Well, am not going to lose it as such, more a man with a sharp knife and a hacksaw is going to take it away!!!
It is a left leg below the knee amputation, am told when am kitted out with with a false one I wont have a limp, and to all intents and purposes will look “normal”
Am really seeking advice from anyone who has gone down this road, to be honest I have not contacted the DVLA yet to find out if I can still drive an HGV. Would rather hear it from the “horses mouth” as to whats involved, can I still drive a truck? employment? am one off those funny drivers who prefers agency work, do I have to declare that I am one legged and the parrot is called Polly!!!
If you can give me some pointers would really appreciate it.
if everything is ok and no limp when your back up and … i wont say running, if you feel like it wont hinder you just dont tell any future employer about it. ssshhhhhh.
If I remember corectly last year there was an article in one of the trucking magazines (possibly T&D) about a man in the same situation as you. It may be worth having a look at back issues and seeing if you can learn anything from that or possibly even contact the driver concerned. Good luck in trying to sort out your future after the op.
A certain HGV driving instructor in the midlands manages OK.
Look on the bright side. 50% less chance of cramp from then although the parrot ■■■■ is a bit of a bummer 
Yea, I know that was a flippant comment, but we may as well get them all in now and their must be a good reason he’s ‘having it off’, so to speak.
I have a feeling I was talking to this guy somewhere recently…classic show?..something to do with bikes by any chance?
tommie1shunt:
Well, am not going to lose it as such, more a man with a sharp knife and a hacksaw is going to take it away!!!
It is a left leg below the knee amputation, am told when am kitted out with with a false one I wont have a limp, and to all intents and purposes will look “normal”
Am really seeking advice from anyone who has gone down this road, to be honest I have not contacted the DVLA yet to find out if I can still drive an HGV. Would rather hear it from the “horses mouth” as to whats involved, can I still drive a truck? employment? am one off those funny drivers who prefers agency work, do I have to declare that I am one legged and the parrot is called Polly!!!
If you can give me some pointers would really appreciate it.
dont forget your eye patch 
joking aside…
not sure if it’s different for a false leg but we used to have a guy at our place who could still drive artics and he had a false arm after loosing it in a bailer 
, but he had one of those steering wheel knobs. whether that was a legal requiment or just to help him i dont know.
i am sure there are people in the uk that drive trucks who have lost both legs, sure something was in T&D a while back one guy’s quest to get behind the wheel 
,
dont see who it would affect your driving though. not sure though if there are any limitations in the haulage world as what you can and cant do with a false limb 
.
Sorry to hear about the leg tommie, but I can’t see why you physically shouldn’t be able to drive a truck, specially as it’s the left one. Come on, half the trucks now a days don’t even have a clutch. If DVLA will let you drive, then go for it. As for agency work, why say anything about the leg if you your self don’t have problems ?
Don’t know about DVLA, maybe need a doctors report saying that the loss of your leg doesn’t affect you ability of safety to drive a heavy goods vehicle.
As for companies, if you are capable of doing the job and they refuse you because of the leg (or lack of it ) then aren’t they in breach of the disablility discrimination act? but then of course they counter with the good old cover all health and safety. But then you counter by reminding them Douglas Bader fought the Battle of Britain and attempted to escape from POW camps with no legs at all and nobody told him it wasn’t okay due to Health and Safety. 
tommie1shunt:
Well, am not going to lose it as such, more a man with a sharp knife and a hacksaw is going to take it away!!!
It is a left leg below the knee amputation, am told when am kitted out with with a false one I wont have a limp, and to all intents and purposes will look “normal”
Am really seeking advice from anyone who has gone down this road, to be honest I have not contacted the DVLA yet to find out if I can still drive an HGV. Would rather hear it from the “horses mouth” as to whats involved, can I still drive a truck? employment? am one off those funny drivers who prefers agency work, do I have to declare that I am one legged and the parrot is called Polly!!!
If you can give me some pointers would really appreciate it.
I remember Reed Boardall had a paraplegic driving for them. They bought and adapted a Volvo FH12 specifically for the driver. What the routine was to open the back doors and hook up trailers I don’t know but I suspect it relied on others.
Left leg shouldn’t make a difference but to be realistic, you’d have to limit yourself to automatics which just about is every truck now being made.
