Lightweight scooter

Slosh

I may well be wishing for the moon but I would really like to invest (I know these things aren't cheap), a lightweight mobility scooter. I do drive but even with my crutches/rollator the distance I can walk is limited. What I would really like would be a lightweight, foldable scooter that I could get in and out of my car (fiesta), by myself (I live alone) that would give me a bit more freedom to get out and about without being limited to places where I can hire one and always having to plan ahead.

Is this realistic? I've done some web searches and got confused. I would want to try it out first to see if I could manage especially as it will be a big outlay. A self-propelling wheelchair isn't an option due to my arm/shoulder pain problems.

GraceB

If it were me I'd approach my local mobility aids shop and yes, do try a variety out first. However, what worried me a little about your post was the fact that you'll have to potentially lift the scooter in and out of your car. Even if you take it to bits, I think the batteries for these are somewhat on the heavy side. I may be wrong - and I hope I am!

I've used scooters before on days out and they are a brilliant way of getting around without exhausting yourself.

I hope you find something suitable and if doing this makes life easier for you then why not?

Please let us know how you get on with this.

Take care,
GraceB

hileena111

Hi Slosh
Like you that is something I would love. Once again like you I have a car, I drive, have a rollator and have 2 crutches. I actually have a scooter...not a gi-normous one but too heavy for me to handle.....I've seen a few about with tiny little wheels {I suppose you would find that you felt every bump} but they look as if they fold. Mine has to come to pieces and wont fit in my car {a Nissan} I'm hopeful that a folding one would be easier to manage.
I have to hire as well.
I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky that we can drive and have a car and can hire a scooter but reading your post was like me talking lol

Love
Hileena

daffy2

Like Grace, I was wondering about how to get it in and out of the car unaided. There are battery powered devices for fitting to car boots to lift scooters in and out, but I doubt they come cheap and may be limited to certain makes/designs of vehicle?
The ultimate in independent mobility I saw last year was a van- come- people carrier which dropped down the tailgate to provide a tracked ramp which the owner drove up in her powered wheelchair, through the vehicle to the driver's position, where the wheelchair became the carseat in effect, and the tailgate closed up remotely. Wouldn't do to have a flat battery!

theresak

We bought a scooter after trying some out at a local disability shop. It had only been hired out for one year, so we got it for a reasonable price.

It came to pieces to fit in the car, but was still way too heavy for me to lift, especially the battery unit, as Grace said. I think you can get quite lightweight ones with three wheels rather than four, but not sure how stable these are.

dreamdaisy

I did some research on this last year because I wanted to find a way that I could get into my very local town without using the car; I discovered that for me 'lightweight' scooters were flimsy, lacked suspension and were very uncomfortable on the joints because I had to fold myself into them to make them move. I'm not that tall (I used to be 5'8" & now 5'6") but they rattled the stuffing out of me! Neither could I dismantle and easily lift them into Bea1 (my first C3 Picasso).

I'm thinking that a big scooter may be useful for local stuff because we have a garage with power points for recharging but when away I will make do with my rollator and BB. I can usually reach places once I've done my research on double yellow lines etc. DD

hileena111

Hi DD
If its only local you want it for a decent size one would be ideal in your garage.
Mine is a medium size one, with solid wheels {not pneumatic} so it is a bit bumpier than a larger one.
Our village ....no where really to go to so it does the job but I wanted one I could put in my car.
Hileena

Slosh

Thanks for your replies, I had a feeling it wasn't likely. I don't think there's any point in getting a larger one as it's a couple of miles to get to my local amenities and I might as well drive. I may arrange a couple of home trials from companies just for the fun (?) of it. I have looked at my local mobility shop but they have a limited selection.

Starburst

I, too, have concerns about how you'd get it in and out of the car. I had considered it for myself. Many big shopping centres have ones you can loan if you struggle around places like Westfield. Where were you thinking of using it? As in, maybe look at what other things might be helpful if the lightweight scooter isn't feasible.

Slosh

I contacted a company and they left a message to say they have something suitable so I will arrange a trial. Westfield charge £6.00 half a day, £12 a day. I just want to be able to go somewhere on the spure (can't spell tonight) without having to plan ahead, especially with outdoor places like Kew Gardens. I will have a look but won't be pressured into anything or accept anything I don't feel really confident with.

Not overly hopeful though.

dreamdaisy

I will have to get a behemoth of a vehicle, Hileena, because we have a long gravelled drive which lighter-weighted scooters cannot manage - and I couldn't push it from the garage to the pavement. The further the range the bigger and heavier the batteries, what we need is something that runs for 100 miles on no more than two AAs!

Good luck with the trial, Slosh, I hope it is a useful experience. DD

Starburst

Slosh wrote:

I contacted a company and they left a message to say they have something suitable so I will arrange a trial. Westfield charge £6.00 half a day, £12 a day. I just want to be able to go somewhere on the spure (can't spell tonight) without having to plan ahead, especially with outdoor places like Kew Gardens. I will have a look but won't be pressured into anything or accept anything I don't feel really confident with.

Not overly hopeful though.

I know where you're coming from about not planning ahead. I really hope the trial is helpful.

It's been a while since I last rented a scooter. I think it was a fiver. £12 a day is an awful lot. I'm going to Disney in May and it's going to cost 50 dollars (£35) a day to rent a scooter! :shock:

Slosh

Thank you. I wil feed back with how I get on. Lakeside don't charge for mobility scooter hire by the way.

barbara12

Hello slosh
I have been looking for the same, but like some of the others say they can be very unstable if they are light, glad to see you are trying some out, I know some of the foldable ones are very heavy to get in to car..I hope you find one that suits..

Slosh

I have an appointment to try one out, riding and getting it in and out of the car arranged for 22nd March so I will feedback after that. I am being sent details about the one the company suggest so will also check it out on the internet and will ask about stability