My High Tech Van

The cockpit of my high-tech van was enough to scare most people away. For me it was a dream come true. Everything was at my fingertips. Even with my limited movement I could control everything right from the drivers seat. It used to give me a chuckle when I'd take it in for an oil change or something and some poor unsuspecting mechanic would ask for the keys. "Keys?", I would say. "There are no keys... Just push these two buttons, then hold this one down and press that one..." By that time he would have looked inside and with growing anxiety in his voice he would stutter something like "..uhh well... Why don't you just drive it in and stay in it while I work..."


The interior was real spiffy too. You could take the middle seat out and use it for a drivers seat when you weren't driving from a wheelchair. Of course, this assumes you know someone capable of driving such a beast.


Shortly after I learned to drive it, I took the big road test. The VA wanted to send me to a programming convention in Orlando, FL so I drove there from Augusta in my new van. The picture above was taken on that trip. It was quite an experience but was very tiring. I swore I'd never drive that far again.


... So when I moved to West Palm Beach I had the van drop shipped and left in the parking lot of the apartment complex I moved into. I had been involved in a few minor accidents before I left Augusta and was considering the question of whether it was really wise to continue driving with the amount of control I had ...


... So after thoughtful consideration decided it wasn't safe for me and before I moved again I donated the van to an organization that will give it to someone whose life can be enriched by the freedom of being in control of their own transportation. Looking at the driving style practiced in South Florida I'm satsfied that I made the right decision. I never drove the van again after moving here.