[Kartbuilding] Accessible go cart

[Stephen Burke]

Hi Kim,

First off, I can't say I have seen a handicap accessible/adapted go-kart 
(go-cart). I have seen the two-seater karts which you mentioned, but as 
you said, its far from ideal.
I done some searching, and indeed - there does seem to be a lack of 
awareness and catering for handicapped people when it comes to go-karts. I 
could find no trace of a wheelchair accessible go-cart. There were a few 
mentions of a golf-kart for wheelchair users.

If I were to begin making a wheelchair accessible or handicapped go-kart, 
my thoughts would be:
Would you want the wheelchair to be able to be dropped/placed inside the 
gokart?
Would the person want to be able to drive the kart on their own (i.e. not 
a two-seater or assisted driving?)
I would probably go the electrical motors route. I would choose to use the 
handle-bars from a bycycle or scooter. This would allow steering, brakes 
and accelerator to be hand operated. With electric motors, the throttle 
can be configured, so when it is pulled backwards, the motor can be used 
to slow down the kart. Also in with an electrical kart there would be no 
hot areas where a person could potentially burn themselves. Also with 
petrol karts etc. there may be a small risk of a fire.
It wouldnt be too hard to adapt a current gokart, putting the handle bars 
off a scooter/moped, connecting up the brakes and accelerator.

As you mentioned, I too am very suprised that there doesnt seem to be a 
handicap accessible gokart market out there (from initial looking 
anyways).
I wish you the best of luck. If you do find any places/stores or market, 
let me know and I can pass on the information and/or put an article on my 
karting blog/website.

-steve

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007, Kim Bell User wrote:

> I am from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  I have a 15 year old boy with
> Cerebral Palsy.  He ambulates with  a wheelchair.  He is about 5¹7² tall and
> 165 lbs.
>
> I recently took my son to a go cart racing park and in the end we had
> fun...but getting him in and out of the cart was a challenge that I¹d like
> to NOT repeat.
>
> Due to the fact that he can not manuvre the pedals because of the
> disability, he is able to steer.  We had to sit in a cart meant for a child
> and adult.  He was squished in there and ended up with a nasty bruise on his
> leg due to the positioning of his legs.
>
> I am wondering if there is any kind of wheelchair accessible go
> cart...bigger, more able for a disabled person to fit into.  If there is not
> such a thing already made, how do you go about making one?  There has to be
> a market for a handicap accessible go cart and go cart park.
>
> Any information you might have would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Kim Bell
>
>
>