Need for speed

Two British men have set a new world land speed record for a mobility scooter. During timed runs to meet with official requirements, the heavily modified mobility scooter proved capable of hitting a speed of 172km/h. This tops the previous mobility scooter speed record of 131km/h by some margin. The mobility scooter is however not suitable for road use, despite having working lights and indicators, as it does not possess front brakes. Power comes from a 600cc Suzuki motorcycle engine that has been squeezed
January 14, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
RSSTwo British men have set a new world land speed record for a mobility scooter. During timed runs to meet with official requirements, the heavily modified mobility scooter proved capable of hitting a speed of 172km/h. This tops the previous mobility scooter speed record of 131km/h by some margin. The mobility scooter is however not suitable for road use, despite having working lights and indicators, as it does not possess front brakes. Power comes from a 600cc Suzuki motorcycle engine that has been squeezed into the strengthened go-kart chassis upon which the mobility scooter has been constructed.

Two car occupants in China had a narrow escape when a mixer truck toppled onto their car, crushing it in the process. Despite the car being flattened in the incident, the woman driver and her younger male relative managed to escape relatively unscathed with only minor injuries. Passersby first tried to lever the mixer truck off the crushed car using a tree trunk. When this failed a passing crane was stopped and brought in to tackle the tricky task. After being rescued from the car the occupants were taken to hospital, but medical checks showed that they had escaped serious injury.

Related Content

  • Slipping and sliding
    June 20, 2012
    In Norway the driver of a tow truck had a lucky escape when the broken down articulated vehicle he was hauling fell over a cliff. The man was able to jump clear when the articulated truck slid off a slippery, snow-strewn, switchback highway and rolled down a steep slope, dragging the tow truck with it. The two trucks toppled then tipped, tumbled and rolled time after time down the treacherous slope. Although he remained inside the cab of his vehicle during the descent, the driver of the stricken articulated
    Read More
  • A short cut to danger
    July 6, 2012
    Drivers relying on GPS systems sometimes find themselves stuck in narrow roads or trying to locate bridges that have yet to be constructed. However three Norwegian tourists travelling in Brazil had a rather more hair-raising experience. The men were driving back from a beach resort north of Rio on their way to drop off the vehicle at the airport when their GPS unit told them to drive off the main highway. Unfortunately, the suggested short cut took the men through the dangerous Mare slum area where the car
    Read More
  • Safety concern for mobility scooter users
    August 11, 2025
    There is safety concern for the UK’s mobility scooter users.
    Read More
  • Crash test highlights barrier safety
    February 24, 2012
    The event, organised by UK Roads, was held in association with MIRA (formerly Motor Industry Research Association); Mott MacDonald and Traffex/Road Expo, also offered an exhibition of related products and services from MIRA; FSP (Frangible Safety Posts); 3A Composites; ASD Metal Services; JPCS; Tofco; FLI Structures (screwpile demonstrations); Highway Care; Gloucester Composites; Traffex; Road Expo; Brett Landscaping; NAL and SAPA.
    Read More

Highlighted Content