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F1 Fixes Sidewalk Wire That Trapped Mobility Scooter Users Near Koval and Sands
A Las Vegas man who uses a mobility scooter says a plastic-covered wire on a sidewalk near Koval and Sands left him and others stranded until passersby lifted them free. Formula 1 says it removed the covering after being alerted, and a reporter confirmed the fix by day's end.
LAS VEGAS â A wire running across a sidewalk near Koval Lane and Sands Avenue left at least two people who use mobility scooters stuck and dependent on strangers to get free, according to a man who experienced the problem firsthand and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The man said the hazard had been present for several days. A plastic covering that had been placed over the wire created a ridge that mobility scooters could not clear, he said.
"A mobility scooter cannot pass over it. You get high center hung up," he said. "And if somebody's on a scooter, they have no way of getting freed from being hung up on it."
He described being stranded until four men passing by intervened.
"It took four guys that were coming by that were big boys in their 30s or something, gym rats," he said. "They shoved my scooter off of it so I could continue on my way."
He said a woman and her husband had been stuck on the same wire about a half hour before he spoke with a reporter, and that three men lifted her and her scooter off the obstruction. Video also showed a person in a wheelchair struggling for an extended period to get over the wire.
"Their good fortune was three guys coming by; like these men lifted her scooter and her right off of it," he said. "What does somebody do if there isn't a team of husky guys to help you out?"
Formula 1, which is preparing for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, responded after being contacted about the complaint. Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. issued a statement saying it acted as soon as it learned of the problem.
"We were made aware of a concern and immediately reviewed the situation. We took prompt action and made modifications to ensure there was a clear and accessible path of travel for all," the statement read. "We take feedback from the community seriously and remain committed to addressing concerns quickly and being a responsible, responsive community partner."
The company said accessibility is one of its main priorities. A reporter who returned to the scene later in the day observed that the plastic covering had been removed. A wire remained but was tucked into a crack in the sidewalk.
The episode highlights the stakes of temporary race-related infrastructure for residents with disabilities, who rely on unobstructed sidewalks to move through the neighborhood. For the man who was trapped, the fix came only after he and others were forced to depend on the kindness â and physical strength â of strangers.
"What does somebody do if there isn't a team of husky guys to help you out?" he asked.