Diary summary week ending 18th May 2025

[Jebber]

Apologies Jebber, I didn't realise it was your suggestion to contact Rip Off Britain. As well as all the very good reasons you have mentioned for contacting them, we might get to see Viktoria on TV. 

 No apology needed. I just thought it was the sort of problem that would interest them.

I had thought about it  bringing Viktoria to a wider audience and perhaps ‘FAME’

[Viktoria]

To be fair ,the test ride was on a scooter set to the lowest speed I now know.
There are two modes, Hare 8 mph and Tortoise 4 mph .
The scooter had been set at tortoise lowest speed so very gentle.
The one delivered was at the highest speed hare, when it was delivered I had not of course seen the manual , so had no idea  about all that.

I was told when it was delivered to get on and ride it to my garden gate - well it shot forward and hit the delivery man’s legs, he was a really heavily built chap , it was such a bang.
He said to turn the speed down - well I had not yet got the manual let alone read and digested  it.
It totally overwhelmed me and was so different to the first one .
The Plus and Vitess are pretty much the same ,the Plus no bar at the front but the screens are alike ,yet not so daunting on the Plus ,otherwise hardly any difference.
It could not be got  into my garden as yet no ramps and deliverer said the gate  was too small - so next door to son’s where it stayed until shed came and wider gate access.
Son took me out on it when some nice weather
,it was still so fast ,then another run when it failed at a kerb and lost a tyre.
Repair man came and was the same person who had delivered it .
It had been left in Hare mode- double the  speed of the one I first rode .
So some negligence on our part but also the delivery man  rather  than Quingo , he ought to have set it lower before telling me to ride it.
I still  feel it was a Plus I rode ,but they are very similar and the difference is the speed they were set at, very gentle to top speed which for a  novice  was far too fast , I did not expect that speed  after such a gentle test ride,had not seen the manual until after the disastrous first run on the Vitess2 so was unaware the speed could be lowered.
I am a lot more satisfied now I know this can be much slower .as slow as the test run one , there is not much difference if the lowest speed is set .
The company have dealt well with my daughter who could  discuss on their level, she advises me to keep the one I have, not much difference , the speed can be set much lower and as I will never use it as a road vehicle I can just
concentrate on those functions I use .
The road from the town centre is a mile long quite steep gradient ,any mobility scooter needs some power to cope with that ,not all are capable of of it ,my friend has one, she is a big lady and  it sits there ,does not cope with steep kerbs, can not get her to the shops ,at the moment in loan to a friend and so she needs taxies at £5  per  journey to get anywhere,
She sadly also has a stoma,so is very restricted.

I do feel a lot better about it now , I can pay £500 more for a new Plus which is £1000 cheaper than the Vitess - so £1500 out of pocket ,or stay with what I have and spend a bit of money snd get some lessons if there is a mobility centre near me.
That would restore my confidence .
Had the one I test rode been set at the speed  of the  one delivered I really would not  have bought one, unless told and shown how low the speed could be.
So it comes down to the negligence of the delivery man, and a bit of the demonstrator who did not say the one I was riding was on the lowest speed
He said “ TURN THE SPEED DOWN!”——- well how?I had not yet been given the thick manual ,so had no idea how to do that .
I was not told on the test ride that scooter was on lowest  speed nor told to gradually increase so I could see the full range but would only really need the slowest.


So all in all, I feel much better about it all, I got what I wanted and now am digesting the manual.
There have been some shortcomings on their part ,re speed set to deliver to a complete novice and no explanation that there were two modes on the test run .
It being delivered to a novice ,who had not as yet seen the manual, set in top speed when the test run was in the lowest.
It not being adjusted before I got on it etc.
So I will let  it go after having my say by letter to their MD.

Many thanks for your kind wishes about all this ,I am looking forward now to getting out on it after hopefully getting some training!
You are a kind lot ,this must be very boring to you ,many thanks .
Viktoria.

