So pretty...
It itches like crazy today
As for other injuries, my shoulder is pretty raw today. Also, I originally did not think I bumped my head. Turns out I did. I've got a bump on the back of my head, but it only hurts when I touch it. Also, my neck hurts today.
I was talking to a friend this morning who also has an iBOT and he said that he has noticed that when the casters get stuck on something, it makes the iBOT "whip". I'm pretty sure this is what happened yesterday. It whipped and was out of control for a few seconds. I don't know, but maybe this happens with all powerchairs?
As for why it didn't tip over on me.... that is still a mystery. I think maybe I was going so fast that when I launched off that top step, I kinda flew down the steps. I looked at the landing this morning, and I can see where my footrest hit the landing and skidded for a few feet. I took video of it, but haven't uploaded it yet. I'll hopefully do that tonight.
I'm wanting to know exactly what happened so that a) I'll be able to possibly prevent it from happening again, b) I will know what to do if it does happen again, and c) iBOT engineers can better understand what happened and can maybe fix the problem in their future designs.
5 comments:
It is amazing that you were not more seriously injured. That scenario is the stuff of nightmares. Why the chair stopped is almost as mysterious as why it went ballistic in the first place. I hope you are a fast healer.
I am so glad you escaped serious injury. I was transfixed by the tale, what a nightmare, so scary. Wish you a speedy recovery in both body and mind.
xoxo
Thanks Irv and anonymous. I can't stop thinking about it. My daughter asked me if this was the most terrifying event in my life, and I think it was. Or, at least that I can remember. I suppose the accident which caused my SCI was terrifying, but I can't remember it.
I'm so thankful this wasn't as horrible as it easily could have been.
The iBot is extremely "bottom-heavy". It's virtually impossible to tip over forwards. It will tip over sideways in balance mode if you push the limits on side-pitch. Not every iBot owner gets certified to use both speeds or all functions by themselves, remember training?
I learnred the sideways tip over the hard way! Although my buddies caught the chair, and I was belted in. I had an iBot!
Were you wearing the seatbelt? If so, you're weight raises the center of gravity and with that it may possibly have tipped up and then slammed back down but it would really require an extreme situation for it to tip over forwards. The FDA does NOT play games when they approve something. Thank God you're a "lightweight"!!
:o)
anonymous in NH
Hi anonymous in NH,
The IT tech also pointed out the fact that the iBOT is very bottom heavy. I think the reason it never tipped was a combination of it being so bottom-heavy, it going so fast the wheels never even touched the steps, and also because the footrest sticks out so far and is so durable. I think when it hit the landing, the footrest helped a lot in it not tipping over forward. Also, there were only 5 steps. Had it been an entire flight of stairs, the outcome may have been different.
No, I wasn't wearing the seatbelt. I never do. I always have thought it would be better to be thrown out of the chair rather than tumble down a flight of stairs being attached to the chair.
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