VIDEO: Kelowna man's new ride turning heads on the street

When Rick Thornton and his wife lost their driver's licences it left them in the lurch.

But now they've found an eye-catching alternative.

Their new set of wheels is not only getting the job done, it's also making them new friends wherever they go.

Thornton prefers to drive it in the bike lane, but if it's not available, the sidewalk is always an option.

That's because his cute little red car isn't a car at all.

"It's a mobility scooter," he said.

But it doesn't look like one, which is why he had to explain it to the police when they pulled him over.

"He said, 'I've never seen one of these, what's the regulations on this?' So I showed him the back plate which is a mobility scooter."

So no driver's licence or registration or insurance is required.

"It's like a bicycle," said Thornton.

He said he's never had any real conflict, but some people have left him feeling they don't like the look of it on the sidewalk.

"I've had some looks," he said.

"Whenever we can we pull over and let the people walk by," he said.

But mostly it's more of a conversation piece.

"Everywhere we go, people come up and ask us about it."

He says it always raises a few eyebrows.

"It's like a car show," said Thornton.

And he's getting used to sharing the spiel.

"It has air conditioning, power windows, power locks, radio, back-up camera, and of course wiper and defrost," he said.

It also has a little back seat.

"It's got everything a small car has got, except for the speed."

It tops out at 30km/hr unless it's going downhill, in which case it can go a little faster than that.

The vehicle is made in China by a company called 'Gio'.

It's nothing like the big truck he used to drive, but it has him on the road again.

"When I turned 80 four years ago, I lost my licence," he explained. so now this is it."

For now, at least.

Thornton is considering an upgrade.

"My next one is going to be a four-door."

Watch for it on a bike lane or sidewalk near you.