All about mobility scooters

[Blaadyblah]

Speak to your line manager - the building manager can't initiate the right process to get you somewhere to put it (he'll need a request from the right dept or something) - it's your line manager's responsibility as you work for him - this covers the company under DDA under employment law.

[naama]

Blaady is right. There must be somewhere on the ground floor unless you have spectacularly narrow corridors with no rooms / cupboards / etc that could be used. You are right, it is crazy!

[Sez]

I'm still taking the car to work but fingers crossed I should have a parking place for the scooter in the new year. Here's hoping!

[emilyem1]

Hi all,

I've been really well for the last few weeks, and decided to go for a walk around a local reservior. It's a flat walk, so thought it would be okay. Half way around, my hips started to grind, and I knew that if I didn't carry on I would of go stuck, so I had to carry on. I'm now suffering for it, completly unable to walk.

I'm planning a trip to liverpool soon, but am worried about walking too far again. My family keep making jokes about a scooter, and keep telling me just to give in and get one. I have used one before but hated every minute of it, people staring and making comments. I could cope, people even said "there doesn't look much wrong with her!" IN EAR SHOT OF ME!
It made me feel bad being in it in the first place, but even worse hearing comments of people.

But now, I am seriously thinking about it. But I don't want a granny one! Why can't we contact manufacturer's and demand trendy ones? I'm 26 not 75! (no offence intended!)

Does anyone know where to get one? Or would anyone be interested in demanding trendy ones from the makers?

Thanks Emma

[Sez]

I have a mobility scooter, and I use it with the same attitude I apply to my wheelchair - it gives me more spoons to use on living. If I over-do a walk, and we all know it's so easily done, I can be off work and unable to move for days, so I think it's better to use the scooter or chair and maintain quality of life, so long as I am doing some form of exercise to stop my muscles from becoming completely useless - walking around at work and at home, going swimming, etc. It is very easy to become dependent, especially when walking is such a painful process, so I suppose it's a fine line to tread.

I have a plain black one that my mum bought for me. I'm in the process of designing some vinyls for it, and I'm making up a list of suitable bumper stickers to advertise the lesser-known charities that I support, including the HMSA. I've been shown some that say things like "young people can be disabled, too" but I think I would be more embarrassed about having something like that on my scooter.

Unfortunately, the rude comments never stop, but I tend to tune them out these days, and my OH has an interesting line in scowls for people who make loud and pointed comments about me! Unfortunately, a lot of people consider that if you're under sixty and using a wheelchair or scooter and there isn't something visibly wrong with you, then you're just lazy. I've had my wheelchair for almost five years now but it felt too much like "giving up" so it was months before I actually used it and started to realise that the point of it was to a) prevent me from doing myself and injury, and b) to enable me to do things like going out shopping, or day-tripping, which I had all but given up because it was too painful. I still regularly get unpleasant comments (including one woman who crossly informed me that her mother hadn't been able to get a blue badge and wheelchair so why should a "young thing" like me have them and prevent people who "really need them" from having them ) but you have to let it slide (and maybe accidentally catch them in the ankles as they walk away, as my mother has done when she's been driving the wheelchair ).

[paw]

Unfortunately, the rude comments never stop, but I tend to tune them out these days, and my OH has an interesting line in scowls for people who make loud and pointed comments about me!

True Sez! I broke my ankle when I was 28 and the only way I could grocery shop or do things with a lot of walking was to borrow a scooter. People looked at me like "what is SHE doing in a scooter" even with a cast and crutches propped at the scooter basket.

Bottom line, don't worry about someone else's reaction to your need for some help. They can't feel it and most importantly they don't have to deal with injuries when you do things you know can hurt you. Be safe and take care of yourself. Those people will have forgotten about you in a few minutes.

Sometimes I am needing a walking frame or crutches on my bad days now. I don't waste time worrying about getting looked at. It is their problem, not mine.

[Helly Welly]

I too was embarassed to get a scooter but, blimey, i love it now. I made it a bit more funky with some vinyl stickers i got online. It's got purple and turquiose flowers all over it and i love it. I tend to get xomments on how cool it looks and the local college kids are forever asking me how much they cost. I know they're being a bit silly but i don't think i've ever had a rude comment.

