Accessibility In Public Places – Page 6 – Peter Tan

FreeWheel Wheelchair Attachment In Malaysia

The wheelchair rolls well on smooth surfaces. Roads, pavements, grass and pebbled paths is another story. The small front caster can easily get caught between bumps and cracks. Apart from making it difficult to push, they make rides bumpy which in turn causes spasms of the legs. Traversing these surfaces could quickly damage the wheelchair as well. I avoid such terrains as much as possible. For someone who likes the great outdoors, it is indeed a difficult choice for me to make.

This is the same dilemma wheelchair users all over face when we want to go off the beaten path, until the FreeWheel Wheelchair Attachment was invented, that is. When I ordered the Tilite ZRA Series 2, I got the FreeWheel shipped together with the wheelchair to save on freight charges. With the FreeWheel hooked to the footrest, going across grassy fields or sandy beaches became a breeze. This practical mechanism is the brainchild of Pat Dougherty, a wheelchair user himself, who saw the need for an easier way to get the wheelchair across challenging terrains.

Peter Tan with Tilite ZRA Series 2 and the FreeWheel Wheelchair Attachment in Gurney Drive, Penang, Malaysia.
Photo by Wuan.

The FreeWheel’s design is simple and ingenious. It consists of a 12.5 inch wheel attached to a fork. Attaching the Freewheel to the wheelchair is easy once the clamp is properly adjusted to fit the footrest. Swing the wheel out and place the clamp over the footrest. Pull the lever back and the FreeWheel is securely clamped to the footrest. Push the wheelchair forward to turn the wheel back. This lifts the front casters one inch off the ground. And all is good to go!

Closer view of Peter Tan with Tilite ZRA Series 2 and the FreeWheel Wheelchair Attachment.
Photo by Wuan.

On my recent trip to Penang, I used the Freewheel at Gurney Drive, the Botanical Gardens and several other places. The ride was certainly smoother even over rough roads and paved walkways. Moving around was a joy. In tight spaces like at the food courts, I simply unclamped the FreeWheel, stored it by attaching it to the perch fastened to the back rigidizer bar. With the FreeWheel out of the way, I manuevered around crowds with ease. With the FreeWheel, I do not have to think twice about where I can go now. Using the wheelchair when I am out and about has become less inconvenient. Truly, the FreeWheel Wheelchair Attachment is the best thing since sliced bread for wheelchair users. Thanks, Pat, for a wonderful invention.

Broken Pavement At Pandan Perdana

It has been a while since I wheeled to the Pandan Perdana wet market with Wuan. Most of the time we just drive there although it is just a short walk from where we live due to the various barriers we encounter on the pavements along the way. Last Sunday, we decided to take a leisurely walk to the market for breakfast. What I encountered that morning reminded me of why I had seldom gone on such strolls.

Broken pavement at Jalan Perdana 3/1, Pandan Perdana

Wheelchair user on the road to avoid the broken pavement at Pandan Perdana.

A damaged section of the pavement forced me to go on the road. This broken pavement at Jalan Perdana 3/1 of Pandan Perdana has gone unrepaired for the past few months. A heavy crane truck that parked on it broke the concrete and gouged a big hole in the turfing. Many residents use this route to go to the wet market and also to the bus stop situated just down the road. Pedestrians, especially senior citizens, may trip on the broken slabs of concrete. Wheelchair users like me have no choice but go on the road and risk getting run over by passing vehicles.

It is very common to see vehicles parked on it causing pedestrians to go on the road as well. Such inconsiderate drivers should be heavily penalised for illegal parking, causing obstruction and endangering pedestrians. The Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya should step up its enforcement against these law breakers. Another alternative is to put up bollards or rails to prevent vehicles from parking on the pavements. However, the pavements needs to be widened to 1200 mm to conform to the MS 1184 and MS 1331. It is a tight fit for wheelchair in its current form at 900 mm.

MAHA 2010

My arms are aching, from the deltoids down to the biceps. It has been like this for a few days already. I tried to recall instances when I had strained my muscles. I am sedentary most of the time except for transferring to and off the wheelchair. I am sure that is not the cause. The only time I remember I had exerted myself was at the MAHA Expo when I was being carried bodily into and out of the van and MPV.

Map of MAHA Exposition 2010.

The organisers of the exposition had prepared transport to ferry disabled people from one site to another within the sprawling grounds. While that was a thoughtful gesture, it was badly implemented. The van and MPV that I took were not accessible. The seats were too high. I could not transfer onto and out of them. The drivers and co-drivers of the vehicles were helpful. They carried and “stuffed” me into the vehicles like I was a cargo. However, they were not trained in assisting disabled people.

Those would be the last times I allow anyone carry me like they did. Thinking back, I realised how dangerous it was to allow myself to be handled like that. I could have been seriously injured if they had dropped me. In fact, I was injured. The muscle strain is proof of that. I must have sustained it while trying to pull myself into the vehicles. It was also dangerous for the drivers and Wuan too as they could have injured themselves too while carrying or helping me.

The organisers of the exposition should have provided accessible transport for disabled people, namely lift vans or sedans instead of vans and MPVs with seat that are too high for a wheelchair user to transfer onto. The other alternative is to allocate accessible parking bays and allow vehicles with disabled people drive up to the various sites. That would have solved the problem of having to provide transport for disabled people and endangering our life and limb in the process.

I cannot say I enjoyed myself there. Wuan and I only visited the bazaar selling plants, fruits and orchids. We had wanted to visit the livestocks and aquaculture but were not up to it. I could not find an accessible toilet. None of the staff knew for sure where I could find one. In the end, I urinated into the diaper I was wearing. We also agreed that it was too much trouble moving from one site to another, especially being carried up and down the vehicles. The organisers should take note of these issues and improve accessibility for disabled visitors when planning for the next exposition.