We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Police to check driver's eysight
Comments
-
At 48 kph (30 mph) you will travel 20 metres in 1.5 seconds. If you can't see clearly that far you are as big a menace as a drunk driver.
How people are claiming being asked to read something as large and designed-to-be-visible as a number plate at that range is unfair, is beyond me.
Reading a number plate at 20 metres is to eye-tests what putting your finger on your nose is to sobriety tests.
I live in an area which has a lot of elderly people and I have lost count of the number of cars that have been damaged (including my own) and accidents that have been caused by drivers who simply cannot see.
The most recent one was at the community centre where the staff saw an old lady in the car park hit two cars trying to park. She then gave up on getting into that space and drove up to another one. She was about to hit the car next to it as well when the staff ran out and stopped her. Not only did she not know she had hit the other cars, she couldn't even see them when people pointed to them.
After it was sorted out, she drove home. Now at least the police might be able to do something.0 -
Also should revoke licences of people who can't detect sarcasm.Truth always poses doubts & questions. Only lies are 100% believable, because they don't need to justify reality. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Labyrinth of the Spirits0
-
AndyMc..... wrote: »So what I said was correct.Truth always poses doubts & questions. Only lies are 100% believable, because they don't need to justify reality. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Labyrinth of the Spirits0
-
I hope they also crack down and revoke the licences of all drivers found to not check all three mirrors before, during and after every manouevre they make.
Again I've said before, that I'd like a system where you'd have to sit a driving assessment every ten years to retain your licence. Over 70s would have to do that more often.
It'd sharpen everybody's driving up, get rid of the idea that it's a "right" and hopefully get the worst drivers of all ages off the road.
I think the standard of some drivers in this country is pretty appalling. It seems to get worse and worse too, and I'm reasonably sure that's not just me getting less tolerant.
By the way, I don't think I'm a faultless driver, but I try to be as good as I can, and at least concentrate on the job in hand.
Checking people's eyesight is perhaps at least a start in the right direction.0 -
Yes, but you're moving into different territory there, from not being capable of seeing what's there if you look in the mirrors, to can't be bothered to look in the mirrors.
Again I've said before, that I'd like a system where you'd have to sit a driving assessment every ten years to retain your licence. Over 70s would have to do that more often.
It'd sharpen everybody's driving up, get rid of the idea that it's a "right" and hopefully get the worst drivers of all ages off the road.
I think the standard of some drivers in this country is pretty appalling. It seems to get worse and worse too, and I'm reasonably sure that's not just me getting less tolerant.
By the way, I don't think I'm a faultless driver, but I try to be as good as I can, and at least concentrate on the job in hand.
Checking people's eyesight is perhaps at least a start in the right direction.
Reading a number plate is such a stupid and irrelevant test. It is not an "eye test" by any definition. It is a "Can you read a number plate at 20 metres" test and it stands for NOTHING else.
When has your ability to read a car's number plate ever put you or others at risk? Serious question to anyone who can provide any example.0 -
If you can see the number plate why does it matter whether you can actually read it? Its like saying well if you can see a car in front of you but can't tell what make of car it is, you shouldn't be driving!
Identifying a make of car is more akin to knowing the alphabet than meeting a basic eyesight standard. And reading a plate at 20m is a VERY basic eyesight test. The test is whether somebody has the visual acuity to distinguish the characters, not of their reading ability.
Can you answer this, please, with a clear and straightforward, unambiguous answer - are you suggesting that the number plate test is unreasonably stringent, and that people who do not have the visual acuity to meet it may still have perfectly adequate eyesight for driving?
The actual full eyesight rules are much more complex - the "read a plate" is just a simple, easy roadside rule-of-thumb. https://www.gov.uk/driving-eyesight-rules0 -
How is not being able to read exactly what letter a number plate is, how is that the same as "not seeing what's there"? If you can see the number plate why does it matter whether you can actually read it? Its like saying well if you can see a car in front of you but can't tell what make of car it is, you shouldn't be driving!
Reading a number plate is such a stupid and irrelevant test. It is not an "eye test" by any definition. It is a "Can you read a number plate at 20 metres" test and it stands for NOTHING else.
When has your ability to read a car's number plate ever put you or others at risk? Serious question to anyone who can provide any example.
https://youtu.be/q4zKUNTYmuU
I wonder what mad Colin was thinking when he ploughed up the kerb (at speed) in that video? "Uhhh, I think I hit a pot hole" or maybe he thought it was an overtaking lane? One thing is true: Colin was told his eyesight was bad and he needed to knock it on the head. Colin decided his right to drive was more important than Cassie's right to live.0 -
We're all agreed - the number plate test is incredibly basic. (In my case, I pass it easily without my glasses as I have one good eye and one astigmatic one. I did it on my test and then put my glasses on in the car as I have always driven with them on. OK I once tried without because they weren't in my jacket pocket as expected, went round the block and came back to get them as it was terrifying...)
The formal definition is a bit better but its quite possible that you could deteriorate slowly without realising and so some form of roadside check if there is any suspicion is a damn good idea.I need to think of something new here...0 -
Can you answer this, please, with a clear and straightforward, unambiguous answer - are you suggesting that the number plate test is unreasonably stringent, and that people who do not have the visual acuity to meet it may still have perfectly adequate eyesight for driving?0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 351.7K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454K Spending & Discounts
- 244.7K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.3K Life & Family
- 258.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards