Thoughts on buying a mobility scooter
A mobility scooter opens doors
You are disabled and your mobility is getting worse. Now you realise you can no longer comfortably walk very far so you need to think on this. Distance is not the only problem, speed, balance and carrying also come into the equation. Thoughts turn to buying a mobility scooter.
Original mobility scooter
They first appeared in the 1970s, clunky, chunky and heavy. Things have changed for the better in the last 50 years and now there are a huge number of fantastic options available.
Stop and think
Suddenly there are too many questions and it is difficult to find the answers. Before you go out and invest your savings in a mobility scooter you will need to do some homework of your own. It might not be you but possibly someone you know who needs help.
Buying a mobility scooter
- Do you know someone else with a mobility scooter?
- How much do you want to spend?
- Will you invariably use it directly from the house?
- Where will you use it?
- Three wheels or four?
- Where will you keep it?
- Steep hills. Hills are not good for a battery
- Finally neither Daleks or mobility scooters can safely negotiate steps
Your answers might help you find the correct mobility scooter. Talking to other people you know is often the best way to get honest answers. This article might help.
Remember
The mobility scooter market is very competitive. Everyone wants to sell their solution to you. Marketing videos do not use people with a visible mobility problem so they can be very misleading. Do not be hassled or swayed by a smooth-talking salesman.
Other pointers
If you anticipate putting a mobility scooter into a car on your own then hoists are available to lift the scooter off the ground and into your car. Now that the UK is no longer in the EU it is vital that the supplier of the scooter has a UK outlet and there is an agent reasonably close to your home.
Wheelchair
In 2009 my maximum walking distance was about 1K and that eliminated doing so many things that I enjoyed. Now it was The Wife pushing me in a wheelchair. Yup, she struggled. Have you ever pushed a wheelchair and a person up a hill or along an uneven pavement? I realised an alternative solution was essential if our marriage was going to last.
Lucky break
In 2010 I was staying in Chichester and saw a man driving a TravelScoot mobility scooter. At first glance it seemed to tick all the boxes. To cut a long story short I visited him and this one was definitely right for me so I bought a new one. I have tried other mobility scooters since but there is nothing else that offers me the independence that I need.
Embrace your mobility scooter
Whatever you use to regain access to a new life then make sure you love it and treasure it. Do not be embarrassed by it. Think about how and where you will use it. Now you can live life in a way you had long since abandoned.
Associated articles
I will always love my Travelscoot mobility scooter
Di Blasi R30 Folding Mobility Scooter
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June 2022
Great article! You’ve captured the key considerations for buying a mobility scooter, from budget to terrain and battery life. The personal story adds real-life value, and I love the reminder to embrace the scooter as a tool for independence. Practical and insightful!
Hello Scooter Direct,
Thanks so much for those kind words. A mobility scooter is definitely a part of my life and provides me with an ability to do things on my own. I would be bereft without one
Thank you! I have been very lapse at following your writing! *bro hugs* 🙋♂️👋🖐👍👌🤙✅✌️🤘
Hello Mal,
The last few months I’ve not been so active for a host of reasons. To be honest MS fatigue is catching up with me
I bought a TS in 2000. Loved it for so many reasons. Had to eventually sell it for a folding 4 wheel one. The new one is heavier but does sit behind my front door when folded. My TS was great on inclines and rougher grou. I even bought a bigger front wheel and basket for it. As my balance got worse 4 wheels were better than 3. Brussels doesn’t have smooth pavements. Sold my TS well to someone in France. Luckily my health insurance reimbursed the total for the new scooter.
Hello Sally.
Thanks for the reply. Yes balance is an important consideration when buying a mobility scooter. 4 wheels are definitely safer than 3 but the additional wheel makes the scooter much less manoeuvrable. If using public transport or going into shops is important then three are better than four.
I’ve had my Travelscoot for 5 years after seeing a lady who had traveled with it from Australia and then talking to you about it. I love having ‘ Shelagh’ I can lift it myself into the back of my hatchback fully built , fold it down in other peoples cars and fly abroad with it. However, I have stopped recommending it because it is unstable, I have been off it a couple of times and nearly off many times. I am sure it could modified to be safer but I don’t know how!
Hello Peter,
It is a fantastic scooter. With a high centre of gravity and 3 wheels care is required going round corners and on very uneven pavements. I used to be a gung-ho driver but after damage to both me and the scooter after unplanned falls I have learned to drive it with more care. The biggest danger is turning a corner on a slope or where there is an adverse camber.
It is such an valuable asset to me that it deserves to be treated with respect and consideration
Thank you so much for your honest reviews on mobility scooters! I have not yet purchased a mobility scooter for my needs so I will keep this in my research file. I own several rollator walkers with seats though! My first was a basic one (now with duct-taped broken brake handles) through medical insurance. The others I bought online at shopgoodwill.com here in the US. I keep my Trillium Evolution inside my home, my Zler folding rollator in my car, and in my garage-the old basic hard-seated one and my walking exercise Forward Mobility Glidestep that is the heaviest and has a bicycle seat similar to the A-Linker). I looked into getting an A-Linker trike for exercise, but they were too expensive for me right now. They look really good though for mobility and exercise.
Hello Alison,
Thanks for your notes on rollaters. I use a Topro.
E-Trikes are not cheap but they do kill two birds with one stone, exercise and mobility
I have both a Travelscoot and a folding electric wheelchair.
I find due to only having three wheels the TS is superior on anything but a very smooth surface due to the four wheeled wheelchair being very rigid, causing one wheel to leave the ground on relatively small irregularities, if this is a rear wheel the thing can become quite skittish.
The most important handling quirk on the TS is caused by driving on only one wheel (the left) which makes it very difficult to take tight left turns.
The TS is also considerably better for shopping as it is inherently capable of carrying a couple of bags of shopping.
The TS is also light enough that my wife can lift it into a vehicle.
Hello David,
Single drive wheel can be annoying at times and I agree with your observations. Going up a steeping slope, especially from a standing start is a a difficulty. A motor on the other wheel would eliminate this problem but add to the weight. I too really appreciate the canvass holder that is in the triangle at the base
I have a Travelscoot; I will be delighted to chat to anybody considering buying one.
Since buying it, I have purchased various accessories and find them useful in different circumstances.
One of the biggest problems that I encounter are (stupid) people who walk along the footway looking at a mobile telephone rather than where they are going. Shouting a warning does NOT help if they have little white things in their ears!!
My Travelscoot has made a huge difference to my life.
Mr Burke has my permission to give people who request it my email address.
I would def agree about the benefits of a mobility scooter. Initially I bought a very cheap 2nd hand one before investing in something more suitable and would definitely not want to be without one now.
As I was only 50 it took a bit of emotional adjustment and they are expensive … but it was well worth it.
If you don’t already claim PIP and are eligible then do so ASAP as that money will help cover the cost of extras like this.
As the article implies, different machines are suited to different peoples circumstances but I also find I need different equipment for different situations – just like shoes or bags … one size does not fit all.
So I have the luxury of more than 1 device.
If you are able to work at all then please do apply for the Access to Work scheme – they can fund equipment and other support you need to carry on working as long as possible eg they funded an electric wheelchair that looked professional in the office (and a travel companion) so I could save up my (part time) wages for my Travel Scoot for independent social travelling.
MS is tricky so we need all the help we can get!
Some financial support is means tested eg funding to adapt your home so you can actually get in and out will depend on your family finances.
But PIP and Access to Work funding are based on your personal/medical needs.
Hello Joanne,
Many thanks for the comprehensive reply. I think the Access to Work scheme is very important for people with a disability who are able to work and need specialist equipment. I know of a woman who obtained a TravelScoot that way.