One-legged guy driving a stick!

[Nayov]

I couldn't believe it, but an old timer (vet?) with one leg, no prosthetic, came in to get a service done on his manual shift 1991 VW Cabriolet. He got around with a cane. The clutch pedal had a small metal lip which he presumably manipulated with his cane - somehow. I was shocked after I approached him as he got out of his car to see a clutch pedal. I did a double take, to say the least. True, we don't have anything approaching LA-style traffic crawls here, but I thought his dedication was amazing.

 

[ClutchDisc]

I would do the same.. Nothing could get me to give up the stick!

 

[morris]

that reminds me of the time a friend and i was at a car show. we walked up to a Ford model T. and the keys was in it. and he said something about driving it off. so i said "i bet you cant". just then the owner came up. and offered to take my friend for a ride. when he came back he said iam glad i didnt bet you about driving it. so if you are under 50 you might have to ask some one about it.

 

[Roadkingnc]

I had a friend with no legs that drove a full size van with a cane, auto of course

 

[eljefino]

I let a harley trike in in traffic in front of me... old timer. I thought, lame, a trike, but after I caught up I noted that he had a motorcycle handicapped plate. Oddly, they stamp said plates out, so there's a whole contingent out there.

 

[Chris142]

he probly shifts w\o the clutch once moving.

 

[ram_man]

Awesome dedication.

 

[Silk]

In New Zealand polio victims were supplied with a hand control car, supplied by BMC - and in the '60's and '70's that meant it was a Mini. The one lever controlled throttle, brake and clutch. One of our customers had one, and I would have to drop him off and pick him up from work...except he did all the driving. It was scary when he changed gear, throttle and clutch with his right hand, then he'd take his hand off the wheel to change gear....and if the Mini was on any sort of camber it'd dart off to the side of the road. Later they went to Honda and auto trans.

 

[Rick in PA]

We had a customer at the service station back in the '70s. He had lost both his legs in the Vietnam War. He had a Mustang, one of the early ones, with an automatic transmission. It had a stout lever on the right side of the steering column. The lever was topped with a bicycle hand grip. You pulled the lever to apply the accelerator and push the lever to apply the brakes. (I may have push & pull mixed up). It seemed like a reasonable arrangement.