AARP Report - Pride Mobility Products
Contents
1. Product REPORT Lb ast year it finally hit FL ECTR C me says Diana Lord SCOOTE RS a 50 year old with a disabling condition If I didn t do something I might never visit an art gallery again That s when she bought an electric scooter AARP Introduction Almost any day of the week you can find Diana Lord zipping along the paths and sidewalks of suburban Washington DC riding her electric scooter It gets her around the house but it also gets her out of the house She goes to church the grocery store the community center and the museums and art galleries in Washington DC via subway on her scooter For users like Diana a scooter isn t just transporta tion it s independence Diana s in her early 50s and has a disabling condition called neuromyopathy This condition weakens both her nervous and muscle systems and prevents her from taking even a few steps Last year it finally hit me says Diana If I didn t do something I might never visit an art gallery again That s when she started shopping for a scooter Diana began by reading scooter advertise ments and writing away for more information Next she test drove a scooter I was like a teenage boy with his first motorcycle Diana says She settled on an indootr outdoor scooter for 2 445 and has been a satisfied user for more than a year Diana still drives a car sporting a2. Adjustments Comfort Disassembly We don t have enough space to discuss each measurement Therefore we Il limit ourselves to the most important items Obstacle Course In some ways driving a scooter is more difficult than driving a car For example there aren t any marked scooter lanes in a shopping mall Even if there were mall walkers can appear out of nowhere forcing you to go around them or brake In its obstacle course ITD sought to gauge each scooter s ability to go around roadblocks Researchers placed plastic pylons the kind of cones used with road construction on a seven foot by 38 foot path Testers drove from one end to the other scooting around each pylon Without stopping they turned around and retraced their steps Researchers noted any errors and recorded completion times Riding Assembly Amigo Mobility Booster Electric Bruno Electric Mobility Fortress Scientific Genus Medical Invacare Leisure Lift Mobility Manufacturing Ortho Kinetics Pillar Technology Pride Health Care Ranger _ Shoprider Suntec Key Below Average Average Above Average AARP Product Report The most important finding from this trial is that no matter which scooter you buy you must exercise great care in crowded places In two out of three trials testers either struck a pylon or went out of bounds at least once per try Testers driving the Pillar Blazer Electric Mobility Rascal
3. Pride Sundancer and Booster Town and Country Sport did better making fewer than one error per try Drivers with the Amigo Deluxe Leisure Lift Pace Saver III Suntec MIDI and Ortho Kinetics 4635 scooters averaged one and one half or more errors per try Turning Next let s look at turning ability ITD conducted two trials to measure this ability In the first trial see figure 2 page 7 testers drove each scooter into a five foot by five foot room about the size of a small bathroom or an elevator The driver then backed up turned the vehicle around and drove out trying not to hit anything researchers recorded bumping into walls or door ways as an error In the second test drivers passed through a narrow hallway and made a right hand 90 turn through a 36 inch doorway a standard width for many Scooter Evaluation AARP contracted with the ProMatura Group of the Institute for Technology Development ITD to evaluate 15 indoor outdoor scooters and review user feedback ITD completed the following tasks user trials with 25 older first time user female testers driving each scooter through an obstacle course turnarounds turns straightaways ramps a grassy area and other test runs Eight separate performance measures including climbing ramps curbs measuring stopping distances and hill climbs A review of federal scooter injury files An analysis of 500 user letters and the tabulatio
4. and prescribed by a physician Medicare may reimburse you for part of the cost It will take some paperwork how ever Some private health insurance plans also cover scooters Why a Scooter A scooter s not your only choice in motorized mobility aids but it has some distinct advantages Chief among these is cost New scooters range from 1 800 to 5 000 Electric wheel chairs on the other hand are usually custom fitted and start at around 4 000 but can go as high as 15 000 to 25 000 Scooters are also more versatile They re used both indoors and out depending upon the model While you can use an electric wheel chair on sidewalks and streets they re generally not considered an outdoor ve hicle Types of Scooters To select the right vehicle for you you must decide which scooter meets your driving needs There are three types of scooters Indoor Outdoor and Indoor Outdoor Indoor scooters are smaller three wheeled vehicles Manufacturers designed them to work best indoors or on paved level ground It s a smaller and lighter scooter generally less than 130 pounds and its tires won t mark your floors This is a front wheel drive vehicle where the front wheel pulls the scooter forward Because it s a smaller lighter vehicle indoor scooters turn the tight corners in your home door ways for example without running into walls They also travel shorter distances on an electric ch
