Does anyone know anyone who drives with no/limited use of one hand ?

[CMOTdibbler]

3 weeks on from dislocating and smashing my wrist, I still only have movement in one finger (unusefully my little finger) and combined with the nerve damage it is obvious that any recovery is going to take a very long time - and in the meantime I'll need to get back on the road.

As my current car has a manual gearbox,I need to look at buying something else as a temporary measure until I have more of an idea of what the future holds. But have no idea of what cars will be better/light to steer with one hand (and a steering knob) etc.

So, if anyone has any experience to share, I'd be very grateful

I had a Smart car - I knew a lot of people who had the steering wheel knob for gear changes or just left it in automatic. It was great for me when I dislocated my wrist though I can tell you that - I had a massively weak right hand but could still drive the Smart.

Really sorry to hear about your problem CMOT

Our cars are adapted with hand controls, which as you say, require an automatic.

The things that are helpful are you must buy a car with power steering so that even heavy cars are light. We also have cars with cruise control for long runs which helps for longer drives.

You probably know that automatics almost always cost more and always tend to have higher CO2 emissions. Also I've found that many basic models don't have an auto version, so it does make motoring more expensive (sorry)

Have you looked into motability?

WMMC - I've been thinking about a Smart as it seems like an easy drive while adapting

Quattro - thanks for that. Fortunatly I get a car allowance from work, so costs aren't so much of an issue. As I don't have a mobility problem I'm not eligible for Motability, which is a pita as it seems that is the only way of getting advice on adaptations

They are good, use virtually no petrol - I used to commute 60 miles a day and fill up once every three weeks. And it used to cost £12 to fill up too! I guess that's about £18 these days.

They are surprisingly comfy if you are smallish - I'm only 5ft 3. If you are over 5ft 10 they are not the most comfy ride. A doddle to park and the panels are plastic so when people hit you in the supermarket they just bounce back.

The following things were not good for me: (1) Rear windscreens leak. (2) No spare tyre. (3) radio a bit shit (yes I am really scraping that barrel for negative comments).

I sold mine when I was pregnant with DD. I still miss her. She was so lovely. :(

My cousin only has full use of hand, very limited use of other. He has had all sorts of automatic cars and uses a steering wheel knob.

I used to have a Smart car and can highly recommend them providing you have a good local dealership. Mine was awful and it made owning the car traumatic as there's so much of them that can only be sorted by an official dealer. Parts are v expensive.

Thats good to hear - the What Car review is v negative. My Mazda 6 doesn't have a spare tyre either !

Did you have a perilunate dislocation ?

My brother has a friend who was born with no arm from the elbow down, he used to drive a manual (was quite interesting being in a car with him) but I am sure now drives an automatic.

Sorry to hear that your recovery is going to be slow, how is the reading going?

Hi CMOT,
my Dad has the use of only 1 hand and has always driven. He drives an automatic car and has had various adaptations made over the years from foot operated pads to dip the headlights to indicator switches operated by his knee. At the moment he has a really simple bar clipped to the wiper controls which goes over the top of the steering wheel so that the can be controlled from the other side. He also has a steering knob on the wheel. He's used various local mobility firms over the years, the most recent was a garage in Coventry who installed the wiper bar thingy. I could find out the name if its any use to you.

He's never found that the size or weight of the car has been an issue, especially now they all have power steering.

Wingandprayer - thanks for that. I'm hoping a Smart would only be temporary as I get through the acute phase, so parts not so much of an issue.

Five - reading all sorts of crud as the painkillers limit my concentration. But my Kindle is making life much easier as its totally one handed

Thanks Chix - the name of the garage would be much appreciated.

This is the garage www.jdhc.co.uk/ but Dad says there are also Driver Assessment Centres where they will look at what specific requirements you might have and recommend what adaptations you need.

Sorry about your arm btw, hope that all this would only need to be a temporary measure.

Nope, I have hypermobility syndrome so I quite often dislocate bits. But I managed to dislocate my wrist and snapped one of the little bones. I can't remember which one it was.

The Smart car is one of those love/hate things - you will know from a test drive how you feel about it. My DH loathed it (but then he couldn't reverse it and had to do little circles on the driveway while I PMSL from the kitchen).

The best thing is to go see one and try. You may hate it, you may like it. They do have good and bad points and motoring journalists hate them because it is rather like driving a noddy car. But if you can get over that they are great little machines. With Mercedes engines in.

OMG CMOT - I had no idea!

All sounds very scary. I've sent you a mail about October (if you are feeling up to it??)

I really hope you are OK - do you know what the prognosis is?