September 2012
Just a general update on my Luggie experiences so far.
I took it with me to Malta earlier this year and, once again, Easyjet was easy to fly with. No bother at all, in fact this time I was asked if I wanted to take the Luggie into the departure gate, which I did. I drove it onto the ambulift and when we reached the aircraft I walked on and left the Luggie with the handlers. I was a little bit nervous that they'd forget to load it onto the plane but they assured me that there would be no problem - and there wasn't.
At the Malta end, easy peasy, the Luggie was waiting for me and I was escorted through the customs check and that was it. We were met by a dour Maltese who drove the transfer bus and who wasn't very pleased when he saw the mobility scooter because his firm hadn't told him we'd be there. But when I showed him how easy it was to fold down, he mellowed a bit - though still a miserable soul!
At the hotel there were steps to negotiate but the staff were very helpful and lifted it in for me. After that it was simply a case of driving it into the lift and into our room where we put the battery on charge until morning.
Luggie performed well until we took it into Valetta with us on the bus, again an easy thing to do as there was a large baggage area in the bus where the Luggie sat.
In Valetta town, which is a bit hilly in places, everything went well until I made the mistake of going down quite a long steep hill and was then, obviously, faced with the challenge of getting back up again.
I made it, but only just and with the help of a passing pilgrim!
By the time we'd got back to the bus square, I felt the battery was getting a bit low and in fact, because I couldn't sit still and just HAD to go around the central area, the damn battery ran out, leaving me to drag the thing. A bit of a problem 'cos my walking is pretty bad - the reason I got the Luggie in the first place.
Now, in all honesty, I think that maybe the fault was mine.
Over the winter I hadn't been using it so much and I hadn't been keeping the battery on charge. I had also bought myself a golf buggy to enable me to walk the dog and take her over fields, something the Luggie isn't designed for, so once again, the Luggie wasn't getting regular use. As a result, the first time it started to get sustained use again was going to Malta. And perhaps the battery had suffered from the months of relative inaction.
When I got home I'd lost confidence a bit and I took it out several times to check it but on one occasion, the battery definitely wasn't performing as well as it might so I contacted my supplier and although it was out of guarantee, he replaced it for me. Thank goodness, because new batteries cost about four hundred quid!
If I could afford it, I'd carry a spare!
Anyway complete with new battery we set off on out summer holiday to Crete again and this time it performed as well as ever.
A point to mention:
When you're transporting the Luggie by plane, DON'T fold it in half - just leave it with the seat and tiller folded down flat. The reason for this is simple, when it's folded in half, the plastic 'bullnose' at the front of the tiller is exposed and it gets a right clatter from the baggage handlers. This happened with me the very first time we went abroad and it cracked the bullnose and bent the 'wig wag' which controls the speed.
Also, I lash one of those broad luggage straps around the seat to hold it in place as it's just hinged and the back can move up or down unless secured.
If asked by airport staff, I find it best to emphasise that the battery is a sealed lithium ion unit and is disconnected when folded for loading. It's also easier for you if you tell them it's all one piece and the battery doesn't come apart from the scooter.
I'm just as happy with my Luggie as I was when I first got it. It has superb hill climbing abilities and it's easy to carry in a car, assuming you're able to lift it.
Always remember, the Luggie ain't designed for rough terrain - be careful. Because of it's easy to fold design, it can tip and the small hard wheels are NOT made for bumpy roads. Greek pavements are a challenge because they have bits missing, the smooth surface suddenly becomes rough concrete, the pavement ramps, where they exist are STEEP and very often blocked by Greek drivers just parking on them. But don't get upset, just go with the flow and, if you're stuck, someone will come along and help - always. Just relax!!
Just a general update on my Luggie experiences so far.
I took it with me to Malta earlier this year and, once again, Easyjet was easy to fly with. No bother at all, in fact this time I was asked if I wanted to take the Luggie into the departure gate, which I did. I drove it onto the ambulift and when we reached the aircraft I walked on and left the Luggie with the handlers. I was a little bit nervous that they'd forget to load it onto the plane but they assured me that there would be no problem - and there wasn't.
At the Malta end, easy peasy, the Luggie was waiting for me and I was escorted through the customs check and that was it. We were met by a dour Maltese who drove the transfer bus and who wasn't very pleased when he saw the mobility scooter because his firm hadn't told him we'd be there. But when I showed him how easy it was to fold down, he mellowed a bit - though still a miserable soul!
At the hotel there were steps to negotiate but the staff were very helpful and lifted it in for me. After that it was simply a case of driving it into the lift and into our room where we put the battery on charge until morning.
Luggie performed well until we took it into Valetta with us on the bus, again an easy thing to do as there was a large baggage area in the bus where the Luggie sat.
In Valetta town, which is a bit hilly in places, everything went well until I made the mistake of going down quite a long steep hill and was then, obviously, faced with the challenge of getting back up again.
I made it, but only just and with the help of a passing pilgrim!
By the time we'd got back to the bus square, I felt the battery was getting a bit low and in fact, because I couldn't sit still and just HAD to go around the central area, the damn battery ran out, leaving me to drag the thing. A bit of a problem 'cos my walking is pretty bad - the reason I got the Luggie in the first place.
Now, in all honesty, I think that maybe the fault was mine.
Over the winter I hadn't been using it so much and I hadn't been keeping the battery on charge. I had also bought myself a golf buggy to enable me to walk the dog and take her over fields, something the Luggie isn't designed for, so once again, the Luggie wasn't getting regular use. As a result, the first time it started to get sustained use again was going to Malta. And perhaps the battery had suffered from the months of relative inaction.
When I got home I'd lost confidence a bit and I took it out several times to check it but on one occasion, the battery definitely wasn't performing as well as it might so I contacted my supplier and although it was out of guarantee, he replaced it for me. Thank goodness, because new batteries cost about four hundred quid!
If I could afford it, I'd carry a spare!
Anyway complete with new battery we set off on out summer holiday to Crete again and this time it performed as well as ever.
A point to mention:
When you're transporting the Luggie by plane, DON'T fold it in half - just leave it with the seat and tiller folded down flat. The reason for this is simple, when it's folded in half, the plastic 'bullnose' at the front of the tiller is exposed and it gets a right clatter from the baggage handlers. This happened with me the very first time we went abroad and it cracked the bullnose and bent the 'wig wag' which controls the speed.
Also, I lash one of those broad luggage straps around the seat to hold it in place as it's just hinged and the back can move up or down unless secured.
If asked by airport staff, I find it best to emphasise that the battery is a sealed lithium ion unit and is disconnected when folded for loading. It's also easier for you if you tell them it's all one piece and the battery doesn't come apart from the scooter.
I'm just as happy with my Luggie as I was when I first got it. It has superb hill climbing abilities and it's easy to carry in a car, assuming you're able to lift it.
Always remember, the Luggie ain't designed for rough terrain - be careful. Because of it's easy to fold design, it can tip and the small hard wheels are NOT made for bumpy roads. Greek pavements are a challenge because they have bits missing, the smooth surface suddenly becomes rough concrete, the pavement ramps, where they exist are STEEP and very often blocked by Greek drivers just parking on them. But don't get upset, just go with the flow and, if you're stuck, someone will come along and help - always. Just relax!!
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