Wheelchair Worries - Just call me Phoebe Buffay

Phoebe Buffay doesn't
like flying in rain

I've always said I'm like Phoebe Buffay and the reaction from the strangers who's conversation I've just interrupted to tell them this, is always,

"Who are you?" or "Erm, ok. Thanks for letting me know?"

Well now I've got proof. 

Phoebe doesn't like to fly commercial airliners' in the rain. I don't like to ride my motorised wheelchair in the rain. 
Similar.

Phoebe Buffay has never flown in the rain, so how does she know? I've never ridden my wheelchair in the rain so how would I know? She just knew and I just knew.
Similar.
Phobe's grandmother left her a family recipe which turned out to be from Nestlè Tollhouse and is burning in...ok, the similarities end there.

On Monday 19th May I decided to make my own way to Andy's Man Club. I normally get a lift there and take a taxi back, It's a journey that takes 7 minutes by car, however, (at most) I can achieve 4mph so it took me 40 minutes. I videoed my entire trip using the high tech set up of my old Samsung smartphone attached to a tripod that I held between my legs. As a lot of you reading this won't have experienced travelling long distances in a wheelchair, I thought it would be interesting for you to experience it with me. 

Full disclosure, on reflection. it isn't. 

My battery status

I thought I'd add some jeopardy to the video by updating you on the range of my battery. The battery - even though fully charged - would drain quite quickly (I thought) because of the terrain. Even though the iM.4 Elite has an (alleged) range of 10 miles, I assumed that was a best case scenario, you would only achieve that if you were driving on a 10 mile long, flat piece of marble. I was going to be on footpaths, going up hills I even might have to swerve pot holes. 

Full disclosure again, there is no jeopardy. It appears the iM.4 Elite really does have that range. It only lost 2 of it's 5 bars. For those of you mathematically challenged, that's 40% or 4 miles.

At the end of my journey as I approached Stafford Rugby Club - where Andy's Man Club is, I stopped filming... Moments before I went off road and got stuck in gravel trying to avoid the 4 speed bumps that were breaking my back when I went over them. Fortunately a woman was walking behind me who offered to drag me out. She struggled though because - as i've mentioned before the chair is heavy and when it's in motorised mode it can't be moved. So she was pushing a 26kg chair, with the handbrake on with a 10 stone man sitting in the chair. Oh, and she can't get traction because her feet are sliding on the gravel. I remember thinking before venturing off-road "this is a bad idea! You're going to get stuck." But as you have probably worked out I'm a bit of an idiot. Here is an excerpt of my book (Brain Tumours, John Bonham and Fat Pigeons) read by my friend Helen Lawson. 

The e-book is only £1.77 and although primarily about my year long stay in hospital due to a brain tumour, there are several occasions when I tell humorous stories from my past.

But I'm sure you're eagerly waiting to watch my epic journey from my POV. It was forty minutes, but Ive edited it down as not all of it was as exciting as crossing the road. No need to thank me.

@fatpigeonsbook

@fatpigeonsbook