driving a car

[Blaadyblah]

Hi, try searching within this topic for hand brake - some adaptations can be made, there may be a suggestion in the gadget topic too. Mine is fairly gentle unless a man's been driving, generally if I'm having troubble I'll use both hands.

[Stone]

Also might be worth looking at newer cars - some of them have started to have air-operated handbrakes now (even in the low-end ones!) which just operate by a button on the dash. Some of these also have a thing VW calls 'Auto Hold' which stops you rolling back when you do a hill start, which can come in handy - it makes driving them much more like driving an automatic.

Or you could just get an automatic

Personally I find there's usually one 'correct' way for me to do each task when driving - if I change gear while twisted a bit then I really feel it. When I was learning to fail my HGV test I found it really hard to get into two of the gears until my instructor suggested I grip the gearstick slightly differently for those gears (elbow up in the air instead of pointing down) - this let my shoulder hold together so I could apply a bit more force.

If you have an OT could you get them to have a look at how you're doing things?



Stone

[Englishgremlin1]

a couple of ideas come to mind - get an electric handbrake fitted or there is a simple adaption you can buy which reduces the work needed to use the handbrake. could be worht a search on companies like Brig-ayd and the like as they all make solutions.

Hope this helps

[lil_miffy]

I have been awarded the high rate mobility part of DLA so i can now phone the assesmetn centre up and make an appointment to find out what adpations if any i need to be able to drive. Im so excited and terrified at the same time lol.
Has anyone been to the newcastle assesmetn centre? what is it like and what does he assesmet involve?
I dont have my powerchair yet but that will factor into the type of car i will need.

[Musiclover3261]

I have just started driving this year and find that I get a lot of pain in my right hip, knee and ankle while using the gas/brake pedals, even though it's an automatic. My wrists and elbows also get stiff from holding the wheel even for a short time. Any suggestions?

[Lauren]

Does anyone else have a problem with clutch control? My Physiotherapist has told me I have poor control of my limbs and I am wondering if this is why I struggle so much when driving and I can't seem to move my legs at the right speed or smoothly enough to work the clutch well. :c(

[Purplesheep]

I also had lots of problems with clutch control. Us bendies often don't have very good fine motor skills, which is why it can be difficult. I learned to drive quite quickly, but learning to control the clutch was probably the longest process of that. I found that clutches that are harder to press are a little bit easier to control, as because your movements don't need to be quite so small. I didn't do much driving for a few years, but when I got my first car a year ago, I went for an automatic mainly for this reason. It is so much easier and I find I can concentrate on driving much better without worrying about slipping off the clutch (or changing gear with a dislocated shoulder!).

[Lauren]

Haha, changing gears with dislocated shoulder was the reason I went to the doctor in the first place and got diagnosed.

My driving instructor just got the clutch replaced and it's a lot lighter so now I feel like I'm back at square one with clutch control! D: it was the reason I failed my first test.

[Superstottie]

I had a bit of trouble getting used to the clutch when learning - and my instructor gave me some really good advice which was to get a soft foam ball and put it under your foot and basically pretend that you are doing the clutch. You can do both feet as if you are changing between the clutch and accelerator, and just doing this extra practice can help you. I have very jumpy feet - they don't move smoothly when I bend and straighten them, so this exercise really helped me to build up the right muscles I suppose. The ball just gives that bit of resistance! You could also try experimenting with different footwear, I used to have to wear heals in certain cars due to the height of the pedals, thankfully my current car is good in flats as I can no longer wear heals!

[Lauren]

With the current clutch it would have to be a very, very soft foam ball. The bite is higher as well which I have to get used to.

[nemonie]

I helpfully managed to sublux my left wrist changing gears today, something I do quite regularly. I really hope that I get enough DLA and for long enough on my next review in September, so that I can get motability and get an automatic.

[star gazer]

my new car arrives on the 1st March, it has auto and manual gears, auto for me manual for hubby, i will be able to use the manual too because the gear changes are with paddles on the stearing wheel. We chose this car because it is cheap to run and is big enough for wheel chair plus other bits of equipment needed for an over night stay anywhere, but also because with three of us with eds the seating arrangement allows different seats to fold so that legs can be stretched right out if they are in braces or splints! I am looking forward to having a few adventures out of the house apart from the g.p hospital and supermarket! it also has a button handbrake so no probs with trying to struggle with that. Just hope the old car lasts another couple of weeks, it getting very close to packing up completely.
sg

[Rosie]

Hiya

That sounds familiar, is the car a Citroen? I have found the push button handbrake brilliant on mine, especially as it takes itself off automatically when you pull away and puts itself on when you switch the ignition off. The fact that I can drive it in manual is handy for bad weather conditions as you can pull away in 2nd gear like you are supposed to in snow.

Rosie

[Superstottie]

I was thinking of getting a car with the button handbrake in my new car as I often manage to pull my shoulder out trying to put the handbrake on, and usually have to give up and just leave it in gear, then forget and try to start it in gear next time I go out! I have been given funding for a semi auto (not sure what this is exactly!) with left foot accelerator and steering ball. I suppose on an auto you don't really need the handbrake (my last one never worked after I forgot to take it off and drove at 70 for about 10 miles before realising!), but not sure how it works on the semi auto? Hopefully I will then be able to drive a bit more as I rely on hubby to take me everywhere at the moment but he is due to have surgery soon and wont be able to drive for a week or so! Wouldn't be too bad but it will be after we have moved out of town so I won't even be able to wheel myself to the shop should we run out of something!

[star gazer]

it is a peaugeot 5008 estate but apparently similar to the citroen with the handbrake,seats etc, also has stop start engine but went with this as our current car is a peaugeot and they have given us a reasonable trade in against the new car. the new one is a 7 seater so we can fold flat the middle seats if on of the kids is in a knee brace or similar and needs to strectch right out! also classed a semi auto because it has both options as advised by motability man. We are having the wheelchair restraint fitted before we collect it. Also had the option of a wheelchair roof box that has an electric winch to haul the chait up and into box, but we have not gone for that as I think we would still end up putting the chair in the back of the car anyway. But more than anything I am really looking forward to being in a car where the auto gearbox does not keep failing (it is an on board computer problem) which means the car can just fail at any time you need to then stop and restart to get the gear box working again, would cost £1500 for new gearbox and that is on a car that is only worth £1000 so a no brainer really. the advance payement on the new car is £1800 and peaugeot are giving us £1000 for the old car so need to find £800 for the balance (hi mum how are you!do you have a bit of cash i could borrow ) then the car is total allowance but it will still be less stress in the long run to do this with motability as I only have to think about fuel. fingers crossed it will be a reliable car, a bit daunting as lots of new tricks to learn to be able to drive it.
sgx