| First time electric wheelchair users are | | | | a trip in order to get out (to do your |
| still getting to know their chairs and how | | | | shopping or pay bills, etc.) and to get back. |
| they operate. If you own an electric | | | | And there's a little extra capacity built in, |
| wheelchair and you're wondering how you'll do | | | | just in case. Bring your map with you at |
| with it, use this article as a guide to help. | | | | first. While you may be familiar with the |
| It gives practical advice, gleaned from those | | | | streets in your car, it can be a different |
| who have used electric wheelchairs to make | | | | story in your wheelchair…and if it's |
| sure your experience is the best it can be. | | | | getting late and you're worried about the |
| | | | battery capacity, a map might help you find a |
| Make sure you have reflector tape on all 4 | | | | shortcut through a park or schoolyard. |
| sides of your wheelchair. While you will | | | | |
| probably be on the sidewalks – and | | | | When you are not using your electric |
| usually just during the day – it's good | | | | wheelchair, be sure to recharge the battery. |
| to have just in case. The reflector tape will | | | | Nothing is more frustrating than wanting to |
| still show up brightly during the day and if | | | | go out and not having the battery charge to |
| you find yourself delayed at night, you have | | | | go. As an alternative, buy two batteries when |
| nothing to worry about. | | | | you get your wheelchair and always keep one |
| | | | on the charger and the other on your chair. |
| If you live in an area where you don't have | | | | |
| very good sidewalks and you are forced to | | | | Get a poncho and carry it with you always. It |
| travel on the road, stay to the side, abide | | | | can be frustrating to be caught in a downpour |
| by traffic laws, and get yourself a bright | | | | and a poncho will help keep you and the |
| orange flag that you can attach to your | | | | components on your wheelchair dry. |
| chair. This will help you be seen not only by | | | | |
| the car behind you but by the car behind | | | | Something else you will want to do BEFORE you |
| them! That's very important. | | | | venture very far in your wheelchair is to get |
| | | | used to the clearance of your wheelchair. |
| Find out what the distance is for your | | | | Because the batteries and motors are |
| electric wheelchair's batteries. Subtract 10% | | | | sometimes lower to the ground than we are |
| – 20% of the total distance. With this | | | | used to, it can be easy to get caught up on a |
| new distance, divide that amount in half. | | | | rock or a curb that we were once able to get |
| Then get a map and draw a circle around your | | | | over in a manually powered chair but are not |
| home extending out the distance of that last | | | | longer able to get over now. As well, a stick |
| number (which should be 40% to 45% of your | | | | (like a cane or a hefty walking stick) can |
| battery's total driving distance). This will | | | | give your chair a little extra "oomph" if you |
| give you the maximum range you want to go on | | | | do find yourself hung up. |