Sharing the Space

Imagine yourself trying to use a pram, a wheelchair, or a mobility scooter to get through a busy weekend crowd at the tourist mecca of Circular Quay in Sydney. In particular, there’s the unpredictable movements of people who stop abruptly to take photos of themselves in front of the Opera House or Harbour Bridge, veer suddenly to greet a friend, or change direction without warning. That’s the situation I found myself in today.

With my new scooter fully charged, I set out today with two goals: to enjoy the glorious spring weather, and to see how I could use my new mobility scooter in my daily lifestyle.

First, the daily commute. My usual routine involves a walk, a tram ride, and another walk, and I wanted to see if the scooter could replace that. The distance from my place to work is about 1.5km.

I set off down a hilly street, heading toward Central Station. The scooter was fantastic with the hills, getting me there in 10 to 12 minutes—much faster than my usual commute. At the station, I used the lift at the Devonshire Street entrance to access the tunnel.

One thing I quickly noticed was how easy it is for people to be unaware of their surroundings. People with headphones on would sometimes walk right into me without looking up.

From Central, I continued to my workplace to check out access via the security gates. While I had considered applying for wheelchair access to the gates, I discovered the scooter was small enough to pass through the regular gates without any issue. The security guard was very helpful, explaining the process for special access if I ever needed it.

After work, I headed to the nearby Market City shopping centre (the one above Paddy’s Market), taking the lift up to roll around before getting back on the tram.

It was great to see how accommodating everyone on the tram was. A few people instantly stood up to make space for the scooter. Their kindness was clear, though I could see a bit of uncertainty on their faces, which made me realize how rare it is for people to see mobility scooters on public transport.

After a coffee at Circular Quay, I headed towards Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, an historic sandstone bench with fantastic views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. It’s a spot I hadn’t been to since before my lower limb amputation, as the walk had become too challenging.

As I made my way across the Opera House forecourt, I found that the cobblestones were a bit bumpy, but by sticking to the paved lines, the ride was much smoother. I noticed a similar thing when I entered the Botanic Gardens, where I found a smoother line of bitumen to the side of the path. The ride through the gardens was wonderful. It was a joy to take in the familiar surroundings from a different, lower perspective.

Conscious there are all types of people sharing these spaces – from those fit and running, to those waking more slowly, to those pushing prams, I tried to do my part by maintaining a consistent speed and staying close to buildings to be as out of the way as possible. Ultimately, it’s about mutual awareness and respect. Whether you’re on two feet or four wheels, we all need to be mindful of each other.