Trike Mobility Freedom
After struggling to push myself around in a wheelchair for a few months, I decided there had to be an easier way! I visited my local disabled shop, 1st Call Mobility in Harlow, where we discussed my options. They were running a rent to buy scheme, but the repayments were too high for me so they had a think and made me an offer, which fitted my budget.
The trike I went for is a Sonic. The trike has transformed my life. I am unable to walk without leaning on someone or something. I have managed to find a technique for fitting my trike into the boot of my old Rover 416 and still have room for my crutches and shopping as can be seen. I struggle to walk too far on my crutches and have lost grip and gone flat on my face in a DIY store, so the trike prevents any of that.
Word of warning!
I have tipped the trike over four times, but now know my limits. I have not hurt myself, only my pride, because the arm protected me. The first time was in Homebase doing a u-turn whilst going too fast (there was screws everywhere), but that was because it is a three-wheeler.
The advantage of it being a three-wheeler is that it is able to manoeuvre in tight spaces. The second time I nearly came off was where I got off of the pavement to avoid some steps only to find I did not have enough clearance to go over some speed humps. I decided to bump the trike back onto the pavement at speed but instead ended up lying over the handlebars where the step was too high.
The third time was due to a hole in the road being hidden by a shadow and the fourth time was whilst trying to get past a car parked overhanging some grass on the entrance to tennis courts my children were playing at. The only way I could see to get past the car was to drive the trike into a bush slightly, but I had not allowed for a piece of bark on the floor tipping me over.
Good points.
I have used the trike to travel across fields to watch my son play football, provided the ground is reasonably firm. I sit on the trike all day at my desk at work and have not felt uncomfortable. I am able to stand provided I can lean on the trike or walls so I take it everywhere with me. It is also not too heavy for me or others to lift over doorways etc using the handle at the back.
