Go on Top Gear. They'd love it.
-----Original Message-----
From: Harvey Cowe [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 19 February 2009 17:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: speed of motorised wheelchairs (I forgot to attach the
article)
Imagine what an uproar there would be if a law was passed that people
could not walk any faster than 4 mph. Imagine the frustration when walking
late for an appointment, needing to cross the road in a hurry, get away from
danger or just get home quickly because the heavens look like they are
about to open. Or imagine that if you wanted to use a skateboard, roller
skates, a bicycle etc you had to take a test before you were allowed to
exceed the 4 mph limit. Sound stupid and unnecessary? Well this is what’s
been done to me. I’ve been told by my local wheelchair services that they will
provide me with an electric wheelchair that has a max speed of 4 mph but
not the 6 mph chair that I need because of the extra risk and cost.
I don’t know what the price difference is between the cost of a 4 mph and a 6
mph chair but it can’t be that much because everything is near enough the
same apart from the motor and I’ve offered to pay the difference anyway. Its
more about risk really, I’m sure. They think that there is a risk that I might hurt
myself or others if my potential speed is increased by 2 mph. My mates think
it’s hilarious because they know that I’ve driven rally cars and other vehicles
in excess of 140 mph before my accident.
What about the risk of being knocked over because I can’t reach the other
side of the road fast enough? What about the risk of suffering from
hypothermia, or overheating because I can’t find shelter, or make it home in
time. What about the risk of losing a job because I’m not able to be
punctual? And what about the risk of not being able to exit a building in an
emergency? I can just imagine it, a raging fire in a hotel where probably
everyone else has been evacuated apart from me who comes chugging out
of the emergency doors, face black with soot and with my hair on fire!
So the guy from wheelchair services , who incidentally is a really nice person
and so good at his job, comes to tell me the bad news about the wheelchair,
and the driving test! He suggested that I pay for this test, which costs around
£100 and it might allay some of their fears.
"And the test would consist of” I asked, Poe-faced.
“Well it would probably just be driving in and out of a set of cones in the car
park"!
" At 6 mph "?
“ At 6 mph, yes”!!
I'm thinking about taking them up on the challenge, inviting a group of my
friends with loads of beers, klaxons and a chequered flag and then video the
whole thing! Or maybe do a video of my friends Geraldine and Seonai doing
10 mile an hour on their scooters and Shelley doing 16 miles an hour in her
motorised wheelchair, along the seafront and me lagging behind.
And to be honest, I’m starting to feel slightly irritated by some of the gloating,
smug older people on electric scooters zooming past me at sometimes
break-neck speeds of 8, even 10 mph. I’m finding myself tutting and shaking
my head at them and feel as though some cruel role-reversal has taken
place.
It would be funny if the consequences were not so serious. For example
when I took my Son down the seafront two days ago with his go-kart and he
decided to "go for it" at around 5-6 miles an hour shouting "bye bye dad".
Not being able to catch up with him was both stressful and humiliating.
Anyone got any ideas?
Harvey
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