OT: Just got back from test driving an ECV

[chirurgeon]

We went to the grocery store today and I tried one of the ecv's they had there. I think I picked up the operation pretty quickly. I'm sure if I have to rent one from an outside medical vendor I shouldn't have a problem learning the way they operate. The ones at the grocery store didn't seem to be very fast, I'm sure they don't want ones that go too fast, lots of obstacles in the aisles and such. I did notice they could really turn on a dime. I was able to turn the handle bars more than 90 degrees. Do the rental ones do that? It would be nice.

Thanks for the advise.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The rental ones are almost all three wheel with extremely tight turning circles. Also the rentals will do 4.5MPH while the Disney ones, and the store ones, will do at most 2.0MPH.

 

[chirurgeon]

I'll have to be careful with the speed. I won't want to run anyone down. It will be useful on the path from BWI to MGM, no waiting for the boat.

The tight turning radius will be helpful.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Actually there are two speed controls. One is a knob that goes between "turtle" and "rabbit". That is used to set the maximum speed for the ECV.

The other is the actual operating lever. On most ECVs pressing that lever with the right thumb will make it go forward and pressing with the left will make it go backwards. The further you push it in the faster you will go. With the knob in turtle, full forward on the lever is about 2.0 mph, when in rabbit full forward is about 4½ mph.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Plus, if you rent from Randy's Mobility (see coupon thread further down), they don't just drop it off at Bell Services, they deliver it to YOU, at your room. So they can make sure you know how to use it, and if you're going to be transporting it in a vehicle they make sure you can break it down and put it back together.