Small Wife vs Modern Car Seats

[bgott]

I'd be real careful before I got into swapping seats in a modern computer controlled car. They are starting to use microprocessors to do everything. Case in point, memory seats. If you had memory seats and swapped in a set with out the feature you'd A) Stand a good chance of screwing up some other function B) Illuminate an irritating malfunction light C) Stand the chance of creating future warranty problems. Have you tried asking the dealer or e-mailing the car company about accessability options?

 

[Harv]

Bill -

Yeah, we do seem to have some interesting parallels going on -- exact same size wifey, exact same size property and description. But whereas you're hip deep in grandkids, they're probably the same age or older than my own kids (5 and 10).

I took a look at the adjustable pedals on the Mercury web site, and although we're not looking at Ford/Mercury vehicles this time, that might be just the ticket for when I buy my new truck. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif Thanks to Garry and Stephen for filling in the blanks on that one.

Any chance of seeing a picture of the pedal extenders on your wife's truck, Bill? I have a wild imagination, but I bet I'm way off track with my current mental picture.

You guys have really started my cerebral wheels a-turnin' here. I just now sat my wife down in her present car and adjusted the seat until she felt the same discomfort as she did in the one at the dealer (nothing like torturing the wife for a good cause

). After talking to you guys, it became quite obvious that "raising the floor" would at least let her rest her heel comfortably while puttin' down the hammer (inside joke -- she always goes the exact speed limit. Drives me crazy. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif) Anyway, I slid a 2x6 hunk o' scrap wood under her heel, and it really helped. Now all we have to do is extend the accelerator pedal a little and we might just be in business!!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

I can probably do better than a scrap of wood in the long run, but it seems like we have achieved proof of concept. Man! Could it really be this simple?

Oh, and Brad -- thanks for the caution about swapping seats. I totally forgot that these things are chock full of sensors and computers these days. Probably need a note from Bill Gates before I could safely install a replacement.

 

[Harv]

Oops! I somehow missed your post, Ozarker. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Funny you should mention hand controls, 'cuz my wife mentioned them just yesterday. Problem is, I think she was being sarcastic. She has always been a little touchy about her height (she gets treated as a little kid way more than is funny to her), so the idea of using devices that are normally intended for the handicapped is something I'd rather not explore right now.

She's left handed, too.

 

[njrqs]

Hey Harv

Just thinking outside the circle here.................../w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Have you considered a larger wife /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

There was a post here about a large wife

Where did that post go now I mention it?????

Cheers

 

[Bird]

Harv, my wife's 5'4", so we don't have that problem, but our youngest daughter would have to stretch to make 5', and she drives a new Ford Taurus, and like Golfgar said, it does have the adjustable brake and accelerator pedals, so that different drivers can adjust them for their own height.

However, my youngest daughter probably isn't a good example 'cause I don't think it's ever occurred to her that there's anything out there that she couldn't drive./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Harv,

My grandchildren are 6 and 2 and will soon be returning from Malawi, Africa where they have been helping their parents fulfill a 1 year commitment as "interim" missionaries while the regular missionary family is back in the states on furlough. To say that we miss them /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif is an understatement, but we have enjoyed video chatting with them on a regular basis via <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.eyeballchat.com>Eyeball Chat</A>/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. By the way, my son-in-law is a PE (structural/civil) and is looking for a job, since he had to resign to go to Africa. If anyone knows of something in Texas, let me know. Other states? - never mind.

Anyway, we were talking about pedal extenders, right? I have attached a photo of both extenders. You will notice that only the accelerator pedal is in use. My wife drives using both feet (I can't get her to stop it!) and likes having them on the same plane, so I ended up taking the brake pedal extender off. She also ends up as far away from the steering wheel as she can get, which leaves her leg extended, anyway. Go figure. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

I don't remember how much I paid for these, but it seems like it was somewhere between "reasonable" and "way too much". The shipping label shows that it came from Adaptive Driving Systems, 21050 Superior St, Chatsworth, CA 91311, (818) 998-1026.

I have adapted to driving with the extender on, although it is somewhat uncomfortable because my right knee is bent significantly. Like I said, I'll be looking for adjustable pedals on her next vehicle, although she likes this '96 model just fine, and it just now turned over 50k miles. She's probably gonna keep it to give to our grandson (also a '96 model) when he turns 16./w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>...my son-in-law is a PE (structural/civil) and is looking for a job...</font color=blue>

Hi Bill,

What is the Dept. of Transportation for the State of Texas called... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif...? They should snap him right up in a New York minute... 'cause in NY... he'd be hired... in a minute... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Harv]

Ya gotta love this electronic communication thing, Bill.

You get to eyeball your grandchildren in Africa, and I get to print out a picture of your wife's pedal extenders just a couple of hours after I asked the favor. My wife is looking it over right now. /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

We'll be heading up to our property first thing in the morning in the old car, unfortunately, so our quest will be on hold for a couple of days. I'll try to distract myself with a little seat time on the ol' Bota.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Ozarker]

Just tell her that hand controls are for special people.

I know what you are going through. My best friends wife is 4' 11 and my mother is 5' 2". I have seen this battle for adequate car seating all my life. Cars just aren't designed for very short or very tall people.

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>Have you considered a larger wife</font color=blue>

Like the car we're looking at, Neil, the one I have now has all the features I want, so I'll just have to make allowances for size.