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Wheelchairs in Public Transport | 6 Tips to Make Your Journey Easier

If you feel unusually restless about travelling in public transport and think you take up extra space with your own personal vehicle always around, you need not worry about that at all. With the regulations of public transport designs to cater to wheelchair bound people under way, it is essential to know you can easily travel and gain access to the routine of life you deserve and long for without being confined to your personal vehicle at all times.

Following are some of the tips to ensure your journey on public transport is a comfortable one even with your wheelchair:

1)   Use the partitions

You see pads or partitions in public buses? These are a great option to be utilised by the wheelchair bearers. Fix your wheelchairs with back at the base of it so that you can have a frontal view of the bus along with being in a position to hold on to the bars. This will make your position comfortable and would also keep you from becoming an obstacle for other passengers during entry or exit.

2)   Don’t forget the brakes

The wheelchair has brakes and it’s a good idea to use them. Once you are situated in the desired spot on the public bus, put on the brakes on your wheelchair. This will ensure that the wheelchair stays stationed in position and the journey is safe for you. When you are in a proper place, it is also important to turn off the power so that there’s no unwanted movement of the wheelchair owing to the friction.

3)   Extra caution on rainy days

Rainy days and snowfall bring trouble for those on the wheelchair. Therefore, when moving around you need to practice extra caution. A wet ramp isn’t something you should risk getting onto on a wheelchair; the chances to slip off are much higher. When using public transport it is essential to ensure the ramp is dried up and safe.

4)   Ask for assistance

There might be times when you won’t be properly positioned with your wheelchair in a public transport or that the belts won’t be fastened in an appropriate manner. Instead of bearing with it throughout your journey, make a move and ask for assistance from the staff. Make sure you are in a comfortable and secure position.

5)   Do not carry excess baggage

Though you might be tempted to keep the shopping to yourself, it is advisable not to carry excess baggage on the sides, rear or even front of your wheelchair. The weight might cause instability and throw your wheelchair out of balance, especially on curvy turns, public transport, ramps etc.

6)   Check the electronic settings

The electronic controls on your wheelchair need to be monitored in order to minimise the risk of any safety failures on public transport. Set the electronic controls to avoid your wheelchair getting out of your control, especially while travelling around.

Also, it is important to see you are safeguarded against tripping if you plan to make any movements aboard public transport on your wheelchair. Posture support, heel loops are all essentials. Keep in mind it is important to be safe than sorry, so make sure you aren’t risking yourself while travelling and enjoy a comfortable ride on public transport.


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