Motorhome at 70 (1 Viewer)

movan

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Welcome ... have you had problems?

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TerryL

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To try and answer the OP there have been lots of discussions on here about the turning 70 bit. To summarise if you are already in reasonably good health with no medical problems there is rarely any difficulty, just have to pass a straightforward medical examination, which you don't even need your own doctor to do. The reasons folk have been refused is that there is a current health problem which needs to be addressed, but more often than not is resolvable.

I would suggest that anybody who is ultimately refused shouldn't be thinking about driving anyway.

However I did have a licence refused once, but that was due to a cock-up on the part of the doctor who filled the form in incorrectly. Once pointed out I got my licences - professional as well as domestic - back in 3 days.
 

Puddleduck

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If you don't have any health conditions go to someone like Doctors on Wheels and get the forms done. If you do have a health problem then your own GP is probably the best person to answer the questions but check they fill the form in correctly as I had my forms returned as GP had not dated it.

I got the optician part filled in first as that is a cheaper part - and if you fail that there is no point is going on with the application.

As @TerryL said, if you fail maybe you should think long and hard about driving even a car - obviously it depends on why you failed the medical and your health professionals' advice. I do know how not driving can affect a person as I am not driving at the moment, live in the country and no public transport. Nearest shop is 3 miles (and it's really a newsagent that sells few canned goods and confectionery), the supermarket is 8 miles away.

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Dare_Devil_Dennis

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Hmm, @TerryL
I would suggest that anybody who is ultimately refused shouldn't be thinking about driving anyway.

That's a very harsh.

I lost my C1 entitlement this year after I was diagnosed with Glaucoma and the tests showed I has lost a little of my peripheral vision. My visual acuity (what I can see and how clearly) is as good as it always was. The vision requirements for granting or renewing a C1 licence are more stringent than for a normal car licence. I am still well inside the requirements for a "normal" (Under 3500Kg) licence. My Glaucoma is managed following surgery. My vision is stable and will be tested again in 3 years as my old licence was replaced with a "medical" licence, to be renewed every 3 years on successful completion of an eye test.

The DVLA explained to me that they could not issue me with a licence to drive a lorry with my eye condition.

A LORRY!
Warning, rant alert!

Therein lies the problem for us motorhomers, these leisure vehicles are in the wrong category of vehicle. They are not carrying commercial goods, and indeed, by dint of a paper exercise I could have downrated the motorhome and still driven the same vehicle legally on my car licence. (too little payload to be practical). The "safety excuse" given by the DVLA does not work for motorhomes up to 7500Kg They are designed to carry their loads safely and they have better field of view than a car because they are higher and have a bigger windscreen. The field of view test they use as a measure of fitness to license, ignores the fact that my head as a neck attached and it moves up and down and side to side, which increases my field of view. You don't have to think about this, it just happens! Forgetting to look is not the same as having a reduced field of view.

We now have a smaller Motorhome, and we are delighted with it, but it was shocking to lose the entitlement, then frustrating to realise why - today to drive a motorhome above 3500Kg you need a lorry licence Then you can also go and earn a living driving lorries.

BTW, just to addd to the ridiculousness of the rules, I could go out and buy a 5th wheeler that would blow the current limits out of the water and still drive it on my car licence.

I may reach a point in years to come that my condition worsens and I will fail the normal requirements for driving, but my surgeon says I will probably be in my 90's before that happens. (I'm 67 now)
 

TerryL

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Hmm, @TerryL


That's a very harsh.

But you haven't lost your licence completely have you, which is what I was getting at. And you're fully aware of your condition, it's under control and being monitored. Fair enough although I do sympathise about your restriction.

However there are far too many people usually, but not always, the older generation who when they renew their licences at 70 just declare that everything is okay. There have been surveys where it has been shown that some peoples sight is clearly well below the minimum for a standard driving test but because a sight test on licence renewal is not required the only time this is discovered is after an accident.

Okay call me harsh, but I believe at a certain age, and 70 is okay by me, everyone should have to retake their driving test including a sight test.

My father and my father-in-law both voluntarily gave up their licences when they realised they were no longer safe on the road. I shall do the same.

Tin hat on! :imoutahere:
 
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