Drive For Freedom – Page 7 – Peter Tan

Give Me Liberty

Today, I rediscovered the liberation and joy of driving again.

Project Drive For Freedom – Part 5

On the appointed Saturday of October 7, The Snark could not make it. He had an important engagement somewhere. Likewise, ShaolinTiger was overseas on a business trip. Instead of waiting for the merry duo, Christine suggested that we send the car to her regular workshop instead. Mr. Chua, the proprietor of the workshop, had installed similar hand control kits in Christine’s Toyota Vios and a few of her friends’ cars.

It was already late afternoon when we arrived at the workshop situated a stone’s throw away from the Bangsar LRT Station. While Mr. Chua was figuring out how to install the kit, Christine, Wuan and I adjourned to the mamak’s restaurant next door. It was hot. I felt very uncomfortable even with the ceiling fan blowing down on us.

There is a difference between Christine’s and the hand control kit I got. Hers is a right-handed control version. This is commonly installed in right-hand drive cars. I bought the left handed one solely to ease my entry into the car. My legs are long. A suitable car would need to provide sufficient space between the seat and steering wheel to accommodate my lower limbs. The protrusion of the control stick near the door would make it very difficult for me to transfer into the car.

That was also the very reason why we got a Honda City. This is the only car within our budget with a very adjustable steering column. When locked at its highest position, I could get in and out of the car with ease. I had difficulty getting into the Nissan Sentra and Toyota Vios. Wuan preferred the Kia Citra but I could not even get into the MPV because of the small front doors.

Mr. Chua wanted to be sure that there is sufficient space for the control stick play. After trying several variations, he told us that it could be done but we had to leave the car overnight as he was busy. We did not fancy leaving the spanking new car overnight there. So we made an appointment to send the car for installation the following Saturday.

… to be continued.

Project Drive For Freedom – Part 4

To our surprise, the Honda City was delivered at the end of August. That was only slightly over three weeks after we booked it. It was an exciting time. I was one step closer to driving a car. I was one step closer to doing something that I thought I could never do again.

One week after we collected the car, Christine passed the control kit to me. It had taken a circuitous two-week route from Singapore to Johor to Pahang and finally to Kuala Lumpur, passing through 5 hands before reaching me. Furthermore, the kit was manufactured in the USA. This journey is already a story worthy by itself.

The kit was stored under the sofa while I looked for a workshop to install it for me. At the same time, I asked around and checked with the Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan on the process to get the hand control kit attachment inspected and approved, and also the procedure to get a driving license.

At times like that, the Internet is a veritable tome of information and contacts. I got the basic procedures to apply for a learner’s driver license from the JPJ website. One day in late-September, I asked The Snark via MSN if he knew a mechanic who could install the hand control kit. He said he could do that and promptly came to have a look at the kit on the same day.

On the Saturday of September 30, The Snark arrived with ShaolinTiger to install the kit. It turned out to be more than both of them had bargained for. Cars nowadays have more electronics and wiring stuffed into the small space around the steering column than cars of yesteryears.

The brackets attached to both sides of the steering column.
Photo by Wuan.

After discussing with ShaolinTiger how they could best secure the brackets for holding the kit to the steering column, it was promptly bolted into place. However, The Snark had to leave to get ready for another appointment later that evening, promising that he would return the following week to get it all done.

… to be continued.

Related entries from Hunting The Snark:
Wheelman – The snag
Wheelman – The negotiation