Driving Sight Failiure!

NBLondon

Most opticians I've been to over the years had a suitably scaled number plate in their range of things to look at. So ask your optician to check that. Or as Scrapit says - try any High Street optician for a second opinion.

The_Rainmaker

I was starting to think my eyesight was not what it should be nowadays (I don't wear glasses) and doctor wants me to have my eyes checked so I went outside and read some number plates 25m a doddle, 35m is fine, 40m starting to have to think about it.

My point being is if you can't read a number plate at 20m you are virtually blind and that is quite scary.

Jackmydad

The_Rainmaker wrote: »

I was starting to think my eyesight was not what it should be nowadays (I don't wear glasses) and doctor wants me to have my eyes checked so I went outside and read some number plates 25m a doddle, 35m is fine, 40m starting to have to think about it.

My point being is if you can't read a number plate at 20m you are virtually blind and that is quite scary.

I wear specs all the time. Have done for 35 years.
Not long back I checked my vision. I can read a number plate at well over 20 metres.
Without my specs!
No way I'd drive without them.
So if anyone can't read it at the given distance with specs, then either get new ones, or don't drive.
It really is that simple.

ToxicWomble

I am short sighted with a prescription of -2.0 and would struggle to read a plate at 20m and def wouldnt dream of driving uncorrected.
I don’t see how you could possibly read a plate at that distance with -11.5 ,maybe the astigmatism is messing with you distance analysis

AdrianC

ToxicWomble wrote: »

I am short sighted with a prescription of -2.0 and would struggle to read a plate at 20m and def wouldnt dream of driving uncorrected.
I don’t see how you could possibly read a plate at that distance with -11.5 ,maybe the astigmatism is messing with you distance analysis

The test is done with corrected sight, though.

Robisere

As a workshop foreman with highway recovery work as well as maintenance and repair work, I attended many jobs which were the result of either poor sight or poor observation. One in particular stood out: a guy who was probably around the same age as myself now (mid 70's), had driven his Granada into several other vehicles that were stationary and waiting for another car to turn into a side road, with oncoming traffic. I knew the Traffic officer, a Sergeant who had been doing the job for many years. He spoke to the driver causing the RTC and told me the conversation, as follows:

DRIVER "I didn't see them." OFFICER "Can you read the number plate on my Patrol Car sir?"
DRIVER "Which car is it?" OFFICER "It's a Granada, same as yours: a big white car with red stripes down the side."
DRIVER "No I can't read it." OFFICER "Do you wear spectacles sir?"
DRIVER "Oh Yes!" OFFICER "Why are you not wearing them sir? Have you left them at home?"
DRIVER "No they are in the car."
Turns out they were in the footwell and he had taken them off because "They made my nose itch!"

I estimated the distance from DRIVER to patrol car as around 15 yards. The driver was prosecuted.

Should have gone to...no, they weren't on the High Street then, and a long way from being established.

no1catman

The_Rainmaker wrote: »

My point being is if you can't read a number plate at 20m you are virtually blind and that is quite scary.

Rubbish - eyesight problems may effect your distance or 'near sight' e.g. reading, or seeing the text on the TV screen. Just because one category is a problem, doesn't mean the other is to. Ergo - not 'virtually blind'.

I remember years ago before I was told I was not legal to drive, I was fine M4/M25 - only problem I sometimes had was reading the road destination signs before it was too late!! So what when I knew the route. Didn't impair my judgement with traffic, either me passing, or cars fast approaching - didn't have any need to read their number plates!

born_again

In many ways the old "Read a number plate @" is outdated. Daughter was told to look at the number plates before going in for the test.

Time that you had to have a eye test before starting and proof from a optician that it was OK. Might even save a few lives along the way as well. As well as the 10 year renewal requires a new eye test.

Rubbish - eyesight problems may effect your distance or 'near sight'

Spot on, without my glasses. I could not be able to type this as I could not read the text on the monitor. But I can see just fine for distance... But try doing for any length of time will give me one hell of a headache, But I could drive OK for a short period. Not that I ever would.

The_Rainmaker

no1catman wrote: »

Rubbish - eyesight problems may effect your distance or 'near sight' e.g. reading, or seeing the text on the TV screen. Just because one category is a problem, doesn't mean the other is to. Ergo - not 'virtually blind'.

I remember years ago before I was told I was not legal to drive, I was fine M4/M25 - only problem I sometimes had was reading the road destination signs before it was too late!! So what when I knew the route. Didn't impair my judgement with traffic, either me passing, or cars fast approaching - didn't have any need to read their number plates!

Glad you felt safe to drive on the roads and thankfully I'm at the other end of the country so we wouldn't run into each other

unforeseen

no1catman wrote: »

Rubbish - eyesight problems may effect your distance or 'near sight' e.g. reading, or seeing the text on the TV screen. Just because one category is a problem, doesn't mean the other is to. Ergo - not 'virtually blind'.

It all depends on how you define distance and near

I am short sighted, I have a problem with distance. I cannot read a book held 12 inches away from me without my specs.

So although I am classed as myopic it affects both distance and near.