5. scooter carrier In reality however it s the scooter that gives her the legs she by Lee Norrgard Copyright 1995 AARP needs to go where she wants to go Diana s decision to buy a scooter is like those of more and more adults Last year approximately 30 40 000 consumers purchased new scooters Many scooter owners according to an AARP questionnaire sent to 500 member users appear to be older The average age was 69 years but there are also 40 year olds and 90 year olds driving scooters Half the scooter owners questioned in the AARP tabulation purchased their vehicles within the last two years and paid an average of 2 400 Over 60 percent drive their scooter every day and 58 percent use it both indoors and out Almost all users 93 percent expressed satisfaction with their ve hicles Buyers can find plenty of new and used vehicles to choose from There are at least twenty different manu facturers of scooters many with different models With all these choices how do you make a decision Product Report This book let provides information to help you decide if an electric scooter might meet your needs Up to now very little comparative information was widely available This prod uct report seeks to fill an information gap with brand name information user com ments and suggestions We can t guarantee you ll be problem free but we ll help you make a more informed choice We wrote this g
6. least The comfort extremes seemed to be focused on the seat The rigid back on the Fortress seat pinched testers as they bounced back and forth and the padding was thin The Pride and Pillar seats were well padded and seemed to wrap around and almost encase the driver The seat in effect became a suspension system The message to buyers is 1 Test drive the scooter on different surfaces before The new manufacturer of the Fortress says the seat has since been improved Winter 1995 buying and 2 Make sure the seat is comfortable for you Smooth Starts and Stops Jerky starts and stops also jostle drivers To evaluate any patterns of shaky starts and stops with scooters ITD s researchers watched testers as they accelerated and braked With each motion they tried to answer two questions Was it smooth and even Were there any jerky body move ments Overall while driving the scooters forward 89 percent of starts and 65 percent of the stops were rated as smooth and even Going backwards 91 percent of the starts and 76 percent of the stops were rated smooth and even Setting the speed control at medium the starts and stops were smoother than with the fast setting The vehicles with the smoothest stops and starts according to the researchers were the Pride Shoprider and Leisure Lift scooters On the other side researchers noted that the Suntec scooter had many uneven starts and stops Testers compl
7. motor and chassis The ability to break down the scooter into smaller pieces permits users to transport it in their car without buying special carriers ITD asked testers to assemble and disassemble the scooters and to lift the heaviest disas sembled piece Researchers demonstrated each step and asked testers to copy the procedure In general the testers completed most of these tasks They didn t find them to be difficult but it wasn t easy either First they removed the scooters seats one of the bulkier components On average half the testers dismounted the seats Testers found the Suntec and Amigo seats easiest to remove 17 of the 25 dismounted the Suntec seat and 16 the Amigo The most difficult to disassemble was the Shoprider only one of 25 testers dismounted this seat By comparison readjusting the tiller for transport was effortless Testers success fully flattened the tillers against the chassis in 98 percent of their attempts Almost three fourths of the testers rated the task as easy To successfully transport the disassembled pieces in your car you must also be able to lift them into the trunk about three feet off the ground and the scooter pieces must fit in the trunk The weight of the heaviest scooter pieces ranged from 24 pounds for the Shoprider to 85 pounds for the Amigo See Table 1 for details However weight alone isn t the only criteria for easy lifting Only eight t
8. 0 255 0285 Ortho Kinetics PO Box 1647 Waukesha WI 53187 800 558 7786 Pillar Technology Inc 417 Main ST Neodesha KS 65020 316 325 2629 Pride Health Care Inc 71 South Main Street Pittston PA 18640 800 457 5348 Ranger All Season Corporation PO Box 132 George IA 51237 800 225 3811 Shoprider 13880 Mayfield Place Richmond British Columbia Canada V6V 2E4 604 273 5173 Suntec Systems 5001 Joerns Drive Stevens Point WI 54481 800 643 4515 14 AARP EE American Association of Retired Persons 601 E Street NW Washington DC 20049 Other Product reports in this series are Canes D14916 Life Insurance for Older Adults D14139 Manufactured Housing D15599 Personal Emergency Response Systems D12905 Pre Paying Your Funeral D13188 Walkers D14390 Wheelchairs D14049 They can be ordered by writing on a postcard to AARP Fulfillment 601 E Street NW Washington DC 20049 Be sure to include the stock number Allow six to eight week for delivery Product Report Electric Scooters was produced by the American Association of Retired Persons as an educational service to members and other older persons D15979 1 1195
