Man in front of me at queue in local shop.....

Blimey. Makes you think. Could you check out the company he was driving for? I wonder what health checks HGV drivers have to go through.

Yes, a ticking timebomb by the sound of it!

Even worse, in a local supermarket before Christmas, a man asked me for help to read the cooking time etc on a turkey. I could not help him because although I wear glasses I have Macular degeneration and did not have a magnifying glass with me. His sight was worse than mine, he was an HGV driver and had never had an eye test and he was at least in his late 40's. Frightening to think that he is on the road although I did persuade him to have a test.

Yes, I did wonder about contacting his company but quickly discounted the idea. How judgemental would I sound telling them that their driver has self neglect problems ( seriously, he smelt as if he hadn't washed or changed his clothes for days), and is eating badly? I did once report a van driver to his employer for throwing the rubbish from his MacDonald's meal out of the window on a country lane, the lady who answered the phone was so angry with him and what it was doing to their family business reputation that I started to feel a bit sorry for him! Seriously, though, this man today was a danger and it does concern me.

Don't you think the lorry driver was probably doing a long distance trip and had most likely slept in his cab, therefore no washing facilities? If he was overweight he probably sweats a lot! Yes, he could have stopped off at a public loo for a wash but perhaps it was too cold or he was in a hurry. I know it sounds like I'm making excuses for him - I can't think of an excuse for the mountains of chocolate, though.

My nephew is an HGV driver doesn't drink, eats well, goes to the gym , doesn't smoke- he tells me he is very unusual among his peers and often gets ribbed about it.

When I worked as a SW I saw many people who had had previous head injuries who now had a clean bill of health to drive again - so far, so good. But we knew that subtle neuropsychological testing (plus the reports of their spouses) made it clear that their frontal lobe damage had interfered with their ability to control their tempers. But none of this counted to the DVLC. Also, earlier in my career, I worked with young people, some of whom would now be classed as having learning disabilities, and at that time they too were allowed to drive and several drove lorries.

As a consequence I am always very wary on the motorway when overtaking lorries.

Also (no racist implications here, so please please do not come down on me like a ton of bricks) my DD and her family were hit on the wing mirror on the motorway by a Polish lorry driver pulling out while they were overtaking - they were thankfully unhurt and indicated to the driver to pull in at the services station that was coming up. To his credit he did so, and their discussion with him elicited the confession that he does have difficulty driving on our motorways and in our lorries.

After I had a cataract operation I was driving with a prescription lens over the untreated eye and plain lens over the treated one (I had been assured by my surgeon that I could drive). I was driving extra cautiously and carefully and commented on this to my optician who told me that someone who was blind in one eye and had tunnel vision in the other could successfully pass the DVLC eye test - read a number plate at 75 feet (or whatever the distance is).

I did not find this comment reassuring.

Out of interest, how does one indicate to someone to come off the motorway onto a service area?

DH's cousin was an HGV lorry driver and he had to have regular medical and eye tests. At one point the EU were suggesting bringing in a regulation saying that you could not drive a lorry if you wore glasses or contact lens and, as a glasses wearer, he was active in a campaign against this suggestion that was never enacted.

I would think any reputable transport company would ensure that their drivers were fit for the job. I have read about lorry drivers prosecuted for falling asleep at the wheel and causing accidents, but I have never read cases of them being in court for incidents caused by eyesight that did not meet the proper standards.

Why does gransnet have it in for lorry drivers? If they're not texting on their phones, cutting people up on motorways or tailgating in the slow lane they're smoking, not washing behind their ears or (shock, horror) eating Mars Bars.

FFS It's all unproven......The majority of lorry drivers are experienced, considerate, hard working and do not go out with the intention of causing accidents or offending someone's delicate senses because they don't have an en suite shower room in their cab.

Of course I'm sure some absolutely perfect car drivers will disagree with me.

My oh is an HGV driver. Yes he is a bit overweight. He's away overnight often and the facilities in this country are very poor compared with on the continent. With digital tacographs, roadworks, accidents, loading delays etc, he can end up having to park in a layby with zero facilities. He does cook in his cab but it's mostly tins.
At age 50, then every 5 years they have a medical. As far as I know the eye requirements are the same as for a car.

We have a good friend who's a Lorry driver. He's ex army and spotless right down to his polished boots and he is as thin as a rake, his driving is second to none. He has to pass a medical. He does tell us some car drivers horror story's about drivers slowing down after overtaking, or pulling out of a junction, cutting them up, not realising that lorrys are carrying a massive load that propel them forward so need more space to brake. The facilities in this country for our Lorry drivers are dire. There are fat smelly people in all walks of life. in a way I can understand the OP concerns. Remember that awful accident in Scotland with a bin Lorry. But unless somone is obviously in no state to drive what can you do?

Not got it in for lorry drivers, but just concerned that the rules for an HGV licence might reasonably be more stringent.

Bags - I wasn't in the car at the time - I presume they just waved and signalled.

Harry Clarke, the bin lorry driver, had a history of dizziness and blackouts. He did not tell the DVLA and he lied about it to his employer.

It should be compulsory for a doctor, who has diagnosed a person with a condition that will make driving dangerous, to notify DVLA.

Perhaps he was taking the choccies home as a treat for his children if he hadn't seen them for a while?
No, I know, they are not good for the children either, but unless you know the exact circumstances

I am always wary of drivers who may have been on drugs; there are no stringent roadside tests for drugs in this country despite there being talk of it for many years

And by that I am not specifying lorry drivers, it means the idiotic youngish drivers who weave in and out dangerously on motorways or overtake at dangerous points.
Even taking drugs the night before could impair their driving performance.

Probably chatted on his handheld mobile phone or read the newspaper whilst eating his chocolate and smoking his ciggies as he drove away GillT57 . I have seen some lorry drivers do some very dangerous things whilst driving on motorways.

Well there's the answer then. He didn't have a free hand to spray on some deodorant.

I know someone who drives a lorry for a living and as far as I know he doesn't drink during the week but on a weekend he consumes a large bottle of vodka. That must be over the recommended level for men surely.

If he drinks the bottle of vodka on a Sunday wouldn't it still be in his system on Monday when he's driving?

DH was an HGV driver. He had regular medicals, although they didn't pick up several medical problems that he developed. When he developed Type 2 Diabetes he had to inform the DVLA and get clearance to drive. He did a lot od driving on the continent where the facilities are much better. They have decent Truck Stops with showers and restaurants and shops.

MOnica - my father was born blind in one eye. he was in the second world war [signed up early] so must have passed a medical.

and he drove a car from early in the 50s when he was 30-ish until he was over 80.

how on earth he got away with it i'll never know - and, unfortunately, can't ask him as he passed away 6 years ago ...................... and i didn't know about it until after he died!!

I have every sympathy for people who drive HGVs for a living as it must be a stressful occupation, but I have had several frights on the M5 and M1 which I use quite often. I have to say it is mostly the foreign lorry drivers who have caused me concern. I imagine they get very tired, and having to drive on the other side of the road than the one they are accustomed to must be difficult. A friend who was sideswiped on the M5 by a Portuguese lorry driver, who said he never saw her massive Volvo estate car when he pulled out suddenly to overtake was told by police after the accident that this kind of incident was very common where foreign drivers in LH drive vehicles had restricted vision. Since I learned this I get out of the way of these juggernauts at the earliest opportunity. I read that the police use unmarked lorry cabs on the motorway so thay can look down at drivers eating, drinking and using mobile phones when driving and charge them: great idea.