Keep Newey Mobile!

Join us at our Mobility Center this Saturday to help Keep Newey Mobile

This event - a Craft and Vendor Fair – is being held by the Bridgewater Community Lions Club to benefit the Keep Newey Mobile Campaign.

The Keep Newey Mobile Campaign is a fundraising effort for Josh Newey of Bridgewater, MA. This was created to raise funds to replace his current mobility van; a rusty and unreliable '99 Caravan with 210,000 miles! We welcome your participation by attending this event, and/or through online donations.

 

When:
Saturday, October 19, 2013
10 AM -3 PM

Where:
VMi New England Mobility Center
1000 Main Street
Bridgewater, MA

Vendors:
Silpada, Tastefully Simple, Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, Thirty- One, Pampered Chef, and Scentsy. There will also be various crafters.

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Josh's Story

 
Growing up in a rural town in western Massachusetts, Josh always loved adventure and the outdoors. He was an active member of the Boy Scouts and a motorsports enthusiast. Josh couldn't get enough of go-karts, snowmobiles, dirt-bikes, radio controlled toys, tractors, trucks, and anything else with a motor! Some of Josh's favorite projects as a child and teen included rebuilding small engines and restoring snowmobiles. Josh attended a vocational-agricultural high school and was planning a career in equipment operation, maintenance and repair.

January 11th 1997 is the day Josh describes as the "best and worst day of his life". Josh was 19 years old and in northern Vermont doing one of his favorite activities, snowmobiling with friends. As nighttime approached and the weather turned poor, visibility was low. Unfamiliar with the trails, and trying to maintain pace with the others in the group Josh came to a bend in the trail and was not able to make the turn quickly enough. He went off the trail and his head collided with a tree branch, breaking his neck and compromising his spinal cord. Josh also suffered a severe compound leg fracture. Josh's accident was far out in the woods and although he never lost consciousness, it was only because of exhausting efforts by some of the others he was riding with that his life was saved. They knocked on doors seeking a phone to call for emergency help while others stayed behind to stabilize Josh. With the help of good Samaritan locals using a ladder as a backboard, he was carried to the back of a pickup truck, and transported to a location where an ambulance could finally take him to the hospital.

After being diagnosed with a C5/6 incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), Josh was left a quadriplegic. He has paralysis from the chest down, with limited use of his arms and hands. He spent 4 months in acute rehabilitation learning to care for himself, transfer to and from his wheelchair, and how to embrace this new lifestyle. He moved to the South Shore of MA to live with his father so he could be closer to the medical resources he needed including outpatient therapy. The next several years were spent striving towards living an independent life again. After 3 years and some generous donations, Josh was physically as well as financially ready to drive again with the use of an accessible van and hand controls. The very same van we're trying to replace with this campaign. (After 13 years & 206,000 miles it has served him well but it is used up!)

Josh attended Bridgewater State College and graduated in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in Communications. He was a member of the Peer Leadership Program, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and he managed the swim team. He later returned to school for a post-baccalaureate certificate in Graphic and Web Design.

Today,  36-year-old Josh lives on his own in Bridgewater MA., works part-time as a marketing specialist, and strives to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. He is completely independent and a social creature by nature. Josh enjoys live music, traveling, visiting with friends and family, and anything related to motorsports!

Josh is an amazing human being who has overcome so many obstacles while maintaining a positive, upbeat attitude. He takes every day as it comes and his favorite expression is "Let the Good Times Roll". 

EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System

Saving You Both Time & Effort

 

The automatic docking base allows wheelchair users to easily lock their wheelchairs into place without the assistance of others. No more struggling to cinch the straps down; no more hassle. We do our best to make it easy for you to meet your mobility needs; whether your driving or just enjoying the ride.

EZ Lock is perfectly suited for both wheelchair seated passengers and drivers. In fact, no other adaptive device provides for more freedom of mobility, or enhances the user's overall level of independence, than the EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System does.

You can also have confidence that the EZ Lock is a tried and true system, with more than two decades of proven performance.

The BL-7317 Docking Base
The enhanced BL-7317 Docking Base is a product of our more than twenty years of research and hands-on experience.

The basic design is based on the time and street proven performance of the BL-6290 Docking Base with the addition of advanced features that promote a longer service life as well as simplifying routine maintenance.