9. aces Can I get into my bath room on a scooter Can I back the vehicle down narrow hallways Can I park at a restaurant table and be comfortable eating dinner seated on a scooter All of these are questions about handling or how easily can you maneuver a scooter in tight spaces To try to gauge each scooter s handling ability ITD conducted six separate trials with testers These were e Negotiating an obstacle course e Turning around in a small room e Turning 90 through a typical doorway e Stopping at a precise point e Driving forward and backing down a narrow path at various speeds e Pulling up to a table Researchers clocked completion times recorded any errors bump ing into a wall for example and asked testers to rate each scooter s ease of carrying out the task ITD combined the various measure ments to provide the rating under Handling for each scooter In reading through the findings or the ratings don t consider that assessment to necessarily be the final word First although ITD conducted the trials with the rigor of scientific experiments they base their findings on a small sample of users and scooters Second there are personal trade offs to consider with each rating Readers must always keep their own needs and wishes in mind otherwise you won t find the scooter that s right for you Table 2 Handling Ability Measures Trials Saftey Performance Features and
10. ained of being jostled back and forth both starting and stopping with this vehicle Make sure you ask the same two questions with any scooter you re interested in Are the starts and stops smooth and even And am I jerked back and forth with this scooter Assembly Dissassembly Is it easy to take a scooter apart for transport Can I lift each of the disas sembled pieces How difficult is it to put it back together If the battery dies can I push the scooter All these questions relate to transporting the scooter To investigate the ease of assem bly disassembly and trans port ITD conducted six trials Without using any tools testers Removed and replaced the scooter seat Adjusted the tiller for transport Disconnected and at tached battery connectors Lifted the heaviest piece of the disassembled vehicle Released the brake lock Pushed the scooter Testers and researchers rated each trial for ease of comple tion We combined their ratings here Researchers recorded the number of testers successfully lifting the heaviest disassembled pieces Finally researchers recorded the number of testers who released the brake lock and pushed the scooters Taking it Apart and Putting it Together each of the indoor out door scoot ers disassembles into three to six pieces These pieces could include the seat tiller batteries and connec tions chassis and body shroud a cover over the
11. arge at slower speeds and cost less You will pay between 2 000 and 3 500 for a new indoor scooter Outdoor scooters by contrast weigh as much as 100 pounds more than their indoor cousins They are rear wheel drive vehicles where the rear wheels push you forward Almost all outdoor scooters have four wheels and sit higher off the ground higher ground clearance With their larger size higher ground clearance and a more powerful motor out door scooters climb hills go up curbs and travel over open ground They re faster travel farther on a battery charge and go in all kinds of weather If you want to travel longer distances outdoors this is your scooter Outdoor scoot ers also cost more 2 500 to 5 000 However manufacturers didn t design them for indoor driving Outdoor scooters can t make sharp turns through narrow doorways As a result you ll bump into walls driving indoors Also an out door scooter s tires may mark up your floors Indoor outdoor vehicles are a mixture of the best features of both indoor and outdoor scooters Most are three wheeled vehicles with rear wheel drive and soft tires A fully assembled indoor out door unit weighs between 80 and 150 pounds Unlike outdoor vehicles an indoor outdoor scooter can be readily disassembled for transport in your car s trunk You can drive an indoor outdoor scooter in your home They re harder to maneuver indoors than
12. d comple tion times measured dis tances and turning radiuses and observed ramp climbs Time and Distance With a Charge Before you set off on an all day trip through Disney World you ll want to know if your scooter will make it To measure time and distance ITD s researchers began by charging each scooter s batteries for the recommended 12 hours They then loaded the vehicle with the equivalent of a 160 pound driver and placed it on a treadmill like device Researchers set the scooter s speed control and throttle for the fastest rate and ran each vehicle in place until it drained its batteries ITD recorded the distance traveled and clocked the running time The average distance traveled by all scooters was 18 miles They ranged however from ten to 26 miles The average driving time was a little over four hours but individual vehicles ranged from two to six hours Be aware that in some instances ITD s find ings are higher or lower than manufacturers claims The differences might be attrib uted to nothing more than different measurement techniques The driver s weight weather conditions driving speed and the terrain can all influence the power drain on a battery Some scooters also use more power because they re designed to carry heavier passengers As a result they don t travel as far or as long We report ITD s findings for each scooter in Table 1 Match your needs with the ra
