A wreck near the intersection of Broad Street and Second Avenue sent a man to the hospital during lunchtime traffic. (Doug Walker, Rome News-Tribune)
A man in a motorized wheelchair was sent to the hospital after a service van collided with him at the intersection of Broad Street and Second Avenue this morning. (Doug Walker, Rome News-Tribune)
According to a Rome police report:
Thomas D. Henderson, 60, of Rome, was waiting to cross Second Avenue at LaMarie’s when the traffic light turned green for vehicles on Broad Street.
According to the driver of the van, Ricky Hames, he then made a right turn off Broad Street onto Second Avenue when Henderson apparently pulled out from the sidewalk and clipped the right rear quarter panel of the van.
Henderson, who was complaining of back pain and taken to Floyd Medical Center, was determined at fault for failing to yield to traffic.
One man was transported to the Floyd Medical Center following a collision between a service van and a motorized wheelchair at Second Avenue and Broad Street Tuesday morning.
According to the driver of the van, Ricky Hames, he had made a right turn off Broad Street onto Second Avenue and the wheelchair operator apparently pulled out from the sidewalk at LaMarie’s and clipped the right rear quarter-panel at the rear of the van.
A Redmond Regional Medical Center ambulance was within a block and stopped to render assistance to the victim who was complaining of back pain. The victim was transported by the Redmond crew to the Floyd Medical Center.
I'm not disabled and I manage not to get hit by cars because I don't walk into traffic. You say these chairs are the only way they can get around, and that's absolutely right. However, crossing properly at crosswalks, not in the middle of an intersection, travelling on sidewalks, not the middle of the road - these things are common sense. The chairs are the way they get around since they can not WALK. They take the place of walking, not the place of a motor vehicle, so they should follow the same precautions a pedestrian should.
That is what CallingBS meant. Not that these chairs shouldn't be allowed out and about, but that they should be subject to the same laws as a pedestrian, not a vehicle. Be a part of traffic or be on the sidewalk. Not both. The same logic should apply to bicycles, walkers, anyone - disabled or otherwise.
The wiser choice would be to carry the device in a handicap accessible van or on the back of a car as is sometimes done. Those that are commenting are commenting about safety issues.
Mr. Buck thank you for your service to our great nation. I am sure nobody intended to offend you. But a walker has a far greater ability to get out of the way of a car if that situation arises. No offense intended sir.