In my last post on 'wilful' falling from the wheelchair it emerged quite a few of us also faced our loved one opening the car door whilst the car was in motion.
Super scary!
For what it's worth here are two solutions.
Our car door inside catches are recessed. So putting gaffer tape over them makes them inaccessible. Of course this doesn't work if your loved one can get the tape off.
Solution two - our chosen one. Open up the door panel and disengage the rod between the passenger door catch and the lock/latch. The passenger door can no longer be opened from inside even if unlocked.
It will still lock by central locking or from the outside, but the door will only open from the outside and then only when unlocked.
If you can't do this yourself your garage will do this in ten minutes max.
Does anyone have other solutions?
Hope this is useful.
Cheers
Kevin
Adding
These look like a good idea too...
I have one on order.
smile.amazon.co.uk/Auto-Bel...
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Presume disengaging the rod inside the door is like having a child lock (usually on a rear door).
Can such a reversible mechanism be fitted to passenger door, rather than having to dismantle door again to return to status quo?
Have always feared such door catches could be a hazard in a crash, as I would not be able to open that door from inside. No doubt you have already considered this!
Are there any road rule/police implications if such a mod installed? Could you be considered liable in a crash?
Yeah! Yeah! I have a similar fetish for dotting I s ( which spellcheck won't let me do!) and crossing t s! Just like you!
Do hope it works for you both and you both stay safe and are able to enjoy driving together!
As far as crashes are concerned the only disadvantage would be that the door has to be opened from the outside... or by winding the window down and reaching outside and using the outside door opening catch.
Rear doors have the child lock mechanism so no mods. needed there. That might also give us the answer to the law on disabling passenger doors from the inside?
I expect, strictly speaking the insurance company should be informed. A standard question is, "Has the car been modified in any way?".
As for liability in a crash. The cause of the crash bestows liability. Any modification adding to that cause might cause liability, such as having a map blocking the drivers view, but I doubt a disabled door latch could be considered a cause.
Chuckles - thorough is good... Dotting stuff
Hugs to you
Kevin
xxx
Adding - yes to reverse it the inside door panel is removed and the rod re-engaged.
I don't know a child lock could be incorporated on the front door. Rear doors are usually of different dimensions from the front. So just switching parts over might not work.
A skilled mechanic might be able to fabricate something. Though I expect it would take quite a bit of time and I expect that would mean expensive. I'm not sure quite how the child lock mechanism fits into the chain.
Oh dear! My guy scared the life out of me on a couple of occasions opening the door while we were moving, and chided me over my overreaction. He couldn't understand the danger. And then he locked me out once, too, with the key in the ignition, and couldn't manage to unlock the door for the longest time. I wish he were here to do it again.
Luckily opening the car door whilst driving had been limited to 2 ( very scary) incidents . I have discovered podcasts which keep him entertained and distracted from Houdini episodes!!
Harder and routinely a challenge is keeping hubby in the car whilst I assemble wheelchair and power pack. I am almost the speed of a Formula 1 🏎 pitstop mechanic but apparently not fast enough for the old impulsivity. He can override the central locking so I will ask the garage to sort this one !! Why had I not thought of this before!!
Thank you so much, you are amazing to be researching these things for us
I missed the post on willfull falling from wheelchair, is this part of PSP, I have never posted about it but mum often throws herself forward when sitting in wheelchair, quite scary, and sometimes two or three attempts in a row.
It seems to be fairly common. Its quite distressing isn't it. Liz has been trying to stand and then falling. So we needed to stop her undoing her seatbelt. We discussed it with her first and she agreed to there being a security cover on her wheelchair seat belt.
I have managed to find some solutions:
Fitting an antitipping leg to the back of the wheelchair to stop it being tipped backwards... The precise one depends on make and model.
Fitting a buckle cover to the seat belt so my lovely can't undo it and try to mobilise
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