A Guide to Mobility Scooters
A mobility scooter can be of great benefit to anyone who suffers from arthritis or circulation problems as well as other medical complaints. Mobility scooters are very easy to use, and shouldn't be daunting. Despite all the various models and types to choose from, they all work in similar ways. The main differences are the number of wheels (three or four), the maximum speed, and the size of the disabled scooter.
Three wheel electric scooters are ideal for using indoors, especially in the home or in a shop, as they have a smaller turning circle than the equivalent four wheel model, which makes them easy to manoeuvre. Four wheel disabled scooters were previously perceived to be more stable but, due to technological advances, there is very little difference in stability between three and four wheel scooters these days. Most mobility scooter manufacturers offer three and four wheel versions of the same model.
What the disabled scooter is going to be used for, and how often it is going to be used, will help to determine which model will be best. For example, somebody purchasing a mobility scooter which will be used daily to replace a car has different needs to someone purchasing a mobility scooter that will be carried in the car and used primarily at weekends for travelling short distances.
Mobility scooter batteries are rechargeable and depending on the model of scooter, and will allow the mobility scooter to travel in excess of 30 miles. The smaller boot scooters have a range of around 10-15 miles depending on the model. The batteries can sometimes be upgraded to provide better performance, or an additional battery pack can be carried on the scooter to effectively double the range of the electric scooter.
Mobility scooters normally require a key to start them and are immobile without the key. This allows the electric scooter can be left outside a shop or house safely and securely, and prevents unauthorised use. Disabled scooters have a freewheel mode, which allows the scooter to be moved, without the scooter being turned on. This makes storing and transporting your electric scooter easier, and can assist when the batteries are charging and it needs moving.
Disabled scooters are steered using the tiller which is similar to a bicycle or motorbike handlebar. The tiller is usually adjustable, depending on the model, and can often be dropped down for transportation. Mobility scooters are driven using the thumb or fingers pushing or pulling a lever. This control is called a "wig wag" and works on the "see saw" principle. If the forward lever is pushed, it is the same as pulling on the reverse lever, and vice versa. Some models are driven by pushing the lever with the thumb, whilst others are driven by pulling the lever with the fingers, like a bicycle brake. A Delta handlebar means that both forward and reverse can be controlled using the same hand. This is fitted as standard on some disabled scooter models and available as an optional extra on others.
The speed of the mobility scooter is determined by the amount of pressure put on the forward / reverse lever. The overall speed of the disabled scooter is governed by the speed dial on the control panel. When getting used to the electric scooter, it may be better to use a lower speed setting. On the road legal mobility scooters, there is usually a switch which lowers the maximum speed from 8mph to 4mph, which then allows the scooter to be used legally on a pavement.
In order to slow down, the user just needs to release the forward or reverse lever which then brings the mobility scooter to a stop. Disabled scooters have regenerative brakes fitted, which mean that the scooter can be left on a slope with out fear of it rolling away. An emergency bicycle style brake is fitted to some models for additional safety and security.
Class 3, 8mph mobility scooters are road legal, and so can travel on the highway. By law, these have to be fitted with full lights and indicators. This type of electric scooter is larger and more luxurious than those designed to be dismantled and transported in a car boot. These disabled scooters are often purchased to replace a car, and so are much more powerful, and more rugged than a boot scooter. These disabled scooters usually have an adjustable and removable seat. The more luxurious seats recline and slide and some even have a headrest, like a car seat. Depending on the model of electric scooter, the seat may be upgraded to a larger, more comfortable more supportive seat.
Boot scooters are very popular and are designed to be transported, and can be taken apart in a matter of seconds. The seat and battery pack are easy to remove, and sometimes the scooter chassis will separate into two parts. Depending on the model of mobility scooter, the components may have handles incorporated into them to make putting them into a car boot even easier. Some models of small disabled scooter separate without the need to disconnect plugs or cables which makes transporting the electric scooter even easier.
These smaller mobility scooters, or boot scooters, are usually less luxurious than the larger electric scooters, and often do not have the same sort of features such as pneumatic tyres, full suspension or a highly adjustable seat. The maximum range that the scooter can travel is usually less, as is the weight capacity. Small mobility scooters
Another option is the pavement mobility scooter, which is a compromise between the boot scooter and the road legal scooter. These models of disabled scooter usually have some of the features of the larger scooters, such as lights and indicators, suspension, and a comfier seat than a boot scooter, but can usually still be dismantled for transportation. Some models have a top speed of 6mph, rather than the usual boot scooter top speed of 4mph.
