Scooters

These are good if you’ve got a bit of core strength and can use your hand(s) and plant your feet. Especially if you get into difficulties where some movement is going to get you out of trouble. Like heading for a stretched cable at head height. I saw it at the last minute and was able to do my apache warrior impression.I got a cheer. But it was blind luck.

Scooters, these come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Four and three wheels each have their pros and cons.You really need to be careful on these things. Pedestrians are stupid, whatever idiocy you see from a wheel chair, you’ll see it on a scooter. You’ll also see idiots on scooters, not to mention some frame bucking sights that Im not getting into here.

I’ve used a lot of these. A TGA buddy and a superlight. Excellent fairly boot portable , stable and very capable.Good for a bit of gravel, grass and rough ground.These things are not off road quads. They will not take a kicking and the plastic is flimsy. The electrics and connections may be suspect so be careful what and where you buy. Somewhere flash and expensive is no guarantee of quality.

My favourite one is like a trike, infact it is a trike. Tubular frame, big bouncy tyres and a decent seat. Shoprider Napoli. Seat removes, handlebar tiller folds and the battery lifts out.Its not small but it…….Fits in the boot of a Ford Kuga. (The tyres are great for cobblestone streets. like Europe.(and hipster dives in Belfast) Crossing tramlines and those nasty little german squared off kerbs). Good for about 10 mile but remember wherever you go, you’ve got to get back.

The only flimsy bit on this are the footplates. Im amazed they’re still there. Baskets optional. this things been everywhere and the tyres do make a difference. Great piece of kit, stable nice turning circle.Boot scooters handy for civilised urban and shopping centres some are expensive mobile gimmicks (and they are out there) others are really clever pieces of kit. The best ones are simple to dismantle and easy to put back together again. For sheer awkwardness its always the seat.The Ironside Travel Bureau.

There are different sort. Boot scooters which will come apart and fit in the boot of a car. They aren’t particularly robust, probably wont have suspension and they’ll be particularly uncomfortable on cobblestones and potholes, of which continental Europe has loads of. 

One of the more suitable ones  would be the Shoprider Napoli. it looks like a big kids trike

Well OK, thats exactly what it is. A big kids trike. The only flimsy bit on this are the footplates. But note the tyres, cobblestones, nasty little German squared off kerbs. not a problem 

They don’t make these anymore, but they’re really good for urban decay and city turned into a  building site.

The replacement is the Liteway 3 Take the seat off, usually the most awkward bit and it goes into the back of an SUV 

Theres not a lot of stuff to go wrong on this. Tubular frame, solid plastic floor, there not a lot to break or fall off. 

The recent replacement for work and European travel, is this one

Thats whats going with us this time Gogo 3 wheeler. Shorter than the other two and with the single front wheel a tight turning cycle. You do need a bit of  core strength and stability for these things. And a battery charger. and a compatible foreign plug.

Do not forget these while travelling. Or you’re going nowhere. 

Take the seat off and it goes into the rear of an SUV or an estate, It breaks down to three component  parts. It’ll fit into a hatchback or a car boot. 

Not the sort of thing you want to spend all day on. But like everything else its a compromise and something really comfortable that will take you  wherever you want to go, wont fit in the car.