Reported DM to DVLA..... was I wrong?

[Shesalittlemadam]

Hi please be kind! I didn't do this to be malicious. I honestly thought I was doing the right thing, but now I'm not sure...

My DM has had Cornea Transplants on each eye due to a Dystrophy she has. This has vastly improved her vision and after a suitable number of months, she was given the go ahead to continue driving.

She's a fab driver. Used to race in the 60s and knows her way round an engine even! (Not that they are required to be one of course)
In my 36 years I've never known her to have so much as a single bump and only 2 speeding tickets. If no claims bonuses exceeded 15 yrs, then she'd have about 36 to maybe 40+ years!
So yeah, for 75 years of age she is an unusually competent, decent driver.

However,

The one issue she does have, is that when driving at night, she says "I struggle a bit with glare from lights" (quote). Therefore, sensibly, she avoids driving at night. Great. Although if she needs to drive then she will do.
This is what worries me. I've tried talking to her calmly & in a friendly way about not driving after sunset (or on dark days) AT ALL and well, it did not go down well....

So I checked the DVLA website and sure enough, although they are aware of her eye condition, it does say that you must inform them if you suffer from 'Night Blindness' at all.
I asked her if she had and of course, no she hadn't. I got a huge mouthful for even asking...!

Cue more worrying and reading of a horror story article and I submitted a report to the DVLA.....

Today she got the letter and understandably, has Hit. The. Roof!!!! Had a huge go at me about how I've tried to ruin her life and destroy her independence and quite understandably, wont listen to my reasons for doing it. She now is no longer speaking to me. Which I get 🤷🏼‍♀️

Now I'm wondering if what she said she struggled with "glare from lights" is actually the same thing as 'Night blindness??'

I just worry so much that she's going to kill herself or someone else and/or spend the rest of her life in prison 😳

Did I do the right thing??? 😢

Please don't be too harsh, I can take on board criticism if delivered in a reasonable manner!

Thanks

*Well she is lying or you are.

Driving licences have to be renewed at 70 and every 3 years after.*

So did she renew her licence at 70 and 73 and does she have regular eye tests OP?

I struggle with being practically blinded by the sun in the winter. Should I report myself for day blindness?

OP, you have done the sensible thing, you have expressed a concern regarding your mother driving at night. If her doctors think she is OK, then she will continue to drive, if she is unfit to drive the decision will be taken out of her hands.

How would you feel if somebody reported you and you lost your licence for weeks or even months until you could prove that you were still fit to drive? What about if you were being played up and harrassed by your kids in the morning and they ended up at school without their coat or with their hair not done. Reported to SS just to be on the safe side? Turn up at work in a shiny new car and get reported to the boss and police because you could have been defrauding the company to pay for it?

Even if you do report, in an ideal police state world, enquiries would be carried out promptly and anybody found to have been reported mistakenly or maliciously would instantly see their previous rights/good reputation fully restored. In reality, it rarely happens this way.

The DVLA will want to cover their backs, so once they have been alerted about any potential concern, however frivolous, they could then be held liable if they didn't revoke a licence and an accident ensued, so I would fully expect them to err on the side of paranoia extreme caution.

I don't think people are being vitriolic at all - just horrified that somebody could report their own mother to the authorities and have her independence taken away from her for a lengthy period on the back of a gross overreaction coming from a point of ignorance.

I struggle with being practically blinded by the sun in the winter. Should I report myself for day blindness?

I'm unable to see anything, so effectively blind, for up to 8 hours every single night - does that make me a permanent menace on the roads?

Maybe next time get your facts right before 'reporting someone' for something you don't even understand?

I don't like driving at night as some headlights these days are way too bright and some idiots don't believe in dipping thier headlights or they put them.up before they are passed you.
Doesn't mean I have night blindness. I just put up with it when I have to drive home from work or days out.

OP, you have done the sensible thing, you have expressed a concern regarding your mother driving at night

No she hasn't she didn't even check what night blindness was before jumping to conclusions and reporting someone for a condition they don't even have! That's just ignorance and she has taken her mother's independence away for absolutely nothing. Her doctor passed her as fit to drive at night yet she thinks she knows better?
Actually talking to her mum and finding out what NB was would have been the "sensible" thing to do.

As the consensus of this thread already confirms, you were very unreasonable OP. What a mean, irrational thing to do to your own mother.

I suffer from the glare too especially if my windscreen is a bit smeary. I have 20/20 vision and when I say suffer, I mean it's uncomfortable for a moment. I'm sorry, unless she specifically said that she loses her sight for a moment when the oncoming cars approach, I'd say YABU. I want to add that you clearly love and respect your mum a lot and want to protect her.

