I have watched people who use wheelchairs struggle to get their WC dismounted from the bumper lift or out of the back of the trunk and they seem to have quite a time of it (yes...I always offer to help). This would be a terrible inconvenience if I were confined to a WC. So, I came up with this idea. A vehicle that is designed from the gound up for WC occupants. This vehicle is entered from a rear ramp that is electrically or hydraulically lowered. The WC driver simply touches a remote key button and the ramp lowers and the top opens upward, allowing the WC to wheel directly in. The driver simply wheels up to the control console and hydraulic locks clamp the WC into position and a handy seat belt is fastened. A trouch of a button and the ramp raises and the top comes down...the driver is thus in a nice cozy cockpit, still seated in the WC. Passengers would ride forward of the driver in side by side seats.
-- Blisterbob, Sep 20 2005

Epilepticar Epilepticar
Inspired by the same concern for humanity. [bungston, Sep 20 2005]

I lied - these things *are* widespread http://www.google.c...disabled+driver+van
There are a bazillion links for custom or converted vans that will take wheelchairs. At some later date, I'll look through them to see if I can find a picture of one that uses the wheelchair as a driving seat. [DrCurry, Sep 20 2005]

Toyota Welcab http://autoweb.driv...28/newsarticle.html
World's First Concept Car For Disabled Drivers [jurist, Sep 20 2005]

Tokyo Motor Show http://www.newmobil...d=977&action=browse
The November 2004 Tokyo Motor show featured concept vehicles for disabled drivers from several manufacturers including Toyota, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Honda, et al. The slide show accessed at the end of the article is particularly interesting. [jurist, Sep 20 2005]

Invacar http://www.virtualg....uk/invacarpage.htm
UK's early attempt at this idea [oneoffdave, Sep 22 2005]

I saw someone using a van like this one, but they're hardly widespread, and I cannot recall if the disabled eprson was driving or a passenger.

But disabled eprsons be damned - I want a car for myself that is easier to drive. They've been promising cars with controls like a video game for years, but they're still not on the market.
-- DrCurry, Sep 20 2005


A car especially designed for the cripple in wheel chairs would only bring the "short bus" stigma associated with it. The handicapped do not want to be singled out or segregated to a particular segment of society. If you put them in a special vehicle, everyone will stare as they drive down the road. And everyone who saw the car would say, "Hey Jim! Look! Its another one of those cripple cars!"
-- Jscotty, Sep 20 2005


That is a bizarre objection. The wheelchair-bound can already be singled out by their wheelchairs.

In fact, many in NY revel in the attention, driving (if that is the right word for man-powered vehicles) souped-up wheelchairs in road races.
-- DrCurry, Sep 20 2005


Take a good look at the concept cars exhibited in the slide show on the Tokyo Motor Show link. Some of those cars are pretty stylish and look as if they would be fairly anonymous in the flow of traffic.
-- jurist, Sep 20 2005


While living in Japan a few years ago, I noted with great pleasure that most largish car dealerships almost always included in their floor plans a wheelchair friendly design and one Toyota dealership I checked out had no less than seven out of fifty display cars with either ramps, side lifters, rear elevators and what not. The thing, they weren't off to the side, or out the back - they were mixed in in some prime display positions. Melted my heart.
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Sep 22 2005


Hmmm... attach a set of wheels to a water closet... reminds me of that outhouse race link.
-- RayfordSteele, Sep 23 2005



random, halfbakery