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Post by stonecutter on Jan 10, 2012 8:03:22 GMT -7
In the summer of '94 after I had my accident, the government sent me a letter saying that I had to retake my road exam, since I had lost a limb. I was kind of surprised that the registry had learned about my accident at all, thinking that there is a case for the privacy lawyers there, but... I obliged and took the exam.
The car I owned at the time was an automatic transmission, so being a LBK, I thought it was pretty silly that I was being subjected to this at all. I took the test, thinking that all I was doing was illustrating that I was still capable of vehicle operations - apparently he was marking me like I was a 16 year old taking my road test for the first time, so I passed by the skin of my teeth, but that's another story.
After the exam, I was asked to go get my license reprinted. I thought it was odd. After receiveing my reprint, it was explained to me that there was a new condition printed on my license. Instead of having the code UA in the conditions, I had UAK.
U = I've taken a drivers education course.
A = I need to be wearing my glasses or contact lenses.
K = I'm only allowed to drive an automatic transmission. When I looked up this code, the explanation was always, "Automatic Transmission Only"
On my birthday just passed, my license expired and I needed to renew it. Upon receiving the new one, the accompanying letter explained that the "Condition descriptions have changed" and I am encouraged to review them online.
Interestingly enough, the condition for "K" now reads as follows:
Wow! Pretty specific!
Any odd things printed on your licences?
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Post by barclay on Jan 10, 2012 20:55:22 GMT -7
Same here in Austria - only I have an 'A' on my (for automatic, but it's red :-). The thing I find really funny is that in the US, they don't care about that and I am legal to drive a stick still. The man who re-tested me after the amputation was pretty embarrassed and he only made me drive around the block.
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Post by ann- on Jan 11, 2012 0:28:40 GMT -7
There are rules and regulations regarding this in the UK also and quite specific on the licence.
I became an amputee long before I learned to drive, so it was a bit of a journey regards actually learning to drive because in those days there was very little information. I was 17 and contacted a driving instructor who my circle of friends seemed to think was pretty good as he had got them through the test first time.
Nowadays its much easier for people learning to drive with disabilities here in the UK, there is motability, assessment centres, driving schools with adapted cars, etc. etc. but it was not so back in the 1970's, where society was only just beginning to move from those little blue three wheelers which I didn't think, as a teenager, would do much for my image, so I was wanting the same kind of cars as friends were driving and I worked in a very remote location and had to get two buses so did need transport.
The instructor was happy to teach me but admitted had never taught someone with prosthetics (or articficial limbs as they were then called) before, so we went to a deserted airport and I tried out his dual controlled driving school car, which with the legs I had at the time found it not that easy. So we got in touch with the DVLA, who stipulated that I had to drive an automatic with hand controls, which complicated things slightly as at that time hand controls and automatic cars were not readily common in my location. So I had to save up and buy a car before I had lessons, which made insurance difficult and quite expensive as then, no one really wanted to insure me as I was a bit of a risk they thought.
My first car was a little second hand white Austin 1300, which I bought for £500, another favourite with friends at the time, and we found out somewhere about hand controls and my father had to drive my little car up to London to get them fitted. Then they didn't fit steering balls, and steering wheels were much bigger, no power steering either and I found it difficult using my hands for everything, then by chance a neighbour's son was a lorry driver who was discussing the probs with my father and he thought I would find it easier with one of the steering knobs they used on lorries, so he got me one of them and it worked well, though it was fairly large and I now and again got stopped by the police because they'd picked up I was steering with one of these and in those days, where I lived, this wasn't the norm. I got quite used to this, though looking back the might have been concerned over my driving, lol, but my friends used to think it quite hilarious as the police constables were usually fairly young and quite good looking!
However, did pass my test first time, so quite proud of that, but it has always been written on my driving licence that I drive without the use of legs and have to drive an automatic fitted with appropriate hand controls.
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Post by cherylm on Jan 11, 2012 2:51:26 GMT -7
Don't know if every US state is the same, but here in California it's assumed that being an amputee is not necessarily something that needs to be noted on a driver's license. My license still has only a restriction that I "must wear corrective lenses." I never needed to retest...just filed a notice from my doctor noting the amputation, which got me my disabled parking hang tag.
Personally, I don't think I'd ever drive anything but an automatic transmission now...but I was lousy at driving a stick looonnngg before I lost the leg!
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Post by stonecutter on Jan 11, 2012 9:46:04 GMT -7
...in the 1970's, where society was only just beginning to move from those little blue three wheelers You must mean these... (This video cracks me up.) ...but I was lousy at driving a stick looonnngg before I lost the leg! Me too! |
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ann58
Female Member 
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Post by ann58 on Jan 12, 2012 10:13:44 GMT -7
Stonecutter, my license doesn't say anything about amputation, just glasses need to be worn. On thing I haven't done since my loss.....Drive a 5 speed {stick}. Just think I will give that a try very soon...my first car was a stick shift and I loved it. Only problem at the begining was stopping on a hill...have to say I rode that clutch some...heehee
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Post by ann- on Jan 13, 2012 12:48:53 GMT -7
no, they were nowhere near as good as the reliant robin which was in your clip stonecutter, they were only one seater.
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Post by oneblueleg on Jan 18, 2012 8:41:57 GMT -7
I'm not clever enough to put a picture on here... Google 'blue invalid car' that's what they were called... who knows, maybe that's why there is now a 'blue badge' for disabled drivers in the UK  |
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Post by allenuk on Jan 18, 2012 9:33:37 GMT -7
I'm sure you are (clever enough, that is), but always helpful, this is what you are talking about: Dreadful things they were (never had one, thankfully).  A Attachments:
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ann58
Female Member
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Post by ann58 on Jan 18, 2012 21:41:36 GMT -7
Is that a 3 wheeler!!
