WEBVTT

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[MUSIC PLAYING]

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Hand controls
are simply devices

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that allow the person to operate
the vehicle's gas and brake

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with their hands.

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Every set of hand
controls is not the same.

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There are so many
different types out there.

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There are right-sided
hand controls,

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left-sided hand controls.

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There's mechanical
hand controls and then

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there's more power assisted
or electronic hand controls.

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So right now I'm
driving the vehicle

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with some mechanical
hand controls.

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So there is no
electronics involved.

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And I'm using a lever
system over here.

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And so I will push forward
to engage the brake

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and then I'll push
down to use the gas.

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And that's known as a
push right angle system.

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The other part of the system
is the spinner knob right here,

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which the really
nice thing about this

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is it enables me to drive
and steer with one hand

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and to be able to have a firm
grasp on the steering wheel.

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The ones I use are actually
attached to the floor.

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And then they're mechanically
attached to the pedals.

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And it's very, very
comfortable, very easy to move.

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My hand fits into a
steering pin on the wheel.

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And my other hand fits
into a gas brake mechanism,

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which I push forward as the
brake and pull back is the gas.

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You can actually
lock the hand controls

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so that nobody else will
be able to use them,

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or you can just keep
the hand controls

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as they are and just drive
with the accelerator and brake.

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I've never had any
problems with hand controls.

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They've worked great for
me for the past 13 years.

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I just make sure that I
maintain them and make sure

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that they're well oiled.

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And they get me
where I need to go.

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No time at all, I was driving
comfortable with them.

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And I drive as comfortable
now with hand controls

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as I do with my feet.

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I got my license the
same time everyone else

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did when I was in high school.

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But I needed to drive
with hand controls.

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I needed to drive with my hand.

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So at that moment, when
there was that opportunity

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to still drive a
vehicle, I said, wow,

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I need to take
advantage of this.

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If I didn't have
hand controls to be

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able to drive my
vehicle or a wheelchair

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to be able to get around
every day, working for me

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would be impossible.

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When you have a family
and your kids want

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to be picked up
from school, I mean,

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that's just so nice that
I can just hop in my van

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and go pick them up, or
take them somewhere, or go

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on vacations.

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You know, if you're
independent and you're

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used to being independent
and all of a sudden

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you're not anymore, driving
certainly helps with that.

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Within this human
spirit of ours,

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we're all driven to
go and do something.

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We just can't help it.

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WOMAN 1: Having your
own independence

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and being able to do things
as you please is really huge.

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And MobilityWorks
sticks behind that.

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AMY LANE: Being able
to drive gives them

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a sense of engagement
in life again

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productive meaningful life.