Watching an episode of the comedy hit Benidorm, you’d think all mobility scooter users were eccentric northern women who saw it as a fashionable weapon to mow down aggravating family members whilst careering down narrow alleys.

Even though the series has become very successful, and it is very funny in parts, its portrayal of electric mobility scooters masks the underlying seriousness involved in all things ‘scooters mobility’. You see, far from being an exercise in fun and futility, scooters play a critical role in the lives of their users.

Why? They allow people, who would otherwise need a wheelchair and a carer, to retain their independence and remain mobile. For those of us used to going where we want, when we want, it is difficult to imagine how losing one’s independence and mobility impacts a person.

Not only that, it is difficult to imagine how it affects people mentally, what with all the implications for a person’s self esteem. For these reasons, the recent developments and innovations in battery mobility scooters are of great importance for a significant section of the UK’s population. If you don’t believe me, have a look at how many people search on Google for the words ‘mobility scooters’ – 100’s of thousands.

So what does MobilityCompare recommend? Well, it all comes down to a person’s individual requirements. Our current scooter favourite is the solid Mayan that can carry up to 45 stone and is especially designed for both flat surfaces and hills. Yes, the Mayan is a little more pricey than its competitors at £6k, but what we like about it is that it can go all-terrain – if Rambo had a scooter this is what he’d buy. He’d have to fit a sidebox for his AK-47 though. Seriously, for people in more rural areas, the Mayan is an excellent choice and clearly worth the investment.

However, if you really want to embrace the contemporary trend of the mobility scooter, look out for the U3-X accessory before its owner hits you! Developed by Honda this portable design is still being designed, however the perks of the 22lbs invention are phenomenal.  Take a look at the photo of the U3-X below:

Honda_U3-X_side

A device that is shaped like a figure of 8, a rider can steer the scooter by leaning in the direction they want to go. Correct me if I’m wrong but this sounds like a snowboarding, wakeboarding or surfing technique, but can we really put mobility scooter users in the same league?

Well yes actually.  This is simply the 21st century next generation.

Finally, something that has come to our attention at MobilityCompare: as your scooter gets faster and becomes frequently more road-used, you will need to take precautions. It will need lights for instance – both front and tail – and you may want to consider some insurance.

We will look at these aspects in future blogs….