I have been an MS sufferer fr te last 8 years and as my ability to move my foot from accelerator to brake is now pathetic at best (been difficult to park for a few months a then last week I literally drove into my own home! Luckily only the front wall damaged and no-one hurt!!!) I decided to no longer drive a conventional car as ofhat moment.
My car is automatic and I have been looking for options to adapt it so that I can use hand controls.
I have played on th internet for a bit, but was looking for some good advice as to the options out there, any experience and/or recommendations anyone would have as to which system (and suppplier) is the best, easiest to use, most comfortable etc.
I would appreciate any first handadvice on this before I adapt my car with somethng that I know very little about and don’t have endless time tresearch.
I drove one of their “normal” cars round the local neighbourhood and then was taken on to their track where I tried out a car with hand controls. They wrote a comprehensive report which gave various recommendations .
If you go through Motability there is no charge for the assessment, I think it was about £40 if you referred yourself. Motability also paid for me to have some driving lessons prior to me receiving my new car. I strongly recommend having some lessons (I had 3 hours) as it is a totally different way of driving.
I know this hasn’t really answered your question; I can’t remember the make of mine at the moment. The assessment is well worth it as it gives you chance to have an unbiased discussion about the different types of adaptations available.
Hi Mark, I had the same problem myself when I was driving, I had an automatic Ford Focus and the garage fitted a simple device to the chassis which pressed the accelerator at the same time as I used my left foot which was on another accelerator on the left of the brake. It also be folded down when the car was being used by someone else. Good luck. Trevor
I have been restricted to an automatic car with hand controls for over 20 years now. The last two cars have been fitted by a firm called ( Alfred Bekker) and they are brake and throtttle controls. I have had no problems using them. The person who came out to fit them was disabled himself so he knew what was required.
Bekker controls are based in yorkshire and the number I have for them is 01377241700.
I have a Renault Clio automatic through Motability and had an Electronic under ring accelerator and column mounted push brake fitted. I attended an assessment at the Drivability Assessment Centre in Derby where I was assessed as requiring hand controls. I struggled to use the conventional push pull controls as the upper body movement was for me very tiring, but found the under ring accelerator okay and suprisingly like normal driving. Motability will fund push pull hand controls for free but the accelerator ring cost around £1800. Fortunately Access to work contributed 4/7ths of the cost (I worked four days a week) so that was useful!! as this was my only way of getting to work or use taxis which I had been doing previously.
You can find information about fitters on the motability website under adapation installers - they can give advice as to the suitability of an existing vehicle for the adaptation and costs. Those installers that I contacted were really helpful and keen to offer advice whether you were going through motability or privately.
Hi, I second exactly what is said by MS11604K above. These are also the controls I have. Since you have your own automatic car this should be an easy job, you just need to get in touch with someone who does this job in your local area. The best way to do this is probably to ask a local garage, they should all have a notability specialist who should be familiar with the person who can do this job and can probably put you in touch. Good luck, hand controls made a massive difference to me. By the way, I never had an assessment, was never told to, just drove off and it was fine. I am in North Scotland, if you are anywhere near me, I can recommend the guy who serves this area Cheryl:-) Cheryl:-)
I have an automatic car and had a Push/Pull lever adaptation fitted to the steering wheel to my car in November. I am pre-diagnosis but cannot lift my right foot enough to operate the foot pedals so went ahead with adaptation so that i could carry on with normal life after a 3 day course of steroids and uncertain when normality would return!
I contacted my local Motability Centre who came and collected my car and returned it the same day - explained how it worked and said it was basically just a case of getting used to it! With hindsight - an assessment would have been a good thing!
The car can still be driven normally by an able bodied person so my husband drove it to an industrial estate in the evening so I could “practice”. It certainly is strange and takes some getting used to but within a few days it becomes the norm. The cost was £552 whaich seems to be average as I called around a few Mobility centres and includes VAT. If you are registered disabled you are VAT exempt so get it cheaper.
You need to let the DVLA know and your insurance company know but it hasn’t affected my premiums in anyway - not even added an admin fee as the adaptation were for medical reasons - result!!!
I’e been driving with a steering ball & push/pull brake & accelerator and find them easy to use, very intuitive. The ones I’ve got a by Jeff Gosling. I had an assessment done at a mobility centre (google ‘forum of mobility centres’ to find your nearest one) and got to try out 3 different types of control, and found the basic push/pull the easiest to use.
By the way, have you told the DVLA and insurance company that you have MS? It’s a legal requiremement that you notify the DVLA,.
Good luck with the controls, they’ll make a massive difference…
Hi Cheryl Where did you get to fit yours I’m struggling with my right foot initial relapse recovered a good bit but affected in this relapse again so think I need adaptations so that I can always drive since I have 2 little ones and if it affects my driving then also my wAlking is affected. I’ve been looking at changing my car to automatic and was thinking of getting a golf in the next few weeks so would get it done at the same time. Thanks Emma.
