Witnessed a disturbing EVC incident

[opal]

While visiting the MK on Friday, my family and I witnessed the following at the bag check line. A woman on an ECV with a child riding with her. It was unclear whether the woman or the child was in control of the EVC but it lurched forward hitting a man with his wife and two small children. In the woman's attempt to gain control of the EVC she lurched back and forth several times hitting the same man and brought him to his knees in pain and he was bleeding. No apology was offered and she continued past him through the bag check line.

My post is not meant to attack anyone who requires the use of an EVC or a wheelchair, but to remind folks to be aware of their surroundings. As we approach the cast members at a bag check point we become distracted with getting bags ready for inspection and sometimes are unaware of the people around us. If it had been a small child that had been struck repeatedly by an EVC, the outcome could have been far worse.

If you are in the bag check line please look around you and your family for these kinds of possible hazards.

If you require the use of an EVC at the Parks but do not regularly use one at home, please practice a bit with the one you will be using in the Parks and familiarize yourself with the controls and don't let small children ride with you, especially in congested areas.

 

[siskaren]

The child shouldn't have been on the ECV anyway.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

The child shouldn't have been on the ECV anyway.

I thought you could not have a child ride with you. The security should have not let her through and they should have gotten medical for the guy she hit.

 

[DebbieB]

There was a post about 6 months ago where a woman was hit by an ECV in Fantasyland with a child driving it on a woman's lap and had a lot of medical bills as a result of it. That's not right. They should have taken a report and the driver should have to pay for medical bills. Just like you can't drive away from an auto accident if you hit someone.

 

[carlyle688]

I thought you could not have a child ride with you. The security should have not let her through and they should have gotten medical for the guy she hit.

I have been told that if it's a non-Disney ECV that there is nothing they can do about it. If it's one of theirs, then they will tell you to remove your child.

 

[Pally]

I was hit by someone at Epcot Christmas Eve one year. Apparently they were passing one of the large christmas trees and were looking up and still pushing the wheelchair right into my ankles. Knocked down to my feet. Ended up with a torn Achilles Tendon. They just looked at me on the ground. They did not stop either. Spent Christmas Day in bed in agony. Three and half months of physiotherapy. Freaky not being able to move your foot or toes. Even if there is a communication issue as in this case, they were Chinese, no remorse was shown.Sometimes I feel like wearing soccer guards on the back of my legs.

PS- both wheelchair users and upright and mobile people need to respect each other. Stepping off the Soap Box now.

 

[emilymad]

On Friday on Main Street I was almost hit by an ECV. A women didn't have control of it and didn't know how to make it stop. She was coming full speed at me but luckily I was able to jump up on the curb. The lady slammed into the curb pretty hard. I would have been seriously injured if I had gotten hit. It was scary.

 

[alvernon90]

I wish people who are not smart enough to operate an ECV would just stay away from WDW entirely. It's not that hard. If you cannot figure out what you are doing, you do not deserve to be in a public place where innocent people, including children, can be severely injured by your dull-witted incompetence.

 

[DisneyOma]

I have been told that if it's a non-Disney ECV that there is nothing they can do about it. If it's one of theirs, then they will tell you to remove your child.

They certainly can do something about it. Their policy needs to be clearly stated at the gates, and people who refuse to comply should be forced to leave. WDW has a lot of power to control certain situations, especially those involving the safety of their guests.

 

[PetePanMan]

They certainly can do something about it. Their policy needs to be clearly stated at the gates, and people who refuse to comply should be forced to leave. WDW has a lot of power to control certain situations, especially those involving the safety of their guests.

agree. I have seen a number of incidents and many near misses at the parks. Most events are when they are simply going too fast or have kids either driving or impeding the driver.

 

[melana]

It's not just at WDW. I can't tell you the amount of times I've almost been ran over by one of these at a casino or on a cruise. Most people are respectful and pay attention..but there are always those who have a blatant disregard for the people around them. It is one of my pet peeves when I see children in laps being allowed to drive them.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

First off I agree, that the situation discribed was terrible. But,
Having had the unusal pleasure of driving a ECV on 1 trip due to a foot surgery >> I totally agree with the above and they should be responsible for any injury's caused. BUT I had people darting in front of me constantly and there is NO brake on the wdw evc's. [I had no idea] you simply let go of the forward and it slows to a stop. They do not stop on a dime at all. Driving the evc was the worse wdw trip I have ever had and even quit using it due to the reaction I had. Even with an obvious injury [foot / leg boot] I got so many "disgusting looks". I never took it into a small area > like stores or short lines I would walk / stand best I could. In 1 store a lady said to me > so nice to see you walk with that injury instead of those horrible evc's. I told her I parked it outside. I would have no idea how you could put a child on your lap and feel safe doing so in a evc, it is hard to maneuver and stop when it is just you.
ok exiting soap box....

 

[DebbieB]

If they can ban selfie sticks in the park, they can ban children on ECV's. It's dangerous for the children (they could fall off) as well as people walking.

 

[frisbeego]

I was hit by someone at Epcot Christmas Eve one year. Apparently they were passing one of the large christmas trees and were looking up and still pushing the wheelchair right into my ankles. Knocked down to my feet. Ended up with a torn Achilles Tendon. They just looked at me on the ground. They did not stop either. Spent Christmas Day in bed in agony. Three and half months of physiotherapy. Freaky not being able to move your foot or toes. Even if there is a communication issue as in this case, they were Chinese, no remorse was shown.Sometimes I feel like wearing soccer guards on the back of my legs.

PS- both wheelchair users and upright and mobile people need to respect each other. Stepping off the Soap Box now.

