🚀 go-pugleaf

Index Number: 7071

In article <10422@bunker.UUCP> Michael.Merrow@hnews.fidonet.org (Michael Merrow) writes:

> PG> I dunno. I wouldn't suggest trying to get around on the back two
> PG> wheels of your wheelchair. I won't let my kids tilt their chairs
> PG> back, and if I had one in a wheelchair, I wouldn't let him do
> PG> wheelies. Sounds dangerous to me. It takes as much skill as riding
> PG> a bicycle on the back wheel. I can't do that either.

[Note from Bill McGarry: "PG" is Pat Goltz.]

Sorry, PG, but you are comparing balancing a wheelchair to
entirely inappropriate things.  A chair isn't designed to roll
back and forth like a wheelchair, so of course isn't especially
safe to tip back.  Balancing on the rear wheel of a bicycle is
inherently unstable because you have only one point of contact,
and only the most limited control for maintaining the balance
point.  In fact, kids who ride wheelies on their bicycles are not
balanced--they must maintain constant acceleration to keep the
front wheel off the ground.  A wheelchair can truly be balanced
because you can compensate in either direction.

Balancing a wheelchair on the rear wheels is no more difficult
than balancing on two feet.  It doesn't take impressive skill and
actually can allow _safer_ use of a wheelchair.

>Well Pat, I don't think it's quite the same thing as tilting a regular
>chair back... and there are some real advantages to being able to get
>around on two wheels... but I appreciate your concern. I have found out
>from Steve VanDevender's response that there are people who have
>practically got this down to a science.>:-)

>Michael

You are right to disregard Pat's objections.  And I'm glad that
I've been able to help.

I do have to admit that there can be dangers from balancing on
the back wheels, though, as I found out a little over a month
ago.  I have been recovering from a femur fracture since last
October, and a little over a month ago I had just gotten a cast
off and was negotiating the gravel driveway to a friend's house
when I fell over backwards.  I had balanced to ride down a short
slope and wet rims caused my hands to slip, preventing me from
keeping my balance.  Falling over backwards was enough of a thump
to refracture the partially-healed bone, so after a month of
traction I have another cast.

THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT BALANCING IS TRULY DANGEROUS.  In my
case, the injury was the result of previous circumstances; if I
had been fully recovered I wouldn't have been hurt at all.  In
fact, falling over backwards is far less likely to cause injury
than flipping over forwards, and if you ever find yourself about
to go out of control on a downhill I would recommend ditching
backwards instead of risking hitting a lip at high speed and
smashing your head into the ground.  (My original fracture was
caused by hitting a crack in a sidewalk at speed on the flat.)
If you are used to balancing, you will find that when you fall
backwards you will be curled forward, which protects your head
and makes for a gentle landing since you land on the flat of your
shoulders.

If you're really adventurous, you can try riding down stairs on
the rear wheels.  I've seen it down, but I won't hop down
anything worse than relatively low curbs.

So keep practicing, Michael.  Being able to balance your 'chair
will give you more opportunities and confidence.  Besides, it
impresses the bipeds.

--
Steve VanDevender 	stevev@chemstor.uoregon.edu
"Bipedalism--an unrecognized disease affecting over 99% of the population.
Symptoms include lack of traffic sense, slow rate of travel, and the
classic, easily recognized behavior known as walking."