Canarian Weekly
10-04-2015, 11:50
OUR mailbox has been stuffed with stories about the increase in the number of scooters on the pavements and walkways. We asked N332 – daily reports from Spanish traffic police – to clear up a few myths and set a few things straight.
1. You don’t need a licence to drive a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair
2. You can’t drive them in bus lanes, “cycle-only” lanes or motorways
3. All normal parking restrictions apply to mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs
4. All vehicles can be used on footpaths, pavements, bridleways, and in pedestrian areas. They should be used on the road only if a pavement is not available
5. A mobility vehicle does not have to be registered in Spain
6. It is not a legal requirement to have insurance for a mobility vehicle, it is strongly advised that people take out insurance to cover personal safety, other people’s safety and the value of the vehicle. In some cases your household insurance may provide cover, but check this with your insurance company. You will have to pay compensation if you have an accident and it was your fault.
7. You don’t have to pay vehicle tax for any mobility scooter or powered wheelchair.
8. Mobility vehicles designed to carry two people cannot be used on the pavement or road because they don’t meet the definition of an invalid carriage in law. With regard to children, the law does not explicitly state that an adult carrying an infant in a sling/pouch is unlawful. However, it is not permitted to carry anyone else on a mobility vehicle – children standing on the vehicle, for example
9. The law says the driver cannot carry people if there is only one seat (we have seen people sat on the driver’s legs), but if there are vehicles prepared with another seat, this will be possible.
But they can be used on the pavement. Each Town Hall has its own regulations, so it can legislate to force these two-seater vehicles to use the streets in some pedestrian areas for space reasons.
Imagine in the summer, with Las Americas full of people and with many two-seater mobility scooters all together in the same place. It could be a chaos. Otherwise, it will be impossible for this vehicle to drive on certain kind of pavements because of its size.
10. One final tip: when using a mobility scooter, always have your disabled card, and carry it always on the scooter with you. This is not a vehicle for tourists to go for a ride and avoid paying for parking, but a vehicle for people who really need it.
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/rules-mobility-scooters-and-powered-wheelchairs/)
1. You don’t need a licence to drive a mobility scooter or powered wheelchair
2. You can’t drive them in bus lanes, “cycle-only” lanes or motorways
3. All normal parking restrictions apply to mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs
4. All vehicles can be used on footpaths, pavements, bridleways, and in pedestrian areas. They should be used on the road only if a pavement is not available
5. A mobility vehicle does not have to be registered in Spain
6. It is not a legal requirement to have insurance for a mobility vehicle, it is strongly advised that people take out insurance to cover personal safety, other people’s safety and the value of the vehicle. In some cases your household insurance may provide cover, but check this with your insurance company. You will have to pay compensation if you have an accident and it was your fault.
7. You don’t have to pay vehicle tax for any mobility scooter or powered wheelchair.
8. Mobility vehicles designed to carry two people cannot be used on the pavement or road because they don’t meet the definition of an invalid carriage in law. With regard to children, the law does not explicitly state that an adult carrying an infant in a sling/pouch is unlawful. However, it is not permitted to carry anyone else on a mobility vehicle – children standing on the vehicle, for example
9. The law says the driver cannot carry people if there is only one seat (we have seen people sat on the driver’s legs), but if there are vehicles prepared with another seat, this will be possible.
But they can be used on the pavement. Each Town Hall has its own regulations, so it can legislate to force these two-seater vehicles to use the streets in some pedestrian areas for space reasons.
Imagine in the summer, with Las Americas full of people and with many two-seater mobility scooters all together in the same place. It could be a chaos. Otherwise, it will be impossible for this vehicle to drive on certain kind of pavements because of its size.
10. One final tip: when using a mobility scooter, always have your disabled card, and carry it always on the scooter with you. This is not a vehicle for tourists to go for a ride and avoid paying for parking, but a vehicle for people who really need it.
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/rules-mobility-scooters-and-powered-wheelchairs/)