OAP DRIVERS, compulsory eyesight tests.

[Westley]

I have just read that compulsory eyesight tests for OAP drivers are being considered. It did not state if any costs were to be involved.As OAP eyesight testing is already free, I fail to understand why it is not compulsory now. I get my eyes checked every 12 months anyway. I do have some shooting pals who have 'driving glasses'  ? It seems their eyesight improves miraculously, when they get out of their car, to the point they no longer require glasses   !    🙄

Edited January 5 by Westley

[DUNKS]

It doesn't but there is usually no need to see the detail you do when driving. As my optician said to me " there is no legal requirement to wear glasses when driving with my level of eyesight but it can be improved slightly with them so why not"

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, do you know of any road accidents involving OAPs like me not wearing glasses ????, far better to educate the younger generation as there has been multiple accidents and deaths for bad driving, speeding, to much alcohol , drugs, showing off to their mates, The P plate should be given for 1 year after a test pass, last year 3 local  young lives gone, speeding and hit a tree at 50/60 MPH, in a 30 MPH limit, 🤔

Edited January 5 by oldypigeonpopper

[Westley]

OK, so what are the objections to a compulsory eyesight test then   ?  I certainly don't have any.

[Westley]

 

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, do you know of any road accidents involving OAPs like me not wearing glasses ????, far better to educate the younger generation as there has been multiple accidents and deaths for bad driving, speeding, to much alcohol , drugs, showing off to their mates, The P plate should be given for 1 year after a test pass, last year 3 local  young lives gone, speeding and hit a tree at 50/60 MPH, in a 30 MPH limit, 🤔

I do actually, not just eyesight either, but other medical conditions too. I live near a town that a lot of people 'retire' to, some of their driving is frightening.  In fact I love going to the local supermarket, I stay in the car whilst my wife goes shopping.  Watching some of these people trying to park, is better than some of the TV shows of late, especially when they 'hit the wrong pedal'  and take out one of the bollards.  😄

[JKD]

There shouldn't be any objections to eyesight tests, at any age TBH. After all, it's the main sense used, including the peripheral part of it 🤓

Many years ago, I witnessed a very old guy jerkily parking his car in a small car park. I was amazed when I walked past him, because he had a black eye-patch over his left eye 😲 Gobsmacked was the term I used !!!

[JKD]

3 minutes ago, Westley said:

 

I do actually, not just eyesight either, but other medical conditions too. I live near a town that a lot of people 'retire' to, some of their driving is frightening.  In fact I love going to the local supermarket, I stay in the car whilst my wife goes shopping.  Watching some of these people trying to park, is better than some of the TV shows of late, especially when they 'hit the wrong pedal'  and take out one of the bollards.  😄

Many of the brick walls, house fronts/porches and shop fronts that I get sent to repair/rebuild are, more often than not, due to an 'older generation person' mixing up the 2 pedals in their automatic car 🙈 Nothing to do with eyesight, but an essential part of driving is which pedal does what !?

[Westley]

Which is why I would advocate a compulsory driving proficiency test at each driving licence renewal. I took one, which was organised by the local Council, two years ago. It lasted for a couple of hours, took in town, motorway and minor roads driving. I enjoyed it.

[JKD]

1 minute ago, Westley said:

Which is why I would advocate a compulsory driving proficiency test at each driving licence renewal. I took one, which was organised by the local Council, two years ago. It lasted for a couple of hours, took in town, motorway and minor roads driving. I enjoyed it.

Definitely 👍 Every vehicle is a potential killing machine 😬

[JohnfromUK]

I have my eyesight checked annually - and (with my regular glasses) have near perfect vision.  Without glasses I doubt I'd pass even the rather basic driving test requirement.  I know two people now who have given up voluntarily on reduced eyesight (still legal, but knew they were 'below par').

I believe IF I was not able to pass the sight test, the optician would advise my GP, who would not allow license renewal?

[Westley]

23 hours ago, JKD said:

There shouldn't be any objections to eyesight tests, at any age TBH. After all, it's the main sense used, including the peripheral part of it 🤓

Many years ago, I witnessed a very old guy jerkily parking his car in a small car park. I was amazed when I walked past him, because he had a black eye-patch over his left eye 😲 Gobsmacked was the term I used !!!

But it is NOT an offence to drive if you only have 1 eye, as long as you have declared it to the DVLA and of course, your Insurance Company. 

Edited January 6 by Westley

[JKD]

1 hour ago, Westley said:

But it is NOT an offence to drive if you only have 1 eye, as long as you have declared it to the DVLA and of course, your Insurance Company. 

WOW !!! Logically, that is nuts ,,,, practically, that is also nuts 😧 Unless you're a Cyclops 🤷😆

[JohnfromUK]

5 minutes ago, JKD said:

WOW !!! Logically, that is nuts ,,,, practically, that is also nuts 😧 Unless you're a Cyclops 🤷😆

I know at least two people who only have sight in one eye and drive completely normally.  Both drove as part of their day jobs.  Both had lost the sight in one eye after driving for some time, accident in one case, medical in the other. 

