An Oliver senior who operates a scooter is raising red flags about some motor vehicle drivers not paying attention.
Eighty-six-year-old Ray Hull was bowled over by a truck on September 5 while he was operating his scooter on the sidewalk in front of the Chevron fuel station.
Hull escaped serious injury but was battered up enough to spend four hours in the hospital. “The bumper got me in the ribs,” he said.
As he lay on Main Street, Hull said one truck that was driving by missed his head by 12 inches.
Hull pulled out his cell phone and asked someone to call for medical assistance. Oddly enough, one passerby asked him why he wanted an ambulance as he lay crumpled on the roadway.
Hull said the offending driver remained on the scene and was later charged with failing to yield and lack of attention.
Hull has been driving a scooter for years, and this is the first time he has been struck by a vehicle. “I’ve never had a problem with Oliver drivers, they (most of them) are courteous and respectful,” the senior pointed out.
However, some drivers don’t look properly before exiting a business, Hull said, noting the Chevron location appears to be a trouble spot with “flopping signs and bushes” that make it hard for drivers to see scooters.
Hull said the scooter he was operating had flags on it to make him visible to motorists.
In Hull’s opinion, the location in question should be an entranceway only, not an exit for cars and trucks.
The Insurance Corporation of BC says scooters should stay on the sidewalk and not travel on roadways if at all possible. The corporation also recommends that operators wear a bright coloured jacket or vest, and attach a brightly coloured flag to their motorized scooter.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
