Latrobe Rethinking Rules For Motorized Wheelchairs Scooters
LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) --- A Westmoreland County city is rethinking its rules for motorized wheelchairs and scooters.
Latrobe City Council wants to determine if they should be allowed on the sidewalk or the street.
Michelle Bier's main mode of transportation around Latrobe is her charged-up mobility scooter. When it comes to getting around, however, she said she has her preference.
"I would choose the sidewalk because it's safer," Bier said.
City leaders are considering reworking present ordinances that would dictate where these types of units can be operated and if need be used on the street if sidewalks are not accessible. The state and city recently installed ramps for scooters.
"I kind of stay where I can get on the sidewalks, so I don't have to be on the street," Bier said. "But there are a lot of intersections that you have to go a block or two to get into a ramp."
A major concern by some is safety.
"I don't want to get hit by a car," Bier said. "I'm trying to get myself better."
While state law dictates motorists are to treat those in mobility scooters like pedestrians, Bier said that is a rarity.
"It's kind of dangerous," Bier said. "A lot of people just don't care. They don't look out for people in chairs sometimes."
The city council is expected to take up the ordinance on April 11.