Disabled Drivers

[stuartmmcfc]

Just wondered how many on here, including myself, are disabled and how this effects their "passion" and choice of car?
I have to use hand controls and have an automatic only licence now but although this has modified my choice it hasn't stopped me lusting after my dream cars.
I've never had really deep pockets but I've been lucky enough to have 2 of my dream cars before the situation got to difficult.
They were an Audi urquattro and a Lancia Integrale (which, by clever man-maths I even to have at the same time for a while.
I considered fitting a "duck clutch" which is basically a gear knob switch which operates the clutch by an actuator. But ultimately I decided against as they sort of went against the nature of the cars, seemed complicated to smoothly operate and weren't cheap either!
The car I would liked but decided was much to impractical for me was a Lotus Esprit.
I then bought a convertible xkr which fulfilled the desire for power and good looks but since I neither played golf or owned a cravat I decided I was to young to drive and sold it last year to someone who did
I had hand controls fitted to that (push/pull lever for brake/accelerator) and it worked really well although it could get it the way of my legs getting in.
Since then we've moved house and I've got a nice big garage but I've currently got no savings as we've just spent a fortune on extending the new house. Which is sort of annoying as when I had loads of savings we only had a small garage,
Hopefully this situation will shortly change as I've got my heart set on some 60s Americn muscle.
I'm getting to old to race around all the time and only really want to cruise on nice days in something automatic, classic and a Yank with big power really appeals. I've been doing my research for nearly 2 years now and just need a decent bonus and the approval of SWMBO and it'll be West Coast here I come
Anyone else in the same situation or need some advice based on my limited experience?

[Troubleatmill]

If you can get a Corvette fitted to your needs - I recommend one.


The fuel consumption ....less so.

[20bjames]

Hi I dirive with hand control push pull auto only license I have found the golf dsg range very good I use a wheelchair and find the golfs good to get the chair onto the front seat I now have a thing for 4 x4 current a cayenne but had a new shape rrs I change cars about 6 months but with nice leather not good putting the chair in the front so I have to rely on others to get my chair out not very good for going to the shops it's really hard to find a good auto fun car I have a db7 but with the hand controlls in very little room but the chair will go in the boot the auto box is crap tho I have a db9 but chair will not go in the boot so I can only go out in that by my self a think a yank car could be a good move as most are auto or a Nissan GT-R are very good auto car

[stuartmmcfc]

It's funny how what's important changes.
Something that attracted me to an xkr but put me off a db7 was the size of the boot
I use a scooter out and about and have 2, the smaller of which I keep in the boot and use a hoist to get in and out of the boot.
My "daily" is a Hyundai i35. It's ok (it is 4x4) but dull as dishwater.
Is your chair a light weight one, and if so does it collapse or is it rigid?
A friend has a lightweight fixed one which he puts in the front seat, but they're not cheap either.

[Impasse]

Many years ago, in another life, a converted Esprit S4S appeared on my professional radar. It, like you mentioned, had a switch operated clutch and was the second Esprit the driver had owned, both having been adapted for his requirements.
So it's definitely possible, although an Evora IPS might be an easier ownership prospect.

[James_N]

Disabled here too, Cerebral Palsy.

Never ever let it affect me. My walking and balance suffers greatly but this doesn't affect my ability to drive. Ive had 3 Civic Type R's, a Westfield (this was a bit hard getting in and out of, but I managed!) and my realistic dream car (An S2000). I now stick to old Volvos (for now at least!)

My only problem is my clutch foot can ache in heavy stop/start traffic, but that could be said for a lot of people.

My disability will never ever get in the way of my car choices! I'd always find a way

[stuartmmcfc]

Impasse said:

Many years ago, in another life, a converted Esprit S4S appeared on my professional radar. It, like you mentioned, had a switch operated clutch and was the second Esprit the driver had owned, both having been adapted for his requirements.
So it's definitely possible, although an Evora IPS might be an easier ownership prospect.

