What Sort of Mobility Scooter is Best?

By Scootamart Staff - 2006-08-24 - Viewed 1707 times. Find more articles like this in our Disability Products category.

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The nature of the disability will go some way into determining what sort of mobility scooter will be the right one. If the disabled scooter is to completely replace a car, then a small boot scooter is unlikely to fit the bill. By the same token, if you require an electric scooter that dismantles to fit into the car boot then a large road legal electric scooter will not be suitable.

Mobility scooters can be simply divided into three categories: small / boot scooters, medium scooters and large scooters. Small or boot mobility scooters as their name suggests are small scooters that easily dismantle into lightweight components to fit into a car boot. These scooters can have a range of up to 15-20 miles between charges. They tend to be seen in shopping centres and on the pavements. The riders of these scooters usually have some mobility but tend to tire easily or maybe can't walk very far.

Medium sized mobility scooters are much more substantial than small / boot mobility scooters. Medium sized mobility scooters often offer more car-like features such as a padded, height and reach adjustable seat, lights and indicators, and a longer range between charges. They tend to have bigger wheels and can have a maximum speed of up to 6mph.   These scooters can sometimes be dismantled to fit in a car, but this process is usually more complicated than with a small / boot scooter.  The components are likely to be heavier, and so can be more difficult to put into a car boot.

Large sized mobility scooters are much more substantial, and often twice the size of a boot scooter. These disabled scooters have a top speed of up to 8mph, and depending on the model range of up to 35 miles and are legal to be used on the road or off-road. As they are road legal, they have a full lighting kit and indicators. They offer large wheels, pneumatic tyres and often have suspension to provide a comfortable ride. For a lot of people, these large mobility scooters will replace their car and will be their main method of transport. As a result of this, the larger electric scooters will be more substantial and rugged than a small / boot scooter.

How often you use the electric scooter, where you go on it, where it will be stored, how it needs to be charged (whether the battery pack can be charged separately from the electric scooter or not) will help to determine what sort of mobility scooter will be right for you. If your scooter is to replace your car and will be used everyday, you will need a different type of scooter to someone who uses their scooter on days out and leaves it in the car or the house the rest of the time.

Once you have decided what sort of mobility scooter you need why not try some models and see which one is the most suitable for you.

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