Portable Ramps for School Steps
It's the first day of school, a new school. And you've just moved for the fifth time. You're ten and you're in a Quickie Zippie wheelchair. Your school doesn't have a wheelchair ramp. There are only seven steps between you and the front door of the school but they might as well be a hundred.
We know it's scary, but you can flash the kids and teachers your famous smile as your dad or mom grabs an EZ-Access portable wheelchair ramp or portable suitcase ramp. Whether you have a 2-foot ramp or a five-foot ramp, the aluminum surface is kind of cool, like the slides on the playground. You smile and say, "Hey, this is fun, try it," as you motor up the ramp. Your dad's watching protectively, but that's okay. You wave to him. You're safe. He can go...you're late for first period.
You might want to watch out, some of the kids might try to hot dog it with skateboards using your ramp. Your dad will have a fit, but hey, it's a dad thing. Making a big entrance on the first day of school, it seems, is your thing and, when you're carrying portable wheel chair ramps, it's definitely not a bad thing anymore.
Vacationing Abroad with Portable Wheelchair Ramps
You never know what you'll encounter in Phnom Penh, Chiang Mai, Istanbul or Cannes. That's the allure of international travel. The downside: If you're in a wheelchair, you don't know what accessibility issues you'll deal with, either.
You compromised in Japan by leaving your shoes at the door but staying in your wheelchair. You've successfully bridged cultural and language barriers (tip: avoid discussing politics). You shouldn't be stopped by barriers to accessibility.
Many historic buildings, like East Coast structures in America, weren't designed for wheelchairs. Risk being the ugly American and carry a suitcase wheelchair ramp for thresholds of ancient Buddhist temples and narrow Dutch hallways.
If you can, check the doorway heights and research those ancient monuments. You'll need a telescoping portable wheelchair ramp for, say, ancient Greek temples as opposed to a simple suitcase wheelchair ramp for the taverna. And, if space is a premium in that boutique hotel or hostel, a suitcase wheelchair ramp doesn't take up much room.
You're ready for adventure and the ramps you've packed will help you to achieve a lifetime of memories. It might not be so easy, however, to explain why you've just ordered a broiled sneaker in that Paris cafe. But if you can speak French passably, you can do anything.
Rent-a-Portable-Ramp
You broke your leg in a skiing accident, or you took a nosedive off the pier. Either way, you're in a wheelchair for six months, or longer. You rented the chair, and now you're having difficulty with normal activities. The curb outside work seems too steep, or those college library steps are difficult to navigate. Or your mother-in-law is coming to stay and she doesn't complain about accessibility¡ªso you feel guilty and want to work harder to make her comfortable. Perhaps you're temping and your workplace wasn't designed for people with wheelchairs. You hate to be late because you can't get through the door.
Whatever your reason for needing a ramp, here¡¯s good news: You can rent portable wheel chair ramps. Companies such as American Access offer temporary portable wheelchair ramps.
A few tips before you rent:
? Make sure the company can rent to you indefinitely or for the length of time you need.
? Determine whether you need a telescoping van ramp for your mother-in-law or just a wedge that can help you get through the door.
? If you can, test the temporary portable wheelchair ramp with your wheelchair or take your mother-in-law--make it a shopping and lunch outing!
So now you're on the mend, or your mother-in-law is happy. The drawback: Your mother-in-law announces she's staying another month, and she's already complaining about the way you overcook vegetables. Not to worry¡ªrental companies, like portable wheel chair ramps, are flexible.
Bus and Train Wheelchair Ramps
You're fed up with air travel and you want to take the bus or train to see the sights¡ªor you're a runaway bride on a Greyhound bus. Your only worry: Can you get on the bus? Will you miss the train trying to board it? Not if you¡¯re carrying portable wheelchair ramps.
Portable wheel chair ramps work as well as they do in the airport¡ªbetter, since you don't have to go through the metal detector. Since they fit on your wheelchair, you can keep them with you as opposed to the baggage compartment. Perfect when you're worrying about being recognized in a worldwide media campaign. You don't want to have to think about your portable wheelchair ramp too.
If you're powering your own chair without assistance, you don't have to rely on anyone else. Portable wheel chair ramps let you get on the bus easily.
Airports and Suitcase Wheelchair Ramps
Flying's getting worse these days. Homeland Security screenings (though we all know they're necessary), taking your shoes off, buying box lunches with tasteless chicken sandwiches, missed connections...the last thing you need to worry about is accessibility.
A single-fold safety suitcase wheel chair ramp can't get through the metal detector, and sadly, there goes your one carry-on, but portable wheelchair ramps may help when you're confronted with steps and curbs at the airport. You won't even have a problem storing portable wheel chair ramps in the increasingly crowded overhead bins. Except for a first-class upgrade, a suitcase wheelchair ramp is your best friend when flying.
If you want to check your suitcase wheelchair ramp, store it in a regular suitcase or duffel--there are multiple sizes that can fit small duffels or oversize trunks. You might want to carry an extra one in case the airline loses your luggage!
Van and SUV Ramps
As drivers and environmentalists alike complain, SUVs, vans and trucks are getting too darn large. You feel at times as though you're contributing to the trend. You may have a specially designed wheelchair van if you are a single or double amputee. Specially designed vans or trucks were never meant to be compact cars.
So in addition to the grumbles and looks you get when you try to park what feels like the Queen Mary, you worry about getting out of your van easily. The specialty van was invented for a reason, and so was the portable wheelchair ramp, or as it's often called, the suitcase wheelchair ramp. Don't be fooled: Suitcase portable wheel chair ramps are compact, but they're also capable of supporting you like the gangplank of the Queen Mary.
For example, the E-Z Access Telescoping Platform Suitcase Ramp can extend between 4-8 feet and hold a weight capacity of 850 pounds. It can accommodate heavyweight scooters and wheelchairs. You can blithely pack up the ramp when you're finished--at least one thing about your van is compact! Anyone who stares is just a landlubber.
There are many excellent portable wheelchair ramps for use with vans, and on that road trip to see the Queen Mary, it's helpful to have a suitcase wheelchair ramp that fits into your suitcase (which you won't lose unless you happen to drive withing shouting distance of an airport.) Just make sure the ramp is non-skid, telescoping, and the proper width--30 inches is a good average length.
Don't be surprised if people shout, "Ahoy, sailor, permission to come aboard!" You might have a little trouble from Captain Ahabs if your van is white, but have no fear, Greenpeace may stop griping about your gas and rush to the rescue.