Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles and luggage/cargo

benbartle

Hello!

I am brand new to the forum, I have been searching online for forums for users of wheelchair accessible vehicles so I am asking around in multiple places.

I have a daughter who is in a wheelchair, and we're looking for our first WAV. We've had a demo this morning of a Ford Freedom which was great in so many ways, but we're wondering what people do about luggage/cargo given the boot is given up to the chair and everything would be loose and rolling about. Do people use netting etc?

We think we'd get a roof box for trips away for luggage but for everyday, what do people do?

Thanks

Albus_Scope

Heya @benbartle and a very belated welcome to the community! 

I'm just stopping by to see how you were getting on with your search and to give your post a little bump just incase people missed it. Have you decided on a WAV yet?

2oldcodgers

benbartle said:

Hello!

I am brand new to the forum, I have been searching online for forums for users of wheelchair accessible vehicles so I am asking around in multiple places.

I have a daughter who is in a wheelchair, and we're looking for our first WAV. We've had a demo this morning of a Ford Freedom which was great in so many ways, but we're wondering what people do about luggage/cargo given the boot is given up to the chair and everything would be loose and rolling about. Do people use netting etc?

We think we'd get a roof box for trips away for luggage but for everyday, what do people do?

Thanks

Roof top boxes affect the stability of the vehicle

I've just had a quick look at what is available

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles For Sale | Wheelchair Cars & Vehicles – Allied Mobility

forgoodnesssake

(I've never heard about roof boxes actually affecting vehicle stability as such, as hundreds of thousands of people use them regularly and I think if there was a safety issue like that it would be much harder to get hold of them.  They do affect aerodynamics though and so you are very likely to have increased fuel consumption especially at speed and also the advice is not to drive at more than about 60mph because of drag or uplift at the front...perhaps that's what the above poster is referring to)

In terms of what you can fit in the boot...good question.  We have a Caddy Maxi Life (second one) and it is a slightly longer wheelbase than the other caddy and so we can get power chair with folded manual chair at the side, and then a few bags etc tucked in round the sides.  But if we are actually going on holiday as a family we do need to use a roof box for lighter things.