Fortunately, Ray Laing is not a back-seat driver.
Otherwise his wife Kathleen (81) would have to consider further modifications to their "stretched limo" mobility scooter, and install one of those "flash partition windows" that stop limousine drivers from being distracted by the hijinks that go on in the back.
Mrs Laing said they bought a standard mobility scooter about eight months ago, and soon after, their son modified it "a bit" so both of them could ride it together.
"Because Ray’s got a stiff leg, we had to lower the back seat as far as it goes, and put mine up as far as it goes, and cut bits off the back of my seat so we could all fit in."
Mr Laing (86) is in care at Oxford Court and Mrs Laing lives at their nearby home.
Each day, she travels around to Oxford Court on the scooter, picks him up and they go for sightseeing drives around South Dunedin.
"It’s a bit more normal than just visiting him in Oxford Court.
"We go around to the beach quite a bit and watch the waves.
"It’s like a Sunday drive. We look at people’s gardens and get lots of comments — you talk to people and nobody’s seen a double one like this before.
"One guy actually asked me if the manufacturer had had a hiccup when he made it, which I thought was quite cool."
They once ventured up-hill as far as Lookout Point, for a "nostalgic trip" to see their first home.
"That wasn’t good for it. It burnt the motor out.
"We got almost home and it stopped. So we had to get another motor."
Before they got the scooter, Mrs Laing said she would push Mr Laing from Oxford Court to their home in a wheelchair on most afternoons.
But then it got too difficult to push him.
The mobility scooter had allowed them to continue spending quality time together, and go wherever they wanted to go, she said.
"It’s really great and Ray just loves it.
"People say he’s sitting there with a smile on his face on the back.
"It’s kept us close together — it really has.
"It’s made a big difference to us. We’re really thankful."