Take the plunge, jazz it up and be proud of your vehicle. I'm doing physio and could concievably get to the stage where i don't need my scooter anymore and i will really miss it.

[emilyem1]

Hi guys,

Thanks for you comments, and I really have thought about them...and I think you are all right!

I will be getting one, i just know need to decide on the right one...

helly Welly....do you have any pics? It's sounds fab!

I'm going to need one that I can fold up and get in a car. Does anyone have any suggestions or can give me advise on where to get one from?

Thanks Emz

[paw]

Mom and Grandma both have electric wheelchairs. They are easier to get into a car because they don't have anything sticking out in front. I have not seen a scooter fold though, so they might not be too bad to handle. Check out both options before you buy anything.

Grandma's chair folds to 12 inches wide but you have to remove the batteries and the seat cushion to fold it. I don't know how to fold Mom's chair, hers has a nice seat that does not fold. I think all she can do is fold the seat back down flat, so it takes more space in a van.

I could not handle putting either of those chairs into a car or van by myself anymore. I used to do it all the time for Grandma.

[Tiz]

If you're not sure about a scooter then it might be a good idea to try before you buy, your local shopmobility may have some portable one's you can hire for trip to Liverpool to try out which will give you the opportunity to see if it suits you. I find scooter steering plays havoc with my wrists and shoulders so I do much better with an electric wheelchair (should be getting one of my own fairly soon) but I do borrow the supermarket scooters. I find the best way to deal with any unpleasantness is to just brass it out, if someone scowls at you give them the biggest cheesiest grin you can muster, they'll either come to their senses and smile back or be really embarrassed and hastily look away. I haven't had any bad comments to deal with yet but I expect I'll just ignore any I do get, remember that it's a problem with them not with you, when someone's that stupid and ignorant there's no point trying to educate them and the more time you spend stressing over it the more time your allowing it to make you unhappy, don't let the **********s get you down!

[dragondee]

There used to be a three wheel trike based on a golf buggy on ebay, but i cant find it now.
The alternative to a 'full' mobility buggy could be the little electric 2 wheel scooters with seat, have a look at ebay.

Dragondee

[paw]

I find scooter steering plays havoc with my wrists and shoulders so I do much better with an electric wheelchair (should be getting one of my own fairly soon) but I do borrow the supermarket scooters.

This is what me and all of my family members find too. The scooters in stores are great because you don't have to load and unload the wheelchair but they can be really hard to steer and you have to keep your arms extended to use them.

The little joystick on the wheelchairs is in a good position and you don't have to reach out. The downside would be no basket for carrying things when you shop. I made Grandma a mesh bag to hang on the back of the chair but that was for carrying things she already bought, not shopping as she was doing it. When I need to buy my own help getting around I will use a power wheelchair rather than a scooter.

[Sez]

I have a Pride Victory four-wheel scooter and while leaving the office to pick up some lunch last week, I noticed the steering was pulling to the left and there was a funny noise. On checking it, somewhere between pootling to work, parking up in the corridor (I have a bit sectioned off for it) and going about again, one of the front tyres has gone flat.

Since I bought it second hand, I don't have the back up of a dealer to help me out, so I don't know what to do now Does anyone know if I can I fix it with a bog-standard bicycle puncture repair kit or will I need a whole new tyre, and if so, where do I get one from? I've tried calling our nearest Mobility Shop for advice, as I figured their scooters must get flats from time to time, but it seems they're open at really awkward hours, so I've not managed to get through yet.
Any advice would be appreciated as my car is falling down around me and I don't want to have to rely on it to get me to work and back as I can't sort it out until payday, so I'm hoping the scooter will be cheap and cheerful to get back on it's wheels again!

[Sez]

Never mind, Darren has fixed it The inner tube had a puncture (didn't realise it had an inner tube!) so he's stuck a halfords puncture repair wotsit on it! Fingers crossed it holds!

[Englishgremlin1]

I hope you enjoying your mobility - at lest you will get noticed.


Rosie - the lifts always got me as well - I think they were out to get me, especailly the hospital ones.