13. een a number of product and industry changes Electric Mobility introduced a new Rascal 230 in 1995 The new model includes a number of product changes from the vehicle tested in this study Fortress Scientific was pur chased by Optiway Technology Inc and has made a number of changes in the Fortress 2000 Genus Medical was purchased by Invacare manufacturer of the Tri Rolls and Mobility Manu facturing went out of business We chose to list these products even though they may no longer be manufactured because dealers and distributors may still stock the scooters 1 Note Many residential interior doors are only 30 inches wide Winter 1995 Take a look at the ratings under Safety Measures Here both the Bruno Invacare rate a 4 Both scooters are larger heavier and generally have a wider turning radius less able to make sharp turns That makes them difficult to maneuver in tight places but it also makes them more stable and less likely to tip The personal trade off is If you need maneu verability look at the Handling Ability rating Figure 2 Turnaround and if you need to climb hills and travel over open ground look at the ratings under Safety Measures Types of Scooters Can I cross a steep hill with a scooter Can I stop when I need to with this vehicle Can I climb a curb These are questions about scooter safety and stability To investigate these issues ITD conducted six performance te
14. egen erative brakes appear to work fine going uphill However in driving down hill at whatever speed learn the scooter s limits 3 The user trials are included under the Handling Ability column in Table 1 The performance evaluation is included under the Safety Measure column 4 It s interesting to note that both the Pride and Fortress scooters had the highest percentage of smooth stops on level ground Nonetheless on the 30 foot ramp the Pride stopped about four feet from the electric eye and the Fortress over nine feet AARP Product Report Test drive a scooter braking as you go downhill Manufacturers Amigo for example with some models do produce scooters with manual brakes and it could have been interesting to compare regenerative and manually controlled brakes with users ITD reports that the testers kept looking for the brakes as they stopped Performance Trials How many miles can I travel on a scooter Can I climb a ramp with a scooter How sharply can I turn the scooter These are all questions about scooter performance or the limits of effective vehicle operations To try to gauge scooter performance ITD conducted six separate measurements These were Measuring distance traveled on a fully charged battery Clocking maximum driving time on a charge Climbing two steep ramps nine and 18 Measuring turning radius Climbing a 35 yard long 8 hill Researchers clocke
15. ers Along with adjustability tillers swing forward and out of the way of entering and exiting drivers Most of our testers however didn t bother to swing the tillers forward after the first few test drives In their opinion this was an unneces sary bother Testers preferred the Pride tiller 86 percent in paired comparisons Electric Mobility was a close second 83 percent Testers found the latter tiller easier to adjust however both tillers are lightweight and easy to raise and lower Ignitions Overall testers prefer ignitions that are large and easy to use The top choices were the ignitions on the Pride preferred 74 percent of the time and the Shoprider preferred 70 percent The Pride key is a two inch long plug in de vice similar to the audio visual plugs banana plug found on electronic equip ment It is large easy to insert and remove and audibly clicks upon insertion AARP Product Report The Shoprider key was similar to the size of a car key Testers rated it highly because the key provided a good grip and was easy to handle Testers gave the lowest rating to the Mobility Manufacturing key pre ferred only 24 percent of the time This key was about the size of a thick stubby pencil It s a half inch cylin drical magnet encased in a rubber cover The key isn t difficult to use Rather testers didn t know what to do with it once they turned on the ignition the key doesn t
16. esters lifted the 24 pound piece of the disas sembled Shoprider Yet 12 testers lifted the heaviest piece 38 pounds on the Pride What s the difference The size of the heaviest piece The Shop rider s seat was the heaviest item on this scooter and its bulky size made it difficult for the testers to get their hands around to lift By contrast the heaviest piece on the Pride was the rear wheel assemblage It was compact and provided a handle for easier lifting Note There are commercial lifts to help you place the scooter in the trunk What do these trials mean for buyers At least one scooter advertiser claims the disas sembled pieces are so light weight no lifter someone or something to hoist the pieces is needed Yet the ITD testers failed to lift the heavi est scooter pieces in three out of four attempts A second advertising claim is that the scooter disassembles or reassembles in seconds ITD didn t time the disassembly trials but testers succeeded in dismounting scooter seats in only half their attempts 7The Electric Mobility tiller didn t readjust for transport Instead the tiller separated from the chasis Testers found this proce dure difficult AARP Product Report Clearly there s a contradic tion between what the adver tisers claim and what the testers accomplished Was there something unique about ITD s testers They were older average age 74 but ranged from 59