[louisa maud]

Well Viktoria,  if you are happy with the outcome that is all that matters, hopefully you can go out with a chaperone  for the first few trips till you feel comfortable  and confident,  please take care.

LM

[Gillg]

Well done, Viktoria!  Now you have more information and most importantly the important details you can tentatively practice short runs and gain more confidence.  We know that it's not like you to baulk at difficulties, so you'll soon be whizzing along the pavements (mind pedestrians!).  The company, especially the MD, needs to know about the poor handling of your purchase, so that they can improve their sales techniques. 

Oh, it's a bit chillier today, although the sun is coming out from behind the earlier clouds.  Not the heat of yesterday, though, and I have had to rethink my wardrobe for our community choir's performance on the beach.
 https://www.sas.org.uk/water-quality/our-water-quality-campaigns/paddleoutprotest/
Have  good day, everyone.

[Viktoria]

Thanks folks.
Planted up my hanging baskets and am really pleased my Captain Sir Tom rose has really come on .
So glad he did not see how his daughter had behaved .

A glorious day and I feel ten ,no twenty years younger .

Son in law improving — has, C.O,P.D ,Uvulitis ( that little wiggly thing at the end of your palate ) and Emphysemia ,otherwise is O.K.

I am glad I am not spending more money on another scooter ,eldest son does feel access to the shed could be a lot easier if my herb plot is halved ,I think so too ,it needs taming as the mint has taken over and so now is the time to do it .
Many thanks for “ listening “ ,I think I have been fair and Quingo’s second offer was  more than they were obliged to do ,the 0.6 of a mile is irrelevant ,it is 5 months old so second hand.
If I sold it £1,700 is the maximum ,looking at adverts for second hand very low mileage models.

Right the next news will I hope be that I have been out on it and managed .Thanks for your patience ,it helps to” talk”.
Cheerio. Viktoria.

[Roobarb]

Pleased to hear it's been sorted to your satisfaction Viktoria. Good luck with your maiden voyage! 

We've had a couple of chilly days here, especially yesterday when it was perishing! Such a change from last weekend. Due to warm up a bit thank goodness.

[Gillg]

No thunderstorms in Devon yesterday, Roobarb.  Just another sunny day (and another lot of watering to do).  Today is warm and sunny and the rest of the week is forecast to be the same.  On Saturday our community choir plus another choir and a few stragglers from elsewhere will be singing on the beach at the Paddle Out, a protest organised by Surfers Against Sewage against the poor efforts by the water boards to keep our sea and river water clean. https://www.sas.org.uk/water-quality/our-water-quality-campaigns/paddleoutprotest/  You can see from this link how many areas will be taking part.  Our songs included "Dirty Water" and "We are the river"! Others will actually be paddling, swimming, paddle boarding and surfing, so let's hope the water is clean enough for them to do this safely.

Our protest against dirty sea and river water went with a swing.  We sang our songs in three amalgamated choirs and then joined in the chorus of "The Poo Song", presented by another group.  The public joined in with gusto, and there were plenty of them, too.  There was an army of paddle boarders out in the water and some swimmers, too.  The waves weren't strong enough for surfers, though, which is probably a good job, as they would have collided with all the others in the water.  We were rather hoping to see ourselves on local TV in the evening, but the BBC went for bigger beaches.  There is currently a class action case against our water company and it will be interesting to follow it.

[Roobarb]

Well done Gillg, I hope your efforts have a good outcome. Keep us posted!

[BushInn1746]

You don need a disabled card. You simply sign a declaration after answering a few simple questions when you purchase disability items. Of course you are expected to be truthful.

 ... With Victoria’s health problems she would be eligible.

Hi Viktoria

The VAT relief form is two sides basically name and address, the nature of your disability (they only give you a few lines) sign and date.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-reliefs-for-disabled-people-eligibility-declaration-by-a-disabled-person

I hope the so and so's (sellers) don't claim it and pocket the money as extra profit.

Mark