October 17th, 2009
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As a follow up to my last post on handicap scooters I want to take the concept a little further by looking more specifically at electric mobility scooters and what you should expect from them should you be considering the purchase of one when you have not owned one before.
There are several things to think about but the most important from an operating point of view is the way they are powered. Electric mobility scooters are fitted with batteries that provide the power that enables them to move around and those batteries are rechargeable and therefore need to be kept in a healthy state of charge at all times.
Now, its easy to come in after a day out and park your electric mobility scooter in its usual place and be too tired to be bothered to plug it in so that it can recharge after the day’s use. This is a potential major problem, because if you forget to do this and then leave it, when you come to use it again, the chances are that it will leave you stranded somewhere being out of charge! Sure, it might get you all the way to the shops, but if it didn’t have a full charge to begin with, then its already depleted store f electricity will dwindle fast and call its ability to make your entire return journey into question.
This is a bad enough situation for an able bodied person, but for a physically disabled person, it can be a nightmare. Electric mobility scooters are great when they are running under their own steam, but when you have to ask someone to push you, they soon take on a whole new weight problem. They are heavy beasts, thanks largely to the size of the battery they have on board and not easy to push along especially up an incline.
So here is a timely word of warning with regards to handicap scooters and that’s to always, always, always plug them in after use to recharge, so they’ll be as good as new next time you want to take a trip on them.
Handicap
September 29th, 2009
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mobility |
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Handicap scooters are a marvel of modern invention when it comes to providing a mobility option for those people with disabilities or the elderly who have trouble getting around otherwise. Lets look at the advantages of owning one and uses it can be put to in everyday life.
The first thing you’ll notice about the out and out versatility of modern handicap scooters is that they have long battery lives and that means a much longer range than older models ever had. Being battery powered, they are clean and actually environmentally friendly in that they don’t directly cause any air pollution. This is a really important thing these days. The other major advantage of battery power is that it makes them really easy for people to use. You simply plug them in to an electricity outlet overnight and you wake up to a fully charged mobility scooter that will take you around the place for most of the day.
So back to that range benefit. If you live one or two miles from any stores, getting to them without one of these excellent handicap scooters would have been a real chore. You probably would have had to have asked a friend, neighbor or family member to help you, drive you to and from the stores or get your shopping for you. Not any more. These mobility scooters give a new lease of life and freedom to come and go as you please without feeling that you are a burden to anyone else.
This single aspect of owning a handicap scooter probably far outweighs all other considerations. It gives you your dignity back while allowing you to get around in your own time without having to fit in with another person’s schedule.
So a trip to the shops is a breeze even if they are two or so miles away, as a modern mobility scooter can easily take that return distance in its stride. They are capable of a reasonable speed too, such as a fast walking pace, so it doesn’t take you ages to get to where you’re going either!
They are perfect for visiting friends that were previously too far away for you to walk if you were even able to do that unaided. It is certainly far superior to pushing yourself in a wheelchair, of having someone else push you.
The cost of mobility scooters has also come down in recent years making them far more affordable for folks that need them. If you’re considering buying one, do some research first and if you can, get a knowledgeable person to come along with you so you get the best quality machine you can afford and don’t fall prey to any smooth talking salesmen who have no conscience!
Handicap