As anyone who has ever traveled knows, it’s not always easy to ‘get there from here.’ There are rules and regulations to know, fluctuating prices, overbooking issues, and a whole host of security dos and don’ts to keep in mind. But if getting from one place to another is difficult for even the most seasoned traveler, imagine when you throw kids into the mix, with strollers, diaper bags, snacks, and games to make a trip run smoothly. The same goes for those with mobility disabilities as there is a whole slew of information to learn, to have the process go smoothly.
As a motivational speaker and competitive athlete who also happens to use a wheelchair, I have found that getting around often means coming face-to-face with challenges and roadblocks, no matter how prepared I think I might be. For many customer-facing employees, a traveler with a disability still manages to find the service providers off guard. Not a trip goes by where I don’t find myself educating and having to create some sort of awareness around those with disabilities. Somehow there is still surprise that we’re out there. That people with disabilities are outside of the house and actually enjoying a life of adventure and intrigue, just like anyone else.
But for those who find themselves traveling on a regular basis, as I do for business and competition, there are a host of tips and tricks that can make travel easier and allow the stress-meter to go down a few notches.
A few of my favorites are here:
Wheelchair Luggage Carrier: When you’re busy propelling your wheelchair forward with your hands, who is holding your bags? It’s great when you can find a porter, but it’s also nice not to need one. To the rescue are luggage racks which attach to the front of the wheelchair frame and are ideal for holding a suitcase, duffle bag or any other item that you might need to carry with you. I typically travel with a bag on my lap and a backpack on my chair, but often I need a third piece of luggage. Without my luggage rack it would be impossible to get everything around on my own. There are a variety of versions available on the market depending on the model of your chair.
Seat cushions: Of course, a wheelchair user must have a seat cushion on his/her wheelchair, but for travel, there are a variety of other places one might benefit from having a little cushion. When flying, I stow my higher profile wheelchair cushion from my chair in the overhead bin, but I use on the airplane a low-profile cushion that helps me stay comfortable in my airplane seat but is also versatile enough to use as a cushion in my rental car, on the shower bench in my hotel bathroom, and I’ve used it on amusement park rides, in golf carts, on pool lifts, and more. The key to this cushion is that it is good for dry land as well as in the water. And it’s homemade. Using two layers of the stimulite supracor, I cut the cushion size I wanted and found a low-profile cushion cover to keep them together and covered for the airplane, etc.; then I take them out of the cover to use in the shower. The material is porous, so it doesn’t hold water and dries quickly, is light and rolls up for easy storage, yet provides some extra cushion in the places you need it most. Incidentally, I use this same cushion on my handcycle, when I sit on the floor, at a restaurant when I want to sit at a booth and more. You can find a roll of this material at: LINK for $360. I purchased the massage table roll of this material about six years ago and I am still making cushions and using it for other padding needs.
Rental Cars: This is an area of traveling that can cause significant tension, especially if you are a wheelchair user or need to use hand controls to drive a car. Whereas an individual who doesn’t need this special equipment can walk up to a rental counter or call a rental service and have a car in under 15 minutes, to order a car with hand controls (which are available from all major rental agencies: Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, etc.) it takes a 48-hour notice to order and have the car available. Not always possible. Recently, I needed to use a rental car while my car was in the shop. I called my local Enterprise store at 4:30pm on a Thursday to order a car for Monday morning. Not happening, I was told. A request for a car with hand controls must be made 48-hours in advance, but not only that, Saturdays and Sundays don’t count in that 48-hour span, only business days. Therefore, I was told I wouldn’t be able to get a car until 4:30pm on Monday. Sometimes if you are in a big city or near a major airport you can get a hand control car quicker. But to counteract this hassle, many wheelchair users travel with portable hand controls, which are lightweight, easy install, travel-friendly and can be placed on any automatic car.
Travel with a mini toolkit: For wheelchair users who use pneumatic tires and have ever had a flat in an inconvenient place, this probably goes without saying. But a wheelchair is much like a bike. Never leave home without your flat kit and a spare tire. Some tools might not be able to be carried on the plane with you, but always have a spare tire, tire levers and a hand pump, so you don’t find yourself sitting flat in the middle of your trip. (Another great option for traveling is using solid tires so you avoid the probability of a flat, but you still need the tools to tighten bolts and fix other mechanical parts of your chair).
Check your connection times: If you are a wheelchair user and rely on an aisle chair to board and deplane your flight, you will likely (hopefully) be the first on the airplane, but you’ll also be the last one off your flight. Period. Flight attendants will not stop the flood of travelers walking off the plane to get a passenger with a disability off the plane. Even when you’ve got a tight connection. So be prepared. Make sure you have at least one FULL hour between connections. If you’re connecting through a large airport or need to change terminals, a little extra time padding won’t hurt. Especially when booking through Expedia or other similar sites, where you might be taking a combination of airlines or looking for the lowest fares. Pay attention to this detail…it could make a big difference in the success of your trip.
