Retired Foreign Office electrician, Glen Jackson, 92 from Colchester, joins the growing band of people swapping their car for an electric mobility scooter.
Glen’s mobility scooter is now his car. At 92 he’s decided it’s time to give up his licence but that doesn’t mean an end to driving. His TGA Breeze S4 has made sure of that. Living in Colchester, Glen has no need to travel far so his scooter has become his new pride and joy. Polished regularly in his carpeted garage, his Breeze has become a lifeline for getting out. The cost of parking, road tax, petrol, it’s all gone.
A passion for engineering is in Glen’s DNA. Born in Swindon, he was the son of a Great Western Railway engineer. Through the economic depression of the 1930’s life was tough, but he grew up to become an electrician for the Foreign Office, working in embassies all around the world. 50 years full of memories followed from meeting Margaret Thatcher in Moscow to holding a piece of moonrock on Ascension Island to refereeing Real Madrid FC at the Bernabéu. Glen was a go getter. So, what’s Glen up to today? Still ‘very much agile and with it’ as he puts it, he’s keeping busy but nearer to home these days, made possible by a scooter that’s ‘as good as you can get.’
Glen knew how to find new wheels he could trust. His keen eye for quality engineering came into play when he went looking at TGA with his son: “I’d had a Vita Sport for a few years but wanted an upgrade. We walked into the showroom and saw the Breeze and Gary immediately said ‘Pop, that’s just the one you want’. As I have a logical approach to things, I looked at every part.”
“My first impression was that it looked good. It’s like a car, you want it to look good. I inspected the wheels and they were very large. I thought ‘that’s stability’. And then I could see the controls were straightforward. Ground clearance – I didn’t want one that would scrape the ground going over potholes. Another box ticked. Getting onboard I had space to sit comfortably. I’m 6’ 4”. Finally, I took it for a whizz around the car park and found the turning circle and steering marvellous.”
“I find there’s too many fast people on the roads these days” says Glen. “I can still drive a car, of course I can, but I think my mind and eyes are not as quick as they used to be. Believe you me, if you get a scooter, you’ll be glad you got rid of your car!“
“I take it to Lidl and Sainsbury’s, about 6 miles there and back, and find it surprising how much shopping I can get in it’s box and on the foot well. I mainly just get round my local area. If I need to go further afield, like when I went to Chelmsford last week, I’ll take the bus. My scooter means I still have a choice.”
To sum up, Glen sees staying active as key to a happy life. His wife agrees. They never sit and watch television in the day, only switching on around 6’o’clock. They’re either out together, in the garden, or Glen’s breezed off somewhere on his scooter. Back at base his workshop keeps him entertained, currently building inspection ramps for his S4. “It’s funny really as my wife says she’d like to take my scooter indoors as the seat is more comfortable than her armchair. I’m glad I bought the Breeze that’s for sure. It’s wonderful. You get what you pay for. You want a good scooter you’ve got to pay for it. I don’t miss my car one bit.”
