A Message for Disabled Members by Chartermark


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Chartermark
35 years ago following an accident, I experienced a ' Total Avulsion to the Ulna and Radial nerves' in my right arm. This meant the motor operation 'wiring' was pulled from the spinal column. Similar to removing a jack plug from the old phone exchanges the call gets cut off, and as a corollary I became paralysed in my right arm, and lost 70% function to the hand too. Amazingly, there is no restorative treatment or remedial surgery possible.

It's common amongst motor cyclists and pilots within crash circumstances, where massive deceleration terminates with impact. Ever since, I've managed driving with an auto-box and power steering. Now an OAP however, I found switching on the lights and dipping them whilst also steering increasingly irksome as my general elasticity diminishes.

I tried companies involved with disability controls fitting, but found them both 'over the top' for what I needed in terms of functionality and expensive for your average 'in between' cripple like me!

I was seeking ease of operation, much as say someone with arthritis would seek adjacency, not the fuller need to operate foot pedal functions by hand.

I'd tried to find a method to control my lights by remote control and a good old fashioned foot dip switch for the 'flash' and full / low beam utility for night driving.

Both proved evasive to acquire. Many wasted journeys followed to those who promised much, but in inevitability always resorted to the car being collected untouched to accompanying languid statements of;

'Woh Woh' and 'it can't be done', 'there's a hole in my bucket' etc. followed on and off, for over 4 years of trying.

Frustrated two years ago I gave up and resigned myself to struggle, eventually culminating in a shortened driving career!

Very near giving up, I made contact with a genial pair of wizards 'Raistlin and Duncan'. I was asked to provide a remote sender and circuit board kit from a specialist manufacturer, which was duly dispatched. I then travelled a week or so later to Wolverhampton and met Paul who'd been provided with a custom assembled mini wiring loom from Duncan, utilising his great knowledge of the 75's circuitry. Forty five minutes later 'Raistlin' emerged from a host of wires and circuits to request me to "try your lights?"

It worked of course first time as if it were a factory fitted extra.

This weekend at the Wolverhampton 'Nano Meet' a similar operation was undertaken by Duncan for the 'Dipper/Flasher'.

It was only on the journey home, that full realisation on how much I'd struggled these past 35 years became so plainly axiomatic

The innate relief of 'remembering ' as I subconsciously reached down for the lighting dial in the dusk, that 'NO', the new and easier attribute is a click away, was well worth experiencing!

The 'flash' function is just fantastic. From operational deprivation, I'd become a selfish driver. Going home, I was able to let people out in front who were being boxed in by other more selfish folk, safely and with ease.

These genial Electro-Kings now want to offer this benefit multilaterally to members who could do with a bit of help like me.

Paul (Raistin) or Duncan have told me they would like to offer this innovation to a wider audience - it's well worth talking to them believe me. It's the best job completed on my '75, by a long, long way!

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 21:01 #1 

Last edited by Chartermark on 24 Aug 2010, 22:22, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Duncan
Thanks for that Martin.

Yes, now we understand the technology, we should be able to help out.

It was a pleasure to meet you, and I enjoy the challenges of things like this. The best bit is solving a problem, and helping someone out in the process.
Image

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 21:13 #2 

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Bernard
Duncan wrote:Thanks for that Martin.

Yes, now we understand the technology, we should be able to help out.

It was a pleasure to meet you, and I enjoy the challenges of things like this. The best bit is solving a problem, and helping someone out in the process.


You all, quite rightly, looked very pleased!

Well done! :clap: :clap:
I don't like signatures, they take up too much screen space.

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 21:17 #3 

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JohnDotCom
This just shows what the great members of the Community can do to help fellow members.
Thanks must go to both Duncan and Raistlin (Paul) for putting this into action.

On behalf of all the membership may I say a very big thank you to you both and all the others that help fellow members. :D
John

"My lovely car now sold onto a very happy new owner.
I still love this marque and I will still be around, preferred selling to breaking, as a great runner and performer"

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 21:24 #4 

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Cowley_MOA
Well done to Paul and Duncan!
Superabit omnia virtus

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 21:27 #5 

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starbug2
i am glad that things can be sorted if folk can pull together and some of us are very good at doing stuff that most only dream of so top marks to the men who can and not letting being " Disabled" be the final word . as long as you can drive as per normal levels of standards , so you should no matter what mods need doing to the car as fair to say not all able bodied can drive as well as they should :o

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 21:58 #6 

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Chartermark
starbug2 wrote:as fair to say not all able bodied can drive as well as they should :o


Gosh that's bought a tear to my eye tonight, exactly the same words my late wife said to me when I first drove her nearly 33 years ago now!

She cried after thinking how brave I was - The truth is, it's amazing what the human spirit can achieve when it has no alternative and therefore concentration is to the ultimate, it's innate to all of us

For example I always was a lousy driver, but left handed my table tennis is amazing!

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 22:33 #7 

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Chartermark
JohnDotCom wrote:On behalf of all the membership may I say a very big thank you to you both and all the others that help fellow members.:D


Here, Here JDC, its also the wonderful feeling of 'bonhomie' I felt as I drove home, thinking how these lads had helped me, a stranger, with such altruism, a rare value these days ...

Posted 24 Aug 2010, 22:39 #8 

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raistlin
Thanks Martin.

Hopefully we can be of help to others as well :)
Paul

Cogito ergo sum... maybe?

Click the image to go to Nano-Meet Website
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Posted 25 Aug 2010, 06:46 #9 

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stroheim
:clap: Wow what a wonderful thing to do for a fellow member and Duncan and Paul should be congratulated. I have Pauls wonderful 'Ulitmate Remote 'fitted which I think is a worthwhile mod also

Posted 25 Aug 2010, 08:12 #10 

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DeuxGazoles
I'm currently in discussion with the aforementiond wizards with a view to converting another member's car ;)
Geordie Jeans! they're nice & tight especially roond the arse

Posted 25 Aug 2010, 09:44 #11 


Dave Goody
Great to hear it all worked out! the utmost respect to Paul and Duncan.
:clap: I look forward to seeing your "innovations" :shock: Martin next time we meet up Dave

Posted 25 Aug 2010, 14:32 #12 

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Bermudan 75
What can I say?

What words can be used that express how certain members of the Wolves-nano meets have, as usual, excelled themselves with helping other people.

I have experienced the warm kindness of Raistlin, Trebor, Duncan and others at local meetings, in sorting out technical problems.

On Sunday at the Wolves nano-meet I had the pleasure to meet Chartermark (Martin) who is an absolute gentleman.

I understand the problems he has found in having his 75 modified to take account of his injury, I have a sister who is wheelchair bound and cannot get a car modified so that she can escape the confines of her house.

The spirit of the members as exemplified by those who attended the Wolves nano-meet is a credit to them and I am proud to be associated with them.

Mike
Image

Posted 25 Aug 2010, 16:17 #13 

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Zeb
Quality work by quality people....for the good of others.

Altruism - my favourite human quality... :D

Posted 25 Aug 2010, 20:53 #14 


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