How Do I Refuel My Disabled Car

For many wheelchair car users it can be a daunting, challenging prospect to fill your wheelchair vehicle with fuel. Attended fuel stations are now few and far between, so having to pull up at the pump and try to attract the attention of the fuel station staff to help you, can be an issue. The area around your wheelchair car would have to allow ample space to get your wheelchair out or ensuring there is enough room to even lower the ramp. At busy times everyone is in a rush and impatient and that can cause stress and anxiety that it will take you a while to accomplish a task that able bodied individuals take for granted.

It was the case that taking another family member or friend in the wheelchair car with you was the only way to re-fill with diesel or petrol. Asking them to come with you, get out, fill your wheelchair car and go into the service station to pay on your behalf. There are differing ways available now to help disabled individuals, you may already know and use some of them but for those that don’t here are a couple of ways to try to make your life easier at the pump.

Even today fuel stations will take note of those flashing their lights, putting on their hazards or waving their disabled badge to attract attention, but for them to see you depends on how far away from the shop your are. You could attract the attention of other service station users and ask for their help in getting the staffs attention. Even after all this, there has to be staff availability to assist you.

Some of the major branded fuel stations do offer pay-at-the-pump services, which allow you to pay for your fuel without leaving the vicinity of your wheelchair car. This is a convenient option for people with disabilities who may have difficulty getting in and out of their vehicle.

At participating fuel stations there is a Fuel Service App which you can download onto your mobile phone and this allows you to access information on participating fuel stations within the area you are in. You can then arrive in your wheelchair car with confidence and know someone will help you when you have arrived and are on the forecourt waiting.

The following extract was taken from the Fuel Service web site:

FuelService was created by a frustrated disabled driver who knew there had to be a better way of getting petrol than driving around for hours beeping his horn and hoping someone helped.
It had to be a solution that worked for everyone. Free and easy for disabled drivers, low cost but seamless for petrol stations. We think we got there, but are going to fight to get to perfection.
So often services for disabled people are expensive and make lots of money for the non-disabled.
For more information on this app please go to the web site direct https://fuelservice.org/en/

Given that we sell alot of specialist wheelchair vehicles and disabled drive from vehicles as well, it always a concern of how customers fill up their wheelchair car with fuel. Hopefully this may provide some help for you.