Edited January 6 by JohnfromUK

[JKD]

2 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

I know at least two people who only have sight in one eye and drive completely normally.  Both drove as part of their day jobs.  Both had lost the sight in one eye after driving for some time, accident in one case, medical in the other. 

Fair play to them. I'm sure I couldn't,,,, just hope I don't get to find out 😕

[Westley]

I have been driving since the early 60's and I can recall several people with sight in just 1 eye. They coped very well, it just means their head turning far more than anyone with full sight.  A lot of these people were ex veterans, from the second world war.

[McSpredder]

Just as a matter of interest, how does a one-eyed driver judge distances?  

[amateur]

3 hours ago, McSpredder said:

Just as a matter of interest, how does a one-eyed driver judge distances?  

A botched cataract op on my left eye has left me with severe, uncorrectable astigmatism in it, rendering it pretty well unusable, but I can see perfectly with my right.

I have no problems with driving and judging distances. Both my optician and opthalmology consultant confirm that I am fit to drive.

I must admit, though, that I avoid night driving.

My shooting is as good (or bad) as it ever was.

[Westley]

On 07/01/2024 at 04:01, amateur said:

A botched cataract op on my left eye has left me with severe, uncorrectable astigmatism in it, rendering it pretty well unusable, but I can see perfectly with my right.

I have no problems with driving and judging distances. Both my optician and opthalmology consultant confirm that I am fit to drive.

I must admit, though, that I avoid night driving.

My shooting is as good (or bad) as it ever was.

Sorry to hear that, I had a detached retina and was reduced to one eye for a short while. It was not a nice experience.  I am delighted that you are coping so well though.

[Graham M]

When I reached 70 I had to send off for a new plastic driving licence and send off my old pink one. On the form I was asked if I could read a number plate a 25mtrs.

As I could do this I replied yes and just sent off for my licence. The man up the road from me couldn't read a plate at that distance and had to go for a DVLA eye test at a nominated DVLA opticians. He was able to pass whilst wearing his normal glasses and got his licence.

Bad driving amongst the elderly is more to do with senility than eyesight.

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

9 hours ago, Graham M said:

Bad driving amongst the elderly is more to do with senility than eyesight.

Nail on the head moment.   

[ditchman]

9 hours ago, Graham M said:

When I reached 70 I had to send off for a new plastic driving licence and send off my old pink one. On the form I was asked if I could read a number plate a 25mtrs.

As I could do this I replied yes and just sent off for my licence. The man up the road from me couldn't read a plate at that distance and had to go for a DVLA eye test at a nominated DVLA opticians. He was able to pass whilst wearing his normal glasses and got his licence.

Bad driving amongst the elderly is more to do with senility than eyesight.

 

Does that include young drivers with senility....

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 minute ago, ditchman said:

Does that include young drivers with senility....

No, that is called STUPIDITY.  

[London Best]

2 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

No, that is called STUPIDITY.  

Now that’s a real nail on head moment!

[Graham M]

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=597772508&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBGB982GB982&sxsrf=ACQVn0_1AX3-Z8PMKND0-FooToMPf3lJzw:1705056707643&q=stupid+young+drivers&tbm=vid&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjXx4Wb19eDAxWb9bsIHRRZBLcQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=1440&bih=739&dpr=1#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:8a307766,vid:SHblTRYu2eE,st:0

[nic]

On 05/01/2024 at 17:13, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, do you know of any road accidents involving OAPs like me not wearing glasses ????, far better to educate the younger generation as there has been multiple accidents and deaths for bad driving, speeding, to much alcohol , drugs, showing off to their mates, The P plate should be given for 1 year after a test pass, last year 3 local  young lives gone, speeding and hit a tree at 50/60 MPH, in a 30 MPH limit, 🤔

yes I do, but there again I was a traffic cop...... One elderly gent after failing to see a motorcycle which was not speeding on a straight road was required to have an ophthalmic optician examination after failing a roadside eyesight test.... after that he was required to wear glasses when driving as a condition on his licence.... he was not doing so a couple of months later when he failed to see 2 horses in front of him and he killed one... luckily the rider got away uninjured..... he gave up his licence then and also had to move house as he could not get by due to its rural location without a car..... I gave him the option of giving up or being done for numerous offences including dangerous driving.

 

another force carried out a roadside check where every other car had the drivers eyesight tested ...... one 87 year old lady could not see the Police car let alone read the number plate at the required distance!  she was driven home and a report made to DVLA due to her 'medical condition'. to revoke her licence.

 

there are all sorts of reasons for crashes and some have consequences beyond what you expect.

On 11/01/2024 at 21:41, Graham M said:

When I reached 70 I had to send off for a new plastic driving licence and send off my old pink one. On the form I was asked if I could read a number plate a 25mtrs.

As I could do this I replied yes and just sent off for my licence. The man up the road from me couldn't read a plate at that distance and had to go for a DVLA eye test at a nominated DVLA opticians. He was able to pass whilst wearing his normal glasses and got his licence.

Bad driving amongst the elderly is more to do with senility than eyesight.

 

and he will have a condition on his licence that he must be wearing them while driving or he is driving basically without a licence (otherwise than in accordance is the charge wording)