Caroline has been looking forward to going to the new Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and even though they allow pushchairs and electric wheelchairs, they do not allow scooters, including the TravelScoot. In the United States we have protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which gives scooters the same protection as wheelchairs have. Caroline is wanting to know if there are other places that scooters are banned from, but I'm wondering too if their policy is legal? Caroline says it's a new museum, so I would think it was designed to be handicapped friendly. Is anyone familiar with disability laws in Amsterdam, or have experience with this? There are no places in the United States where a wheelchair is allowed and a scooter is not. It's considered discrimination and it is illegal. --Elizabeth
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| From the museum's website, at https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/organisation/frequently-asked-questions/visiting |
Having had freedom restored by the purchase of a Travelscoot we had really been looking forward to going to the new Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Luckily just before buying airline tickets and booking hotel I noticed a tiny small print sub page on their web site that said that mobility scooters were not allowed. I presumed this meant big on roaders as they allow pushchairs and electric wheelchairs but after contacting various bodies I am still stuck with the reply below. Probably will not affect too many users but I am concerned that this might be more general than I think. Does any one else know of places the scoot might be banned from?
From: InfoBalie@rijksmuseum.nl
Subject: RE: Mobility scooter Rijksmuseum
Dear Madam,
Please accept our apologies for not answering sooner.
Unfortunately it is not possible to visit the museum using a travelscoot. We have looked into all the possibilities but it is not safe.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.
With my best regards,
Claudia Oliveira
Informatiebalie/Information desk
+31 (0)20 6747 222/ 444
infobalie@rijksmuseum.nl
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I did see on the Travelscoot site that they have a lower powered Travelscoot for stored and museums etc. It said some places require the lower power/s[eed. So there must be other places where the regular Travelscoots are banned. I can't think of why they would allow a regular electric wheelchair and not a scooter. I would think a person on a Travelscoot is just as capable of steering as a quadriplegic person is in an electric wheelchair.
ReplyDeleteAlso interesting for an edict like this from a new museum.
I was allowed into the museum on my travelscoot last May. Once they actually saw it they said it was fine because it was so small.
ReplyDeleteOverall I found Amsterdam quite scoot friendly.