(Note: At the bottom of this page, I've added a couple of new tips we've learned from a MUCH better rental car experience, in August 2004.)
We were hoping there would be a Hertz counter at the airport. I was planning to ask them to bring a car TO us, rather than making us go to their parking lot on a transfer bus. No such luck. I didn't think there was any way to get Mom out to the center island and get her and all the stuff on a Hertz bus. So, I picked up an airport phone and called Hertz. Lo and Behold, a year ago, they retrofitted all their buses in LAX, with wheelchair ramps. She said, "Just go out there, and they'll take care of you." OOOOKAY!
So, we struggled, but got out to the center island. The bus stopped. The driver motioned us to back up a bit. Then, she LOWERED THE BUS!!! Nokidding! It went down about 5", until it was curb height. Then, she pushed a button and a nice ramp came out of the bottom of the door. We wheeled right in. She flipped up a bench seat and told me to position Mom there and lock her brakes. There were straps to tie her down, but we all figured the brakes were good enough. The funniest part was that everyone else loved the ramp, too. They were able to wheel their suitcases into the bus, rather than hauling them up the stairs! :) So far, so good. Hertz was on my good list. Until we got to their lot. The bus dropped us off in another center island. There were NO luggage carts...cold wind blowing...and there we were...Mom in the wheelchair, two large suitcases, a carryon, and a bicycle box. I ended up tying the suitcases together and dragging everything across the street and into the building, while Mom...who I'd told to "just wait there"...headed down the ramp, into the cross walk, and was almost across the street when I went back for her. She looked at my shocked face and said, "But, I looked both ways, first!" LOL
We made it inside...and through the switchback waiting line. I HATE those, when you're using a wheelchair. I should have just parked Mom at the front, but we wanted to talk. Finally, we got to the counter and used a coupon for an upgrade to a Class G car...the largest...figuring there would be lots of leg room, luggage room, and a huge trunk for the wheelchair.
Still, there were no luggage carts available...and no one offered to help. In retrospect, and next time, I'll DEMAND more help.
We got out to the nice big Grande Marquis car...dragging all the suitcases, etc.. I helped Mom into the passenger seat, and then I put the wheelchair in the trunk. OOPS!!! The trunk was DEEP, but not wide. There was a big ol' spare tire in there and there was no way to close the trunk with the chair in there. I left Mom there...and went back inside.
I went to the customer service desk...not wanting to get back in line. She was busy and pointed to a stack of papers and said, "I can't help you until I get to all these papers." HUH? She said to go to the next available agent...not to stand in line. Ooookay! I did, and he said, "How about a minivan?" I said, "I don't think she can get up on the higher seat." He said, "Ohhhh yea, my 85 year old little grandmother from the Phillipines can get on it...your mom can." I didn't ask if his grandma had semi-paralysis! So, I went back out to the lot, got the chair out of the bad trunk, put Mom in it...dragged her and all the stuff to another car, about ten cars away. I had her stand by the passenger seat, while I tried to fit the chair in the back. Yep. It worked. Then, I tried helping Mom onto the passenger seat. NO LUCK!!! TOO HIGH!!! Her leg developed MAJOR tone...straight out...stiff as a board, and she started sliding off the seat onto the pavement. I said, "NO WAY!!! We've come too far and achieved too much independence to have to fight a seat that is too high, for the next four days."
So...back into the wheelchair and back to dragging all the stuff back into the building. This time, a bus approached and the driver, a real sweetheart of a lady, jumped out and said, "Why the hell are you two doing this all by yourselves? Why isn't someone helping you?" She got someone to get us a LARGE wonderful luggage cart, and she said , "YOU go straight to customer service and demand help!"
