The full blog post can be found at: www.grayingwithgrace.com/mobility-scooters-advantages-disadvantages-myths/

Mobility scooters are primarily used for travel outside the home and I have never seen one inside.They are a replacement for a car to take you from point A to point B.Quality scooters have arm rests which lift up and seats which turn 45 degrees to assist in geting on to your scooter.Distance travelled by scooters on a full charge,range from 10 kilometres to 48.(you can calculate that to miles).Also, here in Australia most scooters are 4 wheel as the 3 wheel models are considered by most to be dangerous in tight turns, the price range is between Aus $2- $10k.Pensioners and others with medical conditions who qualify are funded by the government for the full price of the scooter.An aditional fitting can be added to the rear of most scooters which allow you to take your 4 wheel, wheely walker (with seat) inside a shop which can't or won't hadle a scooter.There is now a little talk about insurance to cover you if you hit someone.Better that than lose your home.

I have damaged knees & struggle to walk so I finally bought myself a Mobility scooter. I find it easy to use even going into supermarkets to do my shopping. At first I had a folding scooter because we were living in a 4th floor apartment. After my darling husband died I moved a few hours north in Spain into a caravan where I had easier access. I bought myself a bigger scooter & love it.

I recently with the help of my mom bought one off of a friend of the family. I am only 25 but i have mobility issues that prevent me walking for long distances. I live in an apartment and the dumpster to take the trash out is a long walk for myself. This fixed that issue. The apartment building was also build for handicap people so its easy to store in my apartment. I dont need it around the home but it makes a world of difference for me when i take it to the zoo or to bigger outings or if i just want to go to my friends a few blocks away.

It's actually quite tiring to drive a scooter any distance. When I get home from going shopping, I'll usually say to my wife...." You wouldn't think you could get so tired just from riding a scooter." 🤫

I have never heard of anyone using a mobility scooter in the house. I am awaiting delivery of my scooter and it will never be in my home. I don't find this a problem as i am not buying it to sit in a house anyway. A mobility scooter to me is independence, freedom and adventure. I think your video is aimed more towards elderly and chair/bed bound people. The insurance was an eyeopener all the same, geezzz!!! I am in the UK and only really well off people have 'private' health insurance. The rest of us have the NHS {{ National Health Service }} which people outside the UK think is FREE but it isn't. I paid towards my National Insurance Contributions {{ for the NHS }} all my working days {{ it comes straight out your wages/salary before you even get a penny loll }}. So no, healthcare/treatment is not free as such here in the UK. Thank you and Take Care :)

I just purchased my second scooter it can turn on a dime, has a suspension system and a seat that can turn 365 degrees and also highbacked. Also has led lights and signal lights and hazard lighting. They have come along way since this video was produced.

Great video with many helpful points to consider. One other factor to consider is transportation of a scooter between locations. The marketing literature assures you that they’re easy to break down and put in your car, then reassemble at your destination. Easy-peasy, right? I just watched a video of a relatively young and muscular salesman demonstrating how easy that process is...for him. Except that he’s not your typical scooter user with mobility issues. Do you need to navigate steps in/out of your house on the scooter? You’ll need one or more ramps. Can you lift them and position them properly? Will the scooter actually fit into your car, or do you need another car? If you have a suitable van or SUV and want to just drive the scooter onboard without disassembly, you’ll need ramps or other equipment. Can you put them in place, load the scooter, then store them? I guess the point is that when you’re considering a scooter, consider what you’ll need to use it as you expect to.

My first scooter was a Pride Victory 3 wheel scooter. I loved that scooter and never had a issue going anywhere. I have a lift on the back of my vehicle for transport. After having it for 5 or 6 years I wanted too get one with suspension for a better ride. My new one was a four wheeler and I hated it because the ride wasn’t that great so I traded it for a 3 wheeler. I can turn my scooter on a dime and never had a problem. The 4 wheeler ones just take up way too much room too maneuver. If your careful how you use a 3 wheeler their better but that’s my opinion.

I’ve used a mobility scooter over 28+ years now, and have seen literally dozens of people upended when simply turning a normal turn at a corner!!! They’ve ALL been 3 wheel scooters! My scooter (4-wheel. 28 years now) has NEVER upended! I count on 13 miles radius when fully charged, (advertisement says 16). I go everywhere!!!

Good info. The next video needs to be a comparison.... or what to watch for checklist. There is a lot of difference from one scooter to the next when it comes to prone to tip, or to go up grades. If the batrery and your weight is at the back and it has a single front tire tha is the one powered by the motor you may need to be able to lean forward to get traction. Others if the back wheel base is too narrow tip easily.

Thanks! This is really helpful.

