OCEANSIDE – A Ford Explorer flew off an Interstate 5 off-ramp and mowed down a backyard fence on Kirmar Place yesterday, officials said. The vehicle stopped just short of plunging into the pool, an Oceanside fire battalion chief said. The driver told authorities that a medical condition caused her to lose control of her vehicle as she exited southbound Interstate 5 onto Cassidy Street about 1:50 p.m. No one was injured at the home, and the driver was not seriously hurt. Okay, a "medical condition?" When a friend of mine got knocked out after a car turned left in front of him, he was told to report that to the DMV. Apparently, if you have "medical problems" involving unconciousness, the DMV can restrict your license. So I am wondering, since this woman obviously can't keep her stupid car on the road, will the state yank her driving priviledges? -- -- Spidergraham Chaplain, ARSCC "Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as Scientology." -ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"
Most probably, for 90 days anyway. A friend of mine recently had a seizure completely out of the blue (he has no history of epilepsy) while eating lunch with some coworkers. The ER that treated him promptly reported it to the DMV, which suspended his driver's license for 90 days.
They can. When you renew your license, you are asked about a few medical conditions. I don't remember the list, but epilepsy is on there. I don't know if any of them automatically restrict you from driving, but the DMV does get to review the medical records and make a judgment based on the probability of recurrence. I can imagine some medical conditions where refusal to license makes sense, and others (e.g. a first time reaction to some prescribed medication) where it might not. You do know, for example, that you shouldn't take vicodin and drive, but I don't see pulling your license for the duration of the prescription. What struck me about the story was how close the house and pool must have been to the freeway offramp for the SUV to have landed there in the first place by accident. Rich, Urban Biker
Yeah...every once in a while on Cops, they'll pull over somebody who is too stoned to drive, who expresses astonishment that the legal perscription drug they're on counts as 'driving under the influence.' I guess the warning, "should not operate heavy machinery" doesn't register as "you shouldn't drive while on these" in some people's minds. Now if you'll excuse me, construction crews left a bulldozer across the street with the keys in it... -- -- Spidergraham Chaplain, ARSCC "Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as Scientology." -ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"
Actually, many don't realize that driving even under the "influence" of somethig as simple as over the counter cough medicine, or anti-histimines can get you a DUI.
Hush, you! -- -- Spidergraham Chaplain, ARSCC "Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as Scientology." -ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"
