Ambulant disabled people entering and leaving the
mock-up car
The ambulant disabled subjects normally got in and out
of the mock-up car by placing themselves outside the
doorway with their backs to the car and sitting down
backwards onto the seat (Figure 3). Then they lifted in
their feet and corrected their sitting position. The
slightly disabled ambulant subjects made similar movements
as non-disabled persons. They sat down sideways
while lifting in their left leg followed by their right leg
(Figure 4). All the subjects used some of the handles in
the entrance.
The series of actions when severely disabled ambulant
subjects got into and out of the mock-up car, and the
elements in the doorway that affect the actions can in
principle be described in the following way:
(1) The subject placed him/herself outside the doorway
with his/her back to the car. Subjects with a low
sense of balance supported themselves on the side of
the car. Subjects using crutches placed them against the
door while entering and leaving the mock-up.
(2) The subject sat down backwards on to the seat.
The height of the door frame had to be large enough.
With a low roof the subjects had to bend their necks
and knees to prevent hitting their heads on the edge,
which made it more difficult.
(3) The subject lifted in his/her legs and feet while
swivelling sitting on the seat. A low door-sill made this
operation easier. The space between the seat front right
corner and the front door-post, or the door had to be
large enough to allow room for the subjects’ feet to
pass. The distance between the backrest of the seat and
the front door-post, or the door had to be large enough
to let the subjects lift and swing their legs and feet in or
out. Some subjects supported themselves by holding
one hand on a handle in the entrance whilst lifting their
legs with the other hand.
(4) The subject made him/herself comfortable in the
seat using the handles on the front door-post and on the