foxy stars:
i got no central vision in my right eye only peripheral vision after an industrial accident some years ago i got banned in 2001 (speeding) and then had to take all licenses again 2004 when i got my license back. i’ve not had any problems and the dvla ddin’t stop me from taking my test or anything and they’ve not tried to revoke my license either.
hoping that your friend can get a result out of this dire situation.
one other point a really good friend uses prosthetics to walk and cos of that he can’t drive hgv despite the fact that he can use all the pedals…go figure…
Thankyou for that if we can get enough of that sort of info we may be able to help his case i know there will be people who will read this and think that dvla are right , and some drivers are dangerous with two eyes, i can tell youhe is one of the best if not the best even in this condition. Part of his problems are that he is so fussy and carefull no one will work for him. He can do the job
Well I wish him all the best, I really do but the most honest if brutal advice I could give would be not to hand over thousands of pounds to a solicitor based on false hope.
dvla decisions are normally final unless a consultant doctor can provide evidence to say that there is no obvious danger which is how the dvla approach this issue.
unfortunately lgv/hgv drivers get singled out cos of the size of the truck - i went on a trackday at oulton park and there was a bloke there with a full uk bike license who rides with one arm - you can ride bikes/drive cars but not get in a truck.
one other point a really good friend uses prosthetics to walk and cos of that he can’t drive hgv despite the fact that he can use all the pedals…go figure…
There are guys in wheel chairs driving adapted trucks- so why would prosthetics exclude him?
Fair play to the bloke in the photo, but let’s get “real world” here rather than “political correctness world”, if I needed a driver to cover odd days, would I really spend £3,000+ having a wheelchair winch fitted to the truck?
My mate would gladly do ten k to get his license back,he has a job that he can do, a job that he absolutley loves and a almost new truck And trl paid for. Lets keep thinking there guys, he doesnt do computers so i put this up for him on the off chance that we might glean some info that could help him.
rikki i couldn’t understand it either - i’ve known him for a very long time and he’s one of those people that refused to lie down…he’s always used prosthetics (i’ve never seen him use a chair) yet the doctor that did his medical said that “it would be unwise for him to drive a truck” - that’s what it said in the letter that he got, no other explanation cos he’s fitter than i’ll ever be…i didn’t understand it then and i still don’t understand it now.
the only reason that we’ve ever come up with is that his legs might not do what he wants them to do…he has driven the tipper when i was on with o’gara a few years ago and he had no problems with that and that had a manual gearbox — i just don’t understand the decision…he has said that he might try for it again using diff doctor but he’s undecided cos he doesn’t want a second knockback — it was bad enough being around him last time.
Amazing really on one hand we have these disabled people who want to work,and on the other we have these fully able people who do there very best not to.i got a driver who been on the sick for two yrs now with and i quote the sick note chronic pain!this guys hadcancer ,had his eye removed,told he was touch an go because it was so near to his brain and just wants to get on with his work.tell you what i love england but setimes i do despair about the place
Foxy Stars i cant see why your mate with prosthetic cant drive an hgv they can fit hand controls so no need to use legs but might have to be auto.All i can say is i lost both my legs above knee 3 and a bit years agoand the first thing i did was get in touch with dvla and my doctor and all agreed i was fit to drive and i kept my licence. I do have prosthetic legs now and can walk with sticks i think it will be hard for me to find someone willing to put a hoist in a truck and i no i would be limited to what i could do but i wont give up the dream of driving again.
Eyesight
All applicants, for any category of vehicle must be able to read in good light with glasses or contact lenses if necessary:
a number plate at 20.5 metres (67 feet) where the characters displayed are 57mm wide, or
20 metres (65 feet), where characters displayed are 50mm wide.
The characters displayed on all new and replacement number plates manufactured from September 2001 are 50mm in width instead of 57mm. See D100 for details.
Applicants for categories C1, C1+E, D1, D1+E, C, C+E, D and D+E must also by law have:
3a - a visual acuity of at least 6/9 in the better eye
a visual acuity of at least 6/12 in the worse eye, and
if these are achieved by wearing glasses or contact lenses the uncorrected visual acuity in each eye must be no less than 3/60.
I’ve got a gammy eye due to accident damage when i was a nipper, fortunately as the accident happened when i was little i adapated to it and have excellent vision in the one good eye and still good peripheral vision in the damaged one.
Timescale is the thing, i took my licence 36 years ago and the sight requirements changed since (can’t give you a date) and my sight hasn’t deteriorated since, so i keep my licence through grandfather rights…though if i had an accident that could be overruled.
Your mate’s sight has been damaged more recently so a different set of rules may apply.
As to some of the above comments about shouldn’t be driving etc, i see the antics and incompetence of the younger perfect specimins every bloody day and the accident damage they cause even when they can apparently see like The Terminator, so don’t be coming the old ‘it shouldn’t be allowed’ routine.
Made me sick some of those comments Juddian, I hope to hell this mate of richmonds can keep driving an artic, these comments show how unfeeling & insensative some of these berks on here really are.
fly sheet:
I worked with two blokes Ken Green & Joe Connely both had lost an eye each & both drove hgv untill they retired richmond, so I have to disagree Greeny gave his hgv up at 68 & I know Joe drove for James Soens well into his 60s, tell our friend not to give up.
Joe was still at it elsewhere after Jimmy and Nigel went ■■■■ up, Fly. Couldn’t imagine the old trooper ever retiring
fly sheet:
Made me sick some of those comments Juddian, I hope to hell this mate of richmonds can keep driving an artic, these comments show how unfeeling & insensative some of these berks on here really are.
Richmond, memory has been triggered, when i got my licence @ 21 the Ministry as it was wasn’t keen on allowing me a licence due to my far from good sight in the one eye.
However my doctor wrote to them explaining in depth more about the situation and he recommended i be allowed a licence, they capitulated.
Might be worth pursuing along those lines if your mate can find a supportive doctor.
Glad there’s still some proper geezers about, Fly Sheet and Billybigrig among those to be found.
Harry Monk:
Fair play to the bloke in the photo, but let’s get “real world” here rather than “political correctness world”, if I needed a driver to cover odd days, would I really spend £3,000+ having a wheelchair winch fitted to the truck?
Sometimes Harry…
Let’s get into the world where stating the bleeding obvious is unnecessary nNo you wouldn’t have a 3grand winch fitted to your lorry for a casual driver, but if you had a driver who had an accident/illness that left him in a wheelchair and he could still do the job perfectly well the situation may be different, I very much doubt the bloke in Rikki’s picture gets many calls from the agency, but he seems to do ok at the firm with the Scania
To the OP, ain’t got a clue, but if the bloke can pass an eye test and show he is competent behind the wheel, then he should be able to drive lorries
