Wheelchair hire?

Glas · Post by **Glas** » Sun 7th Nov 2010 10:16 pm

Hey all, my missus and I are going in mid-Feb. She has ME, so she has times when she can get about quite good with little to no assistance, and times when she can barely walk 5 steps unaided. Not knowing what she will be like when the time comes, we think it best to plan ahead and hire a wheelchair for her while we are there. This leads to a couple of questions;

First things first, does anyone know where we can hire a chair? Nothing fancy, just a push kind is good. Will be great to have something to lean on and hold the valuables while we move between coffeeshops

Also, has anyone any experience of getting a whellchair on and off transport over there. As I said, she can walk a little with sticks even at her worst, so if it means me carrying the chair on to trams while she clambers on, then all well and good. I can't quite remember how difficult it is to enter/exit them tho?

Any advice would be much appreciated

Boner · Post by **Boner** » Sun 7th Nov 2010 10:19 pm

Haven't a clue about wheelchair hire, theres a few threads that may help if you search 'wheelchair' heres one to be getting on with: https://www.coffeeshopdirect.com/forum/viewt ... wheelchair

Glas · Post by **Glas** » Sun 7th Nov 2010 11:11 pm

Cheers boner

I had a look on the search but couldn't see anything about hiring specifically. Accessibility (if we need it) is something we will just have to play by ear when the time comes I think, depending on her condition.

I have to say, it's at times like this you realise just how accessible the UK is to disabled people when it comes to things like public transport, etc. It isn't something I have had to think about on previous visits, but now that I do I realise how difficult the place must be for people in wheelchairs (and that despite the land itself being almost completely flat

)

This is one respect in which Europe as a whole really needs to catch up...

safer99 · Post by **safer99** » Mon 8th Nov 2010 06:49 am

www.scootyshop.nl/verhuur.html
I'll let you know if i have found more.

Glas · Post by **Glas** » Mon 8th Nov 2010 07:29 pm

safer99 wrote:www.scootyshop.nl/verhuur.html
I'll let you know if i have found more.

Cool, thanks mate

I emailed them about it, i'll update the thread when they get back to me so anyone else looking for the info has it

safer99 · Post by **safer99** » Mon 8th Nov 2010 07:59 pm

Your welcome

wietroker · Post by **wietroker** » Mon 8th Nov 2010 11:19 pm

Glas wrote: This is one respect in which Europe as a whole really needs to catch up...

Outside of the tourist zone, Amsterdam has got to be a wheelchair-bound person's dream.

Reason being the bike lanes are massive and tons of people drive those (fast!) motorised chairs down them. Gives them freedom they would never have back home.

Might be the excuse you need to move out here

I take your word for it on the accessibility though. I've never noticed anything because I don't look for it.

articulomortis · Post by **articulomortis** » Mon 8th Nov 2010 11:40 pm

http://www.beumerdejong.nl/

They rent wheelchairs out at 20E per week.

safer99 · Post by **safer99** » Tue 9th Nov 2010 12:16 am

articulomortis wrote:http://www.beumerdejong.nl/

They rent wheelchairs out at 20E per week.

Mailed them about february already. Just got a reply: They don't have them in stock anymore and wish me good luck with searching. I surpose that means they stop with renting?

articulomortis · Post by **articulomortis** » Tue 9th Nov 2010 01:00 am

I'm not sure, I just had a quick look on google and that seemed like the most 'reliable' one, but obviously not!
Could you not maybe contact a local hospital/doctors and see if they can give you a wheelchair for the week?

safer99 · Post by **safer99** » Tue 9th Nov 2010 01:57 am

Thats only available for patients.i'll look further.If i found one,i'll post it here.

FlyByNite · Post by **FlyByNite** » Tue 9th Nov 2010 02:45 am

Here is a list of wheelchair accessible coffeeshops from Channels.

http://forum.channels.nl/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=33104

edit just found this http://www.apparelyzed.com/support/holi ... erdam.html

Enjoy
FlyByNite

Glas · Post by **Glas** » Tue 9th Nov 2010 09:16 am

Thanks for all of the great replies everyone

The Scootyshop got back to me this morning, for the 4 day hire of a simple wheelchair they wanted E70

That's more than they advertise on their website for a week's hire, I can only assume the extra is for them dropping it off and picking it up from the hotel. I then had an idea to phone the airline (Easyjet), who added my partners own wheelchair to the booking for free and it also means she can get assistance at the airport if she requires it!

I don't know why I didn't think of this before, I assumed we would have to pay a charge just like normal luggage and since she might not actually need it, we weren't going to bother lugging it all the way over. Picking up a cheap hired one seemed like a better option if we needed it.

Anyway, thanks for all the help everyone. There's some great info in here for us to read through if, when the time comes, she doesn't have use of her legs

articulomortis · Post by **articulomortis** » Tue 9th Nov 2010 11:02 am

I know when I took my disabled friend on holiday, without booking it, we got seats with extra leg space and priority boarding, and that was with easyjet!