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Wanting to be in control of my mobility instead of relying on others has lead me to seek a way to do this.

Starting some months ago I researched what would help me in my quest. I went to every Mobility shop web site I could find to see what was on offer.

I had no real criteria. What I wanted was a way around being pushed in a wheelchair or trying to go afar with an unwieldy heavy power chair. Next option was a power scooter, again too heavy & unwieldy. My 18yr old son hates pushing me in my wheel chair, I know he gets embarrassed when I try to get him to place me in position to see in shops & stores. I also get embarrassed trying to navigate a big power chair in tiny aisles & knocking into racks and shelving.

So what to do? Looking through pages and pages on web sites I had no joy, I'm not sure now how I came to find the solution I sought, it's lost in mists and blurs of links and open browser windows.

FINALLY there was the answer I had spent all that time looking for \o/ - a neat and compact electric scooter that fits in the boot of your car. I read all the info, saw the limits & the advantages - this was for me.

My phone was in my hand before you could say scooter. I spoke to the man who had developed this product, he was a nice guy & went to a lot of trouble to explain everything about his scooter, trouble was it was still in development and not available to the public until the summer 2001. :-(( I was almost there. I resigned to wait and left my phone number, e-mail, fax, pager, mobile and NI number just to be sure he would contact me. ;-))

So now it's June and nearly midsummer, no sign of my goal in site, so I e-mailed Mr scooter man for a progress report, no answer was the loud reply. A close friend knowing all about this little saga decided to do some research on their own, unbeknown to me a lot of e-mails went out and 1 reply came back - a brand new foldaway 'Scoota' was available on the market!

I phoned the shop straight away, and with the web site picture in front of me I asked the technical question - HOW MUCH? Just so happened that a special deal was on in order to promote the product. Having really checked the spec's with the shop and knowing the limitations of what it should be used for, I placed my order.

Just my luck, a slight delay in the delivery due to H.M Customs, never mind, I waited this long 3 more days won't kill me? Monday evening the 'Scoota' arrives! If I said dinky you would get the idea of how small and compact this machine is! I couldn't believe my eyes, where's the battery? I asked, (expecting a 12v car battery), two compact tandam batteries ran under the floor board - I was told.

Gob smacked, I took delivery.

I read the manual over dinner, nothing complicated all so easy. First things first, charge the batteries-(can't go anywere without!) it took a few hours until green light glowed bright to show fully charged. Well it was bedtime so no TT race today.

Tuesday morning and my first thought was where can I charge off to on my 'Scoota', I didn't have chance to find out, the best I managed was down the hall out onto the front path, turned around and back again, feeling like a circus clown driving with something so small. In fact it was the Saturday before my chance came to test the diddy 'Scoota'.

Saturday. 'Scoota' placed in car boot, drive down to the promenade, unfold, leathers shining, helmet on, gloves on, white silk scarf flapping. Set variable speed control from 'Snail' to 'Tortoise', the moment of truth, turn key in ignition, slowly pull back on control.

The 'Scoota' took up the slack & was off at walking pace, I felt the wind on my face as I rolled along, this was what I had waited for all week.

It just so happened that the annual MC races where taking place along stretches of the promenade, spectators were walking along to watch the race, 100's of large motor cycles made my 'Scoota' look like a foot rest compared to their large size.

As I rolled along next to big burly bikers decked in leather suits I could see the jealousy in their eyes as they double looked at my mode of transport and a wry smile came to their faces.

For my first time out I had enjoyed the day, I look forward to many more hassle free days out with my trusty steed.

Alan Bruce

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