charles shepherd
Senior Member
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I don't see what the significance of it being in heavy black type. The key word here is 'could' which occurs in each statement. It isn't an arbritary rule.
There is a similar rule that they 'could' crush your car if you don't renew your car tax, yet very often people forget to renew and the DVLA send you a letter and you go online or to the post office and renew it. The DVLA even have it on the system to backdate it as it happens all the time.
The list of symptoms and other statements about drugs backs this up, as potentially you could be prosecuted for driving with a cold or taking a hayfever tablet. The symptoms may well apply to many with ME/CFS but they are so broad as to cover just about anything, potentially.
The idea of everyone in this country who has one of these symptoms at some point, or at risk or developing one at some point, phoning up the DVLA to report it is laughable.
The actual spirit of the law is that you should never drive unless you are safe to do so, for whatever reason, and if you do so and then cause an accident then you could be prosecuted.
This does not mean anyone with ME/CFS can not drive safelyall or some of the time or that they have a legal responsibility to report their illness or symptoms to the DVLA. It isn't an issue because you just don't drive if you have symptoms that affect your ability to drive.
I really don't understand why the MEA want to portray the DVLA rules in an arbritary light. For that matter I dont understand why the MEA is majoring on such a minor issue (comparative to some of the issues our community faces) anyway?
I think we are starting to go round in circles here
So it's probably time to agree to disagree on what I feel is the main point - which is that legally, here in the UK, car drivers do have a duty to inform the DVLA if they have a health condition - medical or physical - or disability that is likely to last for more than three months and which might impair their ability to safely drive a car
That is what the law states
And this is what it states in the Driving License:
'You are required by law to inform Drivers Medical Branch, DVLA, Swansea SA99 1AT at once if you have any disability (either physical or medical condition) which is, or may become, likely to affect your fitness as a driver, unless you do not expect it to last more than three months.'
It is the responsibility of the driver to inform the DVLA.
It is the responsibility of doctors to advise patients that medical conditions (and drugs) may affect their ability to drive and for which conditions patients should inform the DVLA.
We are not making a major issue out of this - it is just another question in our monthly website poll. The only place where it seems to have become a big issue is on this discussion forum!
We decided to have a question on car driving and ME/CFS because this is a topic where we receive regular questions on both the DVLA and the insurance companies
And I know from these queries that a small but significant number of people believe that because ME/CFS is not listed as a specific condition by the DVLA, they can carry on driving and there is no requirement whatsover to inform either the DVLA or their insurance company
Which is clearly incorrect.......