Dwarfs with Driver's Licenses- Restrictions?

[Guest guest]

The wobbliness of the Easy Rider extensions is why(at my father's

recommendation) I switched to hand controls. But part of that wobbliness is

also the car pedal design, especially on gas pedals. I do believe Chuck has

changed around the design of the base clamp some so it is less wobbly,

especally for cars with bigger, thicker pedals.

When I took the test in Texas, I had the hand controls already installed.

The tester saw me use them. He just added in the restriction, I passed my

test and got my license.

" Nick " Scalan

marlin@...

http://marlin.home.texas.net

(512)388-2276 home

(512)826-3800 cell

Dwarfs with Driver's Licenses- Restrictions?

I live in Seattle, Washington and recently I went to renew my

driver's license because it had expired. The woman behind the

counter wasn't very nice and paused for a moment and came back with

her manager who asked me if I had to use special equipment to drive,

I said yes, I use the 'Easy Rider' pedal extensions, that is, when I

do drive which hasn't been for about five years since I don't like

driving in the city. So manager guys says " Whoa, well wait a minute,

your not allowed to have this license unless it has a restriction on

it indication you use an adaptive product to drive, [in the way that

some disabled people have to use hand-controls, etc]. "

I never had this problem before when I renewed my license, because

the clerk behind the counter never asked and, well, I got my first

driver's license in Alaska and was never tested in a vehicle to

drive...it's a long story.

But anyway, I was wondering what other LP's went through in getting

their driver's licenses and if there is a restriction on the license

for using pedal extensions.

Also, I'd like to know what type of pedal extensions LP's use and

which are the best. I find my " Easy Rider " 's, which I purchased

eight years ago, to be a little wobbly and unsafe and that's mainly

the reason I haven't driven in awhile (Sorry, Chuck).

===

[Guest guest]

Yes, I went through that a few years ago back in my home state of

ILL. to get my license renewed. I have been driving since I was 16

and never had that done, but all it takes is one clerk to put up a

stink. She stared at me a while and went to get her manager and

claimed that I ought to be made to take a drivers test. --Sure enough

I had to to PROVE that I can drive with my extensions. I admit I was

miffed since this never happened. Well I showed that I can handle a

vehicle, but same as you, now have a restriction on my license

stating that I need pedals to drive-like I'm going to go out and

purposely drive without pedals!

Dawn

[Guest guest]

I think this was a very smart thing for the DMV to have done. The

facts are that even though YOU may have the brains not to drive

without pedal extensions some LP's or disabled folks out there want

to believe that maybe they do not need extensions or hand controls to

drive.

Anyone who has ever been in a car accedent knows that reaction time

and the ability to use your feet FAST is very imoprtant in what the

outcome is going to be. I know for a fact after watching some LP's

driving a car that pedal extensions are not always that safe in the

event of an accedent.

I think that the DMV should evaluate people and decide if they should

have to drive using hand controls or pedal extensions. In some cases

hand controls are much safer and enable the driver to handle the

vehicle much better than pedal extentsions would.

Driving is a privlidge and if you are not driving safely you could

wind up killing someone or damaging them permantatly. Maybe some

people need to be more considerate of others and not feel as if they

need to try and look less disabled. The facts are we are all

disabled and no matter how much we try to fool ourselves other people

will always see us the way we look.

Kurt

[Guest guest]

LOL really on mine I have must have Handcontrols I else am I going to drive

never had to prove I could drive though Hell i wish they would tell me i need

to My little would be yelling so much Channel 11 would be there LOL

===

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/10/03 8:56:08 PM Central Standard Time,

elydiat@... writes:

> , I'd like to know what type of pedal extensions LP's use and

>

I use Easy Rider and they don't wobble but you really need to tighten them

(don't know who put them on for you. The only restriction I ever had was seat

cushion and when I got my license the guy drove with me. I live in Louisiana

but now I get my renewal over the Internet so you don't have to go down and

wait for hours.

[Guest guest]

Ok, I would call the Americans With Disabilities Act Technical

Center. Or call your State's Disability Rights Center.

800-949-4232

I think you were being discriminated because you have adaptions to

your vehicle to help you drive, and they were trying to find a way

not to give you your license.

It shouldnt matter what you use to drive...and I " m SURE they are not

familar with various types of hand controls!

a

> I live in Seattle, Washington and recently I went to renew my

> driver's license because it had expired. The woman behind the

> counter wasn't very nice and paused for a moment and came back with

> her manager who asked me if I had to use special equipment to drive,

> I said yes, I use the 'Easy Rider' pedal extensions, that is, when

I

> do drive which hasn't been for about five years since I don't like

> driving in the city. So manager guys says " Whoa, well wait a

minute,

> your not allowed to have this license unless it has a restriction

on

> it indication you use an adaptive product to drive, [in the way

that

> some disabled people have to use hand-controls, etc]. "

> I never had this problem before when I renewed my license, because

> the clerk behind the counter never asked and, well, I got my first

> driver's license in Alaska and was never tested in a vehicle to

> drive...it's a long story.

> But anyway, I was wondering what other LP's went through in getting

> their driver's licenses and if there is a restriction on the

license

> for using pedal extensions.

>

> Also, I'd like to know what type of pedal extensions LP's use and

> which are the best. I find my " Easy Rider " 's, which I purchased

> eight years ago, to be a little wobbly and unsafe and that's mainly

> the reason I haven't driven in awhile (Sorry, Chuck).

[Guest guest]

Going along with this post, I also have Easy Rider...and they Need to

be tightened! I usually have the garage tighten mine up every time I

go in for a State Inspection or any other time I go in for other

things. Just to be on the safe side.

