Injured rider in plea for mercy

A DARWIN scooter rider says drivers need to take more care after she
was badly injured in a crash this week.

Annette Mashford broke her arm and suffered cuts and bruises when
she was knocked off her scooter by a P-plate driver near the Casuarina
Shopping Centre on Wednesday.

Ms Mashford, 40, said she was riding her scooter on Rowling St between
the Casuarina Police Station and the post office when

the driver went through an intersection without seeing her.

She had to be taken to hospital by ambulance.

``My arm is broken in two places, my face is a total mess and my bike's
a write-off,'' she said.

``It was the most painful experience of my life and I have had two
kids.''

There has been growing tension on the road between scooter riders
and drivers as the two-wheel transport gains popularity.

Darwin scooter rider Aleja Perkins told the Sunday Territorian last
week that she was often abused when out on the road.

But drivers have since flooded the Northern Territory News with letters
complaining about scooters slowing them down.

``If you are consistently doing 60km/h in an 80km/h or 100km/h zone
you are not doing everything legally,'' one reader said.

But Ms Mashford said drivers needed to take more care as many people
turned to scooter riding to combat rising fuel costs.

``People are just not looking,'' she said.

``They are all taught to be aware of cars but they are just not taught
to look out for people on scooters and motorbikes.''

Copyright 2008 / Northern Territory News
Northern Territory News MAY 24, 2008