Hand Controls

[IanB]

I seem to have been blessed with a neurolgical condition that has resulted in my left leg muscles weakening, such that I can no longer drive a manual car. My right leg is currently still OK to drive an auto, but my condition is expected to progress, such that in the future my right leg will follow suit.

I fully intend to keep driving my lovely GS as long as possible, and am already getting information about retrofit hand controls (there are plenty out there). I drove a car with hand controls fitted today, and it was remarkably easy to control. I also intend to seek advice through Lexus dealers about suitable systems that suit the marque.

I intend to try as many systems as possible before I buy, to ensure I make the right choice first time.

However, maybe there is someone out there in the LOC who has already fitted hand controls to a Lexus? If so, I really would welcome your views and suggestions about good and bad systems and installers. Distance is no object, and I'm happy to travel wherever to get the right system fitted.

Many thanks,

IanB :D

[IanB]

For the record, here is my experience in this matter, just in case anyone else ever needs this.

I've just had hand controls fitted by a company called Techmobilty. My local agent is based in Fife, but they operate across the UK. There are loads of makes of controls out there, but the ones they recommended are made by a company called Bryg-Ayd. The advantage of these is apparently they are more adaptable to a wider range of vehicles.

Anyway, the fitter came to my home to fit them. Took him around 4 hours to complete. The cost is £395 + £80 for the fitter's travel (around 300 mile round trip). No VAT of course. The pedals are not obstructed, so the car can still be driven conventionally. The only negative is he had to disable the electric steering adjustment.

So what are they like? I've already tried other cars with hand controls, so adapting to driving the GS was easy. Well all I can say is they are fantastic. In fact, I can drive faster and more safely with hand controls than I could with pedals. The main advantage is that braking is so much easier, quicker and sharper. Very controllable. There is a lever just to the right of the steering wheel. I simply pull it to accelerate, and push it to brake. I was suprised to find that I can brake harder and quicker using this than I could using the pedals, even before my leg problems started.

So very positive all round. I've lost none of my enthusiasm for driving, and I'm looking forward to loads more miles in the car now.

Here are a few usefull links:-

http://www.techmobilityuk.com

http://www.brig-aydcontrols.co.uk/hand_con...ingle_lever.php

I hope you never have to go this route, but if you do then it's nice to know there really is help out there. :) :) :)

Cheers,

IanB :D

[Continunity]

Hi Ian,

Glad to hear you dont have to give up on the Lexus Dream. :D

[Unregistered_User]

Hey there Ian,

I remember reading this when you were first looking and was hoping you would find a solution to meet your requirements.

I'm glad to read that you have and hope all goes well,

Regards,

Jamie

[chips229]

Hi Ian,

Sorry i must have missed this post first time around.

Im Glad to hear you have found a answer and your Very Happy with how well and easy it is to drive the car with the hand controls.

Im also sorry to hear of the health problems that are facing you and a Wish you Well for the future what with having to deal with them.

All the Best.

Chips.

[IanB]

Thanks for all your good wishes guys. The LOC camaraderie comes up trumps again!

Cheers,

IanB :D

[Kazi]

Spot on, glad you got a worthy result mate. Best wiches for your health to dude.

[SpokesT]

I'm still brand new on here, so just catching up basically. Great to see that there are some mods which are truly essential, just as there are other mods which are, er, also essential (superchargers, de-cat systems etc heheheh!) to the enjoyment of the Lexus experience!

[eXOBeX]

Should've gone to JAE... might've stolen the "Most Unusual Modification" award from Mat! :P

Good luck with the car and stuff... happy motoring!

[IanB]

Thanks for the continuing good wishes and stuff, folks.

My wife and I have just returned from a holiday in the US. Hired a car from Hertz, and they threw in free hand controls and a spinner. Had to get used to fact that the controls work differently there (push away from you to brake and push down to accelerate). Worked well though.

And much as I don't like the fact that I have to use a wheelchair now to cover any sort of distance, one advantage it does give me is getting through customs and immigration at airports. So much easier! We flew from Glasgow, but I didn't see John Smeaton though..... :)

The US is certainly the place to go. Just about everywhere has wheelchair access, restaurants, theatres, shopping malls, entertainment places, etc. Much better than many parts of the UK. I suspect the reason for this is because there have been some high profile law suits, against businesses that didn't provide disabled access. It is getting better here, but there are so many old buildings that just don't have lifts or easy methods to put in ramps. Old hotels and B&B's are the worst. 19th century buildings with imposing steps up to the front door!

Hey-ho! I'm just learning to be more selective.

Cheers,

IanB :D :D

[Mike_B]

Hiya,

I must have missed all these posts first time round as this is the first time I've seen this topic!! Sorry to hear of your leg problems mate, but also good to see you've obviously got the right 'chin up' attitude and are still enjoying life!

If I'd seen it the first time round I would have recommended the company that makes the controls fitted to a mate's Saab - he lost the use of his legs about 5 years ago (probably permanently, but some feeling is apparently starting to come back into them which leads the docs to hope the nerves might regrow after all) but is still charging around in a Saab 900 convertible! Like you, he finds the hand controls make it just as easy to drive the car as the pedals, and he still loves driving too...

Best of luck with things...

Mike

[IanB]

Hiya,

I must have missed all these posts first time round as this is the first time I've seen this topic!! Sorry to hear of your leg problems mate, but also good to see you've obviously got the right 'chin up' attitude and are still enjoying life!

If I'd seen it the first time round I would have recommended the company that makes the controls fitted to a mate's Saab - he lost the use of his legs about 5 years ago (probably permanently, but some feeling is apparently starting to come back into them which leads the docs to hope the nerves might regrow after all) but is still charging around in a Saab 900 convertible! Like you, he finds the hand controls make it just as easy to drive the car as the pedals, and he still loves driving too...

Best of luck with things...

Mike

Hi Mike.

Thanks for your support, and I truly hope your mate does recover the use of his legs. My problem is a one way ticket unfortunately (MND), but as you say the chin-up attitude definitely works for me. It's amazing what I can do to help myself. The trick is to keep asking and all sorts of support appears out of the woodwork!

I even now get my GS's road tax paid by the state, on account of me being officially disabled. Useful for a band G car! As a taxpayer all my life, it's nice to get something back.

As for driving, I intend to keep doing it as long as I can. And having a nice GS definitely helps me enjoy it.

Cheers,

IanB :D