Jazzy vs Scooter

[billsfan]

We are going down to WDW this December. We will be traveling with my mother and her mother. We have always got a wheelchair for her mother and it has always worked out fine. This time though we will need to get a wheelchair for my mother also. We have been to some grocery stores and Walmart with her mother and had her practice driving around on their scooters. It has not gone well. Just wondering for anybody who knows are the Jazzys easier to maneuver and how well do they get around the parks

Thanks

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Hi. The Jazzys are excellant. Not only are they easy to get around but they have the advantage of getting into smaller spaces so you can use it at lunchtime for example in a quick service as a chair to eat. When I was more mobile Zi used a scooter but now I am in a wheelchair mostly I use a powerchair. I find it better. Crowds are easier and the stores with a chair. That's my experience anyway hope that helps.

 

[billsfan]

Thanks for the info Paula. She has never driven one around and I am not sure if there is someplace for us to try one out before we go. Are the Jazzys easy to learn how to use or do they take a while to figure out.

Thanks again

 

[SueM in MN]

No, a Jazzy would not be easier.
A Jazzy is a power wheelchair. It can turn more sharply than some of the larger ECVs, but power wheelchairs look much easier to drive than they actually are.
With an ECV, there is a control for speed and it will not go into reverse unless you actually put it into reverse. You steer with a yoke that works very similar to steering a bicycle. So, anyone who has ever ridden a bike should have little problem steering an ECV.

A power wheelchair has a single control. The joystick controls everything - the speed, steering, turning - all at the same time. If you push the joystick straight forward, it goes straight ahead. If you push anything other than straight, it will turn turn in that direction, so it can be challenging to keep on a straight path. If you push it straight sideways, you turn sharply that way.
If you pull the joystick toward you, it backs up.
All that takes practice and using a power wheelchair has a much longer learning curve than driving an ECV.

 

[billsfan]

Thanks Sue. It seems like a Jazzy is not a good option for a first time user.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks Sue. It seems like a Jazzy is not a good option for a first time user.

Although it is different, it would be an easier transition for someone who already has a lot of experience using an ECV.
I would not recommend one for someone who does not have experience with an ECV. I have personal experience with my daughter's power wheelchair and as a nurse.