Technology has come a long way in helping those with limited mobility get around more easily. One example is mobility scooters have become integral to many people’s everyday lives. But if you rely on a scooter to get around, then you need to be able to bring it with you when you go somewhere away from home. Scooters can be bulky and difficult to transport, which is why most people who use one also invest in a lift of some kind. Trunk lifts are one possible option, but if you’re looking for this kind of lift, please keep the following things in mind.
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Measure Your Scooter and Trunk
Before you commit to a trunk lift, ensure that you carefully measure (and re-measure) both your trunk and your scooter. Even mobility scooters designed to collapse or disassemble for transportation can still be rather bulky, and they may not fit in the trunks of some cars. Before purchasing an expensive scooter lift, it’s essential to know that the scooter can be put inside the trunk.
Don’t Forget the Boom
Trunk lifts are mounted inside the trunk, so they will take up a bit of space. A trunk lift has a swinging arm called the boom lift, which swings out from your trunk and attaches to your scooter before lifting and swinging it inside. When measuring your scooter and trunk, make sure that you also account for the boom arm’s size. Double-check that you include that lost space in your calculations when deciding if you can fit your scooter inside your trunk.
Consider How Much Help You Need
Operating a trunk lift requires you to be able to hook up your scooter to the lift and guide it into the trunk while the lift supports the scooter’s weight. Though you won’t be doing any lifting, if you struggle to stand on your own, you likely won’t be able to operate this lift unassisted. This is fine if you don’t intend to go anywhere on your own, but it is something worth bearing in mind.
Remember Your Alternatives
If your scooter can fit into your car’s trunk, but the boom arm of an inside trunk lift would prevent it from fitting, there is an alternative. It’s called a hitch lift; this type of lift attaches to your car’s hitch, so you can use it to help you load the scooter into your trunk. Once the scooter is loaded, you can detach the hitch lift and stow it in the backseat or anywhere else that there’s space. If you simply don’t have room in your trunk for both a scooter and a boom arm, the hitch lift is an excellent alternative to an inside trunk lift for a scooter.
