What do you do?

[Tozzie]

I think the person using the scooter bears more responsibility only because you can do a lot of damage with a scooter compared to a person walking. That's why I stated it's a minimobile - it doesn't stop on a dime, and requires more than a reflex signal to get it to stop. There's just an inherent liability involved.

As I stated in my previous post, it depends on the flow of traffic as to 'who steps in front' - and who is in the right - so if the main flow is down Main Street, and someone walks at right angles to cross the street in front of an ECV, then the ECV should have the right of way. But if all are going in the same direction, and there's no single lane of trafic, then no one is at fault.

The real life crosswalk example - this shows how an ECV is really a vehicle. The person in the crosswalk has the right of way, traffic is supposed to stop as soon as that person puts a foot into the crosswalk (or you think they will). Of course lots of drivers don't pay attention, or think the pedestrian should wait until it is clear, so the pedestrian uses common sense and looks both ways. But that's just because of the bad drivers.

No the person in the ECV does not bear more responsibility. Everyone needs to be aware of what is around them an ECV is not a vehicle so don't compare it that way. There is no inherent liability and your post actually makes no sense since you are comparing it to pedestrians and motor vehicles, a mobility device is not a motor vehicle.

I realized on my recent trip that when you need a mobility device, I can't use a wheel chair because of the weakness of the muscles in my arms, you become invisible not only to other people but to some cast members as well the so called pedestrians need to look out for other people and not just those at their eye level.

Actually the ECV does stop on a dime as soon as I let go of the lever it stopped. To be quite honest I don't care of the "damage" that can be done with a mobility device as long as it is being operated in a safe manner, it does't give carte blanche to the able bodied to not pay attention.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

this happened to me while I was still able to walk the parks, had a mother pull her child by the hand passing us as I was walking too slow. as mom stepped in front of me child hit me causing me to fall forward. of course I landed on her small child. she wanted the CM to put us out as a danger to others. when CM told her it was partly her fault as CM had also asked our side of story. she left in a huff heading to guest services. so it does not take an ECV

 

[Simba's Mom]

I rented off site only because I was there in August and had real issues and I was with family in August but October was my solo annual pilgrimage to Food and Wine and I really wanted to enjoy myself. Lets just say if I didn't rent a ecv it would have taken me about a half hour from the IG entrance to the top of the little hill where you can either go to France or UK

Gee, only a half hour? I could walk that fast the first day, but after that, not so much. And the trip back to BCV took forever-that's one disadvantage of renting in the park rather than off-site.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

The ECV's we've rented have horns, but they don't make a lot of noise, and the pedestrians around you often don't appreciate being honked at. It's the old "pedestrians have the right away at all times" mentality.

While you're "running interference" for your DH, keep in mind that toward the end of the day, mental fatigue might set in. I know my reflexes on the ECV are slower after several hours in the parks. I feel fine because the ECV has preserved my physical stamina, but mentally I get tired from being "on the alert" all day, and just being among the crowds in general.

While at WDW in August this year, we had two instances where an ECV driver beeped their horns at us to get out of their way. I'm not sure that it was directed at me, someone else or all the people there at that moment. I refused to even turn around and look at the person beeping their ridiculous horn. I am extremely courteous to ECV users. My dad spent his last few trips at WDW in one.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I push DS in a manual chair, and I get stuck in the same traffic jams as ECVs. People keep squeezing in front of me, which makes me have to wait much longer to get moving. Honestly, last trip in late October, I had several problems with ECV guests darting in front of me, just as I finally was able to move forward; it was really obnoxious. And I have had parents SHOVE their kids ahead of us as we enter a line queue, saying get ahead of them, quick quick. I don't let that go without a comment.....

PS WAY WAY less WC and ECVs at DL vs. WDW. So it is generally much easier, even with the narrower pathways.

That really depends on the day you go. We've been in very long handicapped lines at DLR, even during off-season.

Fortunately, the California parks are so close together you don't need to worry about taking the bus to get from one to the other. OTOH, the DLR monorails are smaller and can't accommodate more than one ECV at a time -- which is ridiculous.

 

[OpiesMom]

I'm heading to wdw in a few days. While we'll have a huge stroller instead of an ecv I'm concerned about the same issues. What I'm doing is taking jingle bells and attaching them to my stroller. The sounds are loud enough to call attention but not loud enough to annoy my kiddo or others around me.

