Safety - Pride Mobility Sidekick Owner's Manual

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
n Determine if the door opens toward or away from you.
n Use your hand to turn the knob or push the handle or push-bar.
n Drive 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).
n If 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.
n Use 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.
n Take 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.
n When 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.
n 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.
n Avoid 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.
6
I I . S A F E T Y
150 lbs.
8˚
SIDEKICK
FIGURE 1. MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED INCLINE ANGLE
200 lbs.
250 lbs. 300 lbs.
6˚
3˚
2˚
Sidekick