RE: PH Blog: life without a licence
Discussion
Hi Dan,
Hope whatever it is not too serious and the time will pass quickly for you.
Really impressed by your timing of this piece as this is exactly the situation I am currently facing and have to say the tips and suggestions from posters have been very helpful. Have an EEG later today and a consultant convinced of epilepsy so trying to figure out what to do if I have to hand over my licence. Living in London means I won't be stranded for lack of transport but the big pain is that it would scupper my racing indefinitely - I've been racing in national series for several years and we'd just bought a new car for next year!
If anyone has tips on how to get your motorsport kicks in the meantime, I'd be glad to hear them. I think you can do sprints and hillclimbs without waiting 10years post medication, though I could be keen on rally co-driving.
All the best
Ben
Hope whatever it is not too serious and the time will pass quickly for you.
Really impressed by your timing of this piece as this is exactly the situation I am currently facing and have to say the tips and suggestions from posters have been very helpful. Have an EEG later today and a consultant convinced of epilepsy so trying to figure out what to do if I have to hand over my licence. Living in London means I won't be stranded for lack of transport but the big pain is that it would scupper my racing indefinitely - I've been racing in national series for several years and we'd just bought a new car for next year!
If anyone has tips on how to get your motorsport kicks in the meantime, I'd be glad to hear them. I think you can do sprints and hillclimbs without waiting 10years post medication, though I could be keen on rally co-driving.
All the best
Ben
mattnunn said:
My missus has had her license suspended because of some brain wobblers a few weeks ago, it's a real ball ache, especially as we think they were very temporary and linked to a dodgy general aneasthetic she had.
Doctors, I don't like them.
Surely Brain Wobblers in females would render them all unable to drive ?Doctors, I don't like them.
J4CKO said:
mattnunn said:
My missus has had her license suspended because of some brain wobblers a few weeks ago, it's a real ball ache, especially as we think they were very temporary and linked to a dodgy general aneasthetic she had.
Doctors, I don't like them.
Surely Brain Wobblers in females would render them all unable to drive ?Doctors, I don't like them.
She's got an EEG on Friday I was actually being fairly dismissive of the chances of it being epillepsy and optimistic the consultant would tell her she's okay to drive but he has informed her to contact the DVLA. Reading this thread has been a bit of an eye opener for me, although her "seizures" don't seem to fit the scenario of epillepsy, some of the other things people are talking about on here is far more frightening.
Life is so precious and so short........so why do we watch rubbish TV, play on our ipads rather than talk to people, and generally waste so much time?
Why do I ride horses, fancy other people's daughters, have a TVR for fun and go on track days? At my age? Still being 19 (for the fortieth time) can be a bit embarrassing at times.
Why do I want to spend the rest of my life watching my kids and grand kids having a decent life rather than having to struggle like I did?
Because I can, and I want to pack as much of all the good things in life as i can into my last few years.
I have been to four family funerals in the last two years, and two of the dear departed were younger than me. And I don't have a bus pass yet.....
I hope whatever your problem is finds a resolution soon - and I hope that this shock to the system helps you to make better use of the rest of your life.
Why do I ride horses, fancy other people's daughters, have a TVR for fun and go on track days? At my age? Still being 19 (for the fortieth time) can be a bit embarrassing at times.
Why do I want to spend the rest of my life watching my kids and grand kids having a decent life rather than having to struggle like I did?
Because I can, and I want to pack as much of all the good things in life as i can into my last few years.
I have been to four family funerals in the last two years, and two of the dear departed were younger than me. And I don't have a bus pass yet.....
I hope whatever your problem is finds a resolution soon - and I hope that this shock to the system helps you to make better use of the rest of your life.
Having had my License taken off me for 2.5 years, then having to pass an extended driving test afterwards, I can say that it certainly has it's times of annoyance (And please, no comments on how it happened because if I told you, you wouldn't believe me anyway).
I had to move house to be nearer my job and have been driven into by mindless zombies who fail to see me on my push bike. I hardly had time to see my Family/Friends and certainly couldn't do any track days
Positives were that it saved me an awful lot of money - probably in the region of £10k. I also became much fitter
Life goes on and you either man up and deal with it or collapse and let it consume you. I was fortunate enough to be able to do the former and it really did change me in a number of ways to being a better person.
