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Accessible RV Checklist
Access Travel Rights
Handicapped Travel Club
Rolling Down The Trail
Family RVing
Schooling Options for RVers
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Oscar Scherer State Park
10 RVing Tips for Newbies
The Accessible RV Site
Riding The Rails
The Enabled RVer Resources
Access Travel Guides
Selecting a Cane for Travel
Fulltime RVing Challenges
Campground Access
HTC Accessible Park List
Arizona Day Drive
Touring Arizona
Columbia River Region
RVing with Kids
Volunteering and RVing
RVing and Children
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| A Quick Checklist for RV Accessibility |
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| The Accessible RV Checklist by Hope Sykes Once adapted, an RV really can offer comfort and a certain number of travel advantages to the special-needs traveler. For instance, how many times have you wanted to travel but during the trip found that the only public bathroom available had inadequate grab rails, no locking door, or the stall was so small that you had to leave the door open during use? How about having to depend on a borrowed wheelchair at a public event only to find that the ride was more like traveling in one of those wounded, parking lot shopping carts? At night, wouldn't it be great to be able to return to the same bed every night and it would be just like you like it? If you have your own RV, chances are one of the greatest benefits will be predictability. But, you'll need to do some pre-planning to make things go as smoothly as possible. You've probably gone through some of this planning already in your home or apartment. The trick is to know what you need on the road and what options are available. If you are new to RVing, you might want to request some literature on the various models available. You'll be surprised at the details in the brochures and you'll be able to see a listing of options and floorplans. The second step will be to make a list of what your needs are. Then take a tape measure and notebook along when you visit dealerships so that you can make notations about models and features that work for you. Below you'll find a quick checklist to get you started in thinking about some of the possibilities available. The list is general in nature and is designed to cover a number of disabilities. Here are a few questions to get you started: __ Do you have any visual difficulties that may require special labeling on lights or controls? __Do you need visual clues such as flashing lights to aid you in your hearing impairment? __Do you require extra or special storage for equipment and supplies like wheelchairs or oxygen? __Will you be traveling with a service dog? If you are a wheelchair traveler, look around your home. What changes have you already made that you feel are necessary for your RV? How wide of an aisle do you need? How much turnaround space? What type of light switches or door handles suit you best? At what height do you need those switches? In addition, do you require any of these changes? __wheelchair lift __wheelchair ramp __lower kitchen counters and cabinets __longer faucet handles __roll-under sinks __roll-in shower __grab handles __extra battery power for any of your equipment If you are doing the driving, what about driver controls and any special seating arrangement for your vehicle? Lastly, don't forget to look at the outside features of any potential travel unit. For example, is the entrance door wide enough? Do you need an electric step or ramp? Are the sewer, water, and electrical hook-ups in a location where you can easily reach them? Remember, an accessible RV is what will work best for you. Once you have a suitable unit, you'll probably wonder why you didn't think of this sooner. Copyright © 2000-2002. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |
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