A mobility scooter can bring back, or help to maintain independence, and allow long and short journeys to be enjoyed in both comfort and style.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
QUESTION:
is it just me or does it gross you out to see obese people with mobility scooters & disabled parking stickers?
When getting off their increasingly spreading backsides and walking 500 metres to the door or god forbid all the way round the supermarket, might alleviate their weight issues somewhat?For a start there are paraplegics and stroke survivors who need the parking spaces.
BQ: Are doctors who give the stickers rather than referral to a weight loss centre just enabling patients to dig their own graves with a knife and fork?
-
ANSWER:
And there you were a few days ago urging me to tell my neighbours, who had just inherited a mobility scooter that they have no use for, that they should find a worthy person to whom to donate it instead of our original plan of removing the limiters from it and seeing how long a patch we can drop or entering it into the local go cart meet.BTW, I've nearly finished editing the time trial video from last weekend. It'll be on youtube soonish.
Right: being serious now:
Thyroid conditions that cause obesity are so rare that you can pretty much discount it as a reason for any particular individual being obese. The major indicators for obesity are: coming from a family that habitually eats large portions, lack of exercise and poor education (leading to poor food choices.) Rarely is obesity a result of a medical condition. It is almost always the other way around.
That's not to say that obesity is necessarily a choice. Let's face it, if you haven't grown up in a family that cooks from scratch and you haven't been given the opportunity to learn about how your body handles different types of food and how to shop and cook healthily, then you're not going to have the tools to remain a healthy weight in our consumeristic, convenience based society especially since we seem so focussed on normalising obesity nowadays. I'm not going to blame a fat person for being fat.I am looking for sponsors to help open a clinic that specialises in helping to fill those gaps in education, budgeting, cooking skills and lifestyle choices to provide the real help that these people need.
BQ - here in NZ you need to have a permanent disability to get a mobility parking permit. Obesity doesn't qualify.
-
-
QUESTION:
Why doesn't Sainsbury's provide mobility scooters for disabled customers as do the large Tescos and Asda?
Not all disabled people want to use a wheelchair they prefer to be independent and move around on their own.-
ANSWER:
I don't know about all Sainsburys stores but I have 2 near me, an express and a main store. The express is too small for mobility scooters but the larger one does have a few mobility scooters available for people to use
-
-
QUESTION:
disabled mobility (Scooters power chairs)?
Hey i was declared unable to work for a year ago. partly because of walking problems. Do i have right for money support to get a disabled mobility scooter or power chair.-
ANSWER:
hello there.
since your employers have put you out of work for the cause of a physical disability, you should be covered for the costs of your electric scooter.
good luck!
jasmine.
-
-
QUESTION:
which is the lightest weight in a disabled mobility scooter?
I am looking for a small tavel one,needs to be as light as possible as i will be lifting it myself (woman)-
ANSWER:
Do not buy a fold n' go from Electric Mobility (Rascal Company) they are more trouble than they're worth! Check out Rip off.com.
-
-
QUESTION:
I Would like to know why there are no electric mobility scooters at alton towers for disabled?
when i visited drayton manor there was a good selection of scooters
alton towers should be ashamed ? lionel m-
ANSWER:
There is no requirement that they have them available. Places that do - want disability dollars, places that don't - don't care.
-
-
QUESTION:
mobility/invalidity/disables scooters?
for free or very very cheap-
ANSWER:
average £200 second hand or you could just wait outside the post office and carjack one
-
-
QUESTION:
I am looking for a second hand mobility scooter for a disabled boy in Croatia. Germany would be good site.?
I don't speak German so can't search for one there. Help!Frindon5
-
ANSWER:
After a quick search I found two websites that offer used wheelchairs and mobility scooters:
http://www.rollstuhllift-discount.de/
http://www.hilfsmittelboerse.de/
Although the sites are in German, I am sure that if you email them, somebody will be able to answer you in English.Also, here are some words that might be helpful if you want to search on your own:
Rollstuhl/Rollstühle - wheelchair/wheelchairs
Elektroscooter - mobility scooter
gebraucht - used/second hand
Behinderung - disabilityI hope this helps a little.
-
-
QUESTION:
I missed this question, but gotta say it smack of someone who doesn't know the "real" world?
