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