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bunrabWe went to the state fair on Sunday, and right inside the gate where we entered was "Rent a Ride" which was renting strollers and other kiddie vehicles - and a couple of electric mobility scooters (similar to the ones that most supermarkets have, though a bit smaller.) Well, it was warm, and the fairgrounds were large - so I rented one. And it was great! It made things SO much easier! I never would have made it all the way over to the livestock barns without the scooter.
Yes, there are people who treat anyone in a wheelchair (a category that tends to include seated-type mobility scooters) as mentally disabled as well as physically, but those people don't matter. Mostly, people are OK with it. I got some funny looks because, as usual, I don't "look like" a person with a disability. But in general it was useful, and it served as an opportunity to open some conversations. And in fact, in several exhibit areas, I was able to have much longer conversations with the people in charge, because sitting on the scooter put me at eye level with people sitting in chairs behind their tables. So I talked to the people in charge of the quilt exhibit, including the lady who made the quilt that was put on the official fair poster, and the people in charge of the needlework categories, and one of the rabbit show exhibitors, and I was at eye level to talk with several kids who were looking at the fancy ducks and chickens at the same time I was. There was a polka-duck! A polka-dotted duck, honest.
And the guy who rented out the scoots was also very friendly and chatty; we had fun talking about everything from electric vehicles in general to disabilities in general to culture.
So, with all that, I decided it's finally time to start looking for a scooter to own. But I'm not sure I'm ready yet to purchase a real disabled-person, expensive scooter (like this one or this one), especially since I *don't* have Medicare or Medicaid to help pay for it, and my insurance certainly wouldn't pay for it. So I went looking at recreational electric scooters. After looking at this Schwinn and this Currie and something called X-treme and even more X-treme finally **here's what I ordered. ** I ordered the burgundy color, and it comes with the seat. Notice the cool little trunk box. It's being ground shipped, so it'll be a week or more before I get it, but I will report on it as soon as it arrives!
I think probably a lot of people wouldn't let a recreational electric scooter indoors the way they would a mobility scooter, but the seat and trunk box on this one make it look more like a purposeful tool than a recreational toy, and that should make the difference - I think most places will accept its presence as the equivalent of a mobility scooter, as long as I don't make any attempts to go full speed! Normal speed for the mobility scooters is about 4 mph, and I'll keep this scoot down to that when I'm indoors or in crowded conditions like the fair.
It folds up, and can be put in a car trunk.
I can go to the zoo again! I had been avoiding the zoo, as a very long walk outdoors on hilly terrain; this should be *PERFECT* for the zoo!
I can hardly wait!
Yes, there are people who treat anyone in a wheelchair (a category that tends to include seated-type mobility scooters) as mentally disabled as well as physically, but those people don't matter. Mostly, people are OK with it. I got some funny looks because, as usual, I don't "look like" a person with a disability. But in general it was useful, and it served as an opportunity to open some conversations. And in fact, in several exhibit areas, I was able to have much longer conversations with the people in charge, because sitting on the scooter put me at eye level with people sitting in chairs behind their tables. So I talked to the people in charge of the quilt exhibit, including the lady who made the quilt that was put on the official fair poster, and the people in charge of the needlework categories, and one of the rabbit show exhibitors, and I was at eye level to talk with several kids who were looking at the fancy ducks and chickens at the same time I was. There was a polka-duck! A polka-dotted duck, honest.
And the guy who rented out the scoots was also very friendly and chatty; we had fun talking about everything from electric vehicles in general to disabilities in general to culture.
So, with all that, I decided it's finally time to start looking for a scooter to own. But I'm not sure I'm ready yet to purchase a real disabled-person, expensive scooter (like this one or this one), especially since I *don't* have Medicare or Medicaid to help pay for it, and my insurance certainly wouldn't pay for it. So I went looking at recreational electric scooters. After looking at this Schwinn and this Currie and something called X-treme and even more X-treme finally **here's what I ordered. ** I ordered the burgundy color, and it comes with the seat. Notice the cool little trunk box. It's being ground shipped, so it'll be a week or more before I get it, but I will report on it as soon as it arrives!
I think probably a lot of people wouldn't let a recreational electric scooter indoors the way they would a mobility scooter, but the seat and trunk box on this one make it look more like a purposeful tool than a recreational toy, and that should make the difference - I think most places will accept its presence as the equivalent of a mobility scooter, as long as I don't make any attempts to go full speed! Normal speed for the mobility scooters is about 4 mph, and I'll keep this scoot down to that when I'm indoors or in crowded conditions like the fair.
It folds up, and can be put in a car trunk.
I can go to the zoo again! I had been avoiding the zoo, as a very long walk outdoors on hilly terrain; this should be *PERFECT* for the zoo!
I can hardly wait!
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-09-04 06:49 pm (UTC)We went to the state fair (NY) yesterday too.
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Date: 2007-10-20 02:54 pm (UTC)BTW,
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Date: 2007-10-20 07:24 pm (UTC)