Be glad you were not in China when it happened: link.

In all seriousness, I'm very sorry this happened, especially on what is to be a magical trip.

 

[disneyseniors]

Oh no, I am now very anxious! I will need an ECV for our trip in November. I 've never used one in WDW before. I have used one after surgeries and it went ok in a grocery store type setting. After reading all this I am apprehensive. I do not want to accidently hit anyone. That's my biggest fear. I know how people rush in front of them (I've been one) to get to an attraction. They are at Disney afterall and are busy looking at everything but where they are going. I do that too, I know. It's human nature. But I have a food injury and a knee injury, opposite legs, so I will need help getting around WDW, I know it.
But reading these posts makes me sad and apprehensive. I will go slow and be on the lookout while using one. But I will also be missing out on the gazing at the windows, etc, while walking because I will have to watch for other people at all times. Wish I didn't have to use one.

 

[Pally]

Be glad you were not in China when it happened: link.

In all seriousness, I'm very sorry this happened, especially on what is to be a magical trip.

OMG!!!!

 

[catne]

Two points...most of the folks I see at WDW on EVCs are very obviously inexperienced at using them. They are renting scooters because they are not physically capable of walking 5-10 miles a day in a park. I would not begrudge anyone the experience of Disney World. Believe me, it is not very convenient to use a scooter in a park--but if that is the only way a person can go, then I am all for it. However, I wish the rental companies would do three things--First thing would be that they would only rent the small EVCs (much easier to drive the small scooters for the rookies--and won't do as much damage if they run into someone! Disney rents scooters that are way too large) , 2nd, reduce the available maximum speed to a very slow crawl (Disney does this one right--their scooters cannot go fast at all. It is the outside rental companies that have the speedy scooters) and 3rd make the speed dial very obvious on the control panel. Don't know how many people I've had to show them how to control the speed...they didn't even know there was a speed control on the ECV. The dial has no words--just shows a turtle silhouette at one setting side of the dial and a rabbit at the other end. Have seen people just crash in to the back wall of elevators because they have the dial turned to full speed...and they have no idea that is what they are doing.

The other point is from the view of a person who must use an EVC in the park (and at home when I go anywhere requiring a walk) We cannot blame all scooter incidents on the scooter drivers. I have my own scooter for more than 2 years. At this point I can turn very close corners, and can easily back into and out of tight spaces...point is, I am a "pro" scooter driver with no issues driving mine since I am on it so often. So I see the other side of the problem--people totally ignore EVCs, or simply don't see them at all. I regularly get bashed in the head by the giant backpacks people wear...and people takes steps backward right into me (because I am below their eye level peripheral vision, I guess) People look right at me and step in front of the scooter as if I am not moving--many near misses with that. The worst is when parents step directly in front of my moving scooter, and they are dragging a young child by the hand behind them...the parent is taking big enough steps to clear my scooter, but the child is not. Wow I have had some very close calls in that situation and I would hate to run over a child because the parent put them in that spot! And yes, I have run over the back of people's shoes a couple of times (not knocking them over, but catching their heels) In every case, the party in front of me stopped abruptly on the pathway to look at a map or answer a phone, without stepping out of the way. Most people don't realize that scooters do not have brakes...they stop because the driver lets up on the power. And since there are no brakes to "slam on the brakes", due to forward momentum, even after the power is let up the scooter may roll forward a little. So when someone stops abruptly, or steps directly in front of a moving scooter, no matter how good the driver is it is difficult to not hit someone at times.

 

[Disneyliscious]

In the woman's attempt to gain control of the ECV she lurched back and forth several times hitting the same man and brought him to his knees in pain and he was bleeding.

He just stood there while she continued to ram him "several times"?

No apology was offered and she continued past him through the bag check line.

Disney CM's didn't stop her or anything? Thats unreal. They should have stopped her pronto. I would report this incident to Disney with the date/time. They have cameras they can pull.

 

[HopperFan]

They certainly can do something about it. Their policy needs to be clearly stated at the gates, and people who refuse to comply should be forced to leave. WDW has a lot of power to control certain situations, especially those involving the safety of their guests.

Their published rules state "single rider". DD was trained to stop anyone who was carrying a passenger, and she did. It is an operational/safety rule, no matter where the ECV came from you are on Disney's private property. She was told two main rules were NO Passengers and Speed must match, not exceed, those walking around you. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/

I agree it should also be posted in the parks and it needs to be enforced. It's getting way too crowded and way too many folks are renting them that have no idea how to drive them.

We've all seen the results. I was once waiting with DS to meet Buzz. A family came off the ride and grandma and a kid climbed onboard. They proceeded to completely drive over another grandchild. Mom and Dad were screaming at grandma, she screaming back, grandpa started screaming .... while no one attended to the child who had just been run over laying on the ground.

This happened at bag check - with security officers - and they did nothing? How sad is that? This needs to be reported to Disney and all the details you can. They go through every single tiny pocket of a bag, but no worries about a guest injuring another guest right in front of them?

All I know is if this had been me, I would have screamed at those officers that I had been assaulted and made them stop her. I would have no issues waiting the few minutes for the sheriff to arrive (they are all over the world waiting to be called) to file an official police report.

 

[THEJOEL]

He just stood there while she continued to ram him "several times"?



Disney CM's didn't stop her or anything? Thats unreal. They should have stopped her pronto. I would report this incident to Disney with the date/time. They have cameras they can pull.

I agree....How can a GROWN MAN just stand there and be so passive?
I would have made such a scene that security would have had no choice but to address the issue. If nothing else but to calm me down.