Misconceptions About Compact Mobility Scooters

Compact mobility scooters are one of the core products that Active Mobility focuses on, however while mobility scooters have been around for a while there are still some misconceptions about lightweight travel mobility scooters. This could lead to an uninformed decision when purchasing them. That’s why today we’ll list some of those misconceptions and get some facts on whether or not it’s true.

They’re meant for people living with severe disabilities, not someone with minor mobility issues

It’s important to understand that there are a wide range of lightweight mobility scooters that we offer and each are designed for different needs of the user. While some are designed for those living with severe disabilities, there are a growing number of people who simply need it for the occasional trip down the shops.

Examples are people living with arthritis, MS, general walking difficulties and those in rehab. Lightweight mobility scooters allow these users to have their freedom and independence back; which is the real benefit of compact mobility scooters – being able to move around without having to rely upon others.

Mobility scooters are too heavy to be used

That’s not correct. True, there are some mobility scooters that are too heavy to lift especially the bariatric range, which will require external car lifts to transport. However compact mobility scooters are designed with customer use in mind meaning that they’re quite light and can even be taken apart.

One example is our popular Colibri Compact mobility scooter, which can easily be dismantled in less than a minute and without the need for tools. Together the overall weight of the mobility scooter is 49kg so users can lift it up and put in the back of the car if they’re strong enough.

They’re hard to assemble and not easily transportable via vehicle

Similar to the 2^nd point some scooters have this difficulty. This is why it’s important for those wanting a lightweight mobility scooter to find one that can be folded down, easily lifted out of the car and be extremely easy to assemble. Most of our mobility scooters can be folded down and some can also be assembled and taken apart easily.

We’ve already spoken about the Colibri, but the Shoprider Getabout is another example of folding scooters. The Getabout can be easily folded up and weighs only 27kg making it ideal for those that are travelling on cruise ships or public transport and with a small wheel size it can easily move around small spaces such as houses or public transport.

Scooters are not comfortable to use

Comfort is an important factor with many users, which some scooters are starting to address. Factors include a thick seat pad and a backrest that can offer excellent support along with the ability to adjust seat height to suit user needs. For this reason when purchasing a mobility scooter make sure that you have at least 4 areas of the following adjustments:

• Seat height
• Backrest depth
• Handlebar height
• Rear axle/wheel width

Scooters are hard to drive and control

To determine whether the scooter is suitable for you it’s best to trial it first. Generally 3 wheeled scooters have a much smaller turning radius making them ideal for places with small spaces such as homes, apartments and public transport. Additionally they’re generally lighter and have a extra leg room due to the absence of two front wheels making ideal for users who are either tall or suffering from leg/knee injuries.

Unfortunately it comes at the cost of stability as although they do include anti-tip wheels for safety, they’re not as stable as four-wheel scooters and are best used on smooth, level surfaces not on rougher outdoor terrains.

Four wheeled scooters are much more stable and can handle a variety of uneven terrain however this is at the cost of mobility.

Despite these differences most mobility scooters have the ability to allow you to set the speed meaning if you want to take it slowly you can adjust the scooter to drive slowly and then slowly increase it as you become comfortable with the scooter.

Scooters can’t be taken on airplanes, trains and cruise ships

The best way to find out whether your scooter is able to be taken on board is to check with the company itself as they will be able to tell you whether the scooter can or cannot be taken aboard. Cruise ships and trains should be fine for compact scooters as most can be folded down as we’ve explained in previous points.

Mobility scooters are hard to maintain

Maintaining a mobility scooter depends on the type you have and how often you use it. If you’re ever unsure on whether or not your scooter needs maintenance you can email to our friendly service department at repairs@activemobility.com.au. Alternatively you can also read our blog post on common mobility scooter faults and how to fix them..

Hopefully you’ll now have a better understanding of how compact mobility scooters work and misconceptions you had have now been answered. If you’re still unsure whether compact scooters are what you need then you can email to our sales team at sales@activemobility.com.au and we’ll try to answer your questions as best we can.