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“Dirty looks”: A critical phenomenology of motorized mobility scooter use

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  • Battalova, Alfiya
  • Hurd, Laura
  • Hobson, Sandra
  • Kirby, R. Lee
  • Emery, Richelle
  • Mortenson, W. Ben

Abstract

The use of motorized mobility scooters has become increasingly prevalent. Drawing on the critical-phenomenology and disability-studies literature, this study explored the embodied nature of scooter use among 20 new scooter users. The analysis revealed four themes: 1) Navigating the social environment and being (un)seen presented a paradox of how hypervisibility and invisibility can both exist; 2) Transitioning to scooter use revealed the affective component of becoming a scooter user despite the underlying desire to avoid unwanted attention; 3) Experiencing accessibility challenges en route and at destinations demonstrated that the inconsistency in accessibility along different routes unavoidably makes disability more visible; 4) Strategic and personalized use of devices for mobility illustrated how reliance on other mobility devices (e.g. canes and walkers) can be used as a strategy to circumvent the barriers and lessen the visibility of disability. The lifeworlds of “lived relation”, “lived body”, “lived space”, and “lived things” encapsulated the multi-faceted experiences of new scooter users. The critical phenomenology of scooter use emphasized the need for creative strategies to address the physical and attitudinal barriers as well as scooter design-related concerns.

Suggested Citation

  • Battalova, Alfiya & Hurd, Laura & Hobson, Sandra & Kirby, R. Lee & Emery, Richelle & Mortenson, W. Ben, 2022. "“Dirty looks”: A critical phenomenology of motorized mobility scooter use," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:297:y:2022:i:c:s0277953622001162
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114810
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    References listed on IDEAS

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