17. ge ranking receives a downward facing pyramid W If the scooter scored below average on safety measures for example does that mean it s unsafe No if driven according to the manufacturer s instructions it should be safe Some scooters simply perform better or are preferred by some people There is no overall rating Users must decide for them selves which scooter best meets their needs The remainder of this report discusses each of these categories in more detail Table 1 Indoor Outdoor Scooters Mfg Retail Weight in Weight Top Range in Manufacturer Model Price pounds Heaviest Part Speed Miles Amigo Mobility Deluxe 2995 158 85 4 5 25 5 Booster Electric Town amp Country Sport 2995 151 46 4 15 5 Bruno Regal Ten 75 2495 154 41 5 11 5 Electric Mobility Rascal 230 2795 130 30 5 5 14 7 Fortress Scientific 2000 3255 132 55 5 24 3 Genus Medical Flyer 2950 165 34 5 5 18 5 Invacare Tri Rolls 2860 153 47 5 5 19 8 Leisure Lift Pace Saver Ill Premium 2350 143 40 Dic 17 2 Mobility Mfg Bobcat 2395 143 38 5 5 19 7 Ortho Kinetics 4635 3295 147 48 4 9 22 1 Pillar Technology Blazer 2 1795 134 60 5 2 13 4 Pride Health Care Sundancer 2495 140 38 4 5 23 4 Ranger Safari 2295 124 43 15 5 Shoprider Sunrunner 1995 82 26 19 8 Suntec MIDI 2395 144 37 4 10 3 1As reported by the manufacturer Winter 1995 As measured by ITD Handling Ability Can I drive a scooter in crowded pl
18. however was a different story Not one scooter Table 1 Driving forward medium speed Driving forward high speed Driving reverse medium speed Percentage Stopped Percentage Stopped On Line Within Ten Inches 54 47 36 53 28 49 18 42 Driving reverse high speed came close to stopping on the proverbial dime The best performers the Bruno Shoprider Ranger and Pride scooters stopped four feet from the alarm and the For tress 2000 took more than nine feet to come to a halt Scooter manufacturers indicate the long stopping distance is a design compromise Stopping too quickly might throw the driver forward so the rate of deceleration is slowed for a gradual stop None the less long stopping distances can be dangerous if you re not pre pared You should never drive full speed down a hill particu larly in a congested area However for comparison purposes alone let s put the scooter on a 5 sidewalk in San Francisco instead of an indoor ramp If the driver delayed slamming on the brakes until reaching the street corner he or she would be in the road before the scooter came to a standstill What do these trials mean to the scooter buyer First in the main the ITD testers were close but couldn t stop on a line You probably won t either Driving experi ence will surely improve your abilities but you must always give yourself an extra margin in stopping every scooter Second remember that r
19. igher than the other for the Ranger Safari to 19 one side is approximately eight inches higher than the other for the Booster Electric Next ITD conducted three performance tests First researchers drove each scooter up and then across the same 13 hill Second they drove across a series of five potholes that ranged from 1 5 to 3 5 inches deep Third researchers drove the scooters at full speed in tight circles on level ground to learn how seat adjustments influence tip ability For the circle test they adjusted the seat to the lowest and farthest forward position and then the highest and farthest back position In all three trials researchers noted if Winter 1995 Figure 3 Scooter on hill the scooter tipped Of the 15 scooters only three successfully completed each performance test with the rear wheels planted firmly on the ground The three scooters were Leisure Lift Bruno and Comfort for more informa tion If jostled too far to one side the d river s weight alone might topple the vehicle Indoor outdoor scooters only weigh about 150 pounds ITD s 160 pound driver for Pillar Interestingly ITD found example weighed more than that these three scooters only had average or slightly better tipability angles 16 or 17 Further the scooter with the 19 tipability angle tipped Why s that Stability or keep ing the wheels on the ground is certainly related to the angle a
20. n of a user questionnaire ITD researchers measures timed and evaluated the results of the user and performance trials They queried testers about their experiences and preferences and recorded and analyzed all this information AARP was the sole sponsor of this study Every manufac turer distributor was invited to participate by donating a sample indoor outdoor product for evaluation doors Again testers tried to complete the task as quickly as possible without hitting any thing According to testers the Elec tric Mobility Pride and Pillar scooters are easier to turn around and make 90 turns They also completed the turns in the best time and made fewer errors with these vehicles On the other side testers rated the Invacare Tri Rolls as the most difficult scooter to turn around Drivers also made more errors with it and took longer to complete the exercise Similarly testers rated the Bruno Regal Ten as the most difficult scooter with which to make the right hand turns They also too longer and made more errors with the Bruno The turning trials contributed to the above average ratings for the Electric Mobility and Pillar scooters and the average or below average ratings for the Invacare and Bruno scoot ers under Handling Ability Do the down arrows here indicate inferior products Not necessarily We re back to the question of trade offs Note From the time we began the research there have b
