A mobility scooter is a concoction between the wheelchair and motorbike. It provides mobility to the disabled, affording them more freedom and allowing them to replace their wheelchairs. These scooters have a seat, a place to rest the feet, and handle bars in the front to be able to steer the two wheels.



These scooters are mostly electric powered, although they have backup batteries. They move far better than the wheelchairs on various surfaces and are easy for people to move about in and outside of the home.

The tiller is the straight bar that is used to steer the scooter. It is adjustable and can be moved toward the user and away, depending on the convenience. Just like any motorbike, mobility scooters have a key that has to be switched on to start the scooter. Near the handles of the scooter, there are two levers that make the scooter go forward and backward. They can be operated with the use of both thumbs. There is a speed control dial on the scooter, where you can set the speed you wish to travel in. Even the speed paddles cannot make the scooter go faster than the speed set, unless you reset the speed. The scooter stops as soon as you stop pressing the paddles. Some of them even come with an emergency brake and are very useful.

There are several options you should be on the lookout for when purchasing an adult mobility motor scooter. The seat height has to be adjustable. The scooter should have swivel seats and these are better if you need to get on and off the scooter easily, because they turn.

These scooters are useful for people who have less upper extremity strength or flexibility, to use the manual wheelchair; however a little strength is certainly required to handle the tiller, handles and to operate the mobility scooter. They are very helpful for people with disabling conditions like arthritis, heart issues etc.

Mobility scooters are more expensive than the manual wheelchair, but generally less expensive than the powered wheelchairs.