As it stands, I have my license back, but still choose to walk/bike to/from work. Again, this saves me money, but it means I can have my Westfield for the fun days instead of a compromise daily/track car.
So a year without your license is easy in my book.
I had to move house to be nearer my job and have been driven into by mindless zombies who fail to see me on my push bike. I hardly had time to see my Family/Friends and certainly couldn't do any track days
Positives were that it saved me an awful lot of money - probably in the region of £10k. I also became much fitter
Life goes on and you either man up and deal with it or collapse and let it consume you. I was fortunate enough to be able to do the former and it really did change me in a number of ways to being a better person.
As it stands, I have my license back, but still choose to walk/bike to/from work. Again, this saves me money, but it means I can have my Westfield for the fun days instead of a compromise daily/track car.
So a year without your license is easy in my book.
Get your shopping delivered 'On Line' Will save you trying to carry stupid plastic shopping bags that cut into your hands after 100 yards 
The Internet will be your friend
And as others have said, if you need a lift somewhere you can always ask
Not sure where you reside, but I'm always driving about somewhere in the Surrey area
The Internet will be your friend And as others have said, if you need a lift somewhere you can always ask
Not sure where you reside, but I'm always driving about somewhere in the Surrey area
[quote=RocketRabbit]Having had my License taken off me for 2.5 years, then having to pass an extended driving test afterwards, I can say that it certainly has it's times of annoyance (And please, no comments on how it happened because if I told you, you wouldn't believe me anyway).
quote]
Tell us.
quote]
Tell us.
Oh, it seems I did something wrong...
RocketRabbit said:
Having had my License taken off me for 2.5 years, then having to pass an extended driving test afterwards, I can say that it certainly has it's times of annoyance (And please, no comments on how it happened because if I told you, you wouldn't believe me anyway).
Tell us.pthelazyjourno said:
I'm pretty much 99.999999999 per cent certain that this isn't the case - unless you have some sort of unusual condition and something has been agreed with the DVLA?
Regarding seizures, it's 12 months that you're not supposed to drive for - and if you start driving again in the 6th month you're taking a massive gamble.
Sorry to sound like a cock, but just don't do it - especially if you don't know what caused it. Unless you're now on medication there's a massive chance you could have another fit - hence the 12-month break from driving - and if you are on medication it'll take longer than 5 months before you're out of the big risk of having another seizure.
It may be tempting, but is it worth gambling with other peoples' lives?
And yes - been there, done that and spent every minute of the 12 months resenting the DVLA, but it's definitely for the best. I only had two seizures, the first went undiagnosed, and the second happened 8 months later when driving.
Apologies if there is something on the DVLA re seizures where it does say 6 months - things may have changed in the past 5 years but if so could you please point it out to me, as it would be particularly relevant to my friend. Thanks.
Sorry had forgotten I'd posted on here (can I blame the medication? Regarding seizures, it's 12 months that you're not supposed to drive for - and if you start driving again in the 6th month you're taking a massive gamble.
Sorry to sound like a cock, but just don't do it - especially if you don't know what caused it. Unless you're now on medication there's a massive chance you could have another fit - hence the 12-month break from driving - and if you are on medication it'll take longer than 5 months before you're out of the big risk of having another seizure.
It may be tempting, but is it worth gambling with other peoples' lives?
And yes - been there, done that and spent every minute of the 12 months resenting the DVLA, but it's definitely for the best. I only had two seizures, the first went undiagnosed, and the second happened 8 months later when driving.
Apologies if there is something on the DVLA re seizures where it does say 6 months - things may have changed in the past 5 years but if so could you please point it out to me, as it would be particularly relevant to my friend. Thanks.
Edited by pthelazyjourno on Monday 5th November 20:47
Edited by pthelazyjourno on Monday 5th November 20:49
)No offense was taken, this is a saftey thing. Both mine and others. Especially as I WAS driving when I had my 1st seizure.
The 6 month thing came from the lady on the DVLA medical team I spoke to on the day after I was released from hospital. I gave full disclosure of what happened, when it happened and what the doctors told me. I also now have the paper work from the DVLA in front of me (which I didn't at the time). The form I am looking at appears to be leaflet INS9 but I can't find this online to link to.
