Question 1 initially presented in the Introduction and reviewed on the first page of this "Wheelchairs" section first mentions the type of terrain needed for wheelchair operation. This will, therefore, be our first item of discussion.

It is a given that use of an unusual type of motor vehicle is required in order to effectively travel on virtually all types of terrain -- hence the phrase "all-terrain vehicle" or ATV. These types of vehicles can often go where most types of motor vehicles cannot.

Perhaps one of the most famous and well-known unusual types of motor vehicles ever to exist was the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle used by the NASA astronauts on the surface of the Moon during the final three Apollo moon missions in the early 1970's. This vehicle clearly had a very distinctive appearance and contruction perfectly suited for its unuusual purpose of allowing the astronauts to travel farther away from the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) than on previous missions.

NASA Lunar Roving Vehicle Used DUring Apollo 15 Mission
Wikipedia Article Title: "Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle"
Article Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Roving_Vehicle
Image Filename: Apollo15LunarRover.jpg
Image File Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo15LunarRover.jpg
Copyright Status: Public Domain

"All terrain vehicles" by their presence and design dramaticly illustrate the fact that most motor vehicles cannot go places that these vehicles can.

In the same vein, the presence of "all-terrain" wheelchairs emphasizes the fact that most wheelchairs are not designed to travel on unsuitable terrain.

What better way to underscore this point than to contrast a typical wheelchair against "all-terrain" models.

Note, first of all, the very narrow wheels on this typlical manual wheelchair. Despite the unsuitability of these wheels for most types of terrain, the fact that the wheels of this wheelchair require relatively little space makes it possible for this wheelchair to fit in some fairly tight places, thereby making this type of wheelchair practical for everyday use.

Typical manual wheelchair
Source Article: Wikipedia "Wheelchair" Article
Article Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelchair
Image Filename: WheelchairSeatingNTSB.jpg
Image File Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WheelchairSeatingNTSB.jpg
Copyright Status: Public Domain -- U. S. Government Image

Now, by way of sharp contrast, please note the very large wheels on the "beach" wheelchair and the "snow" wheelchair below.

Beach Wheelchair
Source Article: Wikipedia "Wheelchair" Article
Article Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelchair
Source Filename: Beach_wheelchair_Netherlands.jpg
Source File Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beach_wheelchair_Netherlands.jpg
Copyright Status: Creative Commons Attribution And Share Alike License

Manual Snow Wheelchair
Source Article: Wikipedia "Wheelchair" Article
Article Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelchair
Image Filename: Snow_wheelchair.jpg
Image File Link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Snow_wheelchair.jpg

While an "all-terrain" wheelchair is clearly the ideal type of wheelchair in some situations, such a wheelchair is clearly not suited for day-to-day use. The large wheels -- while allowing the wheelchair to travel on terrain which is unsuitable for most wheelchairs -- are so large that these "all-terrain" wheelchairs cannot easily fit in most buildings, on board transit vehicles, nor in many other everyday situations.

The point here is this: Practical everyday use requires a wheelchair that is small enough and whose wheels are small enough so as not to become an issue in terms of being able to fit in places where the wheelchair user needs to go in everyday life.

The fact remains, however, that the relatively narrow wheels on most wheelchairs all-too-easily become "bogged down" or "stuck" on any "soft" surface. These wheels also have a very high tendency to get caught in cracks, depressions, railroad crossing grooves, and the like.

In fact, any of the following items present in terrain are at the very least a nusiance and at the most a potentially life-threatening situation:

-- Any soft surface -- mud, dirt, etc. -- especially when wet or moist.

-- Any sufficiently deep or large crack or depression.

-- Any hole suficiently large enough for one or more wheelchair wheels to drop into it.

-- Any inaccessible curb or step.

-- Any sufficiently large uneven transition in a suface.

-- Any sufficiently steep incline or slope.

-- Rocks and / or gravel.

-- Any water-filled area -- especially of sufficient depth to create difficulties.

-- Any other object that blocks the intended path of the wheelchair user.

-- Any sufficient quantity and/or depth of snow.

Situations in which operation of a wheelchair is attempted in an unsuitable area can result in excessive strains and / or loads on wheelchair drive mechanisms, muscle strains and / or injury to anyone attempting to operate a manual wheelchair, and so on.

Wheelchairs are best operated on hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt. Ideally, such a surface should be free of cracks, depressions, or potholes and should include curb cuts or other means of a smooth transition when a change in height is required.

Operation of wheelchairs in gravel and in similar situations is not recommended.

As a general rule, manufacturers of wheelchairs do not recommend operation of their products on any incline having a rise greater than 1 inch for each foot of travel.

We will elaborate further on the matter of terrain later.

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Copyright (c.) 2007-Present -- Michael and Brenda Swanson