It was the lowness of the car and the width of the sills which put me off but since having a family I'm sort of obliged to have a car which has the pretence, at least, of having 4 seats
I've always dabbled with old cars, although I've never gone back to the 60s, it's always been the 70s and 80s so far.

[stuartmmcfc]

James_N said:

Disabled here too, Cerebral Palsy.

Never ever let it affect me. My walking and balance suffers greatly but this doesn't affect my ability to drive. Ive had 3 Civic Type R's, a Westfield (this was a bit hard getting in and out of, but I managed!) and my realistic dream car (An S2000). I now stick to old Volvos (for now at least!)

My only problem is my clutch foot can ache in heavy stop/start traffic, but that could be said for a lot of people.

My disability will never ever get in the way of my car choices! I'd always find a way

[20bjames]

Yes I am a parapligic so can not stand at all so I have a rigid chair with quick realise wheels it only ways about 6 kg so I get i. The car then lift it over my front it's really hard choosing new cars I have tried a few mainly audi and just carnt get on with them where my feet go its to flat so I have to strap my legs up still would poss like a rs4 or rs6 next

[Ki3r]

For those who have adapted cars, would it be possible to see a photo of the controls and explain how it all works? Always amazes me how technology with things like this works.

[Who me ?]

reading some of the posts, I'm a rather lucky disabled driver. My only problems are one hip( at moment) which needs a new ball joint( or a grease nipple fitting), and resulting wear and tear on knee joints. Makes getting in and out of driver side difficult. pedal wise- I use my ankle to swap pedals. I've always driven cars with my heel in line with the brake pedal and my foot angled out over the throttle . I doubt now if I could drive large ans with the needed movement of the leg.

[stuartmmcfc]

Thanks for the email Steve. I've bookmarked the link.
Good luck in the new job

[stuartmmcfc]

Ki3r said:

For those who have adapted cars, would it be possible to see a photo of the controls and explain how it all works? Always amazes me how technology with things like this works.

I use a Jeff Gosling system.
It's quite simple really- the hand control is to the rhs of the wheel, mounted under the column, and by some simple but clever rods, physically pushes the brake or accelerator down as you push or pull the lever. You soon get the hang of it and it takes surprisingly little effort.
http://www.northeastscooters.co.uk/handcontrols.ht...
(Not my car )

[TwigtheWonderkid]

In the 80s in Fulham I used to often see, parked, an AC Cobra with a steering wheel knob and various other mods for a disabled driver. Never saw the driver though, so have no idea what their disability was.

Just thought he or she must've been pretty cool.

[stuartmmcfc]

I used to think it was pretty cool I was probably the only owner of an Integrale Evo 2 with a Blue Badge in the country.
Never got any trouble at Tesco's though.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

stuartmmcfc said:

I used to think it was pretty cool I was probably the only owner of an Integrale Evo 2 with a Blue Badge in the country.
Never got any trouble at Tesco's though.

So long as you didn't have a light blue MCFC badge in the window. That definitely isn't cool.

[stuartmmcfc]

The whole car was blue

[PomBstard]

Reading this reminds me of one of my childhood heroes, a guy no-one here would probably know as he founded and led the local youth club in south Bristol I went to for many years. Not sure how the problem came about but his right leg was a few inches shorter than his left. The club had an adapted Transit for him to drive, with hand throttle on the right and a floor-mounted brake lever on the left. Watching him reverse that Transit full of kids towing a trailer full of canoes around a twisty rutted lane was a great lesson in coordination. Sadly died any years ago, but helped me understand how people adapt.

I've got an interest in this thread as my daughter has only one arm - it'll be auto-only for her cars. Whereas my BiL is missing half his right arm and relishes driving a manual...

[20bjames]

I use these pull to go and away to brake use these on all sorts of cars and work really well for me they take a bit of getting use to tho

[MoelyCrio]

Suprised there isn't a digital solution to the throttle these days rather than all those linkages.