Medical scooters versus regular scooters

Posted by AmandaTom on February 27th, 2014

 People who have mobility issues can use medical scooters to travel from place to place. These are vehicles created to help people suffering from arthritis or recovering from an accident get around easily. To use a mobility scooter, you need to know how to control it in order to avoid unpleasant situations.

You do not need a driver’s license to be able to use medical scooters, just as you do not need one to be able to use a wheelchair. However, this does not mean that you can get a mobility scooter and ride it very fast. Firstly, high speed is very difficult to achieve with a mobility scooter and secondly, it is against the law to ride a medical scooter fast.

To make sure you comply with your local and national laws and regulations regarding mobility scooters, check out the maximum speeds accepted for using a medical scooter on a footway or on the road. Generally, these are very low, for the protection of those who use medical scooters and of those around them.

Regular scooters, on the other hand, can be driven at much higher speeds. Still, they are a type of motorcycle, thus they need to respect the regulations that any motorized vehicle has to respect on the road. Maximum speed limits vary from state to state, therefore, you have to read the legislation in this regard before traveling to a new location.

Regular scooters, just like mobility scooters, are popular for personal transport. They are mainly used for short distances and are easy to use and maintain. The main difference that occurs between motor scooters and mobility scooters is represented by the existence of foot controls on motor scooters, controls that do not exist on mobility scooters.

Scooters designed for disabled people have only hand controls, to allow their users to maneuver them simply by using their hands. With hand controls, users are able to accelerate, brake and steer their vehicle. Mobility scooters should be used only on level surfaces, since it is difficult to navigate through obstacles in a medical scooter.

Another difference between mobility scooters and regular scooters is represented by their propulsion. Mobility scooters present batteries that make them electrically powered, while regular scooters can be powered by batteries or fuel. Because they can reach high speeds, are somehow pollutant and require a driver's license, regular scooters need to be registered and insured, not like medical scooters.

The shape is another difference worth mentioning. Mobility scooters feature three, four or even five wheels, a seat, steerable wheels and handlebars. Scooters are very similar to motorcycles, thus they feature only two wheels. The other controls are just like those of a motorcycle: the gas and brake levers are on the right, while the clutch is on the left.

Traveling is an activity that should be undertaken by everybody, regardless of their physical problems. If you suffer from a certain disease that creates difficulties in walking or are in a wheelchair, one of the easiest ways to travel is by using medical scooters. These vehicles have hand controls, which means that you can maneuver them simply by using your hands. We can deliver three-wheeled, four-wheeled and heavy-duty scooters. Visit our website to learn more.

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AmandaTom

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AmandaTom
Joined: August 8th, 2012
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