Category — Transportation
Tips On Buying Used Wheelchair Vans
If you have mobility problems and want to find an easier way to get around, getting a van or car equipped to transport your wheelchair is probably your best bet. Buying a new car or van with this expensive equipment might not be in the budget for many people, so it might be a good idea to consider looking at used wheelchair vans as an option. This can be a great way to save significantly on the equipment you need to get around. There are many tips that can save you time finding the perfect vehicle for your needs.
One great way to find a variety of used wheelchair vans is by shopping online. This will give you the opportunity to find many options in a very short time, right in your area. This can cut back on the headaches of looking through newspapers of car lots trying to find a cost effective solution. There are many websites today that specialize in vans like this, making it even easier to find what you need. The simple fact is, this time-saving option can get you the van you need in the shortest amount of time, allowing you to enjoy a much better quality of life even sooner. [Read more →]
November 9, 2010 Comments Off
Tips for Buying an Accessible Van
Are you looking for a way to increase your mobility and your freedom? Traditionally, this has been very difficult for handicapped individuals to accomplish. However, an accessible van can give you back the freedom and independence that you thought long lost. How do these vans work? What should you know about buying one? Here, you’ll learn a few important tips for finding the right vehicle for your needs.
Find the Right Configuration
Much like regular vans, you will find that you have a wide selection of vehicles from which to choose when you decide to purchase an accessible van. However, all of this can be boiled down to two primary options – minivans and full size vans. Both have pros and cons. For instance, minivans usually need to have their floor lowered, which means modification to the original body. However, they are more maneuverable. Full size vans do not require any lowering of the floor, but they are larger and more difficult to maneuver. You will need to determine which configuration appeals to you the most. [Read more →]
November 8, 2010 Comments Off
Twitter Causes Dispute, Air Canada Fixes Wheelchair Broken At Airport
A terminally ill boy whose specialized wheelchair was broken on an Air Canada flight from Toronto to New York has been given it back after the airline had it fixed.
Tanner Bawn, 10, his aunt and his mother arrived at La Guardia Airport on Wednesday and discovered the boy’s $15,000 custom wheelchair in pieces. The boy, a native of Kamloops, B.C., suffers from Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy.
Shortly after 2 p.m. ET, Scott Stratten, a self-described viral and social marketing expert who is accompanying the family on the trip to New York, said Bawn’s repaired wheelchair has been returned.
Bawn’s family was planning to take part in a charity run called Tutus for Tanner in New York City on Friday.
The boy’s aunt, Catherine Connors, who runs the parenting blog Her Bad Mother, tweeted about the incident Wednesday night after arriving at La Guardia airport.
Connors said the family was devastated and, without a proper wheelchair, the boy was confined to his hotel bedroom, unable to get around.
The story struck a nerve and was picked up by hundreds of people on Twitter who lambasted Air Canada for the incident.
Around 11:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Air Canada issued a response on Twitter to the issue: “We’re sorry Tanner. We’re working w/ yr family 2 make this up 2 you ASAP @herbadmother”.
Family disputed Air Canada account
Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for Air Canada, said in an email to CBC News that Air Canada had “immediately” sent the broken chair out for repairs.
“We also supplied a manual wheelchair and later in the evening an electric wheelchair for his use in the interim.
“Once we learned the replacement chair was inadequate, we got in contact with the family to see what we could do for them. Because the chair is custom-made, it is difficult to get it repaired or replaced quickly, but we are doing all we can.”
The Bawn camp quickly disputed that account.
Stratten said the Air Canada response has “so many lies it’s not even funny.
“They did not send an electric wheelchair last night, there was one sitting in the lobby this morning that was not adequate. We were never told it was there,” he said in an email. “They never called to say it, they never called after hearing it was inadequate and the replacement that just got here is a scooter people use to go shopping, and is worse than the first.”
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/08/05/air-canada-twitter-chair541.html#ixzz0vlWVf2TL
August 5, 2010 Comments Off