Fitness to drive

I have never had my licence revoked but the DVLA did make arrangements for me to go to a local driving school to read a number plate because I have Macular degeneration. Although my optician and the doctor at Moorfields said I was okay to drive, that was not good enough for the DVLA.

I think that you should fight it. They cannot decide by reading a piece of paper outlining his drugs. Surely the DVLA could make arrangements for somebody to sit beside him and assess him before they throw him on the scrap heap? Go for it.

DH had to surrender his licence when he lost his peripheral vision following a stroke. It was a borderline decision but I think it was the right one even though he had always been a competent and safe driver. I then became his only link with the outside world as we also live in the middle of nowhere.

Could your GP give an opinion/advice, Luckygirl?

Thanks for your replies. I would absolutely endorse the decision if I thought it was the right one; but I don't. I think the DVLC think that the drugs he is on might make him drowsy - which indeed they do if he is sitting in a warm room. But when he is driving he is such an anxious person that there are buckets of adrenalin circulating and nothing in the world would make him fall asleep - he is totally wired.

It is a problem as I think this is the first step towards us having to decide to leave this wonderful place that we adore and move somewhere nearer a town, or nearer our DD. I have some mobility problems, but am still able to drive, although I need an automatic car as my right foot is so painful. I am not an enthusiastic driver, especially after dark, but just do it to get from A to B - no joy in it!

It feels as though this will restrict his life even more, which is definitely not a good thing. I doubt he will discuss it with anyone as he is deep down pleased that he does not have to go out. But when he does go out he becomes much brighter and really enjoys himself - but getting the superglue of his bum is a huge challenge! I don't do it very often as I think he has the right to make his own decisions; but he is a new man when he goes out and it seems such a shame to see him just giving up - this decision is just one more step in that that giving up.

What a worry for you Luckgirl. A relative of mine had his licence revoked as soon as DVLA were notified of his PD. With his GP's support he appealed and the disqualification was revoked. PM me if you need to know anymore.

DH voluntarily gave up driving 5 years ago after his heart op and the beginning of dizzy spells. He actually never had one driving but said he didn't feel able to take the risk as one at the wrong time might be one too many. Since then he has had TIAs and a stroke and he feels he made the right decision. We live in a village with 2 buses an hour (very close together) and actually the bus stop is too far for him to walk to so I have to drive him to at least 3 NHS related things a week along with everything else.
C'est la vie.
Took a while for him to stop "back seat driving" along with the occasional ultimatum from me!

I am not sure how the DVLA come to their decisions. My friends husband lost an eye but still held into his licence. I was amazed - if you shut one eye I wouldnt want to drive with the 50% left.

My husband was a diabetic, so had to reapply every three years. After he was diagnosed with ataxia, he did not apply again for a licence. He had not been driving for two years before that as he knew his reactions were slower than they had been.

Whitewave, I've only ever been able to see out of one eye since I got an arrow in the other one when I was five. Shutting one eye is not quite the same.
I always used to think they would never give me a licence, but they did.
It takes about six months, apparently to get used to only seeing out of one eye, or so the DVLA told me.
You are a lot more careful if you can only see out of one eye.

After DS's stroke he had to reapply for his DL and, after the driving test that he had to take, was refused on the grounds of poor peripheral vision. His eyesight was checked by his GP, his optician and the stroke consultant who all said they could find nothing wrong. He asked for a review and was again refused. Actually, driving wasn't his forte before the stroke which might have had a bearing on things. It has however given me the occupation of driving him to and from appointments. We have one in Sheffield in a couple of weeks - it will snow, because it always does.

Lucky could you get some sort of informal test, maybe done by a driving school, or one of those older people's tests (RoSPA was mentioned on the news), so you have an opinion on which to base a decision about appealing.

Just been talking it over with OH. He doesn't really want to dispute it or reapply. As I have said in the past, he doesn't really want to go out anywhere (sigh). Also he says he does not feel safe driving any more as he forgets things - what a road sign said a few yards back etc. So, I think we will just have to make the best of it. It just feels like a step-change and a landmark in his inevitable decline. It just brings it home that there is only one direction for all this. We will get used to it; but I think I need to give some thought to the next stage in terms of housing. We will talk with the children. I know so many people with PD who are doing better than OH.

((hugs)) Lucky. That is sad. You will have to think long and hard about a possible move but it could be an opportunity to improve things for both of you - but without the views!

Would DH be less reclusive if amenities were more easily accessible?

I was the one to stop my H driving when his AZ got worse. It was a big step. Driving somehow defines them and I had also given up myself. Now with AMD I could not take it up again. It has made a huge change to our independence but we have had to accept the inevitable." Old age is not for the fainthearted". Who said that? They were right.

Thanks folks. It is good that others understand what a big step this feels like. We will adapt I am sure.

You may find your DH becomes less reclusive when the stress of driving is no longer an issue. He is obviously OK about giving up his licence which is far better than if he became angry and depressed about it. He has probably known for a while that his driving capabilities were diminishing so now the decision has been made for him he can relax.

For a while I found it strange suddenly having to become the only driver. I used to automatically go to the passenger's side of the car and there were times when I felt put upon but you soon get used to it. The only time I felt peeved was when I heard people constantly sympathising with DH and his 'lack of independence.' I think it was about two years before anyone acknowledged it was hard on me as well.

But.....There will be many times when you can put a positive spin on this.

You can appeal against the withdrawal of a licence. You then go through a testing procedure. I am not sure what this is, possibly a bit like a driving test. An uncle of mine appealed against the withdrawal of his licence and was tested and in his case, rightly (he had dementia), the decison to withdraw it was upheld.

That's what my son did!