Dog lover beats disability to go walkies with fleet of TGA mobility scooters
Sandra Brock, 77 from Brixham, Devon, continues to enjoy seaside life with Archie the dog, thanks to her latest fleet of Breeze mobility scooters.
Originally from Southend, Sandra moved to Brixham with her late husband to enjoy retirement by the Devonshire seaside. Despite walking difficulties due to having TB as a child, Sandra became a skilled confectionery decorator for master bakers across the south of England. When her husband sadly passed away in 2011 Sandra lost her independence as she couldn’t drive their car. So, she sold it for a TGA Breeze mobility scooter which meant getting about was still possible.
Since then, she has owned five of these scooters, two at a time, which have become a massive part of her life and stopped Sandra being housebound. She uses them to go everywhere with her dog Archie, an 8-year-old Jack Russell/Westie cross. Sandra’s latest Breeze S4 has a canopy so there is nothing stopping her and Archie come rain or shine.
Sandra is one of a growing number of people who are replacing their cars for electric scooters. Without the cost of petrol and parking worries, Sandra and Archie have all the range they need to move around locally. Sandra explains: “I open the garage and there are my two Breeze scooters – raring to go! I charge them overnight in the garage so always ready. Having two Breeze’s simply means freedom. If I didn’t have my scooters my life would be terrible. I can walk a bit inside with a walker but outside is very hard and carrying things like shopping is impossible. Without my scooters I would be stuck indoors and not able to live with Archie. My scooter with a hood is for bad weather and my other Breeze is for speed.”
“When Archie and I go into Brixham everyone admires my scooter and how much stuff I can load it up with. Dog toys, dog food and other doggy stuff, coat, shopping and fish from the harbour market which I love. All this goes in the basket, back box and floor well. I am always amazed with how much we can carry. Archie has grown up with my scooter and travelled as a pup in the front basket. As he has got older, he rides on the footplate and trots alongside. When I’m out with Archie I often lose track of time, we can be driving for many hours without a care in the world. Archie is definitely tired when we get back and I often have to clean my scooter as it’s covered in mud!”
Sandra can be seen most days out and about in Brixham on either of her two TGA scooters. The Breeze S4 is famous for appearing on BBC Top Gear and attempting several world records. It is a big and powerful scooter that gets Sandra into town and back despite steep hills as she explains: “I’m the Breeze’s number one fan. Not one of my five scooters has ever let me down. They are true performers when it comes to reliability and comfort. I love them as they do not look like they are just for old ladies as I put it. My scooter is big which means I feel safe especially when I go on the road. It sticks to the ground and feel steady even over bricks, kerbs and when we go on coastal paths to see the view. It’s absolutely solid, it’s wonderful.”
Sandra understands that there still might be some people who do not want to drive a scooter however times are changing fast. She concludes: “If you need one and don’t own a car, then I think not choosing a scooter is down to silly prejudice. Yes, if you can drive a car you might prefer not to use a scooter but if you can’t drive, or can’t get on a bus like me, then it is the right and sensible choice. I get asked all the time ‘where can I get a scooter like that?’ – there is so much interest right now. My friends all adore it. Some people I feel still keep their car for a status thing whereas replacing it with a scooter is much more sensible when you don’t travel far. When I think about all the priceless times, we have sat on the quay having fish and chips in the summer, the Breeze has been and will always be the one for me.”
