Scooters: New lifestyle or plaything for the obese?
I've always found scooter commercials confusing. Here's this old person who appears to be able to walk just fine sitting suddenly in a scooter and acting like he/she has been liberated because he/she can wash the dishes without having to stand. All the people in the commercial are old. All of them can walk but need the assistance of the scooter. Pick a commercial and there will be a slight variation.
Newsweek has an article this week about scooters, and now the obese have been added to the category of people in need of these assistive devices. Except the arcticle in a way seems to imply that scooters seem to be more of a hindrance than a help. They're more of a luxury than a necesity.
Fact: Scooters are like feet. Instead of legs there are wheels, and one never has to worry about blisters. There are people who are born with the inability to move or exercise. There are people who are dealt a nasty hand in the middle of their lives, and gee suddenly it's difficuly to burn calories when the only thing worth exercising is a finger. Then there are the lazy bums. A scooter provides movement for all. It's liberating, and you don't have to be 77 to experience it.
Fact: Scooters are not a luxury. Government insurance will make you wait up to two years, and for some that means lying in bed until their new "feet" arrive. Commercials don't show that. They don't show how long it takes for repairs because that requires government approval as well.
Fact: A large percent of scooter users are under the age of 50 but they are rarely represented. Go figure.
