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

Hi lupatria and annodomini,
Due to a childhood accident I have been blind in my left eye since the age of 9. If this happens early in life then you automatically adjust and it doesn't cause a problem with driving. Though I have to admit I can't play pingpong, badminton etc, lol
Been driving for around 40 years, both cars and motorbikes, and never had an accident even though I drive long distances at times.
Hope you find this reassuring ?

I was driving my colleague home one morning. The roads were fortunately very quiet as it was around Christmas or New Year time. There was a Wagon in front of us weaving about along the dual carriageway. I overtook it, giving it a wide berth. The driver was reading a newspaper .

About 15 years ago I was on a coach travelling through Holland. The traffic was very busy. I was high up and level with the lorry drivers. I saw one, lying back in his seat and steering with his feet. I've never forgotten that sight. He was obviously very tired and could have fallen asleep at any time.

My husband has driven extensively both in the UK and abroad but I don't think he has had any worse experience with HGV drivers than with white van drivers (apologies to any on here) or even ordinary car drivers. I suspect as others have said this guy may have been out overnight and not had the facilities to freshen himself up (although that probably doesn't excuse all the junk food if it was for him) but there are plenty of very smelly think people around as well! I had a friend who only discovered she had no peripheral vision in one eye after she'd been driving for years - she'd always been like that. I think everyone should have an eye test specifically for driving - I don't believe the current 'read a number plate' test is really adequate. I have very bad eyesight corrected by contacts but know that my distance vision is not so good for driving and my night vision is appalling - I don't drive at night now unless it's absolutely essential.

I once passed a lorry driver who was reading, with the book balanced on the steering wheel! - I was in a coach so was on the same level as we passed.

The warden of my Uni residence was blind in one eye (can't remember which) but was learning to drive. She asked if any students who had passed the driving test would be willing to accompany her so that she could get some practice. Like a fool, I volunteered. The worst thing was when she went round a roundabout the wrong way! How she managed to pass the test first time, I never could understand, but she did and from then on was to be seen around town in her Morris Minor. I hope she never killed anyone!

The case of the bus driven who, having blacked out while driving on separate occasions, still continued to pursue a licence to drive a bus and then killed several people while suddenly unconscious, must make us all pause for thought.

While, as several commenter on this thread have pointed out, most HGV drivers are healthy, careful and cautious, the fact that they drive huge vehicles capable of killing many makes us regard the drivers in a category different from other road users. It is a bit like Caesar's wife having to be above suspicion.

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.

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!!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.