Getting in and out
Look for: wide doors, that open wide
If your legs are stiff you will need room to swing them in with the least possible bending. Two-door cars usually have wider doors. Remember that wider doors need more space to open into (this can be a problem in garages), and you have to reach further to close them. Watch out for bulky door pockets that get in the way - though it may be possible to remove them.
Features found on some cars:
- Some MPVs (people carriers) have sliding doors which may be easier.
Adaptations which may help:
- A car dealer or adaptation firm may be able to make the door open further by modifying the hinges. The cost depends on the vehicle. You may need to attach a length of cord to help you close the door or use a walking stick to pull the door closed.
Look for: easy to open doors
Nowadays door handles are likely to be the type you just pull on - no buttons or levers involved.
Features found on some cars:
- Remote central locking is very common on a wide range of cars.
- On some cars the remote lock automatically closes the windows.
- Keyless entry systems are now more common. You carry a small card with you and as you approach the car, it unlocks automatically.
Adaptations which may help:
- Central locking can be added by adaptation firms, from around £250.
- If the car key is too small, a key holder gives more leverage. They cost about £5, available from general aids suppliers.
- Some exterior door handles are hard to grip. There are various tools to help. Around £19 from Aremco.
- Electric door closers cost around £2,500 from adaptation firms.
Key holders, like the one in this picture, are cheap and make turning keys easier.
Look for: space around the seat
The more space between the seat and the door the better. Look for seats which slide back a greater distance if you need a lot of room. The picture on the left shows a simple leg lifter made of stiffened fabric.
Adaptations which may help:
- It may be possible to make the seat go back further by relocating the seat runners further back. This may not be worth doing on 4-door cars because the door pillar may be in the way. Try your car dealer or adaptation firms.
Look for: high doors and low narrow sills
The higher the door the less you have to duck to get in. It's easier to lift your legs over shallower and narrower sills. Avoid having a low seat and a high sill.
Adaptations which may help:
- Leg lifters help you lift your legs over the sill. A simple DIY solution is to loop a stiff length of webbing over your foot and pull on it. Some people use a hooked walking stick or a plastic bag (step into it and use the handles to pull your leg up). General aid suppliers sell simple leg lifters for under £10.
- If you travel as a passenger it is possible to build up the floor to bring it level with the sill, but this may mean you sit in an uncomfortable position.
Look for: a flat floor
If you get in on one side of the vehicle and slide across to the other seat, look for a vehicle without a transmission tunnel and where the gear stick and parking brake do not get in the way. Most MPVs and some other vehicles have flat floors. Some cars have dashboard mounted gear sticks which may help, particularly if the car has an unobtrusive parking brake. An automatic parking brake using a button on the dashboard is available on some cars.
The Fiat Multipla in this picture has a dashboard mounted gearstick and a flat floor which makes it easier to slide across.
next page: Seats and seating