get your eyes tested
Discussion
Just got pulled over leaving Shrewbury by an unmarked police car containing several heavily armed Police officers.
'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
franki68 said:
Just got pulled over leaving Shrewbury by an unmarked police car containing several heavily armed Police officers.
'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
This sounds somewhat mental. 'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
franki68 said:
Just got pulled over leaving Shrewbury by an unmarked police car containing several heavily armed Police officers.
'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
I have read somewhere that this a thing across the country. I am sure there will be drivers whose eye sight isn’t what it should be.'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
franki68 said:
Just got pulled over leaving Shrewbury by an unmarked police car containing several heavily armed Police officers.
'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
I think you need your eyes checked! 'don't worry sir we just want to test your eye sight'
Intrigued I asked why and they said it's the new focus for them from their chief and when checking my license /car they saw my drivers license said I should be wearing glasses.I did point out to them that contact lenses have been around for over 50 years .
They were very pleasant and quite embarrassed by it .
Licence/License....
Does the DVLA get notified by opticians about who needs glasses for driving? I understand you have to declare it when you apply for a licence - was that always the case? I don't remember being asked when I applied for my first licence, but then that was in 1992 so I may have forgotten! There must be people who don't need to declare it when they get their first licence but their sight subsequently deteriorates to put them over the threshold.
Granadier said:
Does the DVLA get notified by opticians about who needs glasses for driving? I understand you have to declare it when you apply for a licence - was that always the case? I don't remember being asked when I applied for my first licence, but then that was in 1992 so I may have forgotten! There must be people who don't need to declare it when they get their first licence but their sight subsequently deteriorates to put them over the threshold.
And the opposite - I needed glasses to drive when I passed in 1981 but my eyes improved over the years and both recent eye tests have been fine for driving without glasses. How do I get the symbol removed from my licence?All the crap driving daily on the roads, all the unpaid road tax, all the uninsured cars and they are focussing on eye tests!
I am colour blind, I'll tell them at traffic lights I am officially allowed to go when the light is grey. The lights at the top, middle and bottom are the grey ones, some lights have a grey arrow too
I am colour blind, I'll tell them at traffic lights I am officially allowed to go when the light is grey. The lights at the top, middle and bottom are the grey ones, some lights have a grey arrow too
Ham_and_Jam said:
blueg33 said:
All the crap driving daily on the roads, all the unpaid road tax, all the uninsured cars and they are focussing on eye tests!
To be fair, eyesight is fairly high up there in terms of safe driving.underwhelmist said:
I've just checked my licence, it doesn't say anything about whether I should be wearing glasses or not (I don't need them for distance, only reading). Is this a new thing on more recent licences?
If you're listed as needing vision correction for driving, your licence will show code 01 next to each relevant category. Both my wife and I wear glasses to drive and have that code, though I don’t remember ever formally declaring it. I only started wearing glasses halfway through my lessons (in 1996). Maybe turning up to the driving test wearing glasses was the trigger.There was a report a few years ago which showed poor eyesight being a significant factor in serious accidents on the road. Good on the guys for doing the stop. I'd assume they were doing checks on cars and drivers, saw an anomaly, and decided to find out why. Observation, enquiry and resolution in a few minutes. Can't see the problem. It's called police work. Many police officers do it. I think it is what they are paid to do. Yet some seem to want to stop them doing so. Strange.
Stopping a person or a driver for one thing often leads to other, often more serious, matters. Or my point of view was that a working police officer often manages to unearth serious offences.
Stopping a person or a driver for one thing often leads to other, often more serious, matters. Or my point of view was that a working police officer often manages to unearth serious offences.
pteron said:
And the opposite - I needed glasses to drive when I passed in 1981 but my eyes improved over the years and both recent eye tests have been fine for driving without glasses. How do I get the symbol removed from my licence?
I'm in the same boat.... my distance eyesight is now 20/20 but reading needs correction. I don't need glasses for driving any more - in fact my old glasses make it worse.Edited by NDA on Tuesday 4th November 17:02
underwhelmist said:
I've just checked my licence, it doesn't say anything about whether I should be wearing glasses or not (I don't need them for distance, only reading). Is this a new thing on more recent licences?
gov.uk website said:
The codes printed on the back of your driving licence tell you what conditions you must meet to drive.
Some codes may be different in Northern Ireland.