21. nge and power demands of these scooters Climbing Ramps Office buildings schools churches and many other public facilities now have ramps for wheelchair and scooter accessibility By federal law none of these ramps should exceed 5 The question is can every scooter climb them Every manufac turer claims their products will at a minimum climb a 5 ramp and ITD s tests confirmed this Most manu facturers maintain their products do better than 5 climbing 12 or 15 ramps and hills To test these claims a 160 pound ITD researcher tried to climb both a 9 and an 18 ramp with each scooter ITD found every scooter including the Amigo which only claims to be able to climb 5 made it up al5 foot ramp set at 9 With the 18 ramp which is more than three times as steep as most access ramps every scooter except the Amigo and Genus made it up Is it safe to climb an 18 ramp or hill with these scooters No First there s a major safety consideration Climbing the18 ramp eleven scooters tipped backwards lifting the front wheels off the ground Of those scooters climbing the 18 ramp only the Leisure Lift and Booster vehicles kept their front wheels on the ground Most scooters 5 For example the Department of veterans Affairs VA certified the Leisure Lift scooter s range at 22 miles or five more miles more slower speed in the VA test Winter 1995 than the ITD test noted At least in
22. oter compari sons Testers and research assistants to rate the ease of entering and exiting adjusting the seat and armrests adjust ing the tiller and setting the speed control Throttles Once you ve turned the ignition on your scooter starts rolling when you squeeze the manual throttle see figure 1 The harder you squeeze the faster the scooter goes with in the limits set at the console speed control Even though the throttle may feel comfort able to operate remember you must squeeze it as long as you re driving Therefore the throttle s size shape texture and ease of use are all impor tant to driver comfort Testers preferred accessible large handled throttles with a rubber or plastic covering In one on one comparisons they preferred the Fortress Scien tific throttle 67 percent Its curved L shaped design made this throttle easier to reach and the handles were rubber coated with a springy comfortable material Following close by were the Pride preferred 66 percent Bruno preferred 64 percent and Electric Mobility preferred 64 percent Each of these throttles was large and coated with soft rubber or plastic Tiller Many scooters tillers adjust up and down forward and backward to fit the driver However with a very large person the tiller may not adjust to fit their torso Be sure to test this before buying a scooter Once adjusted most users don t alter their till
23. out looking at the scoot ers ITD s evaluation tried to take a snap shot look at both the older driver and scooter performance in braking In the first trial researchers asked testers to try to stop each scooter at a certain point on a track ITD asked testers to stop while going forward and in reverse at medium and then at high speeds The averages for all scooters with these trials were as listed in Table 3 The differences among individual scooters in these trials weren t significant and aren t included here In the second test ITD tried to determine the distance needed to stop a scooter traveling fool speed on an incline Here a re searcher drove each scooter full speed up and down a 5 30 foot long ramp a 5 incline is equal to the slant on ramps making buildings wheelchair accessible Midway up the ramp re searchers set up an electric eye to sound an alarm when the scooter crossed its beam Just as the alarm sounded the driver released the throttle or the scooter equivalent of slamming on the brakes as mentioned earlier scooters rely on regenerative brakes After each vehicle came to a halt researchers measured the distance from where the alarm sounded to the front of the scooter Going up the ramp the regenerative brakes brought the scooters to an immediate standstill They stopped within inches of the electric eye each scooter actually rolled backwards a little Going down the ramp
24. part the difference is connected to the fact that the scooter s throttle was set at a come equipped with anti tipping devices on the back and this second set of wheels prevented tipping over Even so when the front wheel s suspended in the air the scooter s balance is precari ous A shift in the driver s weight could cause a side ways tip It s important to remember that no manufac turer recommended climbing 18 ramps Second in climb ing inclines this steep you may trip the scooter s circuit breaker To prevent damage each scooter has a fuse like device that cuts power when the motor reaches a certain temperature climbing steep grades heats up the motor Resetting the circuit breaker restores the power providing the engine cools down Again based on your driving conditions you must decide which scooter is best for you Be sure however to buy a scooter with anti tipping wheels Features and Adjustments Can I readily get in and out of a scooter How easy is it to operate the controls H ow easy is it to adjust the scooter to fit me These are questions about scooter features and adjust ments Features include ignitions tillers speed controls throttles seat locks battery gauges and brake locks Adjustments include tiller seat and armrests To review each scooter s features and adjustments ITD asked Testers to express their preferences for features in one on one sco
