Mobility Scooter Under 1 Metre For Buses

SpeedyWheels72

My local buses let you on with mobility scooters up to 1 metre long. The only problem, I can't find a good one that small! Most of the ones with suspension or padded seats are 110-130cm which is frustrating.

Does anybody have any suggestions?

ChrisR777

Getting on a bus with a mobility scooter doesn't look easy. Have you ever thought of a powerchair? My folding Freedom Chair is much more manoeuvrable than any scooter

egiste2r

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/148394/mobility-scooter-under-1-metre-for-buses

In my opinion, this is discrimination.

ChrisR777

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1145471#Comment_1145471

How can it be discrimination to only allow scooters on the bus, that actually fit in the designated place? Scooters are hopeless in tight spots as it is.

I met someone last week who has to book in advance to bring his compact class 3 scooter on the bus, not all the fleet of buses can accommodate it. A powerchair is a much more practical option for regular bus users, they have priority over prams etc, one can't be refused travel in a powerchair, unlike a scooter.

egiste2r

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1145489#Comment_1145489

Scooters appeared more than one year ago and companies had to take this fact into account when buying buses.

bookrabbit

I have a scooter (an efoldi explorer) that I would have liked to be able to use on buses but because it is class 3 they won't consider it. If I could manage to get it on folded it would be ok but I can't manage that by myself.

Facing this reality I also bought a light weight power chair. I use it whenever I go on a bus alone and it's far easier. It makes manoeuvring into a disabled toilet and in the pool changing rooms far easier too. It is slower and harder to steer on pavements though. It fits behind my front door and the efoldi goes in the cupboard under the stairs and I use that to go for rides around the village. I bought it on eBay at a fraction of the usual space or buying a chair too wouldn't have been possible.

Each has its uses and I can do more having both so I am pleased with this solution.

ChrisR777

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1145850#Comment_1145850

Glad you have managed to find a workable solution, it isn’t cheap being disabled, is it? I have a class 3 scooter for my daily 6 mile dog walk, a Quickie Q700M I use at home, and a Freedom Chair powerchair to travel on trains and locally, I know what you mean about steering, they hate cambered pavements!

Do you swim at your local council swimming pool? I would like to try that, but how do you get from the changing room to the pool? That's the bit that puts me off.

dkb123

Most LA pools are accessible and the management will always help

ChrisR777

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1145956#Comment_1145956

Thanks! 👍️

SheffieldMan1976

Unfortunately, they closed the Pool up at King Ted's last month, there was a big local outrage about that but they did it anyway,

We used to go there a lot back in the 80s, it was a funny Pool, shallow at both ends and deep in the middle as I recall.

MissMarple

I have a Careco Scootcase which I'm quite sure is under 1 metre, though I don't have the exact measurements. It seems it is discontinued now, but I see other small, folding options on their website. Not sure if they would fit your other requirements and they are quite expensive. How mobile are you in terms of getting on/off the scooter and folding it? I'm asking this because e.g. my scooter can be shortened without fully folding it, and it takes about 5 seconds. Could getting off the scooter for the duration of the bus journey be possible at all?