Congrats on not letting it become an obstacle and wanting to wallow in self pity - too many do.
tommie
Isee you come from bolton were i lived most of my life.There was a driver came from bolton by the name of bill hamm R.I.P. who drove the m.e.for yrs with a false leg.Best of luck mate.
regards dave.
there was in I belive TRUCK & DRIVER (june 2005) a article about a wheel chair driver
his firm adapted a OLD DAF so he could drive and he had a set route
and the customers knew about this and the work was one which he could
do,HERE in germany about 15years ago there was a driver who had lost both legs
and the appropiate office over here paid for a modifcation on the truck so
that he was lifted into the cab on a small platform ledge by the cab and the work
that he was required to do was one that he was capable of with his disabilities,
I used to work with a guy who had lost his leg in an accident (his name was Roy but we called him Pegleg for dome reason. 
) and he still drove artics. Very funny sharing a cabin with him on the ferry, he used to take his leg off and leave it lying on the floor, didn’t half give the girl who came round to wake you up a hell of a scare.
Good luck with the operation, hope you are back on your foot soon.
If you ever need cheering up just watch the Pete and Dudley sketch about a (leg ■■■■■■■) Dudley hopping about whilst applying for the part of Tarzan.
On a more serious note, if H. Mills can dance and skate then driving an autobox should be a doddle.
Just called DVLA medical on 01792 782 341
1 - inform DVLA of condition
2 - DVLA medical will send forms asking certain quesions
3 - Depending on the answers to those questions, they MAY ask you to attend a medical
4 - So many possiblities at this point that speculation is pointless
HOPe I have helped 
TAXI!!
Good luck with the op Tommie, I know a lot of guys and gals who are amputees, who still ride bikes and drive cars/trucks.
I am having mine removed later this year, I had two heart ops in 2009, which is why I am having to wait for the amputation.
I have a feeling I was talking to this guy somewhere recently…classic show?..something to do with bikes by any chance?
To quote your user name “do you mean me” It was probably me you were talking to at the classic bike show at the NEC
Gee i thought you all would be sensitive and not take the mickey!!! I see no one has got the phrases in, you have not got a leg to stand on, or you put your foot in it …but I limp in hope!!! Yes, this is the end result of a motor bike crash some 25 years ago, what erks me more the crash was my fault. Never give H Mills a thought until some mentioned her. well don’t want to talk to her but she can turn my ignition any time she wants. At the moment I don’t have to inform anyone as I still have legs in stereo, when i am reduced to mono will inform the authority’s, from whats been posted on here I don’t think there should be to many problems. Am off scouring Autotrader for an automatic with enough room in it for a large bird cage…
Re Classic bike show, not me, never been, hell it,s in Birmingham thats enough off an excuse not to go…
Hi Tommie.
There is a web site that you will find a lot of info on disabilities. Mainly for bikers but anyone is welcome.
nabd.org.uk/
You will find me on the forum under the name of Scaniaman, Lots of information on disablities and the DVLA.
Hope all goes well and if I can help at all, please let me know.
PS. It was probably me, Doyoumeanme was referring to at the NEC
Graham
tommie a couple of years ago there was a pliot flying for fedex who had to have the same surgery as yourself(his was a boating accident) and he managed to get back flying for the company,if the FAA passed him to fly again you should have no problems with the DVLA.
Best of luck
There’s a guy on our firm who has a false leg, right leg amputated above the knee, drives a Volvo FM globetrotter with a roller crane trailer so it hasn’t stopped him
tommie1shunt:
Well, am not going to lose it as such, more a man with a sharp knife and a hacksaw is going to take it away!!!
It is a left leg below the knee amputation, am told when am kitted out with with a false one I wont have a limp, and to all intents and purposes will look “normal”
Am really seeking advice from anyone who has gone down this road, to be honest I have not contacted the DVLA yet to find out if I can still drive an HGV. Would rather hear it from the “horses mouth” as to whats involved, can I still drive a truck? employment? am one off those funny drivers who prefers agency work, do I have to declare that I am one legged and the parrot is called Polly!!!
If you can give me some pointers would really appreciate it.
theres a bloke who works in our office who has a class 1 and he now walks with a bad limp due to leg being crushed by a dumper he can only drive vehicles with auto box as stated with restriction code on licence,cant see there being a prob as u said u might not even have a limp,he was very suprised when i informed him that the majority of trucks are auto these days
T Brierley’s in Salford had a 1 legged driver. Can’t remember his name Billy something or other and he used to get about fine. And i am not being funny but the only trouble he had was for refusing to put a safety boot on his false foot.
edited for crap fingers