labrat Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 hi folks. im new here so hello to everyone.. im in the process of aplying for my national b licence for sprinting and hill climbing. ive gone down the online aplication route and because i checked the box saying i have an eyesight problem i now have to apply via post.. no problems so far.. my question is.... am i wasting my time? im blind in one eye.. ive been to see my doctor and he tested me and confirnired i have 6/6/ visionwith both eyes open(legal requirment for road driving) this is also the requirment for the licence i would like. but theres somthing in the regs about suden blindness in one eye making you unsutable. and somthing else about 120 degres of vision. does anyone know if being blind in one eye means i cant get a licence? thanks for reading simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Hi Simon, and welcome. I don't know the current MSA line, as I haven't got this year's Blue Book to hand, but I do know the FIA line for international licences which you'll find on this link http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/F...09_22.01.09.pdf and you need to look at Art 1.3 and 1.5 I don't think you should necessarily have a problem with sprinting and hillclimbing at national level. If you need further advice, click on my name at the left side of this post and follow the link to profile to send me a PM or email - and I can put you in touch with a specialist motor sport doctor. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
labrat Posted February 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 hi Alec thanks for the welcom and the info.. i had a look at the linky.and it mentions sterioscopic vision.. now i dont have that.. the world looks 3d to me but in the technical sence its not stereoscopic. wonder if i could get a disabled licence? ill fill outthepostal aplication andsee what happens thanks agin simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Simon, There was a long and detailed thread on the Ten Tenths board late last year, started by someone with amblyopia, a 'lazy eye', due to a squint that had not been corrected in childhood. One eye had sight, but was in fact useless. They got their licence, with little trouble. See (sic!): http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread...light=amblyopia And I have kept my copy of the "Notes" that accompany a renewal application and no doubt a new one, and include advice on the medical examination. Section 26, para 10, subsection d (page 3): "A person who suddenly loses the sight in one eye will not be allowed to hold a licence until five years have passed" In other words one blind eye is NOT a bar to holding a licence if the person has had it long enough to become used to it. Take up Alec's offer, I'm sure you will pass, even for racing if that is your wish! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted February 19, 2009 Report Share Posted February 19, 2009 Hi John, yes, the sudden loss of sight in one eye and 5 years suspension has been around in principle for a long time. The discretionary element comes in after the 5 years, and also where loss of binocular vision has been gradual rather than sudden. I've known several one-eyed Jacks over the years in motor sport, and from all I've ever heard the MSA have been more than reasonable in terms of enabling them to compete to the best of their ability, commensurate with the reasonable safety of everyone else involved. I think it's fair to suggest that the MSA attitude has traditionally been one of endeavouring to overcome whatever disability, handicap or limitation affects an individual - and the motor sport medics are a 'can do' sort of breed, not the kind of folk to put unnecessary obstacles in the way. Cheers, Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
labrat Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) fantastic to hear that fellas.. cant thank you enough for taking the time to reply to my question... hopefully ill bump into you at an event sometime. my docs pretty cool and is very suportive of any sporting activatiy that gets the locals out of the pub lol.. he's allready updated my med records to say im in good health and have legal driving eye sight.. i explained the score to him and he's expecting the msa to be in touch regarding this matter. if it comes down to needing a specialist motorsports doc i will get in touch with alec and go that route. but from what youve all said im pretty confident now that ill be fine...its just that all the rules and stipulations made it look like i might have problems..thats a great thread on amblyopia john cheers for that, very interesting read. thats what my problem is. started as a squint as a kid nothing got done about it and the brain shuts down the signal to stop double vision. dosnt seem to affect my perseption of depth at all, i play snooker pretty well, but strangly i cant catch a ball to save my life. thanks again. simon p.s. tr7's rock i used to love them as a teenager... look out for a red skyline at harewood it might be me.. Edited February 20, 2009 by labrat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhodri Posted February 20, 2009 Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 hopefully ill bump into you at an event sometime. Perhaps not... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
labrat Posted February 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2009 well you know what i ment lol.. forms filled in and posted off... lets see what happens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
labrat Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 hi again just thought id update you.. my licence has been granted.. just had an email from the msa saying its being printed. i did need to have a proper eye test, £25 at spec savers. was quite nice to find out my eye sight is regarded as pretty good between a 6/6 and a 6/5 uncorected and a 6/5 corrected. been looking at aintree spring sprint for a first event. nice wide track and only 3 bends as such (even i can learn that lol) and liverpool isnt to far away from me.. thanks for the help and advice and hope to SEE some of you soon. regards simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Simon, Well done! That's two 'One-eyed Jacks' (Alec's phrase, not mine!) who have got licenced in the last few months. (See link above to 10/10ths) Form a team for the Birkett! - you should get a good handicap. JOhn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.