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Post by fireball12 on May 14, 2018 22:05:15 GMT -5
I bought an Electric Kick Scooter with 16 inch tires, does 18 MPH, goes 12 miles per charge on level ground.
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Post by fireball12 on May 14, 2018 22:07:42 GMT -5
Did not post pic. Try again.
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Post by fireball12 on May 14, 2018 22:40:46 GMT -5
The funniest thing occurred with I brought it to City Hall. The City said, that must be registered and insured. I said, no, because I am considered a pedestrian while operating it. They laughed and said, no, you are not a pedestrian. I said, it is a mobility device. They said nothing. They asked me to feel out paperwork, made me prove insurance, asked to copy my drivers license and asked if I had a disabled placard. Well, I came home angry, because the City would not listen to me on it being used for a mobility device. The device is called a OPDMD device. So I wrote the City a letter explaining OPDMD devices and they are similar to a wheelchair and when operated by a mobility disabled person they are under different rules than a person without a disability. That they may not have to be registered, nor insured since looked at as a device verses a vehicle. That the City could only ask if I have a State Disability placard and not the extent of my disability. That they must allow me to go anywhere the public goes. Indicating a pedestrian, because illustrations show a man shopping in a store on a OPDMD device Segway. The DOJ put this into effect March 15, 2010. I could imagine the City of Belle scratching their heads saying, What the ----. See, why I bought this little electric scooter was to ride on the new Rock Island Trail by the State Parks. The State Parks had already said it was a OPDMD device. The City of Belle probably never looked at the new rules. I had planned on riding some in Belle too. Too the drug store, to the City Park, to a restaurant, to perhaps buy a Coke. Not a lot of riding around, but some. No matter how many times I read the DOJ requirements, the more I laugh, because Belle has no way out of it. I mean, that is to funny. But better to find out about new rules now, than to discover them when the trail opens and someone with a electrical device stops and get written up for no license nor insurance and the City get sued.
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Post by fireball12 on May 14, 2018 23:07:04 GMT -5
I had a severe stroke at age 16. Still limp, leg and arm still have spasticity, hand curls a tad. Well, am 54 today. Discovered I could ride a 49cc scooter, in 1993. In 2007 I bought a 250 scooter. Put over 10,000 miles on it. I could never ride a bicycle, due to the repetition of pushing down and up motion of pedals. So foot would slip off the pedal, knee area would shake uncontrollably, and leg would get bruised from slapping the center bar repeatly. So I bought the electric scooter to take the place of a bicycle. Not the electric scooter has a 500 watt motor and the ebike can have up to a 750 watt motor. The electric scooter does 18 MPH and the ebike does up to 20 MPH. So there is not to big of a difference, except no pedals. And reasonable accommodations come into play due to my being disabled, when it comes to the City. I put the light, turn signals, horn, headlight, blue spoke lights, and reflectors on myself. Flags too.
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Post by fireball12 on May 14, 2018 23:12:25 GMT -5
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Post by fireball12 on May 14, 2018 23:32:15 GMT -5
The lights are operated by 2 AAA batteries. They last about 1 month. Had to splice wires and extend wires, to make go from the front to back of scooter. I think it came out pretty good. The price of gasoline is expected to rise due to the President dropping out of the nuclear agreement with Iran. Maybe another $1 per gallon by the end of summer. So it might be nice owning a electric scooter to ride around on.
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Post by fireball12 on May 15, 2018 0:02:39 GMT -5
Now the bicycle problem was explained. The reason I can ride a scooter, is because of the non movement. See, spasticity is a movement disorder caused by brain injury, strokes, MS, cerebral palsey... It is when signals from the brain get confused and instead of the foot moving it begins to shake. Or knee shakes verses doing what is normal. On the scooter the foot and leg are resting on a foot board and thus no spasticity when operating a scooter. So it is a movement problem that creates spasticity. But when the foot is resting the spasticity does not become active and when pedaling a bicycle it does show up.
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Post by wheelbender6 on May 15, 2018 14:39:02 GMT -5
The e-scoot sounds like a lot of fun. I wanted one back when I rode the train to work downtown. I still has a bit of a walk when I hopped off the train, so a folding e-scoot would have worked great.
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Post by oldchopperguy on Jun 2, 2018 10:47:11 GMT -5
VERY interesting and informative post! Welcome to the forum, and have a bone on The Old Chopper Guy!I can understand your situation to some extent. I'm over 70 now, and health issues keep me off the big bikes I've loved for a half-century. So far, a step-through scooter has been great for me. Your new electric scoot may be just what you want, and, as time goes by you may want to try a gas-powered scoot for longer and faster travel. You could still have the "no-physical motion" involved like your electric, with just throttle, front and rear brakes on the handlebars but enjoy in-town speeds on a small scoot, or highway speeds on a larger-displacement ride.I'm incurably "lost in the fifties" I suppose, and have a hard time comprehending engines with no carburetors, no points and condenser, etc. but the handwriting is on the wall... Electric vehicles will be the norm pretty soon. All the great new fuel-injection, computer-controls, variable valve-timing, sensors on everything to keep the gas-consumption low... All great stuff, but will soon go the way of the horse and buggy and the Stanley Steamer. Instead of horsepower and torque, it's gonna be watts, amps and volts. I've driven a couple of electric cars, and must admit they are pretty sweet. Still a few bugaboos perfecting range, heat and AC but it won't be long until those are ironed out. I understand that the simplicity, zero emissions and near-zero maintenance make electric power nearly irresistible. Only real problem I see is ya' can't put loud pipes on 'em… LOL! Enjoy your new ride, and... Ride safe!Leo in Texas
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