Mobility scooters are legal

“If we are behaving according to the law and travelling safely, then we shouldn’t be getting yelled at,” Mr Paul said.

According to the Road Safety Act in Victoria, motorised mobility devices should be used only by a person with an injury, disability or medical condition, which means that the user is either unable to walk or has difficulty walking.

People who are able to walk freely are not permitted to use these devices on a public footpath or road.

Motorised mobility devices are not classified as motor vehicles and, therefore, cannot be registered and must not be used on roads if a footpath or nature strip is available.

The maximum speed for these devices must not exceed 10km/h while being used on public footpaths.

“There are people on mobility scooters who do not obey the speed limit rules, but there are also a lot of people who are doing the right thing and still get in trouble for being on the footpath,” Mr Paul said.

Victorian law states that people who use these motorised devices or manual wheelchairs are legally considered as pedestrians.

This means that they are required to obey the same road rules as other pedestrians.

Mr Paul said he had often pulled people up for travelling too fast on a mobility scooter in a public place.

“On shopping strips we are supposed to be travelling at walking pace and we are supposed to be keeping well away from the walls and windows of shops because people are constantly stepping out of shops and are, therefore, likely to get hit,” he said.

“As soon as a pedestrian comes along, it’s up to us as mobility riders to get out of their way and let them go.”

Mr Paul hopes that people who use mobility scooters are treated with respect when they are obeying the law, but he also hopes that mobility users treat the roads and pathways with respect, so that pedestrians can safely get to their destination.

“It is not a right to use mobility scooters on a footpath, it’s a privilege.”