You'll know when it's the right time to upgrade your life with a new scooter.
As Ferris Buehler once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
Our company mission is "Mobility Is Freedom." Everything we do is to serve our customers to ensure they have the freedom, flexibility, and autonomy.
Are you curious and wondering when you need a mobility scooter?
A mobility scooter is a major purchase on the level of a new household appliance, car, or even starting a new job. It’s an entire lifestyle change that impacts your daily thinking and routines. Of course, that change is for the better, as scooters do much of the heavy lifting in life.
People considering their first scooter purchase are often triggered by major events, like an injury or other health conditions. Sometimes, it’s simply moving to a new home that has different movement requirements. Whatever the reason, people are increasingly searching for mobility.
The reality is that if you’re considering a scooter, it’s likely that you’re going to experience a much more enjoyable life owning one. They provide freedom of movement to do chores, run errands, and accomplish whatever you need without hassle.
Do I Need a Mobility Scooter?
You’re born with the ability to walk, and it’s easy to take that ability for granted after you learn. However, disabling conditions can happen throughout our lives, like being injured playing sports or getting in a car accident. It can happen at any age, but it’s most likely to occur when we get older.
Balance issues, dizziness, deterioration of strength, and other long-term health conditions can make them necessary. A close friend of mine used one for several years while recovering from a debilitating skating accident. Another lost several limbs in the war.
Many people use a mobility scooter to assist with lung-related issues. Difficulty in breathing while walking leads some people to depend on oxygen tanks. Carrying these tanks is not easy, especially when you need to conserve energy while also doing other things.
When something like this happens, it’s easy to overlook your self-perception. It can feel like everything is harder, and you may feel like you’re being judged. With electric vehicles becoming more prolific, they’re more commonplace now. So, can anyone buy one?
Can anyone have a mobility scooter?
There are no limits to who qualifies for a mobility scooter, but you may need to meet requirements set by your insurance company for them to pay for it. Medicare, for example, covers the cost of a mobility scooter only if you’re unable to use other options – like canes, crutches, and wheelchairs.
What you’ll notice when you do have one is that you no longer worry about not going somewhere. Users report a vastly improved quality of life as they go places they normally wouldn’t (or couldn’t) without a powered scooter.
And now that personal powered vehicles are more commonplace, it’s a great personal statement to use one. These scooters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors that can dazzle your friends and family. But do they require a test?
Do you need to take a test to drive a mobility scooter?
Unlike a golf cart or dune buggy, mobility scooters don’t need to be registered with your local DMV. They only require registration for recreational vehicles that may be driven on roads (or used for off-roading), and most mobility scooters only move at five miles per hour.
You’re not meant to “drive” a mobility scooter on city streets -even in bike lanes. It’s meant to be ridden on sidewalks and indoors, where many users keep theirs exclusively. If you’re still able to drive, your mobility scooter is simply your way to get to and from a vehicle.
Because of this, there are no tests you need to take, and you don’t even need a driver’s license to operate one. Just make sure you read the instruction manual thoroughly and learn everything you can before you buy.
From there, take your new scooter to an open space like a driveway or empty parking lot to get a sense for things. Learning how to propel, steer and stop your scooter will be helpful without obstacles around. If your scooter is foldable or portable, you'll also want to practice in an open area and before you actually need to collapse it down.
Where to find the best mobility scooter
Before buying a mobility scooter, make sure you understand both your needs and the associated costs. A scooter that fits your personal needs can change your life, but you must understand what they can and can’t do.
Some scooters are airline-friendly or can easily fold to fit into your car. Others are meant for long distances so you can trust they’ll stay charged for your entire day. Make sure you’re shopping with a reputable dealer that guarantees delivery of genuine products and honors manufacturer warranties.
At My Own Wheels, you’ll find a wide selection of scooters with two wheels, three wheels, or four wheels. The store has everything from basic scooters that get you around the house to outdoor-friendly scooters with weather protection and baskets for carrying things on your trip.
Whatever you choose, you’ll likely find the benefits of owning a mobility scooter far outweigh your potential worries.