It Christmas time so appropriate for the season.

My hope is that we avoid more than a few collisions with this.

Maybe something along these lines would help other here.

We did think of a bike bell but thought they were too shrill for a crowded park.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

While at WDW in August this year, we had two instances where an ECV driver beeped their horns at us to get out of their way. I'm not sure that it was directed at me, someone else or all the people there at that moment. I refused to even turn around and look at the person beeping their ridiculous horn. I am extremely courteous to ECV users. My dad spent his last few trips at WDW in one.

Part of the problem is large families who all walk in a row at the speed of the slowest. Now while you're all entitled to go at whatever speed you wish, don't you think it's extremely inconsiderate to force everyone else behind you to go at the same speed? The number of unattractive butts I've had to stare at recently because I couldn't get past them ...

 

[limabeanmom2003]

Part of the problem is large families who all walk in a row at the speed of the slowest. Now while you're all entitled to go at whatever speed you wish, don't you think it's extremely inconsiderate to force everyone else behind you to go at the same speed? The number of unattractive butts I've had to stare at recently because I couldn't get past them ...

The same could be said about being behind someone in a wheelchair, ECV, stroller, etc. but I would NEVER honk a horn or yell "beep beep " at them. It's rude. When you are in a crowd, you may have to travel slower than you would like to, on foot or in an ECV.

 

[Tozzie]

The same could be said about being behind someone in a wheelchair, ECV, stroller, etc. but I would NEVER honk a horn or yell "beep beep " at them. It's rude. When you are in a crowd, you may have to travel slower than you would like to, on foot or in an ECV.

You wouldn't have to beep at them because you have the ability to walk around the person in the mobility device does not have the same option.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

You wouldn't have to beep at them because you have the ability to walk around the person in the mobility device does not have the same option.

Not if they were blocking the entire walkway. My point is it's rude to beep a horn at someone at disneyworld when you want to pass by them. The polite thing to do is say excuse me or just wait until space opens up to get by. I hardly ever run into rude people at the parks, so I was really surprised to hear horns beeping from ECVs. I completely understand that it is more difficult to maneuver through the parks in an ECV. I just think everyone needs to remember to be kind to others at the parks.

 

[Tozzie]

Not if they were blocking the entire walkway. My point is it's rude to beep a horn at someone at disneyworld when you want to pass by them. The polite thing to do is say excuse me or just wait until space opens up to get by. I hardly ever run into rude people at the parks, so I was really surprised to hear horns beeping from ECVs. I completely understand that it is more difficult to maneuver through the parks in an ECV. I just think everyone needs to remember to be kind to others at the parks.

I don't think that is rude at all, I think it is rude to be so self absorbed in yourself you forget about others, in August at the resort I was staying in I was trying to get to the DTD bus stop I said excuse me twice to the people waiting for a different bus, they I yelled to move out of the way then some guest decided to tell me that there was not need to yell well obviously there was since excuse me was not working. When you become a guest who needs a mobility device you seem to become invisible to other people I think what you did is rude you thought you were fine, apparently someone behind you wanted to get past but you couldn't be bothered. Just pray that your destiny isn't to be forced to use a mobility device as it was apparently my destiny, it is a humiliating experience in itself without comments and actions by able bodied people like yourself

 

[limabeanmom2003]

I don't think that is rude at all, I think it is rude to be so self absorbed in yourself you forget about others, in August at the resort I was staying in I was trying to get to the DTD bus stop I saod exise ,e twice to the people waiting for a different bus, they I yelled to move out of the way then some guest decided to tell me that there was not need to yell well obviously there was since excuse me was not working. When you become a guest who needs a mobility device you seem to become invisible to other people I think what you did is rude you thought you were fine, apparently someone behind you wanted to get past but you couldn't be bothered. Just pray that your destiny isn't to be forced to use a mobility device as it was apparently my destiny, it is a humiliating experience in itself without comments and actions by able bodied people like yourself

