Disability - need solution to move around

[josana]

Dear Burners,
I've been to BM several times with my (now deceased) husband and I have a reduced mobility with a serious back disability. I cannot walk a lot and I cannot cycle.

I was always in BM with my soulmate Alain, whom had a tricycle and used to carry me on the basked behind it.

Unfortunately Alain deceased in April this year during a motorcycle accident in Geneva, Switzerland where we live and I'm going to BM this year to take his ashes.

I still don't know how I will move around, I need tips or anyone who's willing to get in a project to help me!

I'm looking for tips and to either buy or rent:
- an electrical scooter (could be buy)
or
- gas golf cart or anything similar (mainly rent, not buy as it's too $$)

or any other tip!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

If you see me at the playa, please come and say hi =) plenty of hugs guaranteed!

Big hugs,
Josana (aka. Double Trouble - in memory of Double - )

P.S. we are still looking for tickets for friends who also want to join!

[Savannah]

Hi Josana. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of Alain. I'll ask a friend of mine if he's bringing his golf cart this year. Maybe it's not spoken for yet.

Thread moved to "Transportation" forum.

[Savannah]

My friend replies that he has concerns about getting his golf cart back into reliable condition quickly enough, so unfortunately it's only a maybe. That means any ePlayans reading this who have the certain ability to help out, please feel free to speak up.

There may also still be time to get a license to drive a regular car on the playa:
http://www.burningman.com/on_the_playa/ ... enses.html

Fill out the BRC Participation form linked here (if you haven't already).
https://profiles.burningman.com/participate/

[email protected]

[Bless]

So sorry to hear of your loss, Josana.

If you haven't already, you may want to reach out to Rat Lady and the folks at DoA: http://mobilitycamp.org/

[josana]

Thank you Savannah!!! I'm already checking with DMV, but I'd like to avoid to use a regular car in order to be close to the other burners.

Thanks Bless for your words and tip, I contacted them earlier today and they quickly replied to me with some tips!!

I think the ideal for me (like, for me, maybe not for the playa lol) would be something like this:
http://www.healthykin.com/p-2023-ev-rid ... ooter.aspx

Maybe this is too expensive and I'm unsure if this is good... I'm clueless on batteries and how I will charge at the playa and if these are resistant enough for BRC. Rat Lady mentioned that gas stuff works better than electrical and that's why I thought on the gas golf cart which was one of her suggestions, but might be harder to find...

Any tip is welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

[theCryptofishist]

If you join Mobility Camp (and a good many others) there will probably be a generator for charging. You can rent a power chair, probably for a month. Then the trick is getting it up there. That's why I finally got a van. DMV might be difficult for you, because you need to provide a license plate # (and I assume you're renting) and a parking placard. I don't know if you have the equivalent in Switzerland, and what the DMV people will say. Email them and explain your situation, today. Keep working on other solutions, too. What city are you flying into? Start googling now. "Power Wheel Chair Rental" is what I'd start with. I've rented from a medical supply store, so that's likely to be a source. If you get one, clean every square inch. What happened with cars and trucks is that people returned them very dirty, and I'm sure that the electronics have been fucked, and renters didn't want to rent them out anymore. Don't want to see that happen with chairs. Could you manage with a walker?

[josana]

Hi Cryptofishist,

Thanks for your tips!! At the moment I'm looking at stand up scooters, those seem a good solution for me but unsure if it's a good solution for the playa lol... but you gave me a nice idea to search to maybe rent one, I'm searching this online now! If anyone knows companies that rent those or have any opinion of the use of that in the playa or good models, please let me know!

A walker wouldn't be a possibility for me, I have a good balance but the issue is mainly breathing, I've a severe scoliosis and my back blocks my lungs to breath freely, so every 15 steps I end up being without breath, that's why I really need something that moves around on my behalf.

Thank you again!!!!

[Aurelia]

My condolences to you .

How wonderful that you had a good marriage !

Way too expensive a scooter !

$75. is the one that is listed and used by campmate ..not certain of our address this year yet; but It allows you recharge from camp generators.
The thing is like a sitdown scooter.
I will try to stay in touch with you.
Last year I had a trike with a motor and I didn't like it; but maybe that would be your fav choice.
They do come with folding models. My son had built my trike and it was his speed , not mine. I will however ask him if the motor he put on is still around.

xoA.

[theCryptofishist]

Yeah. I thought with back issues a manual chair wouldn't cut it. Those are tricky in the dust anyway.
disability is so varied. Always good to think widely when you're starting on a question like this.

[unjonharley]

I have one of those stand up scooters.. My problem with it was: The small wheel in the back.. The playa friction ate up the battery time quickly.. Its great for running to the store but not on playa

[lucky420]

I've heard of segways being available for rent for BM and have seen a few out there. Not sure of the company's name so maybe google will turn something up on it.

[some seeing eye]

You are in touch with the Mobility Camp and they can advise you on charging. Snow Koan solar camp also charges in the day. You may need multiple batteries to switch out for charging.

[theCryptofishist]

It's been my experience (3 chairs) that batteries are not very accessible for switching out. Watch yourself in the day (go slow, don't go far, take rides if offered) and charge when you sleep.

[Dr. Pyro]

I am posting this here, over three years since this thread was last used, because Fishy is prominently portrayed in today's Sacramento Bee on page B-1. Large color picture of her, explaining how she lost her legs in a tragic mishap in Europe, and her trials and tribulations with the current administration. I'll keep all politics out of this because IMO this is neither the time nor the place, but if you can access perhaps on line The Sacramento Bee and look for the article and Carol Sachs, that is our very own Cryptofishist.

[Aurelia]

Geewhiz doc do it for me and tell me about what she says she's doing now.
Is she coming to burning man again?

[Savannah]

Thank you, Doc. Good article.

[Dr. Pyro]

Geewhiz doc do it for me and tell me about what she says she's doing now.
Is she coming to burning man again?

I haven't spoked to her in a few years and have no idea of her actual whereabouts or whether or not she'll ever return to TTITD. I would PM her and ask her yourself. Radical self-reliance and all that.

[Aurelia]

Thank you Doc .