Rollator or wheelchair on cobblestones

i'm going on a Danube River cruise this summer with my husband. I have early ALS and can still walk, but I get tired. I've read the posts about how difficult it is to use a wheelchair or scooter on cobblestones. One thread talked about using a rollator, instead. That way I could sit when I get tired from walking, and my husband can even push me...I think.

I would love to hear your comments and recommendations.

Thank you,

Sue

Unfortunately, none of the mobile devices come with shock absorbers. I am not familiar with the various collapsible types of devices, however that would probably be your best option. You want something that you can easily carry off and on the boat. Chances are that there will be very few ramps, if any. River boats are not wheelchair or scooter friendly.

Have awonderful cruise,

Betty

SanDiegoSue,

I suggest renting a Scooter. Probably a 4 wheeled one and take it with you on the cruise. I sure would not want to push someone sitting on a rollator going over cobblestones. Wheel Chairs have narrow wheels that make it cumbersome to traverse cobblestones, whether or not pushing or trying to propel it on your own. I think renting a scooter will take the cobblestones pretty well ... just take your time and enjoy the cruise!!

SanDiegoSue,

 

I suggest renting a Scooter. I think renting a scooter will take the cobblestones pretty well ... just take your time and enjoy the cruise!!

I rented a scooter in recent trips to Europe and Asia. It was a three-wheeler which had a better turning radius. Other than on the ship, the scooter was not used much in Asia.

However, in Europe, I used it everywhere except in tender-ports. That included Florence, Orivento, Alhambra (Granada) etc.

Bit bumpy on cobblestones but tolerable. Was great in museums in Florence.

Be careful being pushed in/on a rollator. Most have very small wheels, not bump friendly at all.

Friend was pushing her Mom on a rollator thru a concrete floored convention center. Mom fell backwards, was diagnosed with a concussion.

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Check a website called sagetraveling.com. They are an accessible travel company and on their website they rate various cities/ ports as to their accessibility friendliness for surfaces including cobblestones.

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Do not sit on a rollator and push someone. When you buy one it says it is not to be used for pushing someone around. They tip very easily and wouldn't be good on cobblestone. I made reservations for a river cruise. After making them I called about accessibility and was told the longboats are accessible but most river boat ports are not accessible friendly. You might want to rethink the river cruise. Take a European or Mediterranean cruise instead.

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i'm going on a Danube River cruise this summer with my husband. I have early ALS and can still walk, but I get tired. I've read the posts about how difficult it is to use a wheelchair or scooter on cobblestones. One thread talked about using a rollator, instead. That way I could sit when I get tired from walking,

Sue

Been on three river cruises on Viking and they had a category that I called the "walking wounded" - people that had problems walking long distances and was slow and easy.

I used a scooter in a trip to Europe - Cobblestones were bumpy but tolerable. In the Uffizi museum in Florence, for example, they even had a small lift for scooters/wheelchairs that took you down from a level to another level - which would have been three steps!

And getting from point A to point B over cobblestones was easy -

The advice about not being pushed on a rollator is absolutely correct. Every rollator that I had has warnings plastered on the device.

I use my Travelscoot every winter for 3 months in Puerto Vallarta and there are lots of cobblestones. It is very bumpy on my scooter but I don't go too fast and don't have too many problems with it.

I did get the front wheel stuck in a grate opening a few weeks ago and went right over the handlebars. Got some really nasty bruises and scrapes and a black eye. Still trying to recover from the whole thing. I have cellulitis in my leg and I am on strong antibiotics. Broke my glasses and new watch also. I had gone over that sidewalk grate numerous times with no problems but was not lucky the last time!:loudcry:

mexico8,

Ya I can relate to that to some degree, I went ass over band box on my motorcycle a few years back. It was great fun for all who observed.

Sorry to hear you got bruises and broke your new watch.

Recently have come back from the Baltics, my wife is a wheel chair user.

Took our own standard wheelchair, 2 large wheels at the back 2 small ones at the front.

We experienced plenty of cobbles, found that if I pulled the chair backwards it was much easier,large wheels leading.

It must have looked quite strange me walking backwards, but it worked for us.

I would caution you though that river cruises in Europe are not very mobility device/limitations friendly. Often your boat will be rafted up with other boats along side the quay...sometimes as much as 5-6 boats abreast. This means you have to cross over several boats to get to shore, often having to climb steps in the process. I just recently returned from a river cruise where there was a man who had a scooter (he also walked very slowly with a cane as he was hemiplegic). He had a Luggie, and it gave a VERY rough ride on cobblestones, and it was quite a production getting him on/off the boat even though the crew carried it ashore for him. He still had to negotiate the stairs. A wheelchair with larger rubber front casters (not the ones that look like skateboard wheels) and large main wheels is much more practical as long as you will be traveling with someone who can push it (often backwards is easiest, as noted above). Don't be tempted to try to use a "travel" or "transport" wheelchair.

They are not cheap, but if you have your own chair and can afford it or have access to funding and will get the use out of it, I'd highly recommend looking at a "Freewheel" attachment...this basically converts a manual chair to a three-wheel trike by lifting the small front castors off the ground and instead you have a larger wheel (without checking, I think it's 7-8" diameter) with a pneumatic tyre. The castors clear the ground by a few inches, so it makes going over grass, gravel, cobbles, etc., much easier than otherwise - whether you're self-propelling or have someone pushing. About the only thing it really won't manage at all is dry sand...isn't fantastic on wet sand either unless it's really hard, but pretty much every other surface I've tested mine on, it does a good job on.