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Meet Brighton's mobility scooter display team

10:10am Saturday 31st July 2010 in


They have a combined age of 303, have had six hip and knee replacements between them and travel at 4mph.

But age and agility is no barrier to what must surely be the country’s oldest and bravest display teams.

The Red Tarts are Whitehawk’s answer to the Red Arrows, performing a string of daredevil manoeuvres using only mobility scooters.

What started out as a joke has now become a deadly serious passion for pensioners Maggie Smeeth, Faith Matyszak, Mark Woolf and Monica Woolben.

Today the fearless foursome on 15 wheels will be revving up to top gear to perform stunts at the annual Crew Club Funday in Whitehawk Road.

And to add a touch of authenticity to their display, they will have red, white and blue smoke belching out from their machines – just like the world famous Red Arrows jets – as they perform their routine to the Dambusters theme music.

Comments(11)

stan bailey says...
10:23am Sat 31 Jul 10

excellent!

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BlackRocker says...
10:48am Sat 31 Jul 10

Surely this can't be the first time that Whitehawk has witnessed cunning stunts and smoke-belching Tarts? In addition, there's nothing new about mobility scooter-drivers practicing their daredevil manoeuvres . . . usually on Brighton's pavements.

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Betty Blue says...
11:35am Sat 31 Jul 10

These scooters are a death trap. Grossly overweight people riding around on those things. They should be banned. ? 4mph you want to go to the London Road adn Western Road when the scooters are travelling at great speed and the driver does not give a dam. The trouble is the anyone can drive one, they are not insured, pay no road tax and do not have to take a test to drive one.

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withn says...
12:00pm Sat 31 Jul 10

Right Betty, we are not all grossly overweight whatever you think that is. By the way you can be overweight for medical reasons.

I am insured, I pay no road tax because I don't drive it on the road!

You can have lessons if you have no experience of driving or cycling and are given full instruction.

Would you rather I remain housebound?

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Betty Blue says...
12:27pm Sat 31 Jul 10

withn wrote:
Right Betty, we are not all grossly overweight whatever you think that is. By the way you can be overweight for medical reasons. I am insured, I pay no road tax because I don't drive it on the road! You can have lessons if you have no experience of driving or cycling and are given full instruction. Would you rather I remain housebound?
Thank you for your reply. Perhaps I was judging everyone the same. Would it not be better for scooter users to have a letter from their doctor to stay that they are fit to drive one. I say this because my late brother hire a scooter in Brighton, lost his way and ended up in Goring. The sad thing was he suffered from dementia. When my husband spoke to the people who had he had hired it from, their reply was "well he did not say he had dementia". This was about 12 months ago and this company is still operational. There does, I am sure you will agree, have to be changes as to who can drive a scooter.
I am not suggesting people are housebold but there is a good free bus service in the city.

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withn says...
5:07pm Sat 31 Jul 10

Hello Betty

Your story about your brother is sad, the people renting the scooter are probably not trained, I don't know. It would be something I would follow up with them and the council if that is the case.

Yes, the bus service can be good, but for some of us they are just not practical to use. If you have problems getting on a bus it's of little use to get somewhere then not be able to get around when you get to your destination. Some buses will let you take a scooter on, some won't.

I have seen some reckless mobility scooter users, you are right there.

I don't get the joke with Red Devils. Sorry to be a party pooper, but it does put into question whether the need for a scooter is genuine.

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dixie normous says...
6:23pm Sat 31 Jul 10

nice to see ronnie barker getting involved.

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deni says...
7:47pm Sat 31 Jul 10

What a great day, really enjoyed watching the display.

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stan bailey says...
8:42pm Sat 31 Jul 10

dixie normous wrote:
nice to see ronnie barker getting involved.
Is he doing an El Cid at the end of the film?

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Living in the real world says...
3:23pm Sun 1 Aug 10

Four? not much of a bomb burst then, and the pairs display must be hard to decide who is included.

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Off my CHEST! says...
12:07pm Mon 2 Aug 10

4 of them... Blimey I have seen more than that outside Churchill Square!.. And Belching smoke!
What an article....
Oldest AND Bravest!
Daredevil manoeuvres!

It truly must be a slow news week... again! There! I have got that off my Chest!

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