Back on the Road with Irene & Brian | Episode 9: Something Spooky's Going On!

Over a cup of tea, Mum and Dad were telling me about their recent trips out in the Brotherwood WAV. They’d been determined to make the most of the good weather and been getting out to some new places as well as revisiting their favourite local spots.

But then the mood turned unexpectedly serious.

“There’s just one thing,” Mum said, “It’s very odd and I just can’t explain it.”

She told me that there was a particular stretch of road near them – and it always happened in the same place – where the car seemed to take on a life of its own. “I feel like the car takes over the steering just for a moment. I think it’s haunted!” she laughed.

“I expect it’s a safety feature,” I said, “My car has it too. If you veer out of your lane a bit, it corrects it for you.”

“Oh no,” said Mum, “It won’t be that because I never veer out of my lane.”

I quickly backtracked, “Oh it won’t be your driving, Mum, but the road is very windy there isn’t it.” She looked unconvinced; a ghost was clearly the preferable explanation.

But we looked it up and discovered that the VW Caddy does indeed have “Lane Assist”. It’s part of their “IQ.DRIVE” safety enhancing and intelligent technologies. It works by warning the driver and counter-steering if necessary. And, crucially, it activates above 35 miles per hour on roads with visible markings, which is why Mum was only noticing on that particular stretch of the road. We also discovered that it can be switched on or off, depending on your preference.

A few days later, my sister and my niece came to stay. They live abroad and this was the first time they’d seen the Brotherwood WAV, although of course they’d heard all about it. As she walked up my parents’ drive, my sister said:

“Gosh, it’s just the size of a normal car isn’t it, I thought it would be bigger, but this is perfect for Mum to drive and park.”

Thanks to the WAV, we were able to plan a packed weekend including Sunday lunch at one of my parents’ favourite places, Greenway Farm. It’s wheelchair accessible (providing you have someone strong enough to push the chair over a slightly raised threshold), very friendly and the food is always fantastic.

Over lunch, we talked about the WAV and how life-changing it was. “The only thing is, it’s haunted,” said Mum. I could see my sister and niece looking confused. “But don’t worry,” Mum continued, a glint of mischief in her eye, “It’s a friendly ghost.”

About this Blog

‘Back on the Road’ follows how a Brotherwood Volkswagen Caddy Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) is changing the lives of Somerset residents, Irene and Brian.

Brian is a wheelchair user and the couple are 80-something-young. They have a Golden Retriever, Barnaby, who will sadly never experience the adventures a Brotherwood WAV makes possible, as he refuses to travel by car.

The blog is written by one of their daughters, and will bring regular updates of how they are rediscovering the joys of spontaneous travel thanks to Brotherwood.