Subj : scooters..
To   : August Abolins
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Sun Aug 17 2025 01:42:07

Hello August,

Saturday August 16 2025 23:01, you wrote to me:

 AA> Ah.. but a scooter doesn't need the added cost of insurance and
 AA> a license, and fuel, and.. [etc..]  ;)

Let me tell you about the not-so-obvious costs about having a mobility scooter after having one for over three years.

I have insurance on my scooter in case it's stolen.  Those scooters are incredibly easy to steal.

I still have to charge the scooter for 18 hours for a full charge so there's still a "fuel" cost.

The scooter has hidden costs:

 - the additional time spent when you can only go 5 MPH;

 - the relative lack of storage space so doing any sort of major shopping or carrying anything larger than small groceries is a pain;

 - the lack of any or good suspension on most scooters under USD$6000;

 - the inability to get the scooter into most public transportation as in the US, mobility scooters are considwred "oversized wheelchairs" and -not covered- by the Americans With Didabilites Act (ADA) making a lot of places hard to get to;

 - the risk of getting hit by a car (believe me, you are no safer on the sidewalk than on the road these days);

 - the strain put on your body from having to ride a scooter long-distance...5 miles on old sidewalks throws my back out a lot;

 - the very high cost of repair and/or parts for scooters.  The VA pays for my scooter repairs but most people who have a scooter have to foot those bills and those cheaply-built Chinese parts ain't cheap these days;

 - if you need a ramp for a scooter on your home, they generally will run thousands of dollars if your insurance doesn't cover it and most don't.  I got mine for free through the VA but even my simple ramp costs USD$4000 with a USD$1000 installation fee (it took 8 hours to install)...

I could go on but you get the point.

-- Sean

.... I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon.  I'll let you know.
--- GoldED/2 3.0.1
 * Origin: Outpost BBS, Johnson City, TN / bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (618:618/1)

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