As I has what they term as a "Solitary Seizure" I am allowed to drive again after 6 months prividing I am "free from further attacks" and there are "no further medical investigations that may suggest an unacceptably high risk of a further seizure occurring." If come april, the docs are happy, and I am still seizure free I can send off form D1 and a medical questionnaire to the effect of the 2nd bit and I'm good to go. If I have a 2nd (or more) seizure then all bets are off and the document I have is more aimed at epilepsy for multiple seizures so I would have to go back to the DVLA, but I'm guessing it would be the same, 1 year from the last seizure. They also state that seizure can be limb jerks or auras, you don't have to go unconscious. It did used to be 1 year for a single and 2 for more, but has clearly been changed, as my DVLA documentation shows and I have read about else where.
The doctors are reasonably confident of the cause of my seizure, which is an AVM, or a malformation of the blood vessels in my brain which have likly been there since birth. I will probably require brain surgery to fix it but I gather this is a proper fix, not gaffa tape and cable ties job (if you read about what they do it really sounds like it is a bodge job though) which may re-occur.
Now 1 month down, I am yet to seize again, and am on medication to prevent one also, so I am hoping it will only be the 6 months, but I am away this may change. And knowing my luck it probably will.
ps: please not the above applies to ordinary licenses, vocational (busses, lorries etc) have different and much harsher rules.
I am currently 4 weeks into my 'temporary retirement from driving' after having an operation on both legs. it hasnt been an easy 4 weeks for me to be honest, and as my missus is doing her best but is still a very nervous driver after 2 accidents almost 3 weeks apart! (none her fault)
i saw my specialist earlier in the week and the first thing i asked him was when did he think i would be ok to drive? he says i can now if i feel up to it, but doesnt think i will be fully healed much before Christmas.
Naturally the first thing i did after leaving the appointment was to jump into the drivers seat. sitting ther just trying the pedals told me the specialist was right
even though i can walk short distances without the need for crutches now, i still dont feel safe operating the peddles on anything more than shunting the car about on the drive.
I will be testing the feeling on a weekly basis, but for now i am still relegated to the passenger seat/public transport options, and even though my family and friends have said they dont mind running me about, i still feel cheeky for asking.
Dan - the time will eventually fly by and you'll quickly find yourself itching to get back in the seat, just make sure your doc tells you when you can drive, not when you should be able to! thats the bit thats doing my head in now, knowing i can as soon as im healed enough. unfortuantley the human body heals itself in its own time and not in the time you want it too.
i saw my specialist earlier in the week and the first thing i asked him was when did he think i would be ok to drive? he says i can now if i feel up to it, but doesnt think i will be fully healed much before Christmas.
Naturally the first thing i did after leaving the appointment was to jump into the drivers seat. sitting ther just trying the pedals told me the specialist was right
even though i can walk short distances without the need for crutches now, i still dont feel safe operating the peddles on anything more than shunting the car about on the drive.
I will be testing the feeling on a weekly basis, but for now i am still relegated to the passenger seat/public transport options, and even though my family and friends have said they dont mind running me about, i still feel cheeky for asking.
Dan - the time will eventually fly by and you'll quickly find yourself itching to get back in the seat, just make sure your doc tells you when you can drive, not when you should be able to! thats the bit thats doing my head in now, knowing i can as soon as im healed enough. unfortuantley the human body heals itself in its own time and not in the time you want it too.
Quietlybonkers said:
Tank - I assume you are considering driving an automatic, if you don't already? Good luck with your recovery
Cheers mate.No I'm not driving an auto, clutch and accelerator peddles are ok, the resistance of the brake is an issue and the pivoting of the heel from accelerator to brake.
Sadly I wasn't blessed with great patience.
And sport being my job/everyday life, I am more than restless to say the least! Not being able to move about well is a real pain!
Just a say thank you for all the contributors to this thread. I suffered my first ever seizure on Saturday and reading other sufferers stories has helped.
I have just completed the paperwork for DVLA part of which was surrendering my driving license. Like all the contributors I'm determined this condition will not define me past what's legal or sensible.
I have just completed the paperwork for DVLA part of which was surrendering my driving license. Like all the contributors I'm determined this condition will not define me past what's legal or sensible.
Hi Dan.. Been off PH for a while and just read this shocker. What an absolute bummer :-(. Hopefully just a blip and you wil get fully recovered very soon ! If it is any consolation it happened to a mate of mine who then discovered you don't need driving license to drive a 200bhp speedboat... That kept him busy for 12 months and with the weather we've been having boating is looking to be more accessible than ever before, even in Herts !!
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