• Hardened Steel Reinforcement
• Detachable Locking Mechanism for Maintenance & Service
• Accepts the Optional Remote Cable Release
• Durable Powder Coated Finish
• Includes the Dependable ECU-3 Electronics Package

The BL-7317 Docking Base sets the standard for the next generation of wheelchair securement devices.

 

The BL-6290 Docking Base
The introduction of the original EZ Lock BL-6290 Docking System more than 20 years ago, changed the way people think about wheelchair mobility and transportation. The BL-6290 docking system has proven to be a versatile, reliable, and safe alternative to fabric strap tie-downs.

• Over 20 Years of Proven Performance
• Accepts  Optional Remote Cable Release
• Durable Powder Coated Finish
• Includes  Dependable ECU-3 Electronics Package

The EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System has helped many thousands of wheelchair users worldwide to overcome the obstacles associated with driving from, or riding as a seated passenger in a wheelchair.


 

Electronics You Can Count On
Our electronics have a reputation for dependability. The touchpad control has an array of clearly visible indicators to monitor the docking status of the wheelchair, an audible alarm, and large back-lit buttons for release and system deactivation. 

The green light indicates the wheelchair is fully engaged in the docking base. The yellow light indicates the wheelchair is NOT fully engaged with the docking base. The user must exit the docking base and re-attempt until fully engaged. 

The EZ Lock Wheelchair Docking System has helped many thousands of wheelchair users worldwide to overcome the obstacles associated with driving from, or riding as a seated passenger in a wheelchair.

Prepare Your Mobility Equipment For the Colder Weather

Cold temperatures not only slow wheelchair users down, but can also slow down their vans and accessible equipment. For example, if you use a hydraulic wheelchair lift, you may have noticed that the colder the weather, the slower the lift reacts. The cold thickens the fluid, making it move slower through hoses, valves and cylinders.

There’s not much you can do about that, but preparing other equipment for cold weather is important to help avoid accidents and breakdowns.

If you live in the New England area · call our Mobility Center today (508) 697-8324 · We'll rust proof your wheelchair accessible vehicle, give you an oil change, tune-up, and/or semi-annual ramp/lift service and have any other accessible equipment checked before the temperature dips. If you ask we can also check your battery, antifreeze level, heater, brakes, defroster and thermostat.

Do It Yourself:

• Purchase winter wiper blades that cut through snow and ice.
• Keep the gas tank at least half full. It reduces condensation and makes your vehicle easier to start on cold mornings.
• Buy tires that have MS, M+S, M/S or M&S on them, meaning they meet the Rubber Manufacturers Association guidelines and can bite through mud and snow.
• For better traction and control, rotate tires so the best ones are in the front.
• Get an electric engine block heater. It warms the engine so the motor can start. It connects to normal AC power overnight or before driving. In extremely cold climates, electrical outlets are sometimes found in public or private parking lots. 
• Cold weather is tough on accessible van batteries. Buy one with greater starting power, higher cold cranking amps and reserve capacity for energy when the engine isn’t running.
• Use synthetic oil to make starting a cold engine easier.

Before you drive:

• Keep rock salt on hand to melt ice off walkways for a safer wheelchair ride.
• Clean the snow off the roof and hood so it doesn’t “avalanche” onto the windshield and block your vision.
• Clear the head and tail lights for best visibility.
• Scrape the ice off mirrors and windows.

 

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Here at VMi New England Mobility Center and Automotive Innovations we'll service and repair your wheelchair accessible vehicle and/or equipment even if you didn't buy it from us! So bring us your mobility van no matter the year (old or new), chassis (Honda, Dodge, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, excreta..), or conversion (Side Entry, Rear Entry, VMI, Braun, Ricon, Rampvan, Elorado, Amerivan, excreta..)!!

 Come in or call us today!

VMi New England Mobility Center · Automotive Innovations, Inc.

1000 Main Street Bridgewater, MA 02324

(508) 697-6006 · (508) 697-8324

Side Entry Versus Rear Entry Wheelchair Vans

VS

The question of a Rear Entry wheelchair van versus a Side Entry van often comes up in conversation when a first time buyer enters the accessible van market. There are several things to consider; first, the family or care giver needs to decide on where the wheelchair user is going to sit. If the person in the wheelchair is able to drive and will be independent there are other things to consider, but for now, let us stay with an assisted member of the family.

