Getting on a bus with an ECV

[PrincessSuzanne]

We arrive on 3rd August and leave on 17th.

I think the crowds will be thinning out soon after you get there, because schools will be starting back in early August, at least in the South they will. I believe my cousin told me her kids go back sometime the week of August 4th, if I am not mistaken.

Suzanne

 

[diberry]

That would be great. In the past when we've been it's definitely got quieter in the middle of the month. Fewer people to drive into!!

With a "big" DH, I bet no one will say a word.

 

[Vijoge]

With a "big" DH, I bet no one will say a word. Suzanne

It helps!

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Thank you Suzanne! I'm just self-conscious and I know that I'll be aware of all the people waiting to get on who can't do so until I've managed to get my ECV on and I'll probably make a mess of it!!
I'll have to see how brave I'm feeling!!

First of all; RELAX WOMAN! *invision hearing this being said with a Jamacan accent*

There is nothing to fear more than fear itself. Seriously! If you get yourself all wound up over this you'll almost for sure have problems getting the ECV on the bus. Not because you're a bad driver, but because you are so busy about worrying and thinking 'oh I should not be doing.........', that you will end up doing exactly that.

So people will have to wait for you to get on. SO WHAT? It's not like the bus is going anywhere before they are on board. You'll repay them the favor at the end of the ride where you'll wait for them to unload before you can get off.

Worried? Rent an ECV tomorrow and get some items you can use to 'mark' corners. Any item will do as long as it doesn't mind maybe getting run into or over. Set up or have somebody set up an area for you to practice parallel parking. Go have yourself a ball, knock yourself out practising. Ones you've experienced that anybody with a real feeling for driving an ECV can parallel park the thing, you'll be confident enough to do the same thing on a bus.


Seriously; can you drive a car and parallel park? That is more difficult to do than manouvering an ECV on the bus. If you've got any (and I don't mean a whole lot) feeling for driving vehicles, you'll get the hang of driving an ECV quick enough.

Do yourself a favour; don't underestimate your own ability untill proven otherwise (with no room of improvement). And by then it's not underestimating but knowing ones own limits.

 

[diberry]

First of all; RELAX WOMAN! *invision hearing this being said with a Jamacan accent*

Seriously; can you drive a car and parallel park?

yes to the first and no to the second!!! I passed my driving test in 1965 (shock! horror! I was of course a babe in arms at the time!!! ) but I've never got the hang of parallel parking, I'm ashamed to say!!! Maybe there really is no hope for me!

it's not underestimating but knowing ones own limits.

Sadly I think I do!!!

But thank you very much for your encouragement - I'll give it a go at least - how long do you think people will wait while I manoeuvre back and forth - will they be fed up before 30 minutes has passed???

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Hmm, maybe the busdriver will sit down and eat his lunch if it takes you that long, but somehow I doubt it to such an extend I am willing to put a bet on it.

No seriously; I find getting anything with wheels on the bus so much easier than parallel parking a car. When I first got my ECV years ago (hear granny talk.........) I had to stall it in the main hall. Well, that was a place with some big stairs in it and I would have to drive past the stairs and make a 90 degree turn. Mind you; it was just about wide enough to fit the ECV, get off it and make the turn with about 1 inch left on both sides. So more or less; make the turn right the first time or find yourself struggling. It took me a whopping 2 tries to get the hang of making that turn and never had any problems with it again. Parallel parking? Well, let me just say I was glad I pulled it of for the first time during my exam (got better at it later, but needed more practice than the ECV).

One thing that might help you is to try and allways be the one to board first. Not just before those walking, but the first ECV and/or wheelchair. (of course if there is nobody on the bus yet in one...) In those situations you will have 2 spots vacant, so you'll have more room to make your turns.

Also you might find it beneficial to see if you prefer to parallel park backing up or straigth forward. On some busses you can do both, depending a bit on the type of ECV and it's possibilities.

And if all fails; just listen to the busdriver. They tend to know enough of the basics to give you just the right directions to get in without totally tearing the bus apart. (allthough I tend to be a hand full, I always do it in my own way -read; something else than what most drivers are used to, which means some break out in a sweat-attack fearfull of me ripping their beloved bus to pieces-)

PS; you simply CAN NOT, I repeat CAN NOT know your limits on a subject you've never tried. It's your first ECV-in-Disney-bus trip, so untill proven otherwise I refuse to believe you can't get the hang of getting the ECV on the bus.

 

[diberry]

Thank you very much for all your encouragement - I will definitely give it a shot - I might even surprise myself!!!