And going along, When I got my driver's license and training, I went

through Vocational Rehabilitation and through a driving and training

education course here in NH and they help people with disabilities

drive a car or van. They also help with the modifications. They (VR

and the School) BOTH approved this brand of pedals.

My father has built his own pedals and NO one has ever hassled him.

As far as I know, there are only two different companies that make

extention pedals. And also, as I believe I said earlier, I HIGHLY

DOUBT that the Division of Motor Vehicle would know about different

types of accessible vehicle modifications for people with

disabilities.

I would still encourage you to fight this....This is ridiculous!

a Marden

> I use Easy Rider and they don't wobble but you really need to

tighten them

> (don't know who put them on for you. The only restriction I ever

had was seat

> cushion and when I got my license the guy drove with me. I live in

Louisiana

> but now I get my renewal over the Internet so you don't have to go

down and

> wait for hours.

[Guest guest]

HUH?

>

>

>

> LOL really on mine I have must have Handcontrols I else am I going

to drive

> never had to prove I could drive though Hell i wish they would

tell me i need to My little would be yelling so much Channel 11 would

be there LOL

[Guest guest]

>

>

>

> LOL really on mine I have must have Handcontrols I else am I

going to drive

> never had to prove I could drive though Hell i wish they would

tell me i need to My little would be yelling so much Channel 11

would be there LOL

>

>

Pardon me for being so bold as offering a translation:

LOL... ®eally, on mine (car) I have must have Handcontrols. (How)

else am I going to drive? (I) never had to prove I could drive

though. Hell, i wish they would tell me i need to (prove I can

drive). My little (one or possibly wife) would be yelling so much

Channel 11 would be there (meaning it would cause such a scene the

local news channel would want to report it.) LOL

M.

" Translation services since 1872 "

[Guest guest]

While on the topic, I use tennis ball cans taped to the pedals with

black electrical tape. Been doing that every since I got my first

car. Mind you these are the steel cans and not the modern plastic

ones. Hard to find now, but possibly a replacement would be welding

rod cans. Although they might be too long. I was never questioned

about the extensions when I took my first driver's license test nor

have I been since.

As for Driver's Ed. in school, I went all the way through the

classroom portion only to find the school would not accomodate me in

fixing a car for me to take the actually driving portion. Where was

the ADA when ya needed it... LOL...

M.

[Guest guest]

At 4:43 AM +0000 2/11/03, " Kurt, Kurty, Kurtums, squirt, willow,

animal, thumper...whate wrote:

>I think this was a very smart thing for the DMV to have done. The

>facts are that even though YOU may have the brains not to drive

>without pedal extensions some LP's or disabled folks out there want

>to believe that maybe they do not need extensions or hand controls to

>drive.

>

>Anyone who has ever been in a car accedent knows that reaction time

>and the ability to use your feet FAST is very imoprtant in what the

>outcome is going to be. I know for a fact after watching some LP's

>driving a car that pedal extensions are not always that safe in the

>event of an accedent.

>

>I think that the DMV should evaluate people and decide if they should

>have to drive using hand controls or pedal extensions. In some cases

>hand controls are much safer and enable the driver to handle the

>vehicle much better than pedal extentsions would.

>

>Driving is a privlidge and if you are not driving safely you could

>wind up killing someone or damaging them permantatly. Maybe some

>people need to be more considerate of others and not feel as if they

>need to try and look less disabled. The facts are we are all

>disabled and no matter how much we try to fool ourselves other people

>will always see us the way we look.

>

>Kurt

>

I've been driving for almost 30 years and if someone was to question

me at this stage in my life (with no moving vehicle accidents) I

would be put off too. What happens if someone who isn't in the know

about disability and driving determines that neither foot nor hand

additions was to 'their " standards? Problem is that these issues can

be subjective, as we can see from the post. Problem is that=, for

all of us (including DMV), being subjective can smack of

discrimination.

I know when I first started driving I had to have the foot pedals

adapted and also the seat raised (I had a bench seat) and the state

trooper who took me on my test gave me the restriction of seat height

only.... despite the fact that back THEN you had to use hand signals

too....which who the heck can see my hands, much less my arms!!!

Sometimes I have to smile.... I can remember going in for a typist

job, and back then I could type 80 words a minute and the sweetie who

took my application took one look at me and said " you can type? "

dahhhhhh like yah...... People just don't know how limited each one

of us are and " assume " ... and you know what happens when you

" assume " .....

Ginny

--

----------------------------------------------------

..¸><((((>·''><((((>'·...¸><((((>¯·...

Ginny Sargent Ý

mailto:chriss@...

Life is like a school of fish.... sometimes you just have to keep on

swimming upstream.

[Guest guest]

LOL Thank you! I thought i was having a blond moment or reading

hyroglifics!

LOL

Bon

> >

> >

> >

> > LOL really on mine I have must have Handcontrols I else am I

> going to drive

> > never had to prove I could drive though Hell i wish they would

> tell me i need to My little would be yelling so much Channel 11

> would be there LOL

> >

> >

>

> Pardon me for being so bold as offering a translation:

>

> LOL... ®eally, on mine (car) I have must have Handcontrols. (How)

> else am I going to drive? (I) never had to prove I could drive

> though. Hell, i wish they would tell me i need to (prove I can

> drive). My little (one or possibly wife) would be yelling so much

> Channel 11 would be there (meaning it would cause such a scene the

> local news channel would want to report it.) LOL

>

> M.

> " Translation services since 1872 "

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/11/03 11:44:19 PM Eastern Standard Time, chriss@...

writes:

> People just don't know how limited each one

> of us are and " assume " ... and you know what happens when you

> " assume " .....

>

> Ginny

>

>

>

> Right they miss out on an opportunity and so do you. Never assume let one

> show their attitude and ability to do something. So don't assume and give

> us that opportunity. ;-)

>

>