There were a lot of answers in the same.
"Is it just me or does it gross you out to see obese people with mobility scooters & disabled parking stickers?"
It makes me wonder how many fat people this person actually knows. I know some BIG people and not a one of them uses a scooter. I, on the other hand, have a degenerative muscle condition that over the course of five years has taken away my ability to walk. During those years I also had two children. If you were to look at me riding a scooter and think I eat junk food all day you would be wrong. I have little muscle mass and therefore calorie burning exercise is nearly impossible, and you try getting to a pool to "swim" with two toddlers.
Oh ya, its easy for skinny minny to jog an hour but when your knees have arthritis, or any other ailment that causes chronic pain you try torturing yourself, its called grocery shopping.
Another thought to consider is cost. "healthy" is expensive. Even just enough fresh fruits and veggies for our family of 4 is several hundred a month.
I am struggling with my weight for these reasons and one more, when all else is taken away, comfort food is hard to just give up.
I take the judge not approach and would encourage anyone with these serious prejudices to get to know one of those "gross" people. I bet you would be surprised.http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApEeTcUNpANUjv_9VwyWbzCC.Bd.;_ylv=3?qid=20100803165554AAOvScJ
I do not think ANYONE who has not had chronic pain and/or disability should judge. I was a very healthy weight until my disability. I didnt even "work out", just walked a bit and ate normal. Sure I *could*, maybe, loose weight but not on my own. I would need more help then I have to excercise (not able to do it due to weakness and need babysitter) more money then I have for food (potatoes are way cheaper then salad), and I can admit then the once a week icecream is a pleasure worth keeping.
I dont judge skinnys either (brother is half a twig) I find that without knowing someone personally we should not assume. I guess I read that question and felt judged. There were some really harsh words and cruelity and I know what I personally have struggled with and what my "fat" friend has struggled with and its not just about willpower. Not in ALL cases. Some people are fat due to choice but not many that I know of.
OH, and my attempts to get diet info specific to my needs have failed. As far as I can see there is plenty out there for the healthy, active, person but the disabled cripple? Not so much. My own MD doc's help was to share what he, an active 60 yr old, did. Not compatable (and not my doctor anymore). Even dieticians arent trained for disabilities, at least not that I can find.
And why does it bother the "healthy" person anyway? How does it effect you?-
ANSWER:
I agree with you! That is why I answered the question by first stating it was/is offensive. Many people with mobility impairment gain unwanted weight even if they do not eat much at all. It seems to me that prejudice and bigotry against "fat" or "obese" people is not only accepted but encouraged. It upsets me greatly. Just to point out how wide spread this is in the beginning of the movie "Super Size me" The narrator is saying how due to our bad diets have made us so fat ans lazy we even invented machines to walk for us. Then it zooms into a shot of a very large person riding a scooter like you can borrow ar Walmart. But in this society where everyone else is protected under law large or obese, no matter why they are big, are not protected. It disgusts me.
-
-
QUESTION:
I have been told I can get VAT exemption on a new motorhome, because i am disabled and use a mobility scooter?
In May 2008 I brought a new motorhome, the dealer told me I did not qualify, we brought the motorhome inclusive of VAT. The same dealer has now told me I qualify for VAT exemption, has taken a deposit from me, but puts the phone down on me if i ask questions regarding the VAT. I have written to the dealer, but to date no reply. HELP-
ANSWER:
You can qualify for relief from VAT on the purchase of a motorhome if you meet the following conditions:It is designed, or substantially and permanently adapted for the carriage of a disabled wheelchair user
It has has a carrying capacity of no more than 12 people
You will need to complete an eligibility declaration form available at the following link see section 13. The link will direct you to a VAT notice entitled 'Motor Vehicles for disabled people' and contains further information including the conditions above when purchasing a motorhome.
-
-
QUESTION:
Disabled access hotel/B&B to also accommodate mobility scooter storage in Blackpool?
I am hoping to take my Gran for a short break to Blackpool.She cant walk far,so will need to take her mobility scooter.She will need a hotel/bb where they can accommodate storage her mobility scooter when she returns,with a ground floor room,no steps.Needs to be relatively close to the sea front .Any recommendations would really be appreciated-
ANSWER:
Give Sean or Sue a call, I`ve not been so don`t know about disabled access, say Carole in Rugby said to call, I`ve known Sean nearly all his life !
http://www.oakleighhouse.co.uk/index.html
-