BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use?

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Thu 8 Sep 2016 23:39
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - focussed

My wife's sister in the UK has some serious problems with her right arm caused by a pinched nerve. She cannot grip well with her right hand so steering is difficult to impossible depending on how bad the problem is on a daily basis - it varies. She is having physio and painkillers if needed. As her problem has happened recently she is not registered disabled.

She lost her husband about a year ago so has to drive sometimes to maintain a normal lifestyle - shopping etc.

She has a BMW Mini automatic. I am aware that a steering assist ball could be fitted at about the 10 to 12 position on the wheel to allow her to steer with her left hand.

Without going through some sort of disabled assessment would it be legal to fit and use a steering ball? Obviously she would inform her insurance company should she decide to do this.

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Fri 9 Sep 2016 11:12
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - TedCrilly

I wouldnt assume anything and think a call to the DVLA is your best option.

They may well want the opinion of her doctor before making any allowances.

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Fri 9 Sep 2016 12:00
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - FP

It struck me that the issue for the DVLA/insurance company might be with your sister-in-law's hand and arm in the first instance, rather than the suggested way of dealing with it.

If she is in fact technically disabled when it come to driving that is what needs to be dealt with first and I don't see how fitting a steering ball could be done and accepted by the insurance company without discussing the reason for doing so.

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Fri 9 Sep 2016 13:40
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - RT

My understanding is that a non-permanent health issue isn't a disability, generally, but subject to medical advice whether to continue driving or not - in the absence of such direct advice driving can continue but like all of us with the requirement to be in full control at all times.

In the olden days, before power steering on most cars, steering was very low geared with lots of turns lock-to-lock so these balls were openly sold as accessories and often fitted.

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Fri 9 Sep 2016 16:38
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - Dwight Van Driver

Ted and FP above ^^^^^ have rightly drawn attention to the fact that DVLA may have an intrest due to the provisions of Section 94 Road traffic Act 1988 (Google aas rather long)

In it it mentioned a "relevant disability" which is defined at Section 92 as

“relevant disability” in relation to any person means—
(a)

any prescribed disability, and


NOTE NOTE NOTE

(b)

any other disability likely to cause the driving of a vehicle by him in pursuance of a licence to be a source of danger to the public,

I presume if DVLA are notified then they will invoke a medical enquiry to ascertain what danger, if any there is.

dvd

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Fri 9 Sep 2016 23:58
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - focussed

Yes - thanks all-receiving it loud and clear - she needs to use taxis until she is in better nick I'm thinking.

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Sat 10 Sep 2016 11:31
BMW Mini - Steering ball - is it legal to use? - Bromptonaut

Maybe worth looking at website of or speaking to Disabled Motoring UK?

www.disabledmotoring.org/dmuk/home?

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