Door height is an issue. For that we need to know how tall the person sits in their wheelchair.

Scooter or Power chair is next. Size and weight combination will come into play as we move along in the discovery process.

Will the person transfer into a  seat or will they remain in their wheelchair while traveling?

Okay, now we get into seating. The side entry offers both mid-section and front seat options with tie-downs located throughout. In a rear entry van, the mid-section to rear of the vehicle, are the only seating options while remaining in the wheelchair.

There are five passenger seats available for family members in a side entry van versus six available seats in a rear entry. Both are in addition to whoever is in the wheelchair, which gives a total of six people in a side entry and up to seven in a rear entry.

For folks with a long wheelchair or scooter the rear entry is ideal. Over six feet of space is afforded to tie down the wheelchair and no turning to forward face is necessary.

A side entry requires up to eight feet accommodating the lowering of the ramp allowing access into your van. This may prohibit the use of the ramp while inside a garage or if someone parks to close while at the mall or a doctor’s appointment.

The rear entry does not have the blocked in problem, you are always accessing your van from the aisle.

In summation, like anything else, it is best to try before you buy. Our Mobility Center has both styles of wheelchair vans. See which style suits your lifestyle and then consider the purchase of either a new or used mobility equipped van. Always consult with your mobility product specialist for any additional questions you may have.

Rust Proof Your Wheelchair Van Before It's Too Late

Winter is Coming

Rust Proof Your Wheelchair Van Before the Road Salt Hits the Streets!

We can't live without salt. It's a necessary nutrient, it's used to seed rain clouds, soften household tap water, make chemicals and is used to make ice cream!

In parts of the country with freezing winter temperatures, drivers know that warming the cars up in the morning isn't the only inconvenience. Icy roads are, too. The same chemical reaction between ice and salt that creates creamy, delicious ice cream also keeps our roads and sidewalks free of dangerous ice during the cold winter months. 

A salt and sand mixture is frequently spread over roads before or after a snow or ice storm. Salt lowers water's freezing point, causing any ice already formed to melt even though the air temperature remains well below freezing. The sand helps keep the salt in place, plus it adds a bit of traction to wet and often slushy roads. 

While road salting helps people travel safely, it has drawbacks. It can cause major body and undercarriage damage to your Wheelchair accessible vehicle unless you take extra care and precaution. 

If you're one of the many who must travel the saline streets in the land of the ice and snow, we have some great tips to help protect your mobility vehicle from the ravages of road salt. 

Plan Ahead

The best time to prevent salt damage to your conversion van is in Autumn,before the first snowflake falls; a little car maintenance will help keep the rust away.

Prevent

Prevention is better than a cure. There are a number of products that can offer prevention against rust. Products are available either as oils, waxes, fluids and coatings.  The range is vast, but our rust prevention processes, product, plan and application has been found to be most effective. Our rust proofing is ever evolving and has been for over the past 25 years.

• Our rust proofing formula does more than just cover the metal required, we apply it as a high-pressured spray, ensuring protection to your handicap accessible vehicle’s most critical areas by penetrating, displacing existing moisture and protecting the many vulnerable crevices of your automobile.

As seen in the picture below this van has heavy rust and metal fatigue due to a lack of maintenance.

Once the rust is this bad there's not much we can do other than replace the van.
So call us or come in today to rust proof your van before it's too late.

10 Simple Ways to Get Your Conversion Van Ready for winter

For anyone living in a northern state, Winter means rain, sleet, slush, snow and ice. Driving along icy roads is tricky at the best of times, and there's not always a plow available to get your road clear in time to go to work for the day. Why not make your life a little easier now, by preparing your conversion van for the coming winter? You can do many small things before the snow starts to fall to make your winter that much easier to handle.

 

1. Get an oil change. Specifically, get the right sort of oil change. Oil won't freeze in the kind of temperatures we see in the north, but it will get thicker. Thicker oil does a worse job of keeping your engine lubed up, which means more wear and tear on the moving parts you definitely don't want to replace. Dirty oil gums up even worse, so get that oil changed before the temperatures drop.
 