I have one of the larger scooters and it wasn't cheap, try $4500 AUSD and forget about getting insurance. I can't use it inside my tiny flat I don't need it inside yet I bought it for outside use anyway as I live at the bottom of a steep hill that was becoming more difficult ti negotiate as I got older

Very helpful

Thank you for the video

I have an electric chair and a mobility scooter and I find the scooter slightly easier to drive. It was also a lot cheaper than the chair, I do agree about the turning circle though.

Can anyone tell me? In the US and Canada, when there's no sidewalk and you have to drive in the road, do you ride on the left or the right. I'm not disabled, but when I see someone on a mobility scooter, riding on the road rather then the sidewalk, at least nine out of ten scooter riders ride on the right - WITH the oncoming traffic. And that seems wrong. Surely it would be MUCH safer to ride on the left, FACING the oncoming traffic. That way, if a car driver isn't paying as much attention as they should be, you can SEE them driving right at you. And you can take evasive action to avoid them. As a pedestrian, I ALWAYS walk on the LEFT side of the road when there's no sidewalk. For the same reasons I stated above.

I am so pleased that I live in the U.K. - it seems horrific to me the number of hoops you need to jump through in the U.S. just to get access to what is considered basic disability care over here.

Thanks, for unbiased recommendations.

My scooter is a Chinese one and cannot be disassembled it has a range of up to 45 miles on a full charge. It has lights, indicators and a horn but the seat does not swivel but the armrests go up so that a person can access from the side. It's a three wheeler and has a small turning circle, about 9 ft. I use it up to 4 times a week and charge it once per week.

Three comments: a simple phrase to describe scooters vs. wheelchairs is that scooters provide more dignity; as well, three-wheeled scooters have a vastly tighter turning radius than four-wheeled scooters making them much more maneuverable with a lighter tiller effort; last, scooters can be permanently programed to limit speed for frailer riders.

There are a few scooters (some made in China) that look more like a moped and less like a disability scooter!

What is really needed is a mobility scooter or electric wheelchair with a custom trailer which allows a disabled person to store/unpack/setup/repack a market trading stall with a craft and secure cash box without needing any assistance to trade. It would bridge the gap for the disabled to be able to work independently at local markets and drive home themselves after packing up.

Tip it’s also good to have if your hand big electric wheelchair and you want to fly so that you can take a taxi or relatives car

Please explain paying fiorscooters with Medicare part b

Need prices for the E runner car

which scooters work best on grass?

The bit I don’t understand is why are the extra bits you put on like a canvas roof a bag for your shopping cost a arm and a leg it’s a rip of to the pensioners that have one

When i worked for Rascal mobility they wanted me to fudge a lot on that Medicare paper work! I quit,,,

What’s the story about batteries you don’t say much about them like wear and tear etc

Why not two wheelers not are in that category? Person have only limited legs strenght to walk, but good stability.

Excellent video.

When people see me, and I look much younger than i am, they probably see the fact that I'm obese and assume that's why I use one. However, I have a birth defects that causes a terribly painful syndrome and makes my balance way off from my waist down. But I don't have muscle atrophy, so I'm able to maneuver getting on and off. My poor husband has Parkinson's and needs it much more than I do, so whenever we're together, he gets priority.. We finally bought him a scooter. When it is nice weather and we'll be in the store for a while, we'll use it. If he's having a rough day indoors, we will use it. But we paid for the whole thing ourselves. Sadly, he is bedbound currently. We have to get a transport and stretcher to get him to doctor appointments currently. We don't know if we can find a way to celebrate Thanksgiving or not. We might have to postpone it. We've done that with other events, such as valentines, birthdays, and anniversary, etc.

I have to disagree with the disadvantages he starts listing. I also am a mobility professional with 16 years of experience. The first thing he misrepresents is that scooters are hard to get on. Actually, the vast majority have a swivel seat so that a user can easily sit back and then swivel into place. They also have arms that swing back out of the way, as well as a tiller that moves forward to increase space in front of the seat. Seats are height adjustable to precisely fit the patient. 2nd, while larger 4-wheel scooters may have very wide turn radiuses, they have been greatly improved in that regard and a few even have new technology to turn as tight as a 3-wheeler. And, the 3-wheel models are not as tipsy as many believe, meaning that for most users, safety is not sacrificed for tight turning capability. Only the largest scooters, with 4 wheels, require the space he claims. Also, seat belts can offer an even higher degree of safety and support for users with weakness or who just want the added security. 3rd, while he is correct that scooters require a bit more effort to drive, they are easier to master than the joystick-driven powerchairs and also much easier to control. What the user may sacrifice in turnability (which is small) is compensated by the ease of operating. There are scooters small enough that by comparison do not require much more space than the average powerchair. Only the most compact. lightweight powerchairs will be more maneuverable than a compact scooter. I understand where this is coming from, but in my experience, scooters need not be feared as he seems to believe. As he admits early in the video, the lower price tag makes scooters a very attractive option for all but the most seriously disabled patients.

