Disability Q&Apermalink
Winter driving and disability
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My Motability car has been an absolute godsend to me, but I am increasingly finding myself still stuck in by the weather. I go out and find a film of condensation over all the windows and I can only wipe down the bits that can be done remotely, back and front wipers, rolling the side windows up and down, but I can't reach the two little side panels in the front, and without those I can't see in my mirrors. There is no chance I could push a load of snow of the bonnet and roof. What do people do?
I still haven't ever managed to get the tyres checked because I can't use the air line and believe me there is nowhere around here where you could describe the staff as helpful. Resentful would be rather better! They grump and keep you waiting if you want to buy fuel, I can't imagine them coming out of the shop at all to help with something that will earn the garage a whole 20p in air. I assumed I would get a 6-month service on this car like a normal new car, but nothing.
And now that I am having to use lights and wipers and heaters and things it's becoming more and more of an issue that I mostly do short trips, operating an electric hoist at both ends. The battery light comes on all the time, and I end up having to drive round and round just to charge it up! I can't get the battery out to charge it in the house where it would be cheaper than burning fuel.
Do any of you experienced people have some tips that help with any of this? -
Hi there RoseRodent
I put my car ( Renault Grand Scenic ) into air condition mode and this is the fastest way to demist all my side windows.
For snow I use a sweeping brush ( long handle one ).
Tyres I take my Motobility car round to the tyre co they reccomend ( I think it's Kwick Fit ) and they do the tyres for me, for free.
Like you I also have to use a large electric hoist at both ends of my trip, my trips normally average about 11 miles each way.
I don't know what car you have, but I would have thought that all modern cars ( and yours must be modern as it is a Motobility car ) can easily keep up with the battery useage even on short journey, none of mine have ever complained with red lights and I have hoisted in the last 3 cars that I have had.
My Renault goes a long time between services ( I think it is 2,000 miles, I can't check right now, sorry )
If you can't manage the brush for the snow, how about throwing a cover over the car, ( I am pretty sure that would be more difficult than a brush )
If I can think of anything else I will let you know.
All the best
BobThis is a reply to this message.
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My Renault goes a long time between services
Yes - I think most new cars are 'longlife' these days - my car was first serviced about 18 months after I got it.
When my car was covered with snow, I swept as much off the bonnet as I could reach (not much), and had to leave the roof snow to fall off naturally. I de-snowed the front windscreen and defrosted the wipers with antifreeze. I just had to drive carefully until the heaters and the engine heat did the rest.
Have you had problems with the tyres, or is it just a precaution? The tyres on my current car are fine (although my previous car had tyres that needed topping up fairly often - my dad did it for me, though) I know how frustrating it can be to get served in petrol stations...This is a reply to this message.
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My typical tyre-checking routine goes:
Try.
Fail and let all the air out.
Call the RAC.
Occasionally if I have cause to check (they look kinda like they need checking) I'll ring an able-bodied(ish) mate and ask them to come down the petrol station with me.
Can't you make a 5 min detour via a petrol station to check your tyres next time you're going somewhere with your hubby?
As for demisting/removing condensation the only trick is to wait. If you leave the engine running with all the fans on full for a few minutes that'll clear moisture out of the inside. The air moving over the outside of the vehicle with soon blow dew/rain drops off the exterior wet bits that the wipers don't reach within a few seconds of driving.
As for the battery, mum had a second one fitted to her van for the tail-lift. It's still charged by running the engine but it means that the lift doesn't drain all the power from the same battery that starts the car.This is a reply to this message.
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I take my car to the place where I buy my tyres and they check the tyres for free as there is no way I could manage one of those supermarket air hoses.
My current car is a devil for condensation taking ages to clear. The front windows aren't too bad but the rear side windows never seem to clear.
I bought an expensive condensation prevention spray/liquid to wipe on the interior windows to prevent condensation but it does not work.This is a reply to this message.
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You can get a little gadget from Maplins and other electrical stores that charge both batteries whilst allowing the hoist to draw only off one battery and the car to draw off the other one.
I think it is a splitter, but could be mistaken
Only about £5, but someone needs to fit the second battery and stuff.
I would have thought that this would be a standard system with hoists...This is a reply to this message.
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Well, first frost of the season and I scratched the window trying to get the frost off, so hope that doesn't get me a nice fat bill when the car goes back. [grump] I left the heater thingie to do its bit and it was actually much more impressive than I expected.
If only 11 miles were a "short" journey then I'm sure I'd have no bother, but it seems as if my journey pattern means I need another battery. Shame, as I already own a great heap of batteries from various wheelchairs (had to buy new batteries shortly before the chair clapped out so now I have 2 brand new £150 batteries that have virtually nil resale value and are useful for nothing.
Wish I could run the hoist from the wheelchair battery, I have acres of spare capacity in there.
I shall have to book the car in for some issues then, I assumed it would get a service through anyway and I'd bring it up then. I got so much paperwork with the car I can't work out what to do about a fault with the stereo, whether it goes to Ford or I have to phone someone at Sony, does anyone happen to know? The stereo randomly changes between CD and radio and off, so you are driving along quietly minding your own business and the stereo yells "said the leader of the Conservative party" and then goes quiet again. Very disconcerting!
