Mobility scooters make a difference for Dannevirke man

Dannevirke's Roger Ramsden, riding his mobility scooter, is a regular participant in the annual Christmas parade. Photo / Supplied

A story in Saturday's Hawke's Bay Today revealing drivers' licence statistics prompted Dannevirke resident Roger Ramsden to speak out about life after failing his driving test.

Saturday's story dealt with the number of people who had sat their test for their restricted licence, not older drivers who faced regular retesting, and revealed that of the 447 tests in Dannevirke in 2020, 283 passed meaning a success rate of 62 per cent.

But for Ramsden, who turned 86 on Tuesday, the outcome was the same as for many others.

He resat his licence on December 23 but failed the test.

"I didn't pass the test, mainly because of my health. I was told I might have a blackout or I might hit somebody. But really I failed on the memory test.

"It was the memory questions that let me down, I answered about a third of them.

"While Ramsden, who is a resident of the Eileen Mary Residential Care Centre, has been using a mobility scooter to get around town for a number of years he has continued to drive on occasions.

"I still have a car but it's mostly it's just been sitting in the carpark for two years and it's always got a flat battery.

"I have used it to travel to Woodville to see friends once a month."

He said in November he travelled to Napier.

"The family didn't want me to drive there but my sister came with me and we shared the driving."

The following day they travelled out to Akitio.

"I drove home no trouble, it wasn't a problem. I had full confidence I could do it."

Ramsden said he had voluntarily taken himself off the road a number of times and had already decided that, should he pass his test, he would put a permanent end to his driving this month.

"You know yourself when you shouldn't be driving and it's time to sell your car.

"You know when you aren't capable of driving anymore, you start to lose interest in it."

Ramsden said losing your licence was not the end of the world.

"Buying a mobility scooter was the best thing I ever did. It has taken the place of my car and it gives me the opportunity to get out and see friends and to get my shopping."

Ramsden says owning the scooter means he can get out most days.

"It gives me the chance to get away from the home."

He says it also enables him to do a regular grocery shop.

"I can get a fortnight's worth of groceries on the scooter, it's a bit of a load but I can do it."

He encourages elderly people to own mobility scooters to enable them to get out and do things.

However, he did have one warning.

"You have to be very careful as driveways are a danger. Drivers can't hear mobility scooters coming."