The codes and their meanings are as follows:
01 - eyesight correction, for example glasses or contact lenses
02 - hearing/communication aid
10 - modified transmission
15 - modified clutch
20 - modified braking systems
25 - modified accelerator systems
30 - combined braking and accelerator systems (for licences issued before 28 November 2016)
31 - pedal adaptations and pedal safeguards
32 - combined service brake and accelerator systems
33 - combined service brake, accelerator and steering systems
35 - modified control layouts
40 - modified steering
42 - modified rear-view mirror(s)
43 - modified driving seats
44 - modifications to motorbikes
44 (1) - single operated brake
44 (2) - adapted front wheel brake
44 (3) - adapted rear wheel brake
44 (4) - adapted accelerator
44 (5) - (adjusted) manual transmission and manual clutch
44 (6) - (adjusted) rear-view mirror(s)
44 (7) - (adjusted) commands (such as direction indicators, braking light)
44 (8) - seat height allowing the driver, in sitting position, to have two feet on the surface at the same time and balance the motorcycle during stopping and standing
44 (11) - adapted foot rest
44 (12) - adapted hand grip
45 - motorbikes only with sidecar
46 - tricycles only (for licences issued before 29 June 2014)
70 - exchange of licence
71 - duplicate of licence
78 - restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission
79 - restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in brackets on your licence
79 (2) - restricted to category AM vehicles of the 3-wheel or light quadricycle type
79 (3) - restricted to tricycles
96 - allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer where the trailer weighs at least 750kg, and the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is between 3,500kg and 4,250kg
97 - not allowed to drive category C1 vehicles which are required to have a tachograph fitted
101 - not for hire or reward (that is, not to make a profit)
102 - drawbar trailers only
103 - subject to certificate of competence
105 - vehicle not more than 5.5 metres long
106 - restricted to vehicles with automatic transmissions
107 - not more than 8,250 kilograms
108 - subject to minimum age requirements
110 - limited to transporting persons with restricted mobility
111 - limited to 16 passenger seats
113 - limited to 16 passenger seats except for automatics
114 - with any special controls required for safe driving
115 - organ donor
118 - start date is for earliest entitlement
119 - weight limit for vehicle does not apply
121 - restricted to conditions specified in the Secretary of State s notice
122 - valid on successful completion: Basic Moped Training Course. This does not apply to trial e-scooters
125 - tricycles only (for licences issued before 29 June 2014)
https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-codesSome codes may be different in Northern Ireland.
The codes and their meanings are as follows:
01 - eyesight correction, for example glasses or contact lenses
02 - hearing/communication aid
10 - modified transmission
15 - modified clutch
20 - modified braking systems
25 - modified accelerator systems
30 - combined braking and accelerator systems (for licences issued before 28 November 2016)
31 - pedal adaptations and pedal safeguards
32 - combined service brake and accelerator systems
33 - combined service brake, accelerator and steering systems
35 - modified control layouts
40 - modified steering
42 - modified rear-view mirror(s)
43 - modified driving seats
44 - modifications to motorbikes
44 (1) - single operated brake
44 (2) - adapted front wheel brake
44 (3) - adapted rear wheel brake
44 (4) - adapted accelerator
44 (5) - (adjusted) manual transmission and manual clutch
44 (6) - (adjusted) rear-view mirror(s)
44 (7) - (adjusted) commands (such as direction indicators, braking light)
44 (8) - seat height allowing the driver, in sitting position, to have two feet on the surface at the same time and balance the motorcycle during stopping and standing
44 (11) - adapted foot rest
44 (12) - adapted hand grip
45 - motorbikes only with sidecar
46 - tricycles only (for licences issued before 29 June 2014)
70 - exchange of licence
71 - duplicate of licence
78 - restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission
79 - restricted to vehicles in conformity with the specifications stated in brackets on your licence
79 (2) - restricted to category AM vehicles of the 3-wheel or light quadricycle type
79 (3) - restricted to tricycles
96 - allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer where the trailer weighs at least 750kg, and the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is between 3,500kg and 4,250kg
97 - not allowed to drive category C1 vehicles which are required to have a tachograph fitted
101 - not for hire or reward (that is, not to make a profit)
102 - drawbar trailers only
103 - subject to certificate of competence
105 - vehicle not more than 5.5 metres long
106 - restricted to vehicles with automatic transmissions
107 - not more than 8,250 kilograms
108 - subject to minimum age requirements
110 - limited to transporting persons with restricted mobility
111 - limited to 16 passenger seats
113 - limited to 16 passenger seats except for automatics
114 - with any special controls required for safe driving
115 - organ donor
118 - start date is for earliest entitlement
119 - weight limit for vehicle does not apply
121 - restricted to conditions specified in the Secretary of State s notice
122 - valid on successful completion: Basic Moped Training Course. This does not apply to trial e-scooters
125 - tricycles only (for licences issued before 29 June 2014)
The slightly daft thing is that being over 70 I have to renew my driving licence every three years. However, I've just done so for the second time as I shall be 76 in a few weeks but the DVLA renewal form won't allow me to update my photo to one with me wearing glasses which I've needed for decades. The photo used is one when I last renewed my passport way back.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff