A MAN who was left with a broken ankle after being knocked down by a mobility buggy has called for action to be taken against speeding scooters. 

Keith Barry, 66, from Clacton, wants greater speed restrictions for scooters after he was hit from behind in Clacton town centre.

His left leg has been left in a cast up to his knees while his broken ankle heals. 

Mr Barry said he is in disbelief at how much damage the scooter caused, but also the elderly driver’s lack of remorse.

He said: “All of a sudden I was taken to the floor and thought, ‘My God, what is it?’ 

“He was going over my foot while the scooter was still moving and it was twisting underneath.

“I got up from my knees and asked what on earth he was doing, and his response was ‘Why didn’t you move out of the way?’.

“But how could I? I didn’t know he was there. He just didn’t care two monkeys and scootered off. 

“It left me in dreadful pain.”

Mr Barry was with his 28-year-old son when he was hit on Saturday morning near Pier Avenue.

He was later treated at Clacton Hospital.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

He was not aware of the speed the scooter was travelling at, but the Highway Code stipulates powered wheelchairs and scooters must not travel faster than 4 mph on pavements or in pedestrian areas.

"I've seen a lot of people speeding on these and often thought if they were to hit someone, they would really hurt them, and now it's happened to me," the grandfather said.

The grandfather said: "People might laugh about it but it's not a laughing matter. No-one could believe a scooter could do that to meso it goes to show how fast he was driving to break bones.

"I feel so strongly about getting disability scooters cautioned.

"I couldn't do anything about it because there was no registration plate on his scooter and no police to report it to.

"There were only bystanders who said what happened was disgusting."

Other ideas Keith has is to further reduce the speed vehicles can travel at and for the authorities to revisit scooters being allowed on the pavement.

The injuries have "devastated" Keith, who spends his spare time boxingto stay fit.

He said: "That's my only enjoyment apart from my family.

"My quality of life at the moment is zero. I'd have been up running or enjoying my day - this is really going to set me back.

"But this old man didn't give a jot about anything."

Clacton disability campaigner Barry O’Connell backed Mr Barry’s plea.He said: “They’ve got such a terrible name for speed, there’s a lot of resentment from the public towards scooters.

“In our society today, people only think about themselves.”

He added: We can all share the pavement and get along.”

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