I’M TOO YOUNG TO RETIRE

Coen Mulder, now 68, has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis since he was 48 years old and now drives a Solo mobility scooter. We asked him what he thinks about it. ‘It was a difficult step to switch to a mobility scooter. “I'm not ready yet,” many people say. But I just did it. Without a mobility scooter I had absolutely no freedom of movement anymore and I didn’t want to retire so young. That breaks you,’ says Coen, who was always on the road as a truck driver.

Blind faith

‘I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis for some 20 years now. Before the Solo I went through several other mobility scooters, but I never liked them. Since the Solo, this is my fourth now, I no longer need the belts. The fully adjustable suspension absorbs all the shocks. With this, I’ve actually earned it back, because those brackets of titanium and carbon cost 50,000 guilders at the time. And, not entirely unimportant: I have much less pain. I have blind faith in the Solo and in the last five years I have driven more than 11,000 km a year!’

Time for Coen Mulder to refuel

A great invention for Coen and other speed fiends on the mobility scooter is formed by the so-called 'hotspots', or charging points for electric mobility scooters. During his trips to the Veluwe, Coen Mulder soon clocks up 100 km. ‘Then it’s useful to be able to “refuel” in a restaurant on the way. And with the Solo I never have to worry; I drive easily through snow and along forest trails and I always come home safely. Now I come to places where I would not otherwise come,’ says Coen. ‘In my free time, but for work too, I take photographs. And I love nature. Sometimes I’m so absorbed by the birds I forget to take pictures.’ He laughs: ‘I always have the automatic beeps for reversing turned off first of all. This might be useful for some, but it frightens off the wildlife.’

Powerful mobility scooter

When asked if he has any tips for others, he answers: ‘I think it’s important that you really use it. You don’t need a mobility scooter for driving round the block. Many people don’t know that it really can be adapted to meet all your comfort requirements. Just ask. A few driving skills lessons are also recommendable. Look, I’ve got plenty of driving experience because of my background, but people do lose control sometimes. There’s so much power in an electric engine like this.’