How would you manage if you lost your driving licence tomorrow?

[tomorrowisanotherdate]

For example, vertigo is a common one, I have had several friends develop vertigo and lose their license,

You cannot be insured to drive within 6 months of a vertigo attack, and both friends had attacks out of the blue in their early 40s - one only ever had one serious attack and had her license back in about a year - the other has never since gone 6 month between attacks, and has sold her car now

So suppose you have a vertigo attack out of the blue tonight, and can't drive for 6 months, starting now, how would that impact on your life?

Am I Being unreasonable to think lives should be planned around possibly being in this contingency, when choosing homes, jobs schools etc?

Oh, I'm not in this situation, it was just if I did need to stop driving hypothetically. I could easily just make my DS the registered keeper if required. I thought ownership was simply keeping a signed letter or receipt as the V5C is not proof of ownership.

But it's just not realistic to plan your life like that for many people.

Both DH and work in jobs where we need a vehicle. Neither of us are going to give up our careers or re-train in something else on the off-chance that we may have a medical episode that means we can no longer drive.

If I woke up tomorrow with a medical condition that meant I could never drive again, I would of course deal with it, but I'm not going to waste my time worrying about something that may never happen.

its not case of giving up driving "just in case" - it is a case of having a plan B, and being aware just how suddenly and unexpectedly your licence can be withdrawn - hundreds of people who are waking up with a driving licence today will have lost it by tomorrow

But thats still the same principle isnt it? If you drive for a living what kind of plan B should you come up with and why does it only apply to drivers? Anyone could lose their job at any time for a variety of reasons. People have heart attacks and accidents all the time for example, but I cannot plan for something that might or might not happen bar the usual things like life insurance etc

If I woke up tomorrow with a medical condition that meant I could never drive again, I would of course deal with it, but I'm not going to waste my time worrying about something that may never happen

Exactly - there are sooo many potential catastrophes that could happen. I cannot live my life in constant fear or come up with a plan B for every single thing!

Having a plan B if you cannot drive I agree with 100%. Could be temporary such as a broken arm, for example.

Pretty sure there is no law against cycling with any medical condition. There's a law against reckless cycling but that would apply based on your actions while cycling - not on having a medical condition or being drunk for example

I would have to give up my job. No suitable public transport available and a 2 hour walk each way

I'd be ok. I do have to drive to my work office once a week but I could go to another one instead which I could get a train to. My regular one is unfortunately only really accessible by motorway. As it is it takes me over an hour and it's only 30 miles away!

Everything else is walkable or deliverable.

Id be screwed...i live in a town centre but work in the middle of a forest which is on no public transport routes...id have to find another job.

I live in the suburbs where there is zero public transport, and my nearest supermarket is three miles away. So I am very reliant on my car. I did have a medical issue a few years ago which meant I couldn't drive for a few weeks, and I relied on my husband, both to take me to places I needed to go, and to pick up the slack with ferrying the kids around, shopping etc. (I am a stay at home parent so usually I do most of this.) It was inconvenient for all concerned, but we managed.

However, if one of us lost our license or ability to drive for some reason, we would have to move because long term it would just be too limiting. But we aren't going to plan our lives around that remote possibility.

The thing is, we all rely on something we take for granted everyday - our mobility or the availability of public transport to get us around, or the very existence of our employers to put a roof over our heads/pay our bills.

It's just not feasible to have a plan B for every single thing that could possibly go wrong in your life, and IMO losing your license through medical grounds falls into that category. You'd just have to adapt and live with it, the same as people who rely on public transport would have to do if it no longer ran for whatever reason.

This is absolutely one of the reasons I haven't moved somewhere nicer. I live in a famously grotty town, but we have all the amenities and a good bus and cycle network.

Even so, it would massively restrict me. I use the train to commute and walk to the station so that could continue.

My parents and many of my friends are within walking distance, although I do often jump in the car to save time.

To carry on my hobbies and a lot of my social activities I'd have to either spend a lot on taxis or rely on generous friends offering lifts. It is partly with this in mind that I am very willing to do favours or others while I'm able.

Could you cycle

3 miles takes less than 20 min to cycle

@Allfur while cycling is a great option for many a lot of conditions which you would loose you licence for would make cycling dangerous too.
Poor eyesight for instance- while there might be no law against it cycling while you can't see pedestrians crossing clearly or cars turning would be very dangerous.
I work with someone who can't drive due to epilepsy- cycling on roads with cars would be dangerous for him.

I can't imagine what medical condition would make it impossible for me to drive 3 miles but OK to cycle 3 miles with a backpack full of heavy shopping, in the very hot humid weather we have most of the year where I live.

It does, but if you're medically unfit to drive, you're probably not safe to cycle either.

@Allfur

Many areas aren't safe or suitable for cycling - my work is via a winding country lane at 60mph and a 1:4 hill up then down. 2 fatal accidents in the last 10 years, I'm not planning on being the next!

It's the same where I live. I could cycle round town but there's no way I'd risk it on the country lanes - nor would I be fit enough to manage all the hills. Even the super fit guys get off and walk - I'd stand no chance

Not a problem personally. The shops are walkable, Sainsbury's delivers and the station is 15 minutes away.

The grandchildren's taxi service will stop though.