This time, the customer service lady said, "I have time to help, now." DUH!!! We decided a Bonneville might have a good trunk. So, she sent me out to Space 40 to see one. I got there, and there was a Ford minivan in the spot. NOW, I was upset!!! And I was tired, and I was hungry. Mom, on the other hand, was calmly reminding me to smile and remember, "It's an ADVENTURE!!!!!" :)
At one point, after almost two hours there, she said, "Aren't you proud of me, my blood pressure hasn't even gone up?" LOL
After finding the wrong car in Space #40, I said, "Either YOU go check out the cars and/or, just bring them to this door. I'm not running out there, anymore. FINALLY, after phone calls, and HER running out there a few times to check cars, she said, "I want you to try a Ford Taurus wagon. I said, "Are the passenger seats higher?" She insisted they were not.
Sure enough, she brought the car. It looked fine. So, I went out there...with Mom and the luggage cart, and started putting Mom in the car. A nice old guy came and said, "I'll be right back to help you load things. I have to go get my jacket." I ALMOST barked back, "Do I LOOK LIKE I HAVE A JACKET? Why should YOU be warm?" But I bit my tongue. When he got back, he started handling the wheelchair. I said, "Please. Wait. Let ME tell you what to do to help. There's a system here. I said, "See that luggage cart? Bring it over to the sidewalk by the car and wait." Meanwhile, I opened the back of the car, crawled into the back and removed the springloaded shade, which makes a makeshift covered trunk, and put it on the floor. When I stepped out, I suddenly felt this huge weight fall on my legs. I looked up to see that the "helping man" had tried bringing the luggage cart down the ramp and all my suitcases and the commode box feel right on me. Somehow, I wasn't hurt at all. He was shocked!!! I looked at him and said, "NOW!! Would you PLEASE wait until I tell you how to help!" Okay, so I was getting a little testy...but I'd been there for TWO HOURS!!!! and it was getting dark! And I still had an hour and a half of rush hour L.A. freeways to drive.
Anyhow, I managed to get the commode box, luggage, and wheelchair in the car. It had to be put in just right, because the side doors were so small you couldn't use them for loading. What a mess!
What did we learn? NEXT TIME....we will go to a local rental agency and check out the cars in advance. The designs change each year. We thought for sure that something like a Lincoln towncar would have worked, but no. None of the super large vehicles would do, unless you wanted to push the wheelchair onto the back seat. Number one, I figured that was a great way to wreck my back, and number two, I didn't want to tear the seats, and number three, I needed that room for my sister, when we picked HER up. SO...the moral is....check out the car types before you get there, and then reserve...not request...RESERVE a certain type. Talk to a manager or supervisor and explain the great importance of having a specific type of car....AHEAD of time!
Meanwhile, I'll be writing a letter to Hertz..praising them for the fantastic buses...but educating them on their need to consider what cars will handle wheelchairs. It's not fair to nicely bring a person to their lot and then dump them there with a wheelchair, no luggage cart, and uninformed people who rent you cars that won't accommodate you. It'll be a nice HELPFUL letter, I assure you.
2004 TRIP to COLORADO: This time, we had the shuttle bus driver call ahead to the Hertz facility and ask for help when we disembarked. The manager of the facility met us at the bus. He and the driver got all our luggage inside. Then, we did the smartest thing of all. I had the manager walk out to the lot with me to check which car would work. By now, I'd learned what to look for. The first "Premium" level car, still had the well in the trunk, and the spare tire taking up room. We down graded to a "full size". The first we saw was a Chevy Impala. It looked perfect, but I had the nerve to ask, "Could we have it with leather seats, so Mom can slide as she turns in and out?" Sure enough, that's what he found for us. Also, when we returned to the airport, ready to go home, we drove to the normal rental return, but didn't get out. Instead, we had a Hertz person drive us to the departure area for the airport (be sure to leave room in the back seat for whomever was driving your car during the trip. I had to squeeze into the back for the short trip to the airport.) It was so much easier to do it this way, than to take Mom and all the luggage out, load onto the shuttle bus, etc.
REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR HANDICAP PARKING SIGN!!!!! And remember to remove it and take it with you, when you return the rental car!