I think you need to seriously update the information in this video! Where the hell can you buy a mobility scooter for under $1000 in Canada? You certainly can’t get one that’s brand new for that price. This is a ridiculous quote to make within the video, most mobility scooters are several thousand dollars each!

Another floor or negative thing is the range on them is NOT!!!! by any means what ALL manifactures ( excuse spelling error) say they do ( i.e 25 miles or so 👎👎👎👎👎👎👎 your lucky to do a max of 3 to 5 miles depending on terrain. The rougher the terrain or more incline ( uphill driving) or even both the far less distance you will get out of your batteries. Unless this can be DEBUNKED!!! ( or made of some other facts / of which i personally to be NOT TRUE!!!😠😠😠😠😠👎👎👎👎). So, do NOT!!! believe any manifactor or even salesperson that they will do anywhere near that range. Even a brand new one won't get anywhere the milage they say they do. I have one & had it for a while & has had two brand new GEL TYPE 80amp batteries total of 160amp & i still get well under 7miles at a snails pace. If i was going quite quick i know i wouldn't get 2 miles. So, NEVER EVER believe them when they tell you the max range ius X amount of miles. It's total BULL!!!

My 20lbs luggage scooter works well in my house because it’s tiny and cheap

Most medium scooters on the market these days have swivel seats.

Hmmm

I love my scooter I can walk but I can't walk long distance I can take my dog out for long trips it's probably one of the best investments I've ever made I can't use it in my apartment because obviously it's too small the apartment I mean but I can bring it in because I happen to be in lower level apartment pretty easy to maneuver of course like anything you have to be careful I tell my dog let's go on the scooter and he goes crazy I take him for long walks I couldn't do that otherwise so I love my scooter

This is old the seat now turn they are not hard to drive l have had a scooter for a long time they turn in much smaller.l space than he's saying they should removed this it is so out of date

Walmart has their own scooters

Depends where you live. In the UK these scooters can only be used on private property and only with the consent of the landowner. So virtually nowhere. Hopefully the UK police will enforce the rules.

You are way out of date, what about folding scooters, and turning circle can be very tight almost in their own length with 3 and close 4 wheel configurations

Sir... If you have not had to use a scooter on a permanent basis.... your information is wrong on your disadvantages!

Seems like I would be at the end of my life, when I needed one. I’m 75, and am starting to have weakness in my legs, and balancing problems. I use the scooters in stores, but they are a pain getting out of to reach my objectives. Loading & unloading is still more trouble than it’s worth, for me or my wife. I’m getting fit for a walker, at the VA. They want to give me physical therapy with it, to strengthen my balance, & what ever. Walking on my own is still the best, but not falling, is my goal. With a good walker, I could get exercise, with confidence, and they are so much easier to load/unload and store in restaurants. I believe laziness & being overweight, got me into my situation. My wife shouldn’t have to pay for my laziness. I will try to get more mobile, without a scooter, even though they are attractive! There must be a ton of used ones, from widows!

Parige

thanks, ive been thinking of purchasing a mobility scooter and your video really helped me decide to not buy one. i am going to crawl around instead

Lol

СКУТЕРА ДУЖЕ ГАРНІ І І УДОБНІ АЛЕ НЕ ІВАЛІДАМ ТАКІ КУПИТИ НЕМАЮ ТЬ МОЖЛИВІСТЬ КУПИТИ ТИМ БІЛЬШЕ З УКРАІНИ У НАС ВІЙНА І МИ СИДИМО ДОМА К У ТЮРМІ БО ГРОШЕЙ НЕМА У НАС ЩОБ КУПИТИ

I need a scooter to get down the street to the rent office A walker won't let me walk as far as that without taking a rest

People fake needing one

These days, most people use scooters for outdoor use. I've just ordered my first one after doing much research. The problem with them isn't with the scooter itself, it's the DRIVER that's the problem.Many people who have got too old or infirm to drive a car anymore look to scooters as a recreational replacement, forgetting that there's a reason they're no longer allowed behind the wheel of a car. Primarily, many of them are unsafe and a menace to sidewalk/pavement and road users alike. They can be an absolute menace. A dangerous menace, if left unchecked. They should face yearly tests and be licensed, for the safety of the general public. I look forward to receiving mine, but it will be driven with care and consideration. Woe-betide any 'scooter raging' twit that crosses MY path... I think a toy water pistol in the basket wouldn't come amiss. 🛵