Scooters

Choosing well

A mobility scooter suits someone who can walk short distances but cannot manage the length of a shopping trip, a park or a day out. You sit, steer with a tiller and drive with a thumb lever, so it takes reasonable hand function, trunk control and enough balance to sit upright without support.

Scooter or power wheelchair

This is the decision that matters most, and the answer is not about preference. A scooter is for someone whose problem is distance and stamina. A power wheelchair is for someone who needs support to sit well, has limited hand or arm function, or is in the chair all day. Power chairs turn in far tighter spaces, take proper seating systems, and can be driven by controls other than a tiller.

If you find yourself considering a scooter mainly because it looks less like medical equipment, that is worth being honest about. A poorly suited scooter often ends up unused in a garage.

Three wheels or four

Three wheels turn more tightly and suit indoor use, shop aisles and tight spaces. Four wheels are more stable on slopes, kerb cuts and uneven ground, and feel more secure at speed outdoors. Neither is better in the abstract. Where the scooter will actually spend its time decides it.

Portable or full size

Travel scooters come apart or fold to go in a car boot, which is the whole point if there is no ramp or lift at home. The trade is a smaller battery, less range, smaller wheels and a lower weight capacity. Full size scooters go further, ride better over rough ground and last longer between charges, but they need a way to be transported or stored charged at home.

Before you buy

Think about range on a real day rather than the maximum quoted, where the scooter will be stored and charged, whether it needs to get through your doorways, and who will lift it if it comes apart. Come into the showroom and try one. A scooter that fits your life is worth far more than one with a bigger specification.

Funding varies by situation. Contact us and we can talk through the options.