75-Year-old tests e-scooter
E-scooters, or electric scooters, are now legal in germany as of this year. These are so-called miniature electric vehicles, i.E. Scooters that are driven by an electric motor. The little runabouts should be fuel-efficient and, with their electric motors, a "win for the environment to be, because you can quickly overcome short distances. Many senior citizens know scooters from their childhood. But the new e-scooters are an alternative for older people?
75-year-old gerhard schmidt from leutzdorf tested an e-scooter and received advice from manuel heilmann, owner of fahrrad-heilmann in hausen, beforehand. His conclusion after the test drive: "this is something for seniors who are tired and want to cover short distances quickly."
But first, schmidt liked to explain the vessel in detail. "Everybody has read about the e-scooter before. Currently, they are allowed to ride on bike paths and roads from the age of 14," heilmann reports, explains manuel heilmann. He points out that there is no helmet requirement, but he strongly recommends a bicycle helmet.
E-scooters run about 20 kilometers per hour fast. "I had a father who bought an e-scooter for his son. The boy drove here on a test run and was at first overwhelmed that he could go so fast", reports heilmann.
The speed also surprises the test person gerhard schmidt, because you only push briefly with the fub and can then accelerate via a small lever. The tested model is from the company metz, one of the few e-scooters with road approval. Schmidt is impressed that the scooter can even manage a small hill.
"You have to be careful when you buy a cheap one from a hardware store or discount store, because they usually don’t have any approval and can only be used on private land", explains heilmann. He explains that e-scooters are not designed for long distances or excursions, nor for mountain riding, but to quickly cover short distances in the city. "For example, if you want to go to the doctor or the pharmacy", he adds.
He was surprised at how many seniors were interested in an e-scooter during measurements. "There were some who could no longer get on a bike or felt unsafe on a bike. Many seniors who go camping take an e-scooter with them", reports heilmann. Because the ride is relatively light, collapsible, and you can use it at the vacation destination for small excursions.
Seniors also like the scooter because it takes up little space and is easy to transport in the trunk of a car. "So it’s also interesting for day trips, because you can take it out and see the sights with an e-scooter," he says after the test ride, suggests heilmann. Or the seniors take it with them on the train or bus, because it can be transported free of charge.
Manuel heilmann recommends a consultation and test ride with a specialist: "because the lighting must also be approved and the brakes must have a certain power. The lights must also always be on. The footboard should also be wider, especially for seniors. And the handlebars should be highly adjustable," he says, he lists.
He immediately sets up the test scooter for gerhard schmidt. E-scooters have a range of about 20 kilometers and the battery can be recharged at the wall socket. The charging time is about three hours.
After the explanations, gerhard schmidt may kick off. "It’s really exciting", he says after the test ride. He likes the wide footboard with the rubber studs and the coarse air-filled wheels: "it doesn’t hurt my arms so much and I could ride over the curb without any problem. You can also use it on cobblestones," he says, schmidt sums up and recommends spending a little more money on a good product and getting advice from a specialist.
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