He was born with spina bifida and has been dependent on a wheelchair all his life. When Håvard Heines (39) drives around in an electric wheelchair, he wants to drive as fast as children can on an electric scooter. He can’t do that today, with a top speed of 15 kilometers per hour. – I feel boxed in and a bit in a position of discrimination when 12-year-olds can drive 20 kilometers an hour and I can only drive 15 kilometers an hour, because it’s about safety. Rather choose the car Two years ago, the maximum speed was changed from 10 kilometers to 15 kilometers per hour for electric wheelchairs. Heines would like to use the wheelchair more, if he can drive faster. He says that the wheelchair goes slowly up the long and steep hill to work. In the worst case, it can also run out of power on the ground. – The wheelchair could have been a great aid so that I could get out more, to work and be used for environmental reasons. But now I use the car. And it’s a diesel car. WANT TO DRIVE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY: Håvard Heines thinks the wheelchair goes slowly up the long hill to work and chooses the car instead. Photo: Stian Wåsjø Simonsen / news Will not be slow Heines struggles to keep up with others he is with when they are cycling or using electric scooters. – You have to have a bit of pace, at least when you’re out with other people. Then it’s okay not to be a sinker. He believes that safety is not compromised, if electric wheelchairs can travel at 20 kilometers per hour. – If they have been granted a wheelchair, they have been through an assessment. But there are certain exceptions, he says. – But 20 kilometers an hour can be a high speed on a pavement? – Yes, if there are a lot of people on a pavement, that’s it. You must always adjust your speed according to the conditions. It is about traveling in traffic with good training. Will challenge the transport minister It is understandable that Heines is frustrated, believes parliamentary representative Bård Hoksrud from Fremskrittspartiet and Telemark. He says his party has tried to increase the speed limit to 20 kilometers per hour. Then electric wheelchairs and electric scooters would have had the same maximum speed. WANT TO PICK UP THE SPEED: Storting representative Bård Hoksrud from the Progress Party wants to raise the speed of electric wheelchairs with the Minister of Transport. Photo: JOHN-ANDRE SAMUELSEN / news He will send a written question this week. – I am going to challenge the Minister of Transport if he also now wants to increase the speed. There have been no requests from user organizations for higher speeds, says Storting politician Jone Blikra from the Labor Party and Telemark. He is a member of the transport committee at the Storting and basically sees no problems with increasing the speed. But the challenge is that a wheelchair will be considered a vehicle if it can travel at 20 kilometers per hour. In that case, the rules of the Road Traffic Act must be followed. No battle The Norwegian Handikapforbund says they have worked to ensure that more people have access to electric wheelchairs that travel at 15 kilometers per hour. NAV requires a justification for being allowed to drive such vehicles. Otherwise, requests for increased speed are not something their members are asking for, says union leader Tove Linnea Brandvik. WILL GIVE MORE ACCESS: Confederation leader Tove Linnea Brandvik would rather more people get access to an electric wheelchair that can go 15 km/h than work to increase the permitted speed to 20 km/h. Photo: Amalie Bernhus Årtun / news – This is not a battle for us. She has no problems understanding that Heines wants to get there faster, but fears the wheelchair must then be counted as a motor vehicle. In that case, the wheelchair must move out of the way, if the pavement is full. The blood alcohol limit will also apply, and insurance will therefore be required. The association is working to ensure that more people can make use of various cycling solutions, where disabled people can travel at a higher speed than 15 kilometers per hour.
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Will have a higher top speed on the wheelchair – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