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Post by stonecutter on Jan 18, 2012 22:34:15 GMT -7
I'd love to have one of those - would make a GREAT Shriner's vehicle!
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Post by allenuk on Jan 19, 2012 2:32:58 GMT -7
Yes, it is a 3-wheeler, just about (2 at the back, 1 at the front). It has a tiddly motor-bike (2 stroke) engine, about 250cc I believe. Not even sure if you can buy them anymore in the UK, and if you could, not sure they'd still be legal! I'll look into it for you, stonecutter. (Later: I've had a Google, and found this site : www.virtualgaz.com/invacarpage.htmStopped making them in 1977, and I'm not surprised that few made the journey across the water.) A |
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Post by barclay on Jan 22, 2012 10:09:42 GMT -7
They are cute....
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Post by ann- on Jan 22, 2012 12:04:20 GMT -7
hmmm ... cute wasn't the word I probably would have used as a teenager back in the 1970's..... though nowadays I suppose they do look kind of cute or retro. I do think though for a while they brought in the Mini, which kind of replaced them, though I remember some people kept their three-wheelers running through the 1980's. |
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Post by stonecutter on Jan 22, 2012 17:29:45 GMT -7
So - were those as easy to tip as the Robins in that video? Every time I watch that video it cracks me up. I watched many episodes of Mr. Bean on the CBC if the guy was driving, there was always one of those laying on it's side in no time...
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Post by barclay on Jan 22, 2012 21:11:12 GMT -7
As a teenager, I wouldn't have wanted on either, and I probably wouldn't want one now for practical reason, but they look like something out of Postman Pat :- )
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Post by ann- on Jan 24, 2012 1:26:13 GMT -7
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Post by allenuk on Jan 24, 2012 2:07:35 GMT -7
Well, at least a Smart car has 4 wheels on the road, plus a steering wheel.
Some of those Invacars not only had 3 very small wheels, but a motor-bike handlebar as well (brakes and throttle etc). Easy to tip? Never tried, but they were certainly top-heavy, so probably!
Oh, and the other reason most users wouldn't have thought them 'cute' was that they advertised the fact that a disabled person was inside. They were called 'crip-cars' by the great unwashed (cripple-cars), so modified ordinary cars are an improvement in terms of anonymity.
As a personal transport system for the disabled, they were better than nothing, of course, and at least the driver had to have passed a driving test - nowadays many elderly/possibly disabled Britons use those electric 4-wheel scooters - which can be fast and dangerous in the wrong hands, and for which no licence is needed.
A
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Post by ann- on Jan 25, 2012 1:13:56 GMT -7
yep agree Allen different times when diversities were not celebrated and kept under wraps so those inva cars kind of made you very obvious.... things are so much better now in a lot of ways, just hope we don't return to those days with all the cuts and the way the gov/media etc seem to be marginalising certain groups. Sorry didn't mean to be too political.
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Post by allenuk on Jan 25, 2012 1:53:04 GMT -7
Ann: you CAN'T be too political as far as I'm concerned! That's what it's all about (whether it should be or not).
A
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Post by thegimp on Jun 10, 2012 22:46:13 GMT -7
the screwed up my licence and put me down as shortness of stature.........i just realized it a few months ago when i was renewing my plates
funny thing is im 5'10"
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Post by stonecutter on Jun 11, 2012 12:12:26 GMT -7
That's awesome. It reminds me of how people don't get the joke when I tell them that "I'm a foot short..." Maybe you used that phrase on the DMV in the past?
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Post by thegimp on Jun 11, 2012 15:02:31 GMT -7
That's awesome. It reminds me of how people don't get the joke when I tell them that "I'm a foot short..." Maybe you used that phrase on the DMV in the past? lmao.....no but i did take my leg off and ask them to hold it then i told them...mabe they were measuring from the stump up. the poor dmv women couldnt make a single response ;D she seemed very uncomfortable with holding my leg hahaha all the rest were like wtf is wrong with dude?? i love freaking people out lol |
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ann58
Female Member
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Post by ann58 on Jun 13, 2012 16:48:00 GMT -7
Now that's funny...bet THEY didn't know what to say. Before this happened to me, I know I would have freaked.
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Post by snowyh on Jun 17, 2012 16:30:14 GMT -7
My Texas driver's license lists 2 restrictions--corrective lenses & automatic transmission. I was 15 when I lost my arm, and 16 when I got my first DL. The 1st restriction was expected, as I had failed the eye exam, but, as they didn't inform me that I wasn't allowed to drive a stick, the 2nd restriction came as a surprise. I have since had to complete a short questionnaire every time I renew my license, including a Q about physical limitations, giving "limb loss/deficiency" as an example, so of course I always complete that part.
They started a new policy in Texas several years ago that if you didn't have any tickets since your last license renewal you could renew every other time online without having to physically come into the DMV. Even though I have no tix on my record at all, I've always been required to renew my license in person. Last time I asked why I wasn't eligible to renew online--the clerk looked at the computer screen and simply responded that I had restrictions on my license. Since I know several folks who have the corrective lenses restriction who have been able to renew online, I figure it's my AT restriction that causes me to have to present in person. It's not like my situation will have changed, but perhaps there are other reasons for the restriction that can change over time. I've never been required to retake the driving test. Anyway, I wish they'd at least offer me the opportunity to renew online.
Helen
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