Posts Tagged ‘wheelchair ramp’

Wheelchair Accessible Parking Courtesy

Many times, the public isn’t concious of the disabled parking lines painted in parking lots across America.  Often, especially with recent snow falls, wheelchair accessible parking spaces are hard to see, and parking lots are already extremely full.  All too often, this leads to crowding wheelchair vans and their drivers or passengers, creating impossible situations for them.  Many people with disabilities drive customized vans for wheelchairs that include ramps or mobility lifts that need room to extend.  And once extended, these wheelchair ramps and lifts could be too close to an adjacent vehicle to allow for easy access by a mobility device.

This dilema causes the person with disabilities to have to wait for the offender to move their car.  Cold weather can complicate some disabilities, and wheelchairs and other mobility equipment do not do well in frigid temperatures.  So the person driving a wheelchair van or accessible vehicle has to wait in the cold, or wait in the store and try to see when the car blocking their access moves (hard to do when sitting in a wheelchair with shoppers walking in and out of a store)  Often the police become involved.

In short, be considerate when parking.  If there is a spot open right next to the front door of the store, think twice.  It might be a wheelchair accessible parking space, or the additional reserved space needed for wheelchair accessible vans.

Wheelchair Vans and Cold Weather

As we are in the dead of winter with another round of snowstorms approaching, now would be a decent time to talk about wheelchair vans and cold weather.

• Use the garage, if you have one.  For wheelchair lifts that are mounted underneath the vehicle, a night in the garage can let the ice and snow thaw out.  A lot of lifts for full size vans are powered by hydraulics.  The oil used in the hydraulic cylinders tends to sludge up when the temp is really cold, and allowing the accessible wheelchair van warm up will help performance.  A lowered floor minivan with a wheelchair ramp can also benefit from being inside and out of the elements.
• Wheelchair vans should be winterized, just like any other vehicle.  For as long as people have been driving, they’ve been winterizing their vehicles.  Its no different with a wheelchair accessible van.  Many wheelchair van manufacturers recommend 6 month service appointments at a local mobility dealer for lubrication and checking for wear and tear.  A mobility dealer can also catch potential problems before they happen and make the necessary repair.  The half hour appointment can save big bucks later, not to mention the hassle of being stuck out in the cold when your accessible wheelchair van decides to quit.
• Write down the emergency numbers for your local mobility shop.  Many offer 24 road side emergency service, but that won’t do you any good if you can’t contact them.
• The battery is one of the most crucial parts of any accessible wheelchair van conversion, so get it changed if you even suspect it is on its last legs.  A trickle charger can also be a great investment if you drive you van less than 1 time per week, as it will keep the battery performing well.
• Keep an eye on the weather.  It it is totally lousy, you might want to think about staying home.