Driving through Crawley this lunchtime, saw one of these little electric cars (the sort usually driven by old ladies along the pavement). This was being driven by a man but along the road, even though there was a pavement available. He just trundled on as though he was a miniature car.
No problem with it, but it was my understanding that these things are not intended for general road use. Don't know how he's covered for insurance purposes for example.
Any answers? Just curious, not trying to be contentious.
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I think they fall into the same catagory as the old Sinclair C5 did - that being they can be legally driven on the road.
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My understanding and that of my mother who uses one is that they are road legal as per a push bike. Also as per a push bike they do not require tax, licence, insurance or an MOT. Part of the problem is that due to the small wheels they cannot negotiate many pavements and kerbs and hence are forced to use the roads. However I doubt many users would wish to use anything other than side and small roads in residential areas.
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I used to drive regularly around a certain seaside town in the North West famous for it's elderly population and these were a huge problem.
I fully acknowledge that they are a Godsend to people who may otherwise be housebound, but in most cases, I found that the people who were piloting them would in all likelihood have had their licences revoked by the DVLA due to infirmity and old age. There is no way that the majority of people I saw piloting these things could have had the necessary reactions and observational skills. I used to see them on the town's main thoroughfare (wide, straight, plenty of parked cars and joining roads) as well as on all sorts of other main roads. Mostly the 'drivers' would be utterly oblivious to following traffic and be unable to maintain a straight line as well as failing to check behind them when bumping down off the pavement onto the road. Nice and easy to avoid if you're driving a car, but as I was driving a bus, it made for a few heart stopping moments I can tell you! I lost count of the times that I nearly had a head on as I swerved to avoid one of these invalid cars.
I would never consider banning them as (like I said earlier) a lot of people depend on them for getting about. *But* I do believe that they should be banned from the roads due to the inherent dangers - mainly to the occupants!
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Firstly an ?Invalid carriage? under Traffic Law is a mechanically propelled vehicle the unladen weight of which does not exceed 254 kilograms and which is specifically designed and constructed and not merely adapted for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability and is used solely by such a person. (S. 185 RTA 88)
If complying with regulations under The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 will not be treated as a motor vehicle under the Road Traffic act 1988.
Use of Invalid Carriages On Highways Regs, 1988 outlines three classes of IC?s, 2 and 3 of which are being discussed here as they have power.
Class 2 ulw n/e 113 kilo restricted to 4 mph
Class 3 ulw n/e 150 kilo restricted to 8 mph and not to be used by person under 14 yrs of age.
Both to have horns, lights (for night use), speed limiters to the appropriate limit and a Speedo.
Be fitted with a device to bring them to a stop (brake) and capable of being applied when stationary.
Can be legally driven on a footpath.
Excluded Traffic on a Motorway.
Excused Excise Licence and therefore registration, number plates etc.
As far as I am aware Driving Licence and Insurance for these are also out of the window but I would suspect it would be unwise not to have some form Insurance.
Now where is my GT Zimmer Frame?
DVD
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Showing my age a bit here but does anyone else remember the Thundersley Invacar which was killed off by the introduction of the Motability scheme.
This was a particularly cruel attempt by HMG to provide the disabled with a form of transport, but it it only came in blue, had three wheels, was a single seater so taxpayers money would be wasted on the transportation of able bodied relatives and had a single cylinder 500cc engine.
I havent seen one for years and have fond memories of trying to extract a few more BHP from the one that had been donated to the engineering workshop at school. On a good day it would get up to 45mph across the playing field with 2 sixth formers crammed inside.
Team Thundersley anyone?
as ever
Mark
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I remember them well, Mark. I seem to recall that they were turquoise, but that's probably my rose-tinted glasses (!). Near to where I grew up, there was a lot of sheltered housing for the elderly and they regularly used to phut-phut past our front gate. I used to lust after them when I was 8!
Believe it or not, I saw one last time I went to visit my Dad (he still lives in the same house I grew up in). It was 'N' reg I think.
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I used to lust after them when I was 8
The elderly people or the car? Just asking. :)
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Cheeky monkey ;-)!!! I meant the cars! I thought that they looked fabulous fun. If my memory serves me, they had a handlebar type arrangement rather than a steering wheel which reminded me somewhat of KITT (Knight Rider). My life, what a sad little 8-year old I was!
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AutoExpress had a story that is probably an April Fool that it would be illegal to use them on the road as of 31 March due to a lack of brake parts. (It might actually be possible to do this, depending on ownership).
I actually saw one in what I think is Hammersmith (maybe West Kensington or even Shepherds Bush) on Monday evening.
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David HM
As I recall the brakes were worthless anyway, especially on grass, the whole thing was very primative ,handlebar yoke controls, sliding door, fibreglass body, minimal suspension but surprisingly difficult to roll over.
regards
Mark
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Apparently not an April fool according to this page:
www.virtualgaz.co.uk/invacarpage.htm
It's a shame; they're absolutely horrible but it still seems heavy handed and bureaucratic to simply ban them. They were part of the motoring landscape and a few at least should be preserved.
It's a bit sad to think that the Invacar I saw must have been going on one final journey before it became illegal to use it on the roads.
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Thanks David
what a link, what a site, brought back some memories seeing the pictures, the one at school would get nowhere near 85mph.
as ever
Mark
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Actually, a friend of friend of my mother, has only just got rid of his recently.....
I know its not funny, and I shouldnt laff, but the local kids used to turn it over when it was parked............
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