Mr Haematocrit
msg me on kik for android
- Location
- Out of the saddle
Bad eyesight: Instant ban threat to drivers
- Thread starter Mr Haematocrit
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Hopefully.
Star Strider
Active Member
It's far more common than you think, I had a road rage incident with a bloke who was wearing tinted prescription lenses like jam jars while driving with tinted windows who completely failed to stop at a roundabout stop line and then decided it was my fault for magicly apearing in front of his bumper - so he then tried to run me off the road while shouting threats at me.
There are a hell of a lot of drivers who know their eyesight has gone beyond the point where they should drive and they don't tell the GP about it for fear of having the licence pulled.
There are a hell of a lot of drivers who know their eyesight has gone beyond the point where they should drive and they don't tell the GP about it for fear of having the licence pulled.
Headgardener
Armchair Cyclist
Although you would have thought that by now somebody would have come up with a portable eyesight testing device easily operable by a trained police officer rather than a vehicle parked 65ft away.
Hmm! Disappears into inventing shed stroking beard.
Hmm! Disappears into inventing shed stroking beard.
Star Strider
Active Member
You have to catch out the repeat offenders who memorise the eye chart.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
Good idea. Although a simple test like 'read the plate' is hardly a sound test IMHo. As a long time glasses wearer I'm acutely aware that one day, hopefully a long time in the future I may well fall foul of this. My first wife's father drove on for far too long when his eyesight was totally shot and I am in no hurry to repeat his mistakes.
Went to the hospital about 8 years ago to take my wife for an independant eyetest for the DVLA due to glaucoma and the hospital really quizzed her about adress DOB etc before the test even started. When I asked why they said lots of people will send someone else in to do the test in case they fail it!
Her licence was revoked but life goes on. It's inconvenient at times but better than living with the chance of killing someone that she didn't see.
Her licence was revoked but life goes on. It's inconvenient at times but better than living with the chance of killing someone that she didn't see.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Well aware of that myself, but I would give up driving. My FIL is a bit of a liability, and I personally would not drive with his eyesight. Fortunately, its low speed bangs to walls etc. not great for the top of the range Prius he has...
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
Yes my 1st FiL once drove at 60mph straight at the rear of an articulated lorry doing all of 20mph. I was sat in the front feet and hit the invisible/unreal passenger brakes long before he decided to brake. We ended up at 20mph with the bonnet under his trailer over-hang!
That was the last time he drove me anywhere! Talk about halfcrown-threepenny bit.
That was the last time he drove me anywhere! Talk about halfcrown-threepenny bit.
Lance Jack
Über Member
- Location
- A BFPO somewhere
In June I hit forty five. Because I have a Class C and D licence (rigid lorry and bus) I will have to have a full medical every five years, this also coincides with the medical for work. Sometimes I drive a large vehicle with all sorts of loads, and sometimes a coach. People expect me to see properly and be fit enough. I also will have to have the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) which has to be renewed every five years. These are several tests that are done over five years, or in one block, to make sure I still have the skills, and not lost any, to drive large vehicles.
Compare all the above to the average car driver. Pass your test at seventeen and never have anymore training, and no medical until you reach seventy, even then it's a basic medical. As the population gets older you will have more drivers on the road whose eyesight has got worse gradually, whose driver skills are lacking and are just an accident waiting to happen. Trouble is, it could be one of us, a relative or a friend who is injured because of a basic thing like having an eye test and wearing glasses.
So, well done to South Wales Police for taking the initiative.
Compare all the above to the average car driver. Pass your test at seventeen and never have anymore training, and no medical until you reach seventy, even then it's a basic medical. As the population gets older you will have more drivers on the road whose eyesight has got worse gradually, whose driver skills are lacking and are just an accident waiting to happen. Trouble is, it could be one of us, a relative or a friend who is injured because of a basic thing like having an eye test and wearing glasses.
So, well done to South Wales Police for taking the initiative.
I just recently tried out a new brand of contact lenses (daily disposable rather than monthly) The vision out of my left eye was terrible...like looking out of fogged glasses. I really struggled to read all but the top two lines of the chart. I was amazed when the optician pointed out that even at a level I would not have been comfortable walking around in, my sight would have passed the driving standard.
Ladytrucker
Guest
quote="Lance Jack, post: 2343389, member: 27540"]In June I hit forty five. Because I have a Class C and D licence (rigid lorry and bus) I will have to have a full medical every five years, this also coincides with the medical for work. Sometimes I drive a large vehicle with all sorts of loads, and sometimes a coach. People expect me to see properly and be fit enough. I also will have to have the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) which has to be renewed every five years. These are several tests that are done over five years, or in one block, to make sure I still have the skills, and not lost any, to drive large vehicles.
.[/quote]
I am a transport manager and know the rigorous testing you have to go through.
I worry that my dad at 76 can drive and my mum at 71 also. She is much better than him as her reflexes are sharper. He on the other hand is not and I worry that he still has his licence. Thankfully she drives more than him.
I don't have any central vision from one eye, I have Macual Degeneration and have been like this for the last 10 years. I am able to do my work, drive etc as normal.
So where and when do we draw the line? take their licence away at 70? my mum is fine at driving.
Remove mine as I have no vision in one eye? I can still see clearly and function normally?
.[/quote]
I am a transport manager and know the rigorous testing you have to go through.
I worry that my dad at 76 can drive and my mum at 71 also. She is much better than him as her reflexes are sharper. He on the other hand is not and I worry that he still has his licence. Thankfully she drives more than him.
I don't have any central vision from one eye, I have Macual Degeneration and have been like this for the last 10 years. I am able to do my work, drive etc as normal.
So where and when do we draw the line? take their licence away at 70? my mum is fine at driving.
Remove mine as I have no vision in one eye? I can still see clearly and function normally?
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
It's a difficult one, "bad" eyesight covers a multitude of conditions.
Little yellow Brompton
A dark destroyer of biscuits!
- Location
- Bridgend
Hopefully we draw the line well before an ex-employee's father who was given a motability car because he was disabled, his disability? Blind in one eye and tunnel vision in the other! :-(
