Because of a circulation problem in my left leg, I need to keep it as high as possible on the firewall while driving.
My 1999 Honda CRV was ideal for this, because the lower part of the dashboard was removable. 1999 was the last year that the Honda CRV had that feature. Now I need a replacement for the CRV, and I haven’t found any car with a high dashboard, which wii allow my left leg to be nearly horizontal. Any suggestions?
I prefer a sedan, but will consider any car that will allow me to drive a distance without causing a leg infection.
Would a right-hand-drive postal vehicle (often auctioned off from time to time) give you any extra options here?
Thanks for the suggestion. It would take some getting used-to.
I doubt that my wife would ever get used to driving it.
Being the son of a handicapped mother and being all too familiar with the challenges of finding a vehicle that addresses special needs, this question really occupied me for a couple of hours. I did some research of my own, looking at interior pictures, mostly of today’s minivans or bigger vehicles (Odyssey, Caravan, Sienna, Chevy Astro, Ford Flex, etc.) I could not find anything.
Here’s a thought that occurred to me and that you may find useful. While I was mainly thinking about spacious and high up vehicles that may offer this feature, I was wondering if the answer to your question could also be a vehicle where you can sit somewhat low. If you have height adjustable seats & steering wheel you could possibly sit so low that the normal legroom is almost horizontal (and you’d hopefully still see out the window).
Another idea is to look at “unconventional” vehicles that male a point of having a minimalist dashboard. On a couple of occasisions the Volkswagen new Beetle has come up as surprisingly adequate for special needs. I just looked at pictures of the MINI Clubman (larger version of the Mini). This looks like it might be a possibility: http://www.minicooperpic.com/minicooper/car/pictures/2010/05/ac-schnitzer-gives-mini-cooper-clubman-s-226-hp-81882-102.jpg
Let’s hope somebody else here has more insight. If not, your best bet would probably be to go to a couple of different dealers, state your requirement and let them tell you if they have anything in their lineup that might work.
I was a postman for a while, and I found learning RHD to be a non-event. You just have to get used to the different perspective on the road, but that takes one day, tops.
I’d actually recommend a RHD passenger vehicle vs. an ex-postal, because postal vehicles leave a lot to be desired as passenger vehicles, IMO.
Thanks for your advice and research.
We will definitely look into the MINIs. You may have saved us hours at dealerships.
You also reminded me that in the RX-7 that we had in the 1980’s, the seats were low, and my leg positions were fairly high.
If you are not already using one, you should invest in a good fitting compression stocking.
They will help you extend the time behind the wheel while keeping the blood circulating the best it can.
My had had an accident many years ago which caused damage to his foot, and to help with the blood circulation in his leg, he has had to wear a compression stocking for the rest of his life, currently.
BC.
I have been using compression stockings for twenty years. My problem involves the poor circulation of lymphatic fluid, which fights infection. Keeping the left leg elevated allows me to drive longer distances.