Scooter flipped over on boat dock

[Twende]

We stayed in OKW on this most recent trip and planned on using the boats to Disney Springs. DH uses a scooter and then transfers to rides. He does walk but not for long distances no doubt 10 -12 miles a day. We had already used boats in the Epcot resort area with no problems.

When returning from our first trip over to DS, the captain of the boat asked DH to back his scooter down the ramp from the boat onto the dock. DH said he had noticed a good slant on the ramp when getting on at OKW but had no problem going up it on to the boat. But when returning he had his front wheel still on the ramp and his back wheels on the dock when suddenly the entire scooter did a flip with the front of the scooter in the air. DH hit his head slightly and landed on his back with his feet in the air. All our take outs scattered all over the dock as they were in a basket on the front of the scooter.

Our dear friends rushed to grab him and stopped him and the scooter from going into the lake. They were able to get him rolled off to the side and get the scooter upright.

We later laughed about it all but the seriousness also sunk in and we tried to figure out what went wrong.

Needless to say he refused to take the boats back to DS and I went alone the next times.

Has this happened to any one else? Should he have been directed to back down the ramp? Is there a point at which the slope of the ramp is too much for a scooter?

 

[bumbershoot]

That is absolutely terrifying. I'm glad he's OK, but I do hope you complained at the time. if you haven't, please write to WDW and explain exactly what happened and when.

 

[mamabunny]

First of all, I am *so* sorry that this happened to your DH. I can understand his reluctance to get back on the boats; no one would want that to happen again.

Having said that, I'm guessing (since I was not there) that the water level might have been too low, causing the ramp to slope excessively between the boat and the ramp.

Another possibility is if the ramp was not placed properly, then the movement of the ECV over the ramp could have caused the ramp to tip, then flip up.

Regardless, the main concern is your DH. I hope that once he has had a chance to recover a bit, he will feel better about using the boats again. I don't have to back off the boats, because I can do a "bootleggers u-turn" (by backing up into the area where the captain stands) and then drive forward off the boat, which is MUCH safer.

If the model of ECV he was using can be turned (even manually) around on the boat, he can drive straight off the boat. It's not a lot different than making the same U-turn to get the ECV off the buses.

 

[DisneyOma]

We stayed in OKW on this most recent trip and planned on using the boats to Disney Springs. DH uses a scooter and then transfers to rides. He does walk but not for long distances no doubt 10 -12 miles a day. We had already used boats in the Epcot resort area with no problems.

When returning from our first trip over to DS, the captain of the boat asked DH to back his scooter down the ramp from the boat onto the dock. DH said he had noticed a good slant on the ramp when getting on at OKW but had no problem going up it on to the boat. But when returning he had his front wheel still on the ramp and his back wheels on the dock when suddenly the entire scooter did a flip with the front of the scooter in the air. DH hit his head slightly and landed on his back with his feet in the air. All our take outs scattered all over the dock as they were in a basket on the front of the scooter.

Our dear friends rushed to grab him and stopped him and the scooter from going into the lake. They were able to get him rolled off to the side and get the scooter upright.

We later laughed about it all but the seriousness also sunk in and we tried to figure out what went wrong.

Needless to say he refused to take the boats back to DS and I went alone the next times.

Has this happened to any one else? Should he have been directed to back down the ramp? Is there a point at which the slope of the ramp is too much for a scooter?

Did you notice if the boat moved at the same time? Was there an incoming wave from a passing boat? Yes, there is an angle that should be maintained (the ADA would have the specifics) but since it happened once the back was on the dock and the front on the ramp I'm thinking the ramp popped it up as a wave went by. That could happen at any time.

 

[Twende]

Hubby says the boat was higher than the dock. I was still on the boat pushing my 2 year old granddaughter in her stroller. I do not remember the boat moving but then I just wanted to get to DH as quickly as possible. In fact I pushed DGD and her stroller to the left off the boat via the ramp and ended up pushing her under the front wheel or where the front wheel would have been. I then reached to the right to grab at DH but our friends were able to grab him first. We then had to move DGD out from under so they could turn the scooter up right.

Hubby says he had plenty of room to do a 3 point turn and go down the ramp forward but the captain insisted that he back down it.

It could well be that a wave moved the boat and thus the ramp but I think I was just starting to push the stroller onto the ramp since I was following him off rather closely. I did not notice the ramp moved.

We did not report the incident since hubby was okay. Hubby did run into the captain a few minutes later in the bathroom at OKW. He said the captain asked him if he was okay and that the captain's hands were visibly shaking.

 

[The Hunchback]

Did you have a bag on the back of the scooter?

