MY CHAIR IS THE CLEARWELL AGUNA.
It was kindly gifted by a lovely member of a community group in Brighton! He is a star xxx
My mobility scooter has changed my life dramatically & I can get out & about much more whilst most importantly being able to stay out! Although my mental fatigue levels are still the same as they would be if I were walking, my physical fatigue is less & I am able to take rest breaks easier.
I always have to make sure I take the right routes!
DIFFERENT TERRAIN:
I live on one of the biggest hills in Brighton… Now it copes well with the hill all things considered but I do have to lean forwards loads on the incline to balance out which puts a lot of strain on my back & feels a little unstable!
Like Many scooters it doesn’t cope very well on uneven ground although if the grass is freshly cut and dry it seems to cope okay.
TOP TIP IF YOU LIVE IN A HILLY PLACE: Never let your scooter run low on battery, before planning your journey home, always remember that getting up a hill takes a lot more oomph from your scooters batteries & it is likely if you let it get into the red zone you’re going to find yourself in a bit of a pickle half way up what feels like a mountain.
I had a little adventure to see if my chair could cope with my local countryside, overall it did well. I would absolutely not recommend you take it onto mixed terrains regularly as it’d probably destroy your scooter! Things it struggles with are things like rabbit holes/ molehills, uneven grass and non flat slopes (I always get stuck in those little water stream thingys that lead to drains) I’m sure there’s a correct term for these instead of thingys, but I’m no water source expert!
Now this is my first mobility scooter I’ve owned myself, although I have hired many. It is a little wobbly (the seat particularly & I struggle with sciatica if I’m in the chair to long, but in terms of practicality and efficiency it’s great & quick to use.
It’s very nippy & definitely a lot more lightweight than others I‘ve tried. It fits in the boot of my Vauxhall viva (smaller than a Corsa!) which is fab HOWEVER, despite its ‘light weight’ advertisement, my disabled self most definitely cannot lift it alone!!
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I would definitely recommend this for day trips out to museums, shopping centres, cities etc as it can go on buses etc with you. I find if you don’t drive it completely straight into a ramp you nearly topple out, this could be down to the driver (ME!) as opposed to the chair itself. I definitely am looking into getting a different type of chair/ scooter but will keep onto this one for short distances such as days out.
It’s also super great for when I get fatigued (ME) as the handle bars are adjustable and move all the way forward, I tend to get someone to stand on the front like a skateboard or sit on my lap and steer whilst I nap in the chair.
ISSUES I’VE ENCOUNTERED:
FEATURES:
I have very hypermobile hands and fingers and struggle with moving the mechanism to steer & reverse etc. So do bear this in mind if you have wrist joint problems or finger hypermobility- probably not the safest option but what I do is wrap a bit of string around it or my lanyard and the lever towards me with the string to save my fingers!
The arms are adjustable and every part of the scooter comes off. I would say the basket although handy is probably a little small!
In terms of locking it up- I have a U bike lock for it which is a bit of a faff but I can’t really see any other way to lock it.
It comes with a spare key which is amazing (I lose everything!
It’s extremely lightweight- and although it’s a lot lighter than many other scooters- I still cannot lift or manoeuvre it myself.
Having a basket is amazing for storage as I need two hands to steer my scooter, I tend to put my handbag inbetween my feet and then my charger and bike lock in the basket.
I always need to carry my splints when on this as I get really sore wrists and fingers. When I get too tired it’s pretty fab (although probably not most safe!) , as I can (with help) position the handle bar further away from me and have someone stand on the front/ sit on my lap and steer or position the handle bar to be closer to me so I don’t need to lean out if I’m alone
TOP TIP: Always take your bus pass out with you just incase you have a scooter mishap- been there, done that and it isn’t fun!
THOUGHTS:
I want to look into getting a phone holder thingy & drink holder and also a bag to clip on.
The steering levers are not great for people with hypermobility at all. I have really weak hands & fingers and they struggle maintaining grip/ pushing it.
My mobility scooter is very good for quick trips out maybe to the supermarket for example but it gives me bad sciatica on longer trips. Painful hips and knees, lower back too.
A neck rest would be useful
Costa seems to have become a regular charging spot!
(The charge lasts just fine, I’m just a numpty that forgets to charge it!)
