Everyone has been in a situation where you are going about your day and all of a sudden you get caught on an uneven piece of sidewalk. I think everyone has taken a header or two because of a surprise in the terrain. I discovered they have come out with all-terrain wheelchairs.
The way it works is there is usually a piece on the back of the chair to distribute the weight evenly to keep the chair from tipping over. I know this would save me the trouble of getting stuck in the snow during the winter months. I love winter. I am a winter baby, but I usually stay in most of the winter to avoid the ice and snow. I feel like if I had one of these chairs I would probably be more adventurous. I have always loved Motocross and the idea of dirt biking. I always thought it was cool and wanted to try it. An all-terrain wheelchair gives people with disabilities the opportunity to try new things, and travel to new places without the embarrassment of a face plant in the middle of a busy European street.
This technology could also improve the quality of life for people who may not live in an area where the roads are not as smooth for travel. People with disabilities deserve to broaden their worldview as much as any other person. The cost of these chairs is about 4,000 U.S. dollars for a manual version.
Most insurance companies may consider this an unnecessary expense. I'm hoping, though, that since this technology seems to be in development around the world that all-terrain wheelchairs will become standard for all wheelchairs.
I hope one day soon travel will open up again so we can discover more of this planet we call home.
Photo by AndrzejRembowski courtesy of Pixabay
Stephanie Wyatt has Cerebral Palsy and uses a manual wheelchair. She spends her free time hanging out with her best friend Carmen and her dog Ama Angelica.
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