When I am carrying my husband’s camera and camera equipment on my scooter, and I back off the monorail, I have nearly flipped. Husband now stays behind and leans on scooter back as I back off.

 

[Twende]

Did you have a bag on the back of the scooter?

When I am carrying my husband’s camera and camera equipment on my scooter, and I back off the monorail, I have nearly flipped. Husband now stays behind and leans on scooter back as I back off.

Yes we did have a bag on the back of it. The bag had the pocket sized light rain ponchos in it and most likely a pair of slacks for me. It was not big or heavy but it could have contributed. The heavy stuff was in the front basket and it all went flying on to the dock.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Did anybody get a picture? When he's willing to use the boats again, ideally show the captain what happened when he drove backwards, otherwise have him politely refuse with a quick explanation why.

 

[Twende]

Did anybody get a picture? When he's willing to use the boats again, ideally show the captain what happened when he drove backwards, otherwise have him politely refuse with a quick explanation why.

No one thought to take pics. Everyone was more focused on keeping him and the scooter out of the water. I happened on one of our day offs so there were no park pics that day either. We hung around the resort and then went to dinner at Raglan Road. It happened on our way back from dinner.

Later we said we all wished we had video of it so we could figure out what happened.

 

[SueM in MN]

Did you notice if the boat moved at the same time? Was there an incoming wave from a passing boat? Yes, there is an angle that should be maintained (the ADA would have the specifics) but since it happened once the back was on the dock and the front on the ramp I'm thinking the ramp popped it up as a wave went by. That could happen at any time.

There are no other boats at that dock. It’s a very protected dock and the boat is tied up to the dock while guests are getting on and off the boat. It’s possible to get waves from very strong wind, but the area is pretty small and pretty well protected. We’ve ridden that boat many, many times and never had waves in the dock area, even when it was windy.

The first picture shows the ramp in place for loading or unloading. We don’t feel comfortable even taking a wheelchair out backwards because the dock is not that wide and the edge of the dock is pretty close. That is the angle the ramp would usually be at.

The second picture is more of a ramp close up.

The third picture shows an overview of the dock and the general area.

It’s possible that the ramp was not well seated on the boat and the ramp tipped up once the back wheels (and most of the weight) were off of it. I don’t think it’s possible to figure out what likely happened with the information that is available. Luckily, if he does not want to ride the boats, you can take the buses to and from Disney Springs.

 

[Twende]

View attachment 291822 View attachment 291823 View attachment 291824
There are no other boats at that dock. It’s a very protected dock and the boat is tied up to the dock while guests are getting on and off the boat. It’s possible to get waves from very strong wind, but the area is pretty small and pretty well protected. We’ve ridden that boat many, many times and never had waves in the dock area, even when it was windy.

The first picture shows the ramp in place for loading or unloading. We don’t feel comfortable even taking a wheelchair out backwards because the dock is not that wide and the edge of the dock is pretty close. That is the angle the ramp would usually be at.

The second picture is more of a ramp close up.

The third picture shows an overview of the dock and the general area.

It’s possible that the ramp was not well seated on the boat and the ramp tipped up once the back wheels (and most of the weight) were off of it. I don’t think it’s possible to figure out what likely happened with the information that is available. Luckily, if he does not want to ride the boats, you can take the buses to and from Disney Springs.

Wow thanks for the pictures of the dock. I shutter when I see how very narrow the dock is when the ramp is there. I know the angle of the ramp that day was much steeper. Maybe the water was higher? It is highly possible that the ramp was not properly placed.

Hubby hates busses too! We drive our own vehicle with a ramp inside and that way we does not have to ride the busses. I am sure he will do the boats again on another trip but it just was not comfortable for his this time.

Thanks so much for the pictures. They really clearly show the docking area!

 

[SueM in MN]

Wow thanks for the pictures of the dock. I shutter when I see how very narrow the dock is when the ramp is there. I know the angle of the ramp that day was much steeper. Maybe the water was higher? It is highly possible that the ramp was not properly placed.

Hubby hates busses too! We drive our own vehicle with a ramp inside and that way we does not have to ride the busses. I am sure he will do the boats again on another trip but it just was not comfortable for his this time.

Thanks so much for the pictures. They really clearly show the docking area!

You’re welcome.
The water being higher would make the ramp higher because the boat would be floating higher compared to the dock.

 

[cobright]

Oh man! Never reverse down an incline. Not your fault but for future use. So many bits of physics and engineering working against you on this one.

