7 replies to this topic

[BoyFallDown]

The place that I'm getting my hand controls at is recommending Viegel compact hand controls. They are right side push / pull controls. Has anyone tried these?

http://www.veigel-na.com/index.php

[Anna16]

A girl on here has them and she loves them. She was getting confused with the regular push/pull on the left side, and she said these are way easier to use and really really likes them.

[Bethann]

A girl on here has them and she loves them. She was getting confused with the regular push/pull on the left side, and she said these are way easier to use and really really likes them.

I've got that push/pull and I've gotten confused a couple times too.

[Vanessamaee]

I just saw this, sorry I taking a brief break from the site so it took a while to respond.
I'm the "girl" on here who has these ;)

I absolutley love them, however for long road trips (like 12 hours for a basketball tournament...) they can be rather tiring on your wrist, so having cruise control would be a good idea. Other than that I love them, They do take awhile to get use to becasue unlike with left mounted hand controls, you have to actually set the brake in order to change gears (park to drive etc) which, until you are use to it, can make for an unsmooth transition when pulling out of parking spots etc. Where with left mounted hand controls you just apply the brake, shift, and release.

Also it is not a push pull system. It is a push twist. You push the system forward to brake and twist the lever downwards to accelerate.

Just a warning though, if you are sitting at a long light, you may, not knowingly, start to release pressure on the brake and start slowly drifting forward, Ive caught myself doing this a couple of times, so now I just set the brake when Im at lights, its an easy release though, you just push the system up a little farther and the brake releases.

Overall I love them. They are low profile and dont interfer with transfers. Also I go confused with the left mounted, push/rock system I was originally started with and suddenly accelerated instead of braked... good thing we were in a parking lot. These are nearly impossible to confuse.



^^This is what they look like in a car (my car)

Edited by Vanessamaee, 16 January 2012 - 03:09 AM.

[shawnr0]

i was wondering if you could say how much it cost to purchase and install in your car. i have the push/pull hand controls and i find that i hit them while im transferring.

[Vanessamaee]

i was wondering if you could say how much it cost to purchase and install in your car. i have the push/pull hand controls and i find that i hit them while im transferring.

I have no idea to be honest. I believe around $3000... When I was injured there was an organization that gave me a certificate for when I get my handcontrols, they will cover all costs, I never saw the bill. But installation took 4 hours, but this was also the guys first installation of these ever and he said that he will get quicker the more he does it

[BriRi]

I put Viegel hand controls in my wife's vehicle.... Tried the Classic which was in the way for her when driving.... Switched to the compact which is push/pull.... They work fine and are out of the way and can be released when my wife drives.... Don't use them in my vehicle though.... Prefer MPD and Monarch....



This is the compact in a Range Rover....

[WaveWolf]

LOVE IT!!!!!  I have the Veigel Classic (push to brake, twist to accelerate) in my Honda Element, and like it better than the Compact.  I was trained on left-handed push-pull control (MPD), but these made transfers injurious as I am not very well coordinated in lifting my legs out.  If you get the Classic, I strongly recommend getting the push-button add-on for turn signals, high beam, and horn--I wired mine to also control ceiing lamp after installation.  Veigel control takes much less strength than the MPD did.  And, as a lifelong manual transmission user, I found the right-hand control far more intuitive, with left-hand control of steering.  Shifting gears becomes smoother with practice. 

 

To answer the comment by Vanessamaee regarding wrist fatigue on long road trips--angle of the handle is adjustable (at least on the Classic), and this makes a huge difference.  My brain and eyes get tired before my wrist now!

 

If you have leg spasms or lack proprioception, you will need a pedal guard also to keep your feet from interfering with operation of any hand control.  I also use a fast-clip nylon wrap, attached to my door arm wrest, to hold my legs away from the controls.  With a left-hand control, my legs were getting in the way of my hand, and there was nothing to attach them to!  The Veigel pedal guard is easy to keep clean and it removes/reinstalls very simply without tools or much effort. 

 

To use hand controls, you also need a spinner for one-handed steering.  I found that the small ball type were not comfortable for long, but the Veigel was the most ergonomic of this type, and also good for grip and temperature (hot or cold).  My choice was the MPD Palm Grip Steering--I took off the flimsy fake sheepskin (too hard to keep clean and attached!), and it worked fine and offers secure control and a nice resting spot for your hand.

 

If someone AB needs to drive your car, the Veigel hand control and pedal guard and any spinner can be disengaged in less than a minute.  Do not let the car wash lackey drive your car with hand controls!!!!!!!!

Edited by WaveWolf, 15 March 2013 - 07:24 AM.