had to be there.

I figure I can more easily control my movement then they can and I just do my best to stay out of their way.

 

[sparkyboy]

, which is so unfin--we can't talk or be "together" if he has to be out front playing cow scooper to my little engine that couldn't! Maybe this can be the name of a new ride for Disney--EVCCow Scooper