Driving

TOBRUK

Cyclamen wrote: »

Thanks again Tobruk

I have just trie dto message you but can't so will say a little of it here

Thank you so much for explaining things.. it does give me hope that with the correct adaptations i may be ok for short journeys. The whole thing is just so ruddy scary.. no one tells you anything about living with a disability in advancean di often feel i'm blunderinga round looking for answers .

Please can i ask what sort of adaptions they recommended? are they things you can bolt on to a normal car or do you have to use motability?

thanks again

I understand Cyclamen, you are not alone. I too found it difficult when I firstly had an accident and lost the use of my right arm and was a bit lost of what to do and how to do it - you tend to have to find out things on your own a lot of the time! However, when I had rebuilt my life and was enjoying a career I was hit with an illness I just could not shake - eventually being diagnosed with M.E. - but for a while I was in denial!! Eventually I had to leave work which broke my heart!

To the car - I have never gone down the mobility route, the car I have I bought myself and paid for the adaption, a car I have had for 17 years! I have an automatic car (as I have no use of my right arm and could no longer use a manual transmission and change gear!) and an infrared knob on the steering wheel with the buttons on it to operate indicators, lights etc. It is easy and you get used to it very quickly.

I intend to buy another second hand car and pay for the adaption myself again and not go down the motability route. You do not have to go down the motability route, it is something that after consideration I decided not to do.

Cyclamen

thank you

i am guessing for me it would be things like extra big mirrors and anything tomake steering lighter/easier.

I understand the devestation of ME and am sorry you have to suffer it .

TOBRUK

So that you know I have PM'd you.;)

Savvy_Sue

I do see where you're coming from with the desire to drive and the freedom it brings, BUT is it not worth thinking about the costs of running a car (tax, insurance, repairs, petrol etc) and using the not-running-a-car money as a personal taxi fund which you freely permit yourself to spend on 'frivolous' or impulse taxis? You know, just to go to the park because the sun is shining.

TOBRUK

Hi Sue, I understand what you are saying and it is something each individual has to weigh up.

There are issues where if you are living in a rural area where getting a taxi is so expensive and not always available. Public transport (if you can get to a bus stop) on certain routes are maybe available twice a day and you would need a taxi to get to, and on a Sunday are non existant.

There are many variants. For me the car gives me some sort of independence, and if I am feeling well enough I can visit my parents 5 miles up the road. In a rural area you can feel totally cut off.

If I need to get to the GP (which is less than a mile away) a taxi would cost a fortune, and if I couldn't get a taxi at that time would be so stressful and could find myself stranded. If I need to get to the hospital - the nearest is 30 miles away on rural roads!

I suppose it depends on the individual's circumstance, for me, my second hand car which I have had for 17 years has had very little work done on it, although the body work (a bit like me) is starting to get very very tired!:D

I suppose you just have to do the figures.

Cyclamen

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I do see where you're coming from with the desire to drive and the freedom it brings, BUT is it not worth thinking about the costs of running a car (tax, insurance, repairs, petrol etc) and using the not-running-a-car money as a personal taxi fund which you freely permit yourself to spend on 'frivolous' or impulse taxis? You know, just to go to the park because the sun is shining.

Oh I completely agree and have thought about and am still thinking about it.

The truth is we just dont use taxi's for the little trips.. a taxi 3 minutes up the road regularly would probably get us blacklisted with our company who are so good with my wheelchair.

I know it isnt financially sensible and would be a luxury .. but i just want the freedom of being able to get up an dgo on a good day and not wait for a taxi or worry about putting a muddy wheelchair back in a taxi, being able to go an dpark up with husband on a hillside and just sit and watch the world go by.. things i cant do and so dearly miss.

But first i have to find out if i can