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

I've not seen an OP be this precious in ages

Its not a sin to admit when you are wrong you know

Why did you even bother to ask if you was gonna get it removed when people didn't agree?

Appropriate user name is appropriate.

@Shesalittlemadam

Well she is lying or you are.

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

Personally I think you had forgotten this and are trying to cover up.

Just dunno how you could do that to her, talk about take her inderpendce away. Would hate to be your enemy.

Totally disagree. The only restrictions the DVLA will do is getting you to renew your licence more often. Why does she need an eye specialist for night glare which 45% of drivers suffer from?

Shorter renewals may be what thye think fit in a particulr case.

Where did your 45% figure come from BTW?..

Anyone here work at the DVLA ??

I don't think it's night blindness either. The glare. An bprher me bit I've had my night vision checked very thoroughly due to a different eye condition and I definitely don't have night blindness.

Whilst acknowledging the subject creep, medical grounds for revoking a licence have nothing to do with competence. If a driver has passed their test, they have passed their test.

Sorry, that was badly worded on my part. I didn't mean overall competence to drive, I meant medical/physical/mental ability to do so on top of that - i.e. in this case, I clumsily) meant the visual competence to drive safely.

I for one didn't mean to bully you, OP, but going on what you originally wrote, that's exactly what it sounded like you did to your Mum by reporting her on a vague hunch.

By the way, the definition of a troll isn't merely somebody who disagrees with you. if that were the case, it would make your own Mum a troll (which she most assuredly is not).

@Justaboy

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.'

Did someone not invent glasses recently for driving at night to reduce glare.......

...off to search the internet......

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if I have missed an update but...
Im afraid I would be absolutely furious with you OP!
A lot of people struggle with glare from the car lights, myself included and I have better than 20:20 vision after having laser eye surgery.
What she has described is nothing out of the ordinary and you have potentially taken away her independence with your misinformed report. I feel a lot of grovelling will be required on your part and I would be trying to retract your report from the DVLA saying you misunderstood the term 'night blindness'.

No, you didn't do the right thing. A lot of people avoid driving at night because their eyesight isn't as good. I'd be furious with you.

I would be surprised if your mother ever spoke to you again. Not sure I would.
Not remotely surprised she hit the roof. That was a mean and unpleasant thing you did.

Asking if you were wrong, then being told by the majority that you were does not constitute bullying OP.

It's really hard to get your licence back when they revoke it. My ex had this problem when he reported himself for anxiety! He had no licence for years, about three I think. So yeah... I'm not sure, especially when she has only complained about the glare

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.

It is disappointing to see some of the vitriol posted on this thread as I expect these would be the very people who would lambast you if your mother had a serious accident affecting others. I am sure you did not take this decision lightly and it behoves other time remember that before they post.

You reported your own mother. That's mad. I struggle with driving at night. I'm 42. I just avoid it when I can. Your poor mum is understandably pissed off!

Well I have two different types of dystrophies affecting each eye.

Yep, I was really lucky on the dystrophy lottery.

And yes OP, I still get to drive. Lucky me eh?

I'm taking it that when your DM was diagnosed with Fuchs, you've been thoroughly checked for it to?

You were completely unreasonable. What an overreaction. She said she was struggling with bright lights (which is NOT the same as night blindness at all). A lot of people (including myself) struggle with how bright headlights are these days. It's very normal. I still drive though! She has gone one stage further and opted not to drive at night. So what the actual fuck was your problem. You sound like an interfering patronising busybody and I am not at all surprised she is no longer talking to you. What did you expect!

Good grief. No, OP, you didn't do the right thing.

That was an awful thing to do. A bit of glare is not the same as night blindness for goodness sake!

Wow, totally unreasonable. I have anti glare glasses, she could just get those, besides modern cars have really bright headlights. You exaggerated your mother’s condition to the DVLA and in doing so have compromised your mother’s independence - well done you 🤷🏻‍♂️

@LatteLady The sensible thing for OP to do was to have talked to her mother first, and to read up on night blindness. Maybe encourage her DM to talk to her doctors.

Instead she made incorrect assumptions, leaving her mother in a poor situation. Her DM had already made adjustments for glare in her driving by not driving at night, and as her doctors had already signed her off as fit to drive then why should OP interfere?

The DVLA is notorious for taking ages to make a decision on handing back a licence, and this could cause real hassle for OP's DM. There was absolutely no need to go direct to DVLA first. That's not "expressing an opinion", that's active interference.