Mobility scooters come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are designed to be lightweight which makes them very easy to transport. Ideal if you are planning on travelling abroad. There are also scooters that are foldable which makes it very convenient to fold away and put into the boot of your car. With recent advancements in technologies, you can even find electric mobility scooters which fold by themselves, powered by an electric motor which is push button controlled via key remote.
The days of being stranded indoors or being reliant on someone else to help you get out and about are long over. With a mobility scooter, you can have the freedom to travel when you want and where ever you want. Be it a quick visit to your local shops on the high street, or perhaps on a journey a little further away when you're feeling adventurous. Some of these mobility scooters are small enough to travel abroad with. It all depends on what you need and how you plan to be using your new scooter.
The UK government classes these mobility scooters as Class 2 and Class 3. Class 2 mobility scooters are speed restricted to 4 mph and also only allowed to be driven on the pavement. They are not allowed to be driven on the road, unless it is solely to cross the road where there is no pavement.
Class 3 mobility scooters are restricted in speed to 8mph. As they are allowed to be driven on the road, they are required to have a certain number of features fitted:
- a maximum unladen weight of 150kg
- a maximum width of 0.85 metres
- a device to limit its speed to 4mph
- a maximum speed of 8mph
- an efficient braking system
- front and rear lights and reflectors
- direction indicators able to operate as a hazard warning signal
- an audible horn
- a rear view mirror
- an amber flashing light if it’s used on a dual carriageway
If any of these features are missing or not working, then you may be stopped by the Police. Note that class 3 mobility scooters have 2 speed controls. 4mph for when driving on the pavement, and 8mph for when driving on the road. It's important to understand this before investing into a new mobility scooter, as they are an expensive investment. You only want to buy it once and use it for many years to come. If you are planning on only local visits to the shops, then a class 2 mobility scooter will be ideal for you. If however you plan to do long distance travelling or driving on the road, then you need to plan to get a class 3 mobility scooter instead, as this will serve both purposes, pavement use and road use. The class 3 mobility scooter is more heavy duty and they do tend to have longer lasting batteries between charges.
For more information on mobility scooters and to view our full range of possibilities, visit us at our website at MyMobilityScooters.co.uk.
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