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Originally Posted by JRMichler
The original solution was a vacuum actuated clutch. Take foot off gas, clutch disengages. Step on gas, clutch engages. One foot operation.
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But the need for a vacuum provision made it unsuitable to certain engines, mostly Diesels and some newer gassers that are resorting to direct injection and getting rid of the throttle plate, and the electronic controls fitted to those vacuum-actuated clutches is still quite complex and not so easy to work on the field. Anyway, when I mentioned cars with manual transmissions adapted for disabled drivers, I was actually refering to full-mechanical devices, such as this hand clutch lever fitted to a split-window Kombi by its owner who had the left leg amputated.
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Then automatic transmissions came along and became the preferred solution in the US. That did require shifting the gas pedal over to the left side for those who lost their right leg. I got my driver's license with a left foot accelerator.
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There are some right leg amputees in my country who are using hand controls for brake and accelerator, since it's cheaper than a vacuum-operated clutch control and much easier to install. Even some truckers are resorting to this.
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My dad knew an amputee that drove a motorcycle.
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Whenever I saw anybody with a disability riding a motorcycle, it had been converted into a tricycle. The only exception to that is my dad, who has a left leg disability but still can drive vehicles without adaptations, even though now that he's getting older he's starting to consider getting an automatic for his next car.