I am not making any comments about you personally (unless that was you at the parks in August beeping your horn). I have been to the parks with family and friends who used ECVs. I am grateful for ECVs because they wouldn't have been able to visit the parks without them. My dad spent his last few visits in an ECV. Those are great memories I wouldn't trade for the world - all because he had the ability to use an ECV in the parks. You sound like you have a chip on your shoulder because you use an ECV. I make a point to be extra courteous at the parks to folks in ECVs. I know it can be humiliating to some. I know it makes it more difficult to get around. I know it's expensive to rent them and it usually means you don't get to do as much in a day as a person who can walk. It is not the ECV that I am talking about or people who use ECVs. It is the horn and the person blowing it!! You weren't there when this happened, so you don't understand. I was not blocking the ECV from getting anywhere, except further up in line past me. I don't even know if they were beeping the horn at me or not because they weren't civilized enough to say excuse me or pardon me. If it had been a person with a stroller beeping a horn at me, or a person walking beeping a horn at me I would have thought they were rude. It just happened to be a person in an ECV.
Edited to add that for the record, on that same trip, I stopped several times on Main Street during the mass exodus at the end of the day to let ECVs and their parties get off the sidewalk and out the gates because no one else was letting them out. Why? Because it's a nice thing to do for someone.

 

[zela02]

Part of the problem is large families who all walk in a row at the speed of the slowest. Now while you're all entitled to go at whatever speed you wish, don't you think it's extremely inconsiderate to force everyone else behind you to go at the same speed? The number of unattractive butts I've had to stare at recently because I couldn't get past them ...

These threads always seem to quickly degenerate into stories of ECVs vs people on foot, or vice-versa. It is important to remember, just as people's reasons for utilizing an ECV can vary, the same can hold true for walking speeds. My daughter has autism, mild CP and some rather significant visual challenges. On first glance, you would just assume she is walking slow, when in reality she has no depth perception, light sensitivity and stumbles very easily. We are extremely aware of those around us, whether it be people walking, people using wheelchairs or people on ECV, and have nearly suffered calamities from all three categories.

The bottom line is to respect everyone and don't assume to know why they do the things they do. For us, we aren't forcing our walking speed on anyone, we are simply trying to keep our daughter safe. For every 1 ECV rudely, and dangerously, speeding through the park, you will find dozens who are traveling safely. The same goes for those traveling on foot. The good will far outnumber the bad. I have to admit, I am an extremely easy going person, and if someone came up behind her and started beeping to move her along, or out of the way, I would absolutely consider that rude behavior.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Just an interesting note about beeping the horn-when I was in AK, I rented an in-park ECV. The horns there didn't work (at least the one I was on that day). I was told by the CM when I rented it that the horn wouldn't work-they'd "disarmed" the horns in DAK because it would upset the animals. Come to think of it, maybe he just told me that-I took his word for it and never tried the horn!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

These threads always seem to quickly degenerate into stories of ECVs vs people on foot, or vice-versa. It is important to remember, just as people's reasons for utilizing an ECV can vary, the same can hold true for walking speeds. My daughter has autism, mild CP and some rather significant visual challenges. On first glance, you would just assume she is walking slow, when in reality she has no depth perception, light sensitivity and stumbles very easily. We are extremely aware of those around us, whether it be people walking, people using wheelchairs or people on ECV, and have nearly suffered calamities from all three categories.

The bottom line is to respect everyone and don't assume to know why they do the things they do. For us, we aren't forcing our walking speed on anyone, we are simply trying to keep our daughter safe. For every 1 ECV rudely, and dangerously, speeding through the park, you will find dozens who are traveling safely. The same goes for those traveling on foot. The good will far outnumber the bad. I have to admit, I am an extremely easy going person, and if someone came up behind her and started beeping to move her along, or out of the way, I would absolutely consider that rude behavior.

But I'm not complaining about small parties moving slowly - it's families who walk abreast taking the entire width of the path I'm talking about. We saw a couple of families like this at AK today. Totally oblivious to everyone else. Or the group of 8 who decides to stop dead centre and have a pow wow.

You should only use your horn as a warning to others, not as a 'get out of my way' indicator, anyway. Mind you, with the general background noise going on in parks, you can barely hear the pathetic beeps produced by most scooters, anyway!

Mind you, we saw what could have been a very nasty accident just behind Yak & Yeti Local Foods at 1pm today. We suddenly heard a young boy crying out in pain over and over, and looking over our shoulders saw he had been mown down by a scooter. She couldn't stop it (tiller caught on something possibly), and it was actually doing a wheelie!! She finally turned it off and yanked the key out in order to stop it. Luckily the boy only had skinned knees, and she was extremely apologetic.

Oh, by the way, she had a small child sitting NEXT to her on the scooter seat!!!!! If I had been security, I would have ejected her from the park straight away.