I have eventually got round to deciding to get a mobility scooter after much “I don’t want people looking at me, so I don’t want one” I have realised that I need one or I’ll never leave the house.
I’ve settled on the model I want so I have that part sorted at least. I will need to store it outside as I live in a 1 bed flat with no room for a scooter, nor do I want a ramp at my front door at this point in time. Do I need a storage shed? I cannot find these cheap enough for me to afford and I doubt the MS Society will give me a grant for one of those as well as the scooter. I know a cover would keep it dry but are they enough during winter?
lts the battery that suffers in severe cold. So if it is a small battery that you can lift - then it would be possible to take the battery indoors in winter.
You can get covers - for scooters - and they are quite heavy duty. Look on ebay!! Or a waterproof cover designed to cover garden furniture - bbqs. etc might fit a scooter. Security is a concern if you intend to leave it outside. Even is you take the key out - it is still vunerable to theives.
Wouldn’t be without my scooters. l get out everyday with my dogs - whatever the weather.
But I also live in a 1-bed flat …with a parking-space about 250 yards from the block.
I don’t have any other outside space (…there are communal lawns right outside, but no ground that belongs exclusively to me).
I would therefore wonder if you have any outside ground on which to put a shed, and if you would have access to a mains supply to re-charge the scooter as need be ?!!
(…I certainly don’t have either, and couldn’t park a scooter near enough to the flat in order to use my domestic electricity supply !!)
You’ve almost certainly already considered these things …but just in case …
As Dom mentioned - have you considered the charging issue? How will you charge the batteries? I was forced to store my scooter outside for a while after I moved house. I had a heavy weight waterproof cover. It was quite adequate but I worried about wind. As it happened I never had to cope with that problem but I planned to use bungee cords to fasten it to the scooter.
I understand about the expense but personally I would not like to use a fabric/type cover all the time. I would try to find grant funding for some kind of durable storage if you can
I’m going to speak to my nurse on Tuesday about getting the ball rolling on a grant. I might need to give the MS Society another call to see if they could help part fund a shed as I think a mixture of that and a heavy cover would be best owing to the lovely Scottish winter weather.
Keeping the scooter safe isn’t much of an issue as I have a side entrance to a shared back garden with the flat above me which is locked and I have the only key (upstairs neighbour is prety much non-existent). They could still try and lift it over the fence, which is about 6ft, which with a spotlight front a neighbours rear garden shining directly onto mine it could either less likely to be stolen or make it easier. I’m getting a 6mph model which can’t have the battery removed. As my flat is with a housing association they would be able to arrange fitting facilities for outside charging. I also have my own front garden and driveway but it is so easy to just walk away with it from there.
As I’ll need an assessment by an OT, I think anyway, before applying for a grant I think they could help, with possibly my housing, on deciding where best to keep the scooter. The back garden, although communal, is the best place.
Hi what you need is a good sense of humour, no only joking, make sure you get insurance saw a thing on tv couple of weeks ago where people get knocked down lots by mobility scooters, and it costs the uninsured drivers plenty.
SquiffyG, Insurance is the one thing I did know about. I’ve heard many stories of scooters being stolen and the owner had no insurance on it. I’ve nearly been run over by people on scooters there’s a older woman around my way who goes full speed on the pavement and your stuffed if your in her way. I have found that there is some people in wheelchairs or scooters can be really rude and expect the whole world to get out their way.
Unfortunately Hoppity I never learned to drive so I can’t stick it in a car. You don’t really want me on the road anyway I’d be a dangerous driver. Also I live in a hilly area so I need a larger model that can cope with hills which don’t have removable batteries. I’m quite light (I weigh less than the scooter) so I’m hoping that the one I’m planning on getting will suffice. I might try for a loaner first though.
I said some not all, nor most, nor many, implying a small minority. How is that generalising? If you don’t find someone on a road legal scooter going full speed past a busy bus stop with just about enough clearance for their scooter ignorant, there’s something wrong with you or you are that person. I’ve been whacked in the heels more than once by wheelchair users who think I have eyes on the back of my head. Again I was not generalising but merely putting forward my own experience.
Is there something about the way I put an opinion forward that causes the meaning to be mis-understood. I need to know this because it is annoying me (I’m being serious BTW) so all opinions are welcome PM only though.