Picture of an ECV?? Easy to drive?

[SueM in MN]

Admittedly, my perception is different than those who are truly in need of adaptive devices to get around will take care of their needs before descending onto the parks.

My FIL was one of those who always rented in the parks. He just felt safer and more confident using the big 4 wheeled park ones than the smaller, narrower ones that are more commonly seen from the off-site companies. He was used to the WDW park ones and drove them with no problem. We rented one from an off-site company for him one year, but he would not use it - just did not feel comfortable to drive. He was truly in need - we had been working on getting him to rent one for more than 5 years before he finally took the step of renting one - and said it was the first trip in 10 years where he did not end the day in extreme pain (we had seen the knee braces, the pain killers and the ice on his knees for 5 yrs, but didn't really know how bad it really was). Even though he was comfortable using a scooter in the most of the parks, he was not comfortable with the idea of driving one onto the bus. He also drew the line at MK - that park was much too busy and congested for him to feel comfortable with a scooter there.

I have seen all sorts of scooters with drivers who were not safe. Some were obviously using WDW rental ones for the first time (or at least were not very good with them). Some were using off-site rental ones (obvious from the rental phone numbers on them). And, some of the unsafe ones were using their own scooters (notable by the rental phone numbers not being on them).
I would agree that whether they own or rent, people using scooters need to be capable of driving (yes, I do use the word, even though some might not - DD has never walked except in her gait trainer/walker, but has driven a wheelchair since she was a bit less than 3 yrs old). Some of the people who are at WDW who have experience with scooters don't have experience with one in the kinds of conditions/crowds encountered at WDW.
I think it is also very important for people to be realistic about the skills the person has - if 80 yr old Aunt Mary has never driven a car and is blind in one eye, she is going to have a lot more problem than 80 yr old Aunt Betty who has driven a car for years and is still a good driver. I would defineatly agree there are some people who should not rent scooters. If you would not be comfortable with that person driving a car, they should not be driving a scooter (it is after all, a motorized device capable of causing injury if mis-used, even if it doesn't go as fast as a car).

 

[bbyee]

I would agree that whether they own or rent, people using scooters need to be capable of driving (yes, I do use the word, even though some might not - DD has never walked except in her gait trainer/walker, but has driven a wheelchair since she was a bit less than 3 yrs old). Some of the people who are at WDW who have experience with scooters don't have experience with one in the kinds of conditions/crowds encountered at WDW.

Ask your daughter - does she "drive" or does she "walk"? Again, just perception. I have a minivan, and I drive that. The chair? That's walking.

Another suggestion that ties into what you mentioned above about crowds - get your hands on a scooter (rent one locally, if possible) and go to your local popular mall on a Saturday during a big sale weekend or close to the winter holidays - that actually is a very close match to the crowds in Disney!

I think it is also very important for people to be realistic about the skills the person has - if 80 yr old Aunt Mary has never driven a car and is blind in one eye, she is going to have a lot more problem than 80 yr old Aunt Betty who has driven a car for years and is still a good driver. I would defineatly agree there are some people who should not rent scooters. If you would not be comfortable with that person driving a car, they should not be driving a scooter (it is after all, a motorized device capable of causing injury if mis-used, even if it doesn't go as fast as a car).

Very good point, actually. If the person who will be using the scooter is not aware of their own physical limitations, and the person going with the user has reservations, then it is simply NOT a good idea.

 

[mechurchlady]

I aaagree with Sue on life skills and the ability to drive an ECV or powerchair.

For me it was easy because I have driven cars, trucks, campers and sweepers since I was 15 years old. I also have been an avid game player since I was in my 20's. I started off with pinball, gameboy, and finally online games. For me that helps in using the ECV as it is like a game when I have to maneuver through an obstacle course. I have that training and honing of skills needed to plan a drive through a crowd or getting around obstacles.

My mother on the other hand has never driven a car, has at times an attitude problem (road rage), and does not do things like crocheting, online games or other hand-eye coordination type of hobbies. I would doubt she could drive an ECV in an empty mall without problems so she has me pushing her. It would have saved me a lot of pain on my trip to the animal park but no way for her to do an ECV.

Start with Wal-Mart and malls or maybe you can rent one over night at home and practice at home driving around your driveway and the block.

 

[SueM in MN]

Ask your daughter - does she "drive" or does she "walk"? Again, just perception. I have a minivan, and I drive that. The chair? That's walking.

I think she probably has a different perspective.
She can't drive a car (and never will be able to) so driving to her involves other people driving her someplace or driving to our house from someplace. She's never walked and has had a wheelchair for as long as she can probably remember, so to her the wheelchair is 'drive'. Her sister walks, she drives her wheelchair. If she walks, it's only in her gait trainer.
She doesn't actually talk, she understands well and uses sign language plus has a communication device. I did ask her if she walks with her wheelchair or drives it. She signed that she drives it and that walking would be funny.

I will say though, that when I tell her it's time to eat, I say to "come, sit down at the table," which might be funny since she's already sitting in her wheelchair, but we've always used those words.

 

[bbyee]

I will say though, that when I tell her it's time to eat, I say to "come, sit down at the table," which might be funny since she's already sitting in her wheelchair, but we've always used those words.

Of course you do - that's normal vernacular