Pride Mobility Sidekick manual S a F E T Y, Doors, Elevators, Ramps and Other Inclines

I I . S A F E T Y

As you begin to use your Sidekick during your daily activities, you will encounter situations that, at first, may require some practice to negotiate on your Sidekick scooter. Simply take your time as you operate your Sidekick and you will soon be in full and confident control as you maneuver through doorways, on and off of elevators, up and down ramps, and over moderate terrain.

DOORS

νDetermine if the door opens toward or away from you.

νUse your hand to turn the knob or push the handle or push-bar.

νDrive your Sidekick gently and slowly forward to push the door open; or drive your Sidekick gently and slowly backwards to pull the door open.

ELEVATORS

Modern elevators have a door-edge safety mechanism that, when pushed, reopens the elevator door(s).

νIf you are in the doorway of an elevator when the door(s) begin to close, push on the rubber door edge or allow the rubber door edge to contact the scooter and the door will reopen.

νUse care that pocketbooks, packages, or Sidekick accessories do not become caught in the elevator doors.

RAMPS AND OTHER INCLINES

More and more buildings have ramps with specified degrees of inclination. These ramps are designed for easy and safe scooter access. Some ramps may have turning switchbacks that require good cornering skills on your Side- kick.

νTake wide swings with your Sidekick’s front wheel around any tight corners. If you do that, the Sidekick’s rear wheels will follow a wide arc. Do not cut the corner short, and do not bump into or get hung up on any railing corners.

νWhen driving down a ramp, keep the Sidekick’s speed adjustment dial (see V. “Description”) set to the

tortoise (slowest speed setting) to ensure a safely controlled descent.

ν Never drive your Sidekick across the side of a hill or diagonally up or down a hill, and do not stop, if possible, while driving up or down an incline.

νAvoid sudden stops and starts.

Other inclines may be natural or, if man-made, not designed specifically for scooters. Figure 1 illustrates your Sidekick’s stability and its ability to climb grades under various weight loads and under controlled testing condi- tions.

150 lbs.	200 lbs.	250 lbs.
8˚	6˚		300 lbs.
		3˚	2˚

SIDEKICK

FIGURE 1. MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED INCLINE ANGLE

6 Sidekick