• Biggest one is center of gravity. With the scooter backing down the incline, it's tilted enough that hubby's mass begins to pass the rear wheels. Then like a teeter tauter, it flips back.
• Then there is inertia. Moving down the ramp, hubby picks up speed. When he gets to the bottom the ecv wants to stop but hubby wants to keep going a bit.
• Ecv design. The ecv probably only brakes the rear wheels. So when cart gets a little out of hand and the front maybe lifts up a little, hubby slams in the brakes. This only stops the lowest rear most part of the thing and like the inertia part above says , hubby's mass still wants to keep moving.
• Going up an incline is less likely to flip because we tend to lean into the direction we travel.

I'm glad no one was hurt badly. What a scary situation.

 

[cobright]

View attachment 291822 View attachment 291823 View attachment 291824
There are no other boats at that dock. It’s a very protected dock and the boat is tied up to the dock while guests are getting on and off the boat. It’s possible to get waves from very strong wind, but the area is pretty small and pretty well protected. We’ve ridden that boat many, many times and never had waves in the dock area, even when it was windy.

The first picture shows the ramp in place for loading or unloading. We don’t feel comfortable even taking a wheelchair out backwards because the dock is not that wide and the edge of the dock is pretty close. That is the angle the ramp would usually be at.

The second picture is more of a ramp close up.

The third picture shows an overview of the dock and the general area.

It’s possible that the ramp was not well seated on the boat and the ramp tipped up once the back wheels (and most of the weight) were off of it. I don’t think it’s possible to figure out what likely happened with the information that is available. Luckily, if he does not want to ride the boats, you can take the buses to and from Disney Springs.

It looks like the dock is on floats. Do you recall if so? I'm trying g to remember if the dock at PoR is a floating dock...

If the dock floats then a change in water level would not make the boat ride higher than the dock.

 

[SueM in MN]

It looks like the dock is on floats. Do you recall if so? I'm trying g to remember if the dock at PoR is a floating dock...

If the dock floats then a change in water level would not make the boat ride higher than the dock.

The dock at OKW is really large. They used to rent boats there, so there are a lot of individual berths (I think that is the name) for boats. The top picture only shows about half of the dock area. The ramped area to get to the Disney Springs boat is beyond the bottom picture, to the right side. It is along the wooden ‘wall’ that supports the ‘deck’ above where you can see tables with blue umbrellas.

OKW no longer rents boats,so only the farthest part of the dock is in use - the one for the Disney Springs boat.
I’m not sure what to call it exactly, but the dock floats within some bounds.
There are times when the deck of the boat is almost level with the dock (and honestly, it would be easier to take DD’s wheelchair on without the ramp). There have been other times when the ramp was steep because the boat was higher or when the captain asked the other passengers to stay in the boat while we got off because he needed their weight to make the boat float lower compared to the dock.

 

[bumbershoot]

We did not report the incident since hubby was okay. Hubby did run into the captain a few minutes later in the bathroom at OKW. He said the captain asked him if he was okay and that the captain's hands were visibly shaking.

Well, at least the captain knew he had done wrong.

Reporting it isn’t just about injury. It’s about knowledge and the future. You were traveling with a group and they were able to help your husband. If the captains insist on this and this happens to someone more delicate or someone traveling alone, what happens to them?

 

[FortForever]

Boats are tricky with ECVs, in my opinion. The boat to Fort Wilderness doesn't have a ramp, and usually the captains do a great job of letting the right number of people on or off, while I wait to the side, to make it level. However, I have been told to board or (disboard ) a couple of times when I really wasn't comfortable doing so.

I'm glad your husband was okay. Some captains are better than others. I wouldn't give up on the boats, but I would have DH refuse to back down a ramp in the future.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Not on a ramp but a woman was parking her scooter in stroller parking at MK and out of the corner of my eye I saw her tip over backwards. I - even my back injured self- flew under the ropes and ran to her as did a nearby man. We quickly tipped the poor thing upright. She was speechless from fear. Thankfully the seatback was thick enough that she didn’t hit her head and when a cast member came on the scene I bowed out. I can only imagine how terrifying it was on a dock where falling into the water was was a possibility. So glad he is ok. It is something I don’t want to see again.

 

[mamabunny]

In the future, *if* a CM directs your hubby to back down any ramp, hill or curb cut, look 'em straight in the eye, and say "No thanks". If they insist, YOU (or you hubby) can insist on calling a supervisor and explaining exactly why there will be no more backing down any ramp, ever again.

 

[DisneyOma]

You’re welcome.
The water being higher would make the ramp higher because the boat would be floating higher compared to the dock.

From the photos it looks like the dock is a floating one, not fixed, so it should line up with the boat pretty much the same no matter the height of the water. The weight of passengers in the boat could make the boat slightly higher or lower though. The dock could also get hung up on a post, but that would make the dock noticeably tilted.