What If YOU Could No Longer Drive?

[Gregory Matthews]

Have you ever thought what your life would be like if you could no longer drive an automobile?  
For the past 6-months, I have been involved in an extensive conversation with the State of California, as to whether or not I would be allowed to drive an automobile.

* This has involved examinations and reports from two eye doctors.

*  it has involved multiple trips to a local DMV office to resolve/respond to issues.

* Yesterday it came to an end with a 30-minute driving test, on the highway, and in local residential areas, under close supervision.

* Any failure on a list of critical issues would immediately result in a total failure to pass the examination.

* I would be tested multiple times on minor issues, regardless of whether or not I failed on any of them.

*  A passing score of no more than 20 minor failures was required.

*  In addition, I was questioned on my knowledge of how to operate the vehicle that I was driving. Note:  The DMV person knew more about how my vehicle operated than I did.

* My physicians had recommended that i be restricted to only driving during daylight hours and to only a 2-year extension of my license.  NOTE:  It could be more restrictive.

 

I PASSED WITH ONLY 10 MINOR FAILURES!  THE RECOMMENDED RESTRICTIONS WERE ACCEPTED.  I AM SO THNKFULE.  I do not know how I would have survived with a total loss.  Although, in most months I do not drive more than 10 miles.  My wife is more restrictive.  

 

[phkrause]

I don't really know how I'd react to that, but eventually it will happen! When it happen to my Mom, she just decided she couldn't drive anymore and gave me her car!!

[Joe Knapp]

For many people, loss of driving privilege is devastating. My father died before he lost his license. My brother and I knew his eyesight was too bad to drive, but we never had the courage to try to stop him. He never had an accident in his old age. 

I have a friend here who is a retired doctor. Very nice guy.  He has dents all over his car. Still driving. 

I have had older friends, who hired drivers. It's not that expensive here. 

When I have trouble, that is what I will do. But the public transportation is so good here, it's not a problem. 

In America, it would be a real problem though. 

[Gregory Matthews]

For those of you may face needing to take such a test, or  have a relative who faces such an issue, the driving test will be scored on the California forum, Supplemental/Area Driving Performance Evaluation Score  Sheet.   You may download a PDF copy of that score sheet at the following link.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2020/05/SupplementalArea-Driving-Performance-Evaluation-Score-Sheet-Sample.pdf

* The Pre-drive Check List  section is just to assure the DMV person that you have the required knowledge to be driving the vehicle.

*  One failure in the Critical Driving Error section results in a total test failure. 

The rest of the sheet consists of how you typically drive. One can pass the test with no more than 20 errors in  these sections.  It should be noted that the majority of the issues are tested multiple times.  This establishes whether the issue is habitual or a one-time failure.