Disabled drivers defend their use of much needed SUV vehicles

Q I’m concerned that the letter from Doris Basile in a recent column may have given the impression that people who drive SUVs and display handicapped placards are most likely cheaters.

Gary, SUVs are regularly included in lists of best vehicles for older drivers because, among other virtues, they are easy to get into and out of.

Please let people know! I would hate to have to blame you for some vigilante keying my car when I display my handicapped placard (I have muscular dystrophy) in my Subaru Forester. — Ann Petersen A We can’t have that. Q I have a placard due to chronic and debilitating pain that limits my ability to walk. I am a tall woman. Due to my pain issues, it is easier for me to enter and exit an SUV because the seat is at my height. I don’t have to lower down into the car seat or lift up out of it.

Just so you know. — Patricia Briggs, San Jose A And … Q I drive a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer and have handicap plates because of spine and back issues.

My SUV is the only vehicle I can enter and exit properly and without pain or extra effort. I am 6-foot-2 and cannot enter a low sitting vehicle without diving headfirst and twisting, sometimes painfully, into a seated position. — Johnny Sevey, Santa Clara A I’ve had to endure the “diving headfirst and twisting” maneuver as well. Not fun.

Q

When my old Honda (1999) had to be replaced. I did some research. Consumer Reports noted that mini SUV’s were easier for older people to get in and out of since the seat is higher.

Also, the SUV trunk does not have a “lip” like a sedan, so one can just slide things out. So I bought a CRV minivan and love it. I use a handicap placard as I have painful arthritis in my back as well as balance issues. So, your reader who thinks SUV owners are cheaters needs to reconsider. — Cindy Patrick, Palo Alto A I bet she is. Q I have a muscle disease that affects my ability to get in and out of a chair. When the disease flared in 2016, I was unable to use our Toyota Camry for about 6 months, because I could not get myself out of it. However, I could enter and exit my SUV with some struggle, but I can do it. I’ll never buy a sedan again.

You can’t judge a book by its cover. — Linda Suri, Santa Barbara A Or an SUV with disabled plates.