“This Scooter Has Changed My Life!”
By Melanie Preston

I have a Sunrise Medical Elite scooter which I love as it’s given me freedom and independence.

It’s very well designed and the controls are very easy to operate. It’s a smooth ride over pavements and the seat is so incredibly comfortable – like an armchair. I have no trouble being on it for an hour.

This scooter has completely changed my life. For 2-3 years I couldn’t go outside at all to walk around, not even to post a letter, and could only travel around by taxis, which was expensive and you don’t have control over when you come and go. The scooter makes me much more independent. I can go and visit friends – I wasn’t able to do that before. And I can go to local shops, have my hair done, and buy a paper. I feel I’ve been out for a bit of fresh air. I can go to a cafe and sit at an outside table and have a coffee. I also go on it to my Pilates class twenty minutes away.  Friends and family are amazed at its quality.

I think it’s a young, disabled person’s scooter. It is expensive, but as I don’t drive a car, this was my answer to driving. When I was looking for a scooter, I wanted something which reflected my personality – which is to be outgoing and adventurous. I didn’t want a scooter which just went on pavements, but something which could take me through woods and into the countryside. This scooter can go places other scooters can’t manage. It can go 36 miles on one charge, can handle grass, sand and rough terrain and can climb up a 4” kerb.

Before MS, I used to love mountain walking, and now my scooter enables me to climb steep hills again. I can now go for walks with my husband Mark – something I haven’t been able to do for years.  Now we’ve got a large Toyota Corolla, we take the scooter with us wherever we go. We’ve got family on the south coast and can have sea walks along the cliffs. Mark can walk beside me and we can still talk. It’s got a variable speed up to 8mph and if I go a bit faster it can keep him fit.

Before getting this scooter, Mark pushed me in the wheelchair but it’s not the same as walking beside him talking and being able to enjoy the walk. In a wheelchair, you can’t see the person who’s pushing you, but in a scooter they can walk beside you. When you’re in a wheelchair, it feels a very passive thing to do, especially when you’re pushed. I find it very painful when people talk to my husband and not me. When you’re on a scooter, it shows you’ve got all your faculties.

I like the way it looks and chose it in navy. I’ve been out in all weathers and it’s really waterproof. After it’s rained, you only have to wipe it down with a tea towel and it’s completely dry to get into. You can buy a canopy so it’s completely covered like a little car. I’ve got a rain poncho which kept me really dry and my hands dry. If it gets dark while you’re out, you just switch on the headlights and feel completely safe. It’s got plenty of storage space, with a decent size basket and also a little boot. There’s room to put stuff on the base too.

I keep the scooter outside my flat, covered up with a fitted tarpaulin. The charger lead goes through the letter box. I always keep it fully charged and it always takes me where I want to go.

Of all the things I own, it’s my most prized possession. I can’t praise it highly enough.

Source: New Pathways Magazine MSRC

I have a Days Healthcare ST1 Mobility scooter. I thought I would tell you about all the things I think are good about it.

• It is a class 2 scooter which means I can drive it on footpaths and pavements, but not on the road.
• It has a top speed of 4mph
• It goes 10 miles on one charge which is plenty for me
• When it is taken apart it is light enough for me to put it in the boot:
  The heaviest part is less than 3 stone – to be honest my 4 year old grandson is heavier!
  The frame comes apart into two pieces and it splits into five pieces altogether. Which is not too many to get confusing, or too few to not be able to fit it in the boot.
• It has puncture proof tyres so I don’t need to worry about getting a puncture!
• There is a charging socket on the handlebar, which is great as you don’t need to bend down to charge it up
• The handlebars are very comfy and the scooter as a whole feels very stable and secure.

I chose a lightweight mobility scooter above others as for me, putting it into the boot was very important. I visit my elderly aunt a lot, and like to go the shops for her. She lives a good few miles away. So I go in the car to her house then use the scooter once I am there. I suggested she try it as it feels so safe, but at 93 she says she is too old for driving! She is probably right; I don’t think her eyesight is up to it anymore!

Nevertheless, it enables me to get around much more than I used to and it means I can help my aunt and get out of the house whenever I want – which is fantastic.