It is fantastic to discover the types of world records held when reading entries in the Guinness World Records book, but did you know that there is even a record for the world’s longest mobility scooter?
World's Longest Mobility Scooter
Longest Mobility Scooter measures 22ft (6.7m)
A new world record for the longest mobility scooter has recently been set in Yorkshire at an airfield which has been the site of several world record attempts. Although some land speed records have been attempted here, this time, the airfield was used to confirm the record for the longest mobility scooter.
Oxfordshire businessman, Kevin Nicks, travelled to Elvington Airfield intending to break the world record for the longest mobility scooter. But not only did Mr Nicks achieve what he set out to do, but he also managed to set a new world record for the fastest average speed on a motorised BMX while at the Straighliners Records event, with a top speed of 54mph.
Up for the challenge!
Mr Nicks, who runs a mobility scooter business in Oxfordshire, came up with the idea to challenge the world record for the longest mobility scooter after discovering that there was a currently held Guinness record of 10ft two inches.
Mr Nicks believed he could beat this record by building a mobility scooter that was longer, so he designed and built a mobility scooter measuring a staggering 22ft three inches long! Mr Nicks broke the current record by riding 100m on the mobility scooter along the runway at Elvington to break the record at the Straightliners automotive records event held at Elvington Airfield, Yorkshire.
Previously held Guinness world record
The previous Guinness world record for the longest mobility scooter was set on the 26th of July, 2020, by father and son team Luke and Roy Finch with a mobility scooter measuring 3.10 metres (10ft two inches). The record was set in London, and the gentlemen built their mobility scooter using old parts salvaged from waste thrown away by people and shopkeepers.
It took Luke and Roy around six weeks to build the basic mobility scooter vehicle, with an extra two weeks to add the finishing touches. The pair said that the most challenging aspect of the project was fixing the wiring to power the mobility scooter and make it work. Some of the original wiring had melted and were unusable from the original scooter parts.
Built on a budget
Because the mobility scooter parts they salvaged were mainly free, the whole rebuild project cost the pair less than £100! Luckily, Roy Finch is a car mechanic, and Luke is studying engineering at school, so they had enough talent and knowledge combined to make this project a fun challenge to test their skills.
The pair had previously worked together building smaller electric vehicles, so the challenge to build something so large that could be a world-record holder was too tempting to turn down. In an interview for local media, the pair said: “Being a Guinness World Records title holder would be a great honour for the both of us. For as long as I can remember, we have always bought the Guinness World Record books, and we would look through them, wishing we could one day hold a world record. Even the thought is amazing!”
Resources: bbc.co.uk