Driving with hand controls

[Alan66]

I know this subject has been covered many times before but it is so important.

Last autumn I self referred for a driving assessment and was immediately told to cease driving due to my CMT1a. My driving was not even assessed and I have driven 12k miles per year for 35 years. It was all about my condition.

To cut a long and boring story short I ceased driving my manual car and sold it, took a couple of lessons to learn how to use the hand controls and tetra steering aid and then purchased an automatic. After a few days I was back in the saddle and not looked back. Dealing with DVLA and insurance was not difficult.

Please do not kid yourself and refer yourself for a driving assessment. I wish I had done it years ago.

Take care.

[Amanita]

Hi, Alan,

Yes it is very important indeed. But I'm sorry they made you stop driving before your assessment, though.

Things are a little different in Scotland. You can no longer self-refer, but I was able to - and did - in 2012.

As a result of the assessment, I had some lessons, got an automatic and have to use my R foot on the accelerator and my L for the brake.

Last year I was referred by my neurologist for another assessment, but was not told to stop driving beforehand.

CMT is a bit of a problem if you have weak hands as well as weak legs.

The assessor thought I was fine to keep driving as I am for now , for which I am grateful. l even managed to pass my Advanced Driving Test last year.

However she tried me briefly with electronic radial hand controls. Your left hand operates the steering wheel knob and you use your R hand for the electronic accelerator/brake lever. This is not easy to do if it's new to you and you aren't young! I am in the queue to go back and try it again to see if my hands (and brain!) can cope.

How do you brake and accelerate?

Unfortunately dealing with the DVLA could be a big problem in the future, when you have to renew your licence - if you have a 3-year one. But that is another subject.

[Alan66 in reply to Amanita]

Hi, it was the driving assessment centre that advised me to cease driving and to change my vehicle to an automatic with Jeff Gosling hand controls. Basically the right hand operates the push/pull lever for brake/accelerator and left hand the steering wheel by way of a tetra grip.

Before I purchased the automatic and paid for the hand control installation I had 4 hours of lessons.

Driving is again second nature despite the new required technique, it is a new skill that I am pleased and proud to have mastered.

I would definitely recommend the lessons so that you invest in the adaptations that meet your needs.

Cheers Alan

[Amanita in reply to Alan66]

Hi, Alan,

Thanks for the clarification.

On my assessment I found it hard to remember that accelerating meant pushing down, and braking meant pushing the lever away from you . They only had the "radial" kind of hand control system ( by Steering Developments Ltd) to try apart from standard mechanical controls which need too much hand strength. If I did decide to change, I'd need to buy a dual control brake and get it fitted, for the instructor to use.

As I said, fortunately I don't need to use hand controls - but might at some time in the future.

You did well to get used to it. I got accustomed to left foot braking easily but this would be a much bigger change.

The tetra grip looks a good idea to stop your hand getting tired.

Happy driving!