Motorized wheelchairs discussed

By GINA KINSLOW
Glasgow Daily Times

CAVE CITY November 19, 2008 11:27 am

— One of the first items of business for the newly elected Cave City City Council after the first of the year will be to consider the adoption of an ordinance regarding the use of motorized wheelchairs within the city limits.
Members of the council’s safety committee met Tuesday night and discussed points they said should be included in the ordinance, which is expected to be presented to the council in either January or February.
The committee believes those traveling in motorized wheelchairs should remain a certain distance from the street or road.
“If you’re going to ride one, you need to be at least five feet off the road,” said councilman Mike Houchens, who sits on the committee along with councilman Dwayne Hatcher and councilwoman Carol Ford.
Hatcher agreed and said motorized wheelchairs “are not made to run up and down the road.”
Ford suggested the ordinance require those who use motorized wheelchairs to be equipped with two reflectors — a white one on the front and a red one on the back — so they can be seen by motorists at night.
The committee also agreed those traveling in motorized wheelchairs should only cross streets and highways at crosswalks or traffic lights.
Penalties for ordinance violations were also discussed.
“I think it ought to be a $25 fine,“ Houchens said, adding for the second offense the violator could be forced to pay $50. “We don’t want to just totally do away with them, but if we catch them on the road there will be a fine.”
There are at least six to seven people in Cave City who use motorized wheelchairs for transportation. At least two of those people have been hit by cars while using their motorized wheelchairs, according to committee members.
They stressed the creation of such an ordinance would make travel along Cave City streets and roads safer for both those who use the motorized wheelchairs, as well as motorists.