Are eyesight requirements going to be more strictly enforced?

[nicholsong]

Although I agree at 88 why are you worried?

He's not 88 though

Even less worried, as I have a Polish licence

 

[VXman]

I Consider the answer to the question cited is that DVLA do not have a legal department and do not have permanently employed doctors in their medical department, therefore they are ill-equipped to write the rules as to what criteria define 'fit to drive'.

DVLA are only an agency of the DfT and have no legislative powers to instruct opticians. Even the Minister for Transport could only propose an Order, which would need parliamentary approval through various legislative processes.

I am aware it would require changes in law but it really should have been done years ago. Once the law allowed it the actual process would be simple. Government wastes so much time on pointless legislation but actual useful everyday stuff gets ignored. Laws on electric bikes/scooters is another area that needs revising as it's not for purpose but yet again- nothing.

 

[TwistNShout]

I think a good example of a Barrister that lies ! You need look no further than Kier Starmmer
Case closed Me Lud

Your political bias is not evidence. As a QC and barrister Starmer obeyed the guidance in court and was a good DPP.

 

[PlacidoD]

I think a good example of a Barrister that lies ! You need look no further than Kier Starmmer
Case closed Me Lud

Thank you for your invaluable contribution to the serious subject under discussion.

Obviously the serious life-threatening nature of the discussion has passed you by.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Your political bias is not evidence. As a QC and barrister Starmer obeyed the guidance in court and was a good DPP.

In your opinion

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[Steve and Denise]

Thank you for your invaluable contribution to the serious subject under discussion.

Obviously the serious life-threatening nature of the discussion has passed you by.

Serious? It’s motor home FUN

 

[PlacidoD]

I wonder if it would make sense as a simple bit of progress to a require all opticians conducting an eye test to keep a record of each patient's driving licence number? If that info is on their database you can then progress to a duty to report which is more contentious following further parliamentary debate.

 

[PlacidoD]

Serious? It’s motor home FUN

Your comment is frivolous and not in keeping with the serious nature of the subject under discussion.

I hope your eyesight is better than your judgement.

 

[Jim]

Can we keep politics out of this thread, please. Thanks

Frivolous comments are, however, most welcome.

 

[Jerrywh]

Sometimes these threads take an unexpectedly dark turn, don't they?!
But returning to the original subject, it seems trivial to me for sight tests to certify that the DVLA test of reading a number plate at 25m can be met, and for license renewals to require such a certificate, less than 12 months old, and to record if glasses/lenses are needed.
That might not solve everything but I'm sure it would help.
And if someone who needs glasses to drive isn't wearing them, that is or should be a criminal offence.

My neighbour was worried about his mother's driving. He sat her in a car 25m behind another one and said, read the number plate. She couldn't. He said no worries, I'll creep forwards, tell me when you can read it. She couldn't, until their bumpers were practically touching. And agreed that it was time to stop driving.

My father-in-law insisted he was fit to drive, but he wasn't. When he went into hospital for a kidney problem, my mother-in-law sold the car! He wasn't happy but that was that.

The truth is that voluntarily giving up driving is very hard to do. Everyone in a family has a duty to help us oldies do it. And it turns out that taking everything into account, two or three taxis a week will be cheaper than owning a car in any event..

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[Dfc]

Eyesight tests should be compulsory at a minimum of every five years. After all vehicles are MOTd every year so why not the driver?

 

[TwistNShout]

Eyesight tests should be compulsory at a minimum of every five years. After all vehicles are MOTd every year so why not the driver?

I agree, but then I'm also in favour of everybody having a driving assessment every few years - currently you could pass your test at 17 and drive into your nineties never have another test.

 

[TwistNShout]

In your opinion

By which you mean less valid than yours

Mine has been formed based on conversations with legal professionals, some of whom worked directly with him, nothing to do with his politics or performance as PM.

 

[Emmit]

Cue Dvorac music.

When I were a lad, I wore glasses as a result of a 'lazy left eye,'

As an adult, I could read a number plate, without glasses at well over 100yds.
I am long sighted so when, in middle age I found my arms were not long enough to hold and read a newspaper, I started to wear glasses again. From the off I wore varifocals.
A couple of months ago, I went to Specsavers prior to jumping through the C1 hoop.
No mention made of restriction.
I then went to D4D and the Doc made no mention of any disability.
In time, I received my new licence but, the following day, DVLA sent a letter informing me that from now on I must wear glasses to drive.

Now, where's that white cane?

 

[Steve and Denise]

By which you mean less valid than yours

Mine has been formed based on conversations with legal professionals, some of whom worked directly with him, nothing to do with his politics or performance as PM.

There you go assuming
So it’s ok to lie to further a career?
It’s like saying when is a liar not a liar
Have a nice day

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[Colin McCourt]

It’s not just eyesight that should be tested. Reflexes is another issue for me. I see people who struggle from a big car, bent over and using two sticks to get to a shop. I would worry about their reaction to a situation.

 

[Puddleduck]

It’s not just eyesight that should be tested. Reflexes is another issue for me. I see people who struggle from a big car, bent over and using two sticks to get to a shop. I would worry about their reaction to a situation.

And also strength could be an issue. I found the hand control for the foot brake (!) a huge help and hadn't realised just how weak my leg muscles had become. I no longer drive but if I ever do drive again a hand control to assist in braking will be a must.

