Question: What are the laws around the operation of motorized scooters by senior citizens on public sidewalks and roadways?
Answer: Anyone in downtown Sechelt or Gibsons will likely see numerous people using motorized three or four-wheeled scooters or motorized wheelchairs to get around town. These scooters are actually classified as pedestrians, and as such, people operating them need to follow the same rules of the road that a pedestrian would, including the following:
• They may operate on sidewalks, or on the roadway if the sidewalk is not reasonably passable.
• If there is no sidewalk, they should operate on the extreme left side of the roadway, facing traffic.
• Marked crosswalks should be used whenever possible.
• At controlled intersections, they should proceed only when the pedestrian walk signal is active.
There of course will be exceptions in some cases, meaning a scooter operator has to deviate from the normal pedestrian route. This might occur where a road hazard or construction would still allow for a pedestrian to use a sidewalk, while a scooter operator would have to utilize the roadway to safely bypass the hazard. The sidewalk may appear fine, but it could be that there was a large pothole at one end, or access from the other end was blocked by a vehicle, forcing the scooter onto the roadway. These are the sorts of things drivers might not see when they are getting frustrated at a scooter operating on the shoulder of the road when it seems like there is a useable sidewalk on the other side.
Police recommend that scooter operators ensure they are clearly visible to drivers when operating on roadways, and use lights, reflectors, or other high-visibility devices if appropriate. When on sidewalks, operators should also travel at the same speed as other pedestrian traffic. Vehicle drivers are encouraged to allow scooters plenty of space, and to show patience towards them.
Those 30 seconds you take to slow down and move over will likely be very appreciated by the scooter operator.