2. Take steps to ensure visibility at all times. The most important and most neglected fluid for visibility is windshield washer fluid. Topping up that tank will save you plenty of headaches when you have to scrape frost off the glass or wait for a heater to melt it. A blast with wiper fluid and a few passes of the wipers will clear it right up. It helps if you clean your windshield inside as well. Of course, you should also have a good snowbrush and ice scraper stored away in the trunk or back seat.
 

3. Perk up your battery. The cold and wet conditions of a typical winter can wreak havoc on a battery. Connections will corrode and the batter may lose the ability to hold a charge. The older a battery is, the more likely you'll run into issues along the way. Most auto shops can test your battery's ability to hold a charge, and can tell you if you need a new one. Get it looked at before you end up stalled on the side of the freeway.
 

4. Check the belts and hoses in your engine. Belts and hoses are made of rubber and plastic, which tend to get brittle as they age. The addition of road salt and icy water splashing up onto them only makes the process faster. Take your conversion van in to have it services and pay special attention to the belts and hoses, so you don't end up dropping fluid or finding a snapped belt while you drive.
 

5. Monitor your tire pressure. In wet and icy conditions, traction is key to keeping your conversion van on the road. Your tires are made to function best at a certain level of inflation, which varies depending on the tire. As the temperatures get colder, the pressure of the air in your tires will drop, at about 1 PSI per ten degrees. Keeping your tires inflated properly keeps them working as best they can.
 

6. Switch to snow tires, if applicable. Snow tires aren't for everyone. If you live in the middle of the city and the roads are plowed several times a day, you probably don't need a lot of extra traction from your tires. On the other hand, if you live in an area with plenty of hills and the plows come few and far between, winter tires might be a good option.
 

7. If you have four-wheel drive in your vehicle, test it out. Make sure the system engages smoothly. Since you probably don't use the system much during the summer, it might have an issue that you don't notice. Better to get it tested now than to discover it doesn't work when you need it. Don't forget to make sure that anyone driving your vehicle knows how to turn the system on and off. For new drivers experiencing their first winter in their parents' conversion van, this can be all new.
 

8. Check your engine coolant. Most conversion vans run on something between pure antifreeze and a half and half mixture of antifreeze and water. Diluted antifreeze is perfectly fine. It would take ridiculously low temperatures to freeze even a half and half mixture, so there's no sense in wasting half a gallon of coolant when you don't need it. You can test the mixture of antifreeze yourself, or take it to a mechanic. Check to see if your vehicle uses a special kind of antifreeze as well. Just remember that if you replace your antifreeze yourself, you need to dispose of the old coolant properly. It's harmful to the environment and illegal in most places to pour antifreeze down the drain.
 

9. Stock up on supplies and put together an emergency kit. In the event that something breaks and you're stranded, having an emergency kit is a lifesaver. Here's an idea of what you should have in your kit:

• Blanket, boots, gloves and warm clothes
• Emergency food and water
• A snow brush, ice scraper and a small shovel
• A flashlight with spare batteries and a set of road flares
• Windshield wipers and extra fluid
• Repair items like jumper cables, a tool kit, a tire pressure gauge and a spare tire
• A first aid kit

10. Don't forget your training. All the tools and supplies in the world won't help you if you don't know what to do when you're broken down. If you're likely to be stranded for an extended period, light flares for the front and back of your vehicle. Run the engine and heater only for short durations to save gas. Wear your warm clothes to keep warm instead. To prevent your conversion van from freezing shut, crack the window slightly. If you have hard candies with you, you can munch on them to keep your mouth from drying out. Of course, make sure you have contact numbers and a way to call for help if you do end up stranded.

Left Foot Gas Pedal Information

Designed for people with limited or no use of their right foot/leg, the quick release left foot gas pedal enables those drivers to utilize their left foot for gas operation. The pedal can be installed in any vehicle with an automatic transmission. No adjustments are necessary after installation, and the unit can easily be removed to allow other drivers to operate the vehicle. A pedal stop is part of the unit, and will not allow the right foot to inadvertently apply throttle. The device can also be easily removed from base plate allowing a person of normal functionality to operate the vehicle.