Hello! I am about to learn how to drive, but I have severe weakness in the my right leg. Can anyone recommend a specific brand of left foot accelerator? I will be driving a Lexus RX 350. Also, does an adaptation like that change the way one applies for a learner’s permit? Thanks in advance!
I’m not sure a real brand exists. This would be a custom job and could be quite costly. If your car has a foot pedal for a parking brake, the job will be that much harder to do.
Talk with churches around town, or any place that transports handicapped people around; see who they’ve had modify their vehicles and talk to them and see what they can do for you
By googling ‘handicapped car modifications’ I came up with this site, I have NO IDEA if they’re good, but they do have ‘left food accelerator’ options:
http://www.rebenmobility.com/driver-products/left-foot-accelerator/
Have you investigated any of the available hand controls instead? I’m wondering if that might be easier to set up instead of trying to offset the foot pedals a fair amount to the left.
These days, with electronic accelerators with no cables it can be as simple as un-bolting the pedal from the right and re-bolting on the left ( harness length permitting ).
The caveat being ( maybe ) proper reinforcment of the floorboard and bolt seats.
A handicap vehicle modifier can do this AND be certified DOT compliant.
Top of this page , click on ‘‘Car Info’’.
Scroll down to ''Special needs zone ''
See if their links can help.
One of Mrs JTs BFFs had her right leg amputated many years ago. She went to a local handicapped car modification place and they fixed her up with a pedal that extends behind the brake pedal. You should find the local specialty shops and go for a visit. They can show you want they have available and provide costs. I’d get at least 3 estimates if there are that many shops conveniently located to you.
Agree, shouldn’t be that hard for a specialty shop. Remember the driver training cars with the brake pedal on the passenger side for the instructor? That was a lot harder to do but no problem. He only used it once that I can recall.
I drive with my right foot on the accelarater and brake with my left leg ot foot. Do you have enough strength to use the accelerater with your right leg? Ithink it is the only way to drive an automatic.
Check with your state’s ADA office. They should be able to direct you to a place that’ll make modifications to accommodate your disability. Also ask them if there are any funding sources to pay for disability modifications. I’ll bet you’ll be pleased with the assistance they provide you.
MB–Hopefully you are correct, and that ADA has improved things for the disabled.
I can recall, about 25 years ago (prior to ADA) I was attempting to secure funding from our state’s agency for the disabled, in order to have a car modified so that a handicapped student could undergo driver training. My student, who was in a wheelchair as a result of Spina Bifida, came from a very poor family that could not afford to pay for mods to their ancient Oldsmobile.
I located a facility that would do specialized driver training with her (free of charge), but they would not do it unless the family car was equipped with hand controls. The state agency agreed to pay for modification of the family car–once she had her driver’s license.
My argument–that she couldn’t obtain a license unless she was given driver training in a modified car and unless she had a modified car for the road test–fell on deaf or insensitive ears. Even though I did get an admission that their policy had a fatal flaw in it, they would not agree to pay for modifying this car so that the girl could obtain her driver training and her license.
I must have spent at least 6 hours on the phone with various and sundry officials before I had to admit defeat on that score. Luckily, I was able to convince a church group to pay for the modifications.
I tip my hat to your endeavors to assist this person.
I too hope I’m correct. It’s the only suggestion I could think of, but if they can’t help perhaps they can direct the OP to someone who.
God bless.
Thank you for the compliment, MB.
The general public has no clue as to the many and varied types of assistance that a school counselor is called upon to do every day. I gave at least $2 worth of effort for every lousy dollar that they paid me, but I am proud of all of the help that I provided over the years.
Quite a few years ago, my brother and SIL were at a party, and just by coincidence they wound up socializing with one of my former students. My brother called me the next day to tell me how proud he was when that former student–by then an adult–told him about how instrumental I had been in putting him on the right path in life.
Let’s hope that the ADA has made the needed difference for those with handicaps.
Many, many of these people who fall in the ‘‘disabled ‘’ category are not what I call DISabled per-se’
But they have an ABILITY DIFFERENCE ;). AS the OP has said, they will be perfectly able to drive their car…although differently that the general public… but there’s no category for that ;(
Finding the adaptation idea is one thing they come to me for.
’‘but I want it to do this’’ they say …or that. Both home and vehicle. I only wish I were in a big city with all these adaptation shops that do exist, just not waaay out here.
If their vehicle is fitted with hand controls, it is very likely that their license will be restricted to hand controlled vehicles only. I know it would be in my state.
It’s a little like restringing a guitar for a left handed player. This was explained to me by a left handed music teacher many years ago. If one learns left handed, they will be unable to pick up and play a borrowed instrument. Since both hands are used in playing, there is no point.
I’ve known several people who temporarily lost the use of their right leg due to having a cast. All they did was cross over and use their left leg for both pedals. I also know a lady who has a prosthesis for her right leg. She lost her leg above the knee before she learned to drive, probably close to 50 years ago. As far as I know, she has never had a vehicle with a left side accelerator.
Installing one would also make it slightly difficult and/or dangerous and/or confusing for another family member to drive a vehicle so equipped. See the guitar example above.
I recommend you consider a hand operated throttle/brake assembly. I’ve seen them installed in cars, and they function like right-hand motorcycle controls. With the correct set-up, the hand controls are a mere extension of the pedals on the floor, so other people could still drive the car, and anyone who knows how to ride a motorcycle could probably use either set of controls.
“It’s a little like restringing a guitar for a left handed player. This was explained to me by a left handed music teacher many years ago. If one learns left handed, they will be unable to pick up and play a borrowed instrument. Since both hands are used in playing, there is no point.”
In 35 years of teaching guitar, I have always recommended the same thing to lefties, with this caveat: if after trying right-handed playing , it still feels weird, then play left-handed. This is because although both hands are used, only the right hand is actually making the sound, the left just enables the right to play the correct pitches.
That makes sense. In baseball/softball, you use both hands, but you use one to catch and one to throw. Switching things up wouldn’t be easy, even though both hands are being used.
Likewise, driving with your left foot will probably require some practice. I’m used to operating a clutch with my left foot, but if I try to use my left foot for braking or throttle control, I find I don’t have the same degree of motor control with my left foot as I do with my right.
I found this on planetmobility.com. I searched on left foot accelerator.
It appears to meet your requirement and has a quick disconnect so that only the mounting plate itself stays on thefloor when someone else is driving. Around $300, plus installation. From the drawing on the website, it appears a good general mechanic could install it.
:
The (LFA) was designed for the driver that has lost control of only his right foot, with an (LFA) accelerator installed to the left of the brake pedal the problem of applying the gas is no longer a problem.
The (LFA) (Left Foot Accelerator By Creative Controls) is the industries leader in design & quality. The (LFA) is extremely adjustable allowing it to be used in virtually any vehicle. The (LFA) is also equipped with a quick disconnect allowing (LFA) to be released and removed from the vehicle when not in use. Only the mounting plate is permanently mounted to the floor.
"I drive with my right foot on the accelarater and brake with my left leg ot foot. Do you have enough strength to use the accelerater with your right leg? Ithink it is the only way to drive an automatic."
So your the guy I see going 70 mph with the brake light on. How often do you need brakes?