Mobility scooters - Advantages over a wheelchair

The last few years have seen a massive increase in the use, availability and affordability of mobility scooters and there are a number of reasons why this is the case.

Not too long ago the only options available for someone who had lost their lower body mobility were the manual and electric wheelchairs. Both had their limitations, not least the physical requirements of having to turn the wheels on a manual wheelchair.

But things have changed. Strong but lightweight materials and superior chassis construction, along with quick charge and long drive range batteries have all made the mobility scooter one of the best ways to get around for those with limited mobility.

The advantages of a mobility scooter

Modern mobility scooters offer a number of important advantages over wheelchairs, but addionally they can also give a more extended level of mobility to those who can get around in the home and garden, but would also like to go further a field independently. Here are some of the advantages of these scooters.

• Stability and safety – mobility scooters can be 3, 4 or 5 wheeled, but all are designed to be safe, stable and well balanced. These machines are designed with ergonomics as a priority and they are easy to get in to and out of and they always feel secure. The bulk of the weight is kept near to the ground giving these vehicles a low and well balanced centre of gravity.
• Manoeuvrability – unlike the wheel chair, a scooter is designed to be driven, controlled and steered by the driver and not someone pushing from behind. Wheelchairs were intended to be pushed and the addition of a self powering motor takes away the stability that comes from having someone pushing and guiding the chair from behind. The mobility scooter has no such problems. A proper handlebar arrangement with brakes and controls leaves the driver in full and safe control, and the scooter is intended to make turns, change direction and make controlled stops and starts. Proper independent suspension on air filled tyres based on a chassis with good ground clearance completes the clever and practical design featured on most scooters. This is a proper vehicle that is being used exactly as it was intended to be and not in a way that is simply the result of modifying and older technology with a new battery and motor.
• Comfort – A conventional wheelchair has the seat and main structural frame worked into one. This means that the seating is poorly designed and offers little adjustment. The seat on a mobility scooter is completely independent to the construction of the scooter’s chassis. This means that the seat has one objective, to provide maximum comfort with a high level of adjustability and lots of padding. These chairs have deep seats (that will usually swivel for easy ingress), fold up armrests and adjustment for the drivers size and shape. Furthermore the seat is positioned in the optimum spot for good balance and scooter manoeuvrability, and this means that the driver should not feel the need to lean for balance. The quality of ride comfort is then further enhanced by soft suspension, often independent for each wheel and on comparatively large air filled tyres.
• Control – Mobility scooters are designed to place you in complete control of the vehicle. You sit higher than you would in a wheelchair for maximum visibility, and you have instant control over your speed, your direction of travel and your braking. On most models you will have mirrors to enable you to see what is happening behind you and lights and even direction indicators allow you to signal your intentions to those around you.
• Safety – All mobility scooters have rigorous safety testing to ensure that they are stable and that they will not fall over or throw out their driver during proper use. They are also designed to sustain their operation and protect a driver at slow speed impacts. Many scooters have seats belts for added safety. However, it is important to remember that a mobility scooter is a powered vehicle capable of up to 8mph and improper use can be dangerous to both the driver others who come into contact with it. Like all vehicles, a mobility scooter is only as safe as the person controlling it.
• Information and feedback – All but the most basic scooters will have some kind of dashboard arrangement on the handlebar console that provides important information and driver feedback. The types of information available vary significantly between models and can include any or all of the following. Driving speed, battery charge level, the remaining driving range (based on battery usage), a clock, distance travelled display, temperature gauge, lights display, forward or reverse indicator, full or half speed indicator (for road worthy scooters), battery charge meter, diagnostic and fault display.
• Style and appearance – These days you can buy mobility scooters in different colours and with the ability to select from a range of accessories that include, practical features like disc brakes and aesthetic features like alloy wheels and illuminated dashboards. Waterproof dash console covers, a roof, cleverly designed driving column mounted storage shelf, and mirrors with built in indicators are just some of the stylish features that some of the more expensive models offer. Indeed some of these mobility scooters take their styling from conventional road scooters and the three wheeled models can be difficult to distinguish from regular 125cc scooters and trikes.

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