Mobility and the Lyric PTV

My husband has multiple sclerosis.  Over the years he has experienced increasing difficulty walking long distances.  Last week he bought a Lyric PTV (personal transportation vehicle) model XOV3R – aka a three-wheel electric scooter.  Lyric manufactures these in Tempe, Arizona, and markets them more to urban customers wanting a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to get around town than to the disabled population.  The Lyric PTV is, well, cool.

But will its coolness hamper its acceptance as a mobility option for the disabled?  Here’s our experience so far:

The Restaurant:  We took the Lyric to the Village Inn around the corner for pie and coffee.  We parked it in the waiting area in front of the restaurant.  The manager was very accommodating, and the Lyric was admired by several customers waiting to be seated.  The waiting area was not crowded.  Had it been, we may have been asked to park the Lyric outside.

The Zoo:  This was our first attempt to put the Lyric in the back seat of a sedan.  With the seat on the Lyric, it doesn’t fold up nicely and didn’t fit in my mid-sized Buick.  No problem – we’ll take the truck.

When we came through the gate, the gate attendant wasn’t sure that the Lyric was allowed in the zoo.  She referred us to Guest Services, who in turn referred us to Security.  The Security guy showed up on a bicycle, looked at the Lyric, went back to chat with Guest Services, and then gave us the go-ahead to take the Lyric in.

The Lyric was great to get between exhibits.  It doesn’t do slower speeds well, however, and was somewhat a challenge to maneuver through crowds – particularly all the young children.  There were a few exhibits where strollers and wagons were not allowed, so we assumed the Lyric would also not be allowed.  It doesn’t have the tight turning radius that a wheelchair or “disability” scooter has. 

The Casino:  After our experience at the zoo, Paul decided that he would not take the Lyric on our upcoming bus trip to the casino.   He doesn’t feel comfortable taking it indoors.  Turns out, all of the information available on the Lyric indicates it was never designed to be used indoors.  It’s street legal; riders must abide by the same laws as bicycle riders

The Lyric still has great possibilities for the outdoor lifestyle we plan to have in retirement.  We’ll have to see how it does on dirt roads.  We’ll also have to investigate whether or not it will be allowed in National Parks and State Parks.  More to come….