I'm unable to see anything, so effectively blind, for up to 8 hours every single night - does that make me a permanent menace on the roads?

It depends if you are driving at this time or asleep in bed?

Whichever it is, I'd be careful. The OP has probably already reported you before establishing any facts.

@MulticolourMophead Have you rtft?

You would then be aware that the OPs mother has not been banned but needs confirmation from her Consultant that she is fit to drive before they take any action.

Next, the OP's mother has already admitted that she does not like driving at night as she cannot see but that she has done it, "if she needs to she will drive". So tell me, how would you be able to look at yourself when she has an accident and injures or kills someone.

The person to make the formal determination is her doctor and the guidance from the DVLA and the GMC is very clear to doctors with regard to driving capacity.

I regularly go on long country drives when I am totally unable to see where I am going, OP are you going to report me?

You asked where I got the figure from

From the RAC

Forty-five per cent complained they get dazzled by headlights in their rear-view mirror, while a huge 70% believe some lights are so bright they represent an accident risk. In fact official government data shows there are around 300 collisions every year where dazzling headlights are a factor.

Rear view mirror even with audio dipping ones now?. 45%

Balls been moved a bit perhaps?.

Can agree with the oncoming level of lighting and the twats that don'r dip but i don't think this is a part of the orignal argument...

But glare or issues around lights from other cars dazzling her isn't night blindness. It may be something else but it's not night blindness.

Night blindness is when you can't make out shapes in low lighting. So if you find you fall off kerbs if you're in an area at night with low street lights because you can't see the edge of the pavement. Or you can't make out trees or bushes in low lighting at night, you may have night blindness.

Being dazzled by lights isn't the same thing at all and her consultant will tell them exactly that - she's not night blind.

I get glare from lights, it's not night blindness at all.

I think you've really really overstepped the Mark.

Can she even get her license back?

YANBUI think due to her recent eye issues it's only right that her ability to drive to re evaluated. Driving at night is harder even for people with perfect vision. It's not all about taking away someone's independence it's about being safe.

A. her eye issues aren't recent, her op was in 2003.
B. She hasn't lost her license.

Why comment on a thread if you haven't even read it?

Can agree with the oncoming level of lighting and the twats that don'r dip but i don't think this is a part of the orignal argument

Surely any glare is? There's been stuff on the TV in the last week, and the radio, about half of drivers are affected by night glare.

There are loads of articles out there, CBA to link them to you. But 6 out of 10 drivers say they are dazzled by oncoming lights. Google it.

I've already reported you, @WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll. No more driving for you!

Can agree with the oncoming level of lighting and the twats that don'r dip but i don't think this is a part of the orignal argument
Yes it is op said her mum has problems with the glare from lights like many people do. She jumped to the conclusion that this was night blindness and reported her mum for having this condition.

Totally false allegations and could cost her mum losing her license until DVLA investigate.

Crappy thing to do due to ignorance.

Re the having to reapply for your licence if you have a declared medical condition....can I just say that if you have reported a condition to the DVLA, you don't have to reapply. They set the length that your licence is valid for and they send a letter with the forms to be completed at the appropriate intervals. And then they tell you where you need to go to get checked out to prove you're still eligible to drive. (I have two declared conditions (diabetes and glaucoma) and my licence is renewed every three years.) Even with the age thing, I seem to remember my parents received a letter from the DVLA when they got to 70, but I stand to be corrected on that if I've got that wrong.

I'm not going to comment on the other issues...

They set the length that your licence is valid for and they send a letter with the forms to be completed at the appropriate intervals

They don't always do that, I reported a condition and filled in the form (available online) with all the details, sent it off and got a letter back saying thanks for letting them know and that there was no impact on my licence.

I suffer terribly from night blindness and I am 46. My sister bought me some fugly glasses that tune it all out - literally make all the glare go away. I drive now in dark and rain with no problem. May have been worth a try op.

Really unreasonable of you OP, your poor mum 😢
You have indeed removed her ability to be self sufficient with an issue many drivers complain about.

Think OP is taking a horrible battering. Yes, prob best to have read up on night blindness (I still don't know what it is) but I had a young friend die due to someone unfit to drive who thought they were. OP tried to talk to her mother. Wonder if you would be saying the same if she knocked over and killed one of your relatives?

I absolutely hate careless drivers. The OP hasn't done this out of spite and has already stated that her mother did not inform DVLA of change in eyesight. She will get her license back if she is fit to drive, simple.

Her freedom is not taken away, she is not on house arrested. Some people walk or take buses.

poor Mum - I'd never speak to you again

Name change
She has done it out of spite, read her updates.