Finding safety lights for my power chair
What I was looking for...
I really do not go out at night, but if I do I want people in cars to be able to see me. I began searching. I had an idea of what I wanted. The lights had to hook on my power wheelchair somehow. They had to be weatherproof so I can use them outdoors anytime. I also needed them to use a battery because once they were on my chair, I probably wouldn’t take them off for a while.
What I found but doesn't work for me...
The Blitzu Safety Lights come in a 4 pack. You have a choice of 5 different colors. They have a long-lasting runtime, with batteries included. If the clip will not open wide enough to clip onto your chair, it comes with 4 Velcro straps you could wrap around something. Just pull open the clip and slide the Velcro underneath, that way the strap stays in place. The light is very bright for high visibility, with 3 different modes.
The problems I have found are that the button at the bottom of the light that you press to turn it on is difficult to press. Also, replacing the batteries would be very difficult -- the product comes with 4 extra batteries and a mini screwdriver. There are 4 tiny screws on the back you need to remove in order to replace the batteries. You can watch my video review of this product here:
Video: Jessica points out the features of the Blitzu safety lights and shows you how it would attach to her chair.
What I found that works for me...
Ultimately, the LED lights I tried didn’t work out for me because of how hard the button was to press. I tried to think of what else might serve as a safety light for me. I looked online, but nothing really looked like it would work for what I needed. I figured I might have something at home that would work. I remembered that I got a Rayovac battery operated flashlight years ago that would fit the bill.
Image: A large Rayovac flashlight with a cord for hanging sitting on a countertop
It has an adjustable string on the top that goes around my neck, so instead I put that around my headrest. There is an on/off button on the bottom that is very easy to press. It also has a clip on the back that if needed I could attach the light onto my chair. The clip attaches to the battery compartment that takes 3 triple A batteries. If I need to go out at night, I just push the on button, hang it over my headrest, and off I go! I do not usually go outside at night, so I have not needed to use it as a safety light as of yet. I have found other purposes for it in the meantime, such as a regular flashlight when I need it or even a book light. I do use it as a book light most nights and it works great. Check out my video review!
Video description: Jessica shows you how she uses this flashlight as a safety light.
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Have you found lights for your mobility device?