Hi all
I have a road scooter which I love and use for exploring and dog walking but it is too big.
Now I need something portable,for shorter distances and big wheels for the garden.We saw a Roma Valencia on e bay for 350 pounds.What do you use for pavements andd around shops etc. his has probably been discussed before but I couldnt find it.I am at the inbetween stage of furniture walking inside but finding it increasinly difficult.Not in a wheelchair yet .Can stand but not move forward .
If you have access to a car and family to take a small scooter apart, try a boot scooter then if you go out for day with them you can use that just for shopping, ok on promenade (concrete area) but it wouldn't get on beach or anything rougher than very smooth short cut lawn.
Other option would be a cheap chair like Energi Enigma which has tray under seat for batteries, so they can be removed easily, back folds down and chair folds in half though the bulk of the chair is still heavy to lift.
If you have estate car can get some ramps cheap and then someone could push a small boot scooter or folded chair up into the boot.
Only option if you wanted to be able to go out yourself but can't manage folding or lifting a chair or taking a scooter apart would be something like the E-fix or Yamaha add on wheels to turn a manual chair into a small electric one and then adding the roof topper or boot version that loads your chair for you after you have got in the car. You'd probably need to use all your DLA and need quite an hefty deposit (the wheels may have to be paid for by yourselves upfront too).
http://www.steeringdevelopments.co.uk/products/wheelchair-stowage/chair-topper.html
Hopefully Kati will be on soon… she knows all about scooters and chairs.
Take care, Patsy x
I can`t walk but my core muscle`s must be OK as I don` flop around. I have a wheelchair but only use it if I`m told to. The places I really need to move around at home, I have grab rails. Some of my grab rails are permanent, others (especially on tiles) can be moved around.
I have 2 mobile scooters. Before anyone say`s I must be loaded. I`m not!
Initially I bought my 1st scooter years ago, when I could still walk. I was then given a wheelchair, by the county.
I found using a wheelchair very limiting. My sister thought she was being kind by giving me an old ladies 4 wheeled walker. I made a slight modification to it; I attached a wheelchair drinks holder. It`s the best bit of equipment I have.
I then bought a 2nd smaller scooter. It came apart and fitted into the boot of my wife’s car. Although great for me, my wife has a bad back and it was murder for her. I decided to see if I could afford a disabled vehicle. I could! When I could drive I never gave my vehicle a 2nd thought. My wife refused to drive a van!
I cannot watch daytime TV I use my PC for a significant part of the day, so I checked EBAY.
There was a VW Sharan that had been professionally rebuilt for a wheelchair, which we could just afford so we bought it (its `Y`reg). My 2nd scooter sits in the Sharan till we go out. All our cars have a roof rack, which I use as a grab rail. The car is nice and roomy for me. Because it is a diesel, it`s very economical. If I go out of town I always have a scooter.
Both scooters are made by the sane manufacturer. More by luck than design. It means the `holder tube` is the same on both scooters.
I have a collapsible walker, I normally collapse it attach it to the scooter and use it when I arrive (assuming it`s too tight for my scooter) at my local destination. I can unattach the walker and conduct my business, wherever I`m going.
I use my small scooter when I go on holiday and get to my car with a collapsible walker and use it if I`m away from home.
Having used a scooter for years, I use a 4 mph pavement scooter The 8 mph machines are too big for me! It’s serviced once a year, to ensure the battery is OK and to be generally examined (my grandkids love it). My 2nd scooter is really for when I leave town.
It’s difficult to find 1 scooter that will do everything. My small scooter and can be carried around in a car, with its charger. They are both 4 wheeled, I`m too big for 3 wheeler`s.
I conclusion, I`ve found one scooter is not good enough, you need at least 2.
Thanks for the input.I agree we do need two scooters for different purposes.While not rolling in money my mobility is important to me.Luckily I have a mobility car and have my licence for another year.DLA gave me my car two years ago but I only use it now in emergencies.
My husband has an estate car which we would use.He is willing to dismantle a scooter but I dont feel very independent.He is so busy with the dog but it would free him up from having to hold onto me in case i fall.I need something light and portable before going into a chair.I wobble everywhere outside.People think there is nothing wrong until I try to talk.Any suggestions about makes and models of small scooters for us Ataxians with poor co ordination that panic at the sight of a button.