Cyclechat investigates - mobility scooters

[Milzy]

I’m not being facetious, but when did the term “colleague” end up being replaced with “co-worker”? Is it an Americanism, as I’ve only really heard it being used recently?

You’re are 100% correct, I’ve picked it up from The Sufferfest. Blame Sir Neil Henderson.
Also a colleague sounds to close when 90% of them I absolutely despise.

 

[sheddy]

If overturning at speed is a problem can anything be borrowed from recumbent tadpole designs ?

To lower CofG how about a recumbent seat with a power lift/recline mechanism ?

For concerned relatives how about a in built tracker ?

 

[steveindenmark]

Its not the vehicles you need to research, its the drivers. Ive yet to find one that is not a miserable, bombastic, old sod. I think its part of the outfit.

 

[gbb]

Worrabout the explosion of them in resorts like Benidorm ? Was it alone off, was I being overly aware of them but it seemed the last time I went there were hundreds of them. My wife and I talked about it, we love to walk, explore but of course some people absolutely dont so and also maybe struggle with the heat, perhaps if you can hire a scooter and do away with both negatives.....wahayyyyy, let's get down the bars.

 

[Globalti]

I've read somewhere that perfectly able-bodied people buy them and ride them into towns as a way of getting around parking restrictions.

I've also noticed that increasing numbers of people use the disability buggies at airports and I start fuming at how useless and lazy they are but then my more reasonable side kicks in and tells me it's good that we look after the less able so well.

 

[MichaelW2]

I used to volunteer at a shopmobility centre where we would lend out scooters. Many of the clients were grossly overweight and sat like a sack of potatoes do the scooters had to be immensely strong. They were built of low grade materials with lots of non structural cladding so weighed about twice what they needed to for the heavyweight users. For little old lady users the load/weight ratio was like a car.
If I was ever minded to design a scooter it would be a lightweight one for lightweight users and would be easy to pick up, manoeuvre and would go further on smaller batteries than the heavyweights.
I would put a safety bar bumper at ankle height with a brake. I would install some storage for shopping since this is what people use it for.

 

[Milzy]

The clue is in the word disabled.

Not all are, some folk just take the pee. Yes welcome to the real world.

 

[Slick]

Some folk are erseholes shocker.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Not all are, some folk just take the pee. Yes welcome to the real world.

So it's not the genuine disabled scooter people your friend was having a go at but the people who just ride them because they are lazy? Why didn't you say that?

It's a bit like a general criticism of those on benefits because a very small number abuse the system.

I am now a wiser but sadder man.

 

[Dave7]

Usually (not totally) ridden by fat lazy gits who know feck all about manners and the Highway Code!

Dont wrap it up......just say what you think.
But I do see a lot of users that make me think "now, if you just lost 5 stone of blubber you could possibly do without that".

 

[Blue Hills]

Dont wrap it up......just say what you think.
But I do see a lot of users that make me think "now, if you just lost 5 stone of blubber you could possibly do without that".

I well remember reading that excellent book One Man and His Bike by Mike Carter - a tale of a cycling trip round the UK. He comments more than once on the number of mobility scooters and though a liberal sort seems to have the view (I'm not disputing) that many were used as a remedy for self-inflicted abuse.

 

[screenman]

Many are hired out to people getting off the train for holidays in skeggy etc, saves walking for many less able or overweight.

 

[lane]

Not a mobility scooter but an electric wheelchair used by my uncle who had polio when he was a child. My daughter was very young and sitting on his lap. Suddenly she pushed the control to make it turn left but kept it operated so they went round in circles quite fast. He had hold of her and didn't want to let go so could not stop it. Round and round he went with a horrified look on his face.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Dont wrap it up......just say what you think.
But I do see a lot of users that make me think "now, if you just lost 5 stone of blubber you could possibly do without that".

Yes,let's not beat about the bush! As i said previously,'not totally' and i know from experience that not all disabilities are visual. I would say though that fat people are generally not very energetic,hence the over the top BMI. "why don't you get a mobility scooter" i've had said to me. I find this as worrying as "Have you made funeral and burial arrangements yet"?

 

[Dave7]

There are a number of members at the golf club that use adapted scooters with the
bag at the back. Not golf buggies, proper invalid buggies. Its a smallish, quite flat course but there is no way they could play without the scooters. It gets them out with their mates. A great idea.