Oh, and I discovered what the special frost system on the car is. A dash-light comes on if the outside temperature is low enough for a risk of frost, and it goes red if it's below 0C. That's it. Well, thanks, but I can work it out for myself that there is a frost risk if the car is covered in the stuff!!!
Will have to start doing daughter's nursery by leccy chair I think, just as the weather is getting worse too.This is a reply to this message.
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Hi there again RoseRodent
Sorry to hear about the scratch on the window, don't wash the glass on the day they look LOL.
I once again will stick by the thought that a modern car will be able to easily run all the systems on it ( not hoist ) without the battery complaining as long as the engine is running, no matter the length of journey, in other words even if you don't move the car, it will be fine.
So providing you leave engine running and turn off all the other things, lights, stereo, heaters, fans etc, it should be able to lift your chair in and out no problems, then using your chair go to the drivers side and turn off engine.
If there is any kind of a fault with your car take it back to the dealer, even for the radio, they have to see to all the problems, do not let them pass the buck to you.
All the best
BobThis is a reply to this message.
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Another option (which would at least ensure you don't get stranded) is a booster battery which plugs into the cigarette lighter. You charge it up in the car, and if needed it will help the main battery start the vehicle. Once it's charged, you can tuck it away in the glove box/boot or whereever.
If it's possible for you to get to the key from outside the car, you could just leave the engine running while using the hoist and turn it off afterwards -- the engine will then be providing most of the electrical current instead of the battery which may help keep it more charged.
This is a reply to this message.
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I hate leaving my car out in a frost, I just cant do what normal people can do and I cant reach most of the windscreen to brush or defrost it and thats one reason we made sure we had garages when we were house hunting but we were only able to do that because "luckily" someone caused some of my disabilities.
Im also lucky that my OH checks everything on my car every week so tyre pressures, lighting checks etc are done
Starting your car and leaving it to defrost it self is the easiest option for me when my cars out but that need 2 keys (ignition and lock) or you risk car jacking.
Another problem I have is I need the boot side windows clear to reverse safely so thats even more none heated glass to clear.
Whatever the season I have problems with it but winter is by far the worse and I feel worse in the winter pain wise too.
Cant help with the hoist RR but I would have the car back to the garage about the radio fault and anyother teething problems that you are having, Ive always had good service when taking cars in but that was mostly cars I had bought and a thread here said that motability customers are treated diffrently but the once I took this car in I was treated no diffrent to anyother car Ive had.
The joys I have to come, whoevers with me loads/unloads my powerchair but I want my independance back so a WAV seems to be the way to go and that means a lift or ramp thats built in.
dd
This is a reply to this message.
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Re: Tyres, water etc
Kwik Fit (other national chain mechanical types are available) advertise that they will check your air/water/oil for free. And they tend to have somewhere warm where you can sit while they do it.
I've found them to be very helpful, especially when you play the *ahem* dumb female. Fluttery eyelashes definitely help when playing up to a man in an oily boilersuit!!!This is a reply to this message.
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I can't manage to check the tyres either. Solution? I go to a really busy garage which has free air (so there is always a queue). When I get to being next in the queue, and the chap in front is finishing off, I call out of the window and hold up my blue badge while saying "I'm sorry but I can't physically check the tyres without a lot of pain, could you possibly check them for me?" followed by "thank you so much, would you like a mint imperial?" Works so far.
As for icing up the screen I get a bucket and half fill it (since I can't manage a full one) with hot water from the tap... then I throw it over the screen / windows. Repeat as necessary. Then I get in, turn the engine on, turn the wipers on and then the blower, and it soon clears but you do have to be patient.This is a reply to this message.
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Three suggestions:
1. Don't be in a hurry. Start your car and let it run with the heat on full-blast for about 15 minutes. this will melt everything on the windows and loosen the ice.
2. I have a snow scraper and brush that has a retractable handle, so I can make it longer if i need to reach the roof of the car. but also, that will just blow off when you drive!
3. you can buy de-icer in a spray can, it works pretty well for getting thin layers of ice off.
http://www.disablog.comThis is a reply to this message.
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WRT getting rid of condensation, any chance of getting at it with the doors open from the outside, or even with the door shut and the window down -- that should let you get your chair further forward than the car seat, but I'm not sure whether it will be enough to help. If that doesn't work then would a cloth or sponge on the end of a stick let you reach?
For my car I've come to the conclusion that apart from the windscreen and driver's side door I'm actually better off getting at the inside surfaces from outside, but that's on the basis I'm walking around the car anyway to clean off outside surfaces and wing mirrors and may not be as applicable from a chair.
WRT snow, I never bother cleaning roof and bonnet, windows and lights are the only things that need doing IMO.
>> I can't get the battery out to charge it in the house where it would be cheaper than burning fuel. <<
Any chance of running a lead out to charge it in situ? I never take the battery out when charging it, just disconnect it, run an extension lead out to the car, plug the charger into that and hook the battery up to it. You aren't the only one to have problems with short journeys and battery life, that's the reason I own a battery charger, my battery has run flat several times in normal use and that's without using a hoist.This is a reply to this message.
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RoseRodent
Take your car to KWIK FIT. They do all that for free for motability drivers.This is a reply to this message.
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