25. r on different terrain s before you buy You should also find out if the salesperson services what he she sells Ask if they re factory trained Find out what happens in an emergency and what kind of reputation does the seller have And finally what happens when you travel with a scooter Conclusion The choice is yours Scooters provide the legs that many older persons need to go where they want to go There are also differences among the various products and you may need to make some trade offs We suggest you look through the test results mentioned in this booklet Give yourself plenty of time to make a decision Remem ber too the scooters we ve listed in this guide are only a small sample of what s available Scooter Manufactures Listed in this booklet Amigo Mobility International 6693 Dixie Hgwy Bridgeport MI 48722 800 821 2710 Booster Electric Vehicles 202 Woodward Hill RD Edwardsville PA 18074 800 845 9642 Bruno Independent Living Aids PO Box 84 Oconomowoc WI 53066 800 882 8183 Electric Mobility Corporation 1 Mobility Plaza Sewell NJ 08080 800 662 4548 Fortress Optiway Technology INC 500 Norfinch Dr Ontario Canada McNIY4 800 514 7061 Genus Medical Inc 441 A Applewood Crescent Concord Ontario Canada L4K 4B4 800 567 9153 Invacare Corporation PO Box 4028 Elyria OH 44036 800 333 6900 Leisure Lift Inc 1800 Merriam Lane Kansas City KS 66106 80
26. remain in the igni tion The lower rating was for an inconvenience factor Riding Comfort How comfortable is the ride on rough ground Does the scooter start and stop smoothly and evenly How comfortable are the throttle and tiller to use How loud is the motor These are questions about scooter comfort or the sense of ease or enjoyment with the ride and key features To try to measure this factor ITD asked Testers to rate comfort riding on rough ground Testers to gauge the ease of using scooter throttles and tillers e Research assistants to rate smoothness of scooter starts and Research assistants to measure noise level in deci bels Driving on Rough Ground If you ve ever driven a car on washboard gravel roads you know the value of shock absorbers and springs Most indoor outdoor scooters however don t come with a suspension system to level out the bumps in the road It s the springs and padding in the seat that cushion the driver To rate scooter comfort on a bumpy course testers drove each scooter for 90 seconds on a flat mowed grassy but uneven surface There weren t any potholes but the crusty surface visibly jostled testers Bouncing about on the grass didn t alarm testers 78 percent said the ride was stable but only 47 percent rated it as comfortable The Pride and Pillar scooters were the most comfortable on the grassy surface according to testers and the Fortress the
27. rs use an automatic system called regenerative braking The brakes automatically take hold when you release the throttle Combined with the regenerative braking is a mechanical system a parking brake which holds the vehicle in place after it stops An Electric Motor with Rechargeable Batteries Two Figure l Scooter with Yortous Ports rechargeable lead batteries power the scooter s electric motor Some scooters depend ing upon make and model speed along at up to eight miles an hour and some depending upon make and model travel up to 35 miles on a single battery charge Your scooter s maxi mum speed and range will vary not only upon make and model but also upon travel conditions Hilly roads or bad weather for example slow you down and call for more battery power With proper maintenance and care a scooter can last ARMREST TEEL SEAT DARNEL CONTROL LEVEL Srat MOUNTING Post Pakk DRAKE RELEASE LEWER PREUPAATIC WHEEL Battery Winter 1995 Harte is A CONTROL PAHEL THROTTLE Titer TILLER ANGLE ADS TMEMT Hampar for years one AARP member reports he s still driving a 1978 scooter The most expensive repair will likely be a new set of gel cell batteries costing 180 every 12 to 24 months Most consumers an esti mated 75 percent pay for their scooters out of their own pockets However if it s used indoors at least in part is medically necessary
28. sts Researchers Calibrated the angle at which a scooter begins to tip sideways Evaluated sideways tip ability with the seat at various levels Traveled full speed across a 13 grassy hill Drove across potholes e Measured stopping dis tances Climbed 2 5 3 and 3 5 inch curbs most curbs are from three to six inches high In addition ITD reviewed the scooter accident reports filed with the federal Food and Drug Administration Sideways Tipability According to the FDA s files one in six reported accidents involves a scooter tipping over on its side To be sure the overall number of re ported accidents is small Nonetheless based on both the FDA reports and ITD s findings sideways Only 230 reports were filed between 1988 and 1993 AARP Product Report tipping should be a concern for indoor outdoor scooter buyers To compare the risks of tipping ITD began by mea suring the angles at which each vehicle begins to tip sideways when one of the rear wheels lifts off the ground To determine this angle researchers slowly jacked up one side of the scooter as it sat on a plywood platform When one of the rear tires raised up research ers measured the angle of the incline On average scooters begin to tip when one side of the vehicle is about seven inches higher than the other This is approximately 16 The tip ability angles ranged from 14 one side is approxi mately six inches h
