Dear Editor,
Re : Pedestrians, motorized two-wheeled scooters, bicycles, and mobility scooters safety, and the law, via the BC Motor Vehicle Act.
On Labour Day my boyfriend and I were walking north on 224 Street near Walmart. We were walking on the sidewalk like we are legally supposed to do. We turned our heads and saw on the south side of 224 Street heading north on the sidewalk was a motorized, two-wheeled scooter with two helmet-less young people on it, which is illegal.
First of all the motorized, two-wheeled scooter was supposed to be on the road. Secondly, the young people were not wearing helmets, which is a safety factor, and is illegal. If the two young people riding the motorized, two-wheeled scooter, on the sidewalk, had crashed the scooter they could have had serious head and/or facial injuries, and they could have injured innocent pedestrians.
When walking on the sidewalk, I have to contend with bicycles, which happens all the time. Moreover, frequently, I witness cyclists not wearing a helmet, which is illegal. Helmets must be worn to protect the cyclists from head and/or facial injuries. I know this for a fact because in 1973, which was before bicycle helmets had been invented, it happened to me. I was riding my bike on the road, like I am supposed to, and I lost control of the bike when I was riding it down a very steep hill. I flipped over the bicycle’s handlebars and smashed my face into the road. The end result was that I lost four front teeth.
Finally, when riding a bicycle wear a helmet.
Mobility scooters, as far as I know, are supposed to be driven on the sidewalk. However, I have seen, on numerous occasions, mobility scooters being driven on the road, which is illegal. Also, people driving mobility scooters do not have to wear a helmet. So, if a person driving a mobility scooter on the road crashes, the said person could experience serious head and/or facial injuries.
In conclusion, pedestrians, and mobility scooters stay on the sidewalk. Bicycles, and motorized two-wheeled scooters, the kind you sit on, stay on the road and have riders wear a helmet.
Linda Meyer, Maple Ridge