 

[meanders]

There you go assuming
So it’s ok to lie to further a career?
It’s like saying when is a liar not a liar
Have a nice day

But your insinuation, if not your claim, was that he lied as a barrister as all solicitors and barristers lie to the courts in your opinion, yet there has been zero evidence provided to support that view and plenty put up here to support the reverse! You continue to push forward your political view despite Jim asking that we keep politics out of the thread. I stress I do not particularly like Starmer from what I have seen, nor do I support some, if not most of his policies, and have never voted Labour. However, I readily accept that as I have never met him in person, I am not in a good position to judge.

 

[cyberyacht]

Given the number of photos posted of dogs in the driving seat, perhaps the solution is a guide dog with a C1 licence.

 

[Thornebt]

I don't understand the difficulty with this. Eye tests at opticians are free for over 65's. Why doesn't the DVLA demand a letter/note/certificate from a bonafide opticians to say said person is fit to drive from an eyesight perspective.

The opticians/DVLA Could have a proforma set up for this - it shouldn't cost them any more and it could encourage over 70's to have an eye check every 3 years.

Is this not simple enough?

NHS eye tests are free in the UK for all over 60s.

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[Rapido666F]

I agree, but then I'm also in favour of everybody having a driving assessment every few years - currently you could pass your test at 17 and drive into your nineties never have another test.

Have you researched waiting times for driving tests in your area?
Presumably "everybody" would have to cease from driving until they could pass their driving assessment? How many resits would you allow?
OR could it be done online, like the "theory" test for initial driver testing?

 

[Puddleduck]

Have you researched waiting times for driving tests in your area?
Presumably "everybody" would have to cease from driving until they could pass their driving assessment? How many resits would you allow?
OR could it be done online, like the "theory" test for initial driver testing?

Good points but an assessment could be done by a qualified driving instructor in the first instance perhaps.

There used to be a scheme here for older drivers where a driving instructor would accompany the driver for 40 minutes or an hour then report on findings. It was quite popular.

 

[gus-lopez]

it really should have been done years ago.

As should so many other things

reading a number plate at 25m can be met,

It is 20m, 67feet

You continue to push forward your political view despite Jim asking that we keep politics out of the thread.

No,he replied to another dig at him after Jim posted.

 

[meanders]

No,he replied to another dig at him after Jim posted.

On the contrary, the poster simply posted a different opinion that at face value at least was based upon someone who had actual knowledge! OK. In legal terms it's hearsay, but I suggest considerably more reliable as it could be 'tested' if required.

I see no evidence of a 'dig', as you put it.

 

[The Wino]

Sometimes these threads take an unexpectedly dark turn, don't they?!
But returning to the original subject, it seems trivial to me for sight tests to certify that the DVLA test of reading a number plate at 25m can be met, and for license renewals to require such a certificate, less than 12 months old, and to record if glasses/lenses are needed.
That might not solve everything but I'm sure it would help.
And if someone who needs glasses to drive isn't wearing them, that is or should be a criminal offence.

My neighbour was worried about his mother's driving. He sat her in a car 25m behind another one and said, read the number plate. She couldn't. He said no worries, I'll creep forwards, tell me when you can read it. She couldn't, until their bumpers were practically touching. And agreed that it was time to stop driving.

My father-in-law insisted he was fit to drive, but he wasn't. When he went into hospital for a kidney problem, my mother-in-law sold the car! He wasn't happy but that was that.

The truth is that voluntarily giving up driving is very hard to do. Everyone in a family has a duty to help us oldies do it. And it turns out that taking everything into account, two or three taxis a week will be cheaper than owning a car in any event..

Why would certifying that a no plate can be read at the required distance be trivial? It doesn't equate to any of the letters on a standard chart it doesn't even say if it's a yellow one or black on white and what exactly is " good daylight" in terms of an indoor room!
There's also the bigger problem of people who can easily read a number plate but their visual field is shot
By the way it's 20m for a no plate after 2001

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[Bill-H]

My driving licence has noted on it that I wear glasses whilst driving, so assume if I'm stopped and not wearing them I could face a fine or prosecution.
Reverse of licence, box 12, endorsement 01

 

[Thornebt]

My driving licence has noted on it that I wear glasses whilst driving, so assume if I'm stopped and not wearing them I could face a fine or prosecution.
Reverse of licence, box 12, endorsement 01

That's an interesting point!

 

[swemmy666]

Eyesight tests should be compulsory at a minimum of every five years. After all vehicles are MOTd every year so why not the driver?

I agree with this, but would suggest 2 years as a maximum. Recently, one of my eyes deteriorated in 5 months, so five years seems too long. I get that older people have more eye problems, but this should be a requirement for all drivers, its not as if younger people don't have eye issues, and everyone should get theirs tested regularly anyway.

 

[PlacidoD]

My driving licence has noted on it that I wear glasses whilst driving, so assume if I'm stopped and not wearing them I could face a fine or prosecution.
Reverse of licence, box 12, endorsement 01

Ah but what about those wearing contact lenses?!!

P.S. I have both varifocals and monitor glasses meant for VDU work but fine for wearing around the house. Occasionally I have been known to get several miles up the road before realising I am wearing the wrong glasses and then swap to the correct pair! I have just stepped outside to replicate the 20 metre eye test wearing the wrong glasses. I would pass but my middle and distance vision would be compromised. Maybe OK for driving at 30 mph but not 70 and more in the EU!

 

[Emmit]

My driving licence has noted on it that I wear glasses whilst driving, so assume if I'm stopped and not wearing them I could face a fine or prosecution.
Reverse of licence, box 12, endorsement 01

I'm assuming that, as I passed my test without wearing glasses, previously I didn't have the 01 in box 12 but, following my recent test I couldn't crunch the letters without aides and, as a result, DVLA have now put the 01 on my licence.

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