29. t which a scooter begins However no single factor appears to determine stability Crossing a small pothole shouldn t cause most scooters to tip However crossing that pothole at full speed may be a all but one of the 15 scooters he test drove over the potholes What do the tipping trials mean for the scooter buyer First and foremost if you plan to drive regularly on open ground across hills and potholes you need an outdoor scooter Outdoor scooters are larger to tip heavier and more powerful To be sure there are significant differences among the 15 scooters tested by ITD Gener ally speaking however driving indoor outdoor scooters on rough ground puts you at risk jarring experience see Riding If you must cross a hill on an indoor outdoor scooter try to avoid steep grades If you can t avoid a steep hill drive slowly crossing it in small steps Some scooters come equipped with anti tipping devices on each side These should prevent side tipovers in many instances but they re not a permanent fix Stopping on a Dime According to a number of retirement center managers scooter accidents are acceler ating in these facilities In part this is because more people are driving scooters but are there other reasons A medical journal suggests that scooter accidents relate to inadequate driver training and drivers with slowed reaction times However the authors reached these conclusions with
30. their smaller cousins but much easier than outdoor scooters You can also drive them outdoors although indoor outdoor scooters can t climb curbs and hills with the power AARP Product Report and stability of the heavier outdoor vehicles In fact it may be wise to avoid uneven ground or steep hills see safety measures on page 8 Still they meet most of the needs for indoor outdoor use The remainder of this guide focuses exclusively on in door outdoor vehicles because that s what most consumers buy Table 1 describes 15 different indoor outdoor scooters each manufactured or distributed by a particular company This table lists retail prices maximum speed driving range over all weight and the weight of the heaviest part of each scooter Table 2 page 5 summarizes the results of a scooter evaluation conducted for AARP by the Institute for Technology Development ITD ITD combined the results of 50 different trials perfor mance measures and prefer ences under six headings Based on the results of these measurements ITD com pared each scooter to all the others and ranked it as average above or below average in each category Handling Ability Safety Measures Performance Trials Features and Adjust ments Riding Comfort and Assembly Disassembly If the scooter scored in the average range you will see a circle Above average is pictured with an upward facing pyramid 4 anda below avera
31. to 84 However over half said their health was good to excellent and by all the physical measurements they fit well within the normal range for this age group Scooter buyers need to go beyond the advertising hype and check to see for them selves if they can assemble or disassemble the vehicle they want to buy They should also see how long it takes and after disassembling it try to lift the pieces into the trunk of their car Even if you can t lift the heaviest pieces a particular scooter may be the right one for you However know what you re buying not what the advertising is trumpeting Final Thoughts Accessories For this test we asked each manufacturer to provide us with a sample of their baseline product As a result every scooter was gray in color and the least expensive seat was at tached Every manufacturer also sells a whole range of accessories to increase comfort or distance There are devices to convert a three wheeled scooter into a four wheeled vehicle Scooters Winter 1995 are available in many differ ent colors Baskets and special carriers for canes and walkers are sold Different seats are available in cloth and vinyl It s your choice in adding on to the scooter Shopping for a Scooter Scooters are sold through the mail in the home and through dealers We suggest you begin by calling one of the manufacturers listed here Above all shop around and test drive any scoote
32. uide for the first time buyer However if this is your second or third purchase there will be information you too can use What s an Electric Scooter An electric scooter is a battery powered three or four wheeled vehicle designed for individuals who have difficulty walking There are scooters for indoor use scooters for outdoor use and indoor outdoor scooters for use in both places While models vary each scooter normally comes equipped with A Metal or in some in stances plastic Chassis with Three or Four Inflatable tires The tires could be soft or hard filled with air or foam An Adjustable Seat with Armrests The seat adjusts to fit the rider and swivels to pro vide access to tables and desks while seated on the scooter AARP Product Report A Tiller with Controls see figure 1 The tiller is a combination steering wheel gas pedal and control panel It adjusts up and down and tilts forward for easy entry It s bicycle like handles steer left and right and frequently what appears to be hand brakes is actually the throttle Some manufacturers call the throttle a wigwag Mounted on top of the tiller is a console with an ignition switch requiring a key a speed control high low or medium a switch for forward and reverse and a battery gauge displaying available power On most scooters you won t find driver operated brakes on the tiller or the chassis Instead scoote
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