Hi All,

Back in December 2014 I opted to walk home 4 miles from Winchester to where I live. A longish walk, but it soaks up the beer and gets you ready for bed. Done it many times and never had an issue.

This time I didn't make it home and ended up in hospital for 3 months with a smashed skull and epileptic fits. Now the oh so cool DVLA have banned me from driving until July 2016!

I'm on Keppra medication to try and prevent the fits, but have still suffered one since with another visit to hospital.

To say i'm knarked would be polite, I'm fuming

Wow! That sucks, big time!
My eldest Son had epilepsy from about 10years of age. To get a licence he had to go 12 months free from episodes, if he had one the clock was reset. He got his license at the age of 18, but I have my suspicions that he kept one or two to himself

Annoying and frustrating but (just playing devils advocate)...

Ask yourself, how knarked you'd be if they let you drive, had a fit, crashed and killed a baby?

I understand (and appreciate) the non-driving rule. Having suffered a fit since with no recollection (or further injury) I don't want to be driving, but it could be the end of my job as well!

I would also add that the DVLA are somewhat blinkered and to my mind lead a sheltered existence!

ETA - but they work for the government so really get to do what they see as right ?

[Edited on 1/10/15 by nick205]

That's obviously terrible news and I really do sympathise but on the plus side it's good to hear you have made almost a full recovery from what sounds like a nasty head injury. As we've seen in the world of motorsport in recent months, that isn't always the case.

Who knows what the future holds in terms of your continued recovery but hopefully all you need is some patience and let nature take its course and hopefully continue to repair the damage.

Re the DVLA, I guess they are being super-cautious after the situation with the bin lorry in Glasgow. Although I don't think the DVLA were to blame on that occasion, the increased public scrutiny will have them on edge a bit I expect.

Wishing you a continued recovery!

Sorry to hear this Nick, was the fit due to the head injury or the injury due to the fit?

Unknown whether the original injury was a fit + injury or the other way around. Inconclusive police investigation even though the consultants in the NHS were pushing for a hit and run outcome. Recovery is going well, a bit wobbly on my feet, but getting better every day. Cycling is a bit weird, but evrry little helps!

Hi Nick

It's a real pain surrendering your licence, I've recently got mine back after almost 4 years, again due to epilepsy, i've had it for quite some time now and when it reared it's ugly head again i had to stop.

There was a case quite a while back where a lorry driver who has epilepsy killed a woman while driving, he hadn't informed the DVLA but was taking medication for it so he was quite aware of his position, he got 6 years in jail for manslaughter a very large fine and banned from driving for life, ( not the Glasgow driver )
So while the DVLA seem to be quite strict it's better to be safe than sorry.

BTW I'm not trying to be clever here or anything but in NW UK i got myself a bus pass, i paid half fare before 9.30am mon to fri and it was free at all other times, saved me a good few quid over the years, if you commute regular it could be worth trying one.

I'm now just taking Lamictal, it seems to suit me.
Hope you have a speedy recovery and soon get sorted.

Hal

Thanks.

The thought of doing more damage or causing anyone harm does my head in, but not driving is like being labelled abnormal before you start (to me).

I have a very good friend who recently had a seizure and mild stroke, subsequently found to be cause by a brain tumor a dvla ban followed but he also does (well did...) drag racing quite seriously and the MSA gave him an instant 5 year ban.

He's quite angry about the ban, but i can see the logic and reasoning behind it....

Ian

No argument with the logic, but to told over the phone that the DVLA hold the power over you is disheartening.

By my reckoning the standard of driving in the UK is poor and half those on the road shouldn't be, but then they will never be judged or meet anyone from the DVLA.

Totally off-topic, but I used to do archery with a friend who was an epileptic - another friend, who was left-handed*, always stood next to him when on the firing line. If he saw that our friend was seized up because of a fit he used to lean forward and take the arrow out of the bow...

* Being left-handed meant that he could watch his companion as he took aim.

Back to the topic - it's tough, but keeping epileptic drivers off the road is a logical thing to do. A total PITA when the state of public transport is concerned though.

Really sorry to hear about your medical issues Nick.

If my job was less of a concern i'd be tempted to use the time to build another car, but some 205gti restoration may have to fill the gap.

O and buses and trains are really shite

A ban for a period to prove you are stable and ok to drive is reasonable. What is more of a problem is that anyone advised by their doctor that they should be okay to come off the meds and then has a seizure because of it has to go back on the meds and restart the whole period again. Which will mean many people never trying, even if they suffer side effects for life.

Really sorry to hear of your woes Nick,
I had a friend who suffered from epilepsy, He was a massive petrolhead and coudn't wait to have a licence,
10 months fit free, He had a fit, cracked his head and sadly never regained consciousness. very sad,
I hope everything works out for you.

Someone in my family did the same he got a bag on the head and they took his licence until he was free of an attack for 1 year . Now hear is the odd thing he was allowed to keep his Psv licence. I will add he did not use it but shows how bad the system is

Not wanting to make you feel worse still but... I'd be thinking twice about the cycling as well. I saw someone have a fit while riding and wasn't nice. They didn't do any of the things you'd normally do to protect yourself. Simply coming down hill, veered right across the road at speed, curb, cartwheel, wall, cartwheel, bounce, slide, bounce... all on the wrong side of the road. Stopped with her head against the front wheel of a car, that had screeched to a halt just in time.

Hmmm.... problem is, where do you draw the line. Cycling and having a fit is dangerous both to the epileptic and whoever else happens to be anywhere near the bicycle. Having a fit while walking is pretty horrendously dangerous, or basically in any situation. Hell, I've even heard colloquially that most people (regardless) will die in a bed, how many of us get into a bed?

Yes, my father was epileptic. A serious motorcycle accident left him with the condition, being yet another statistic used by the blubberment for the mandatory helmet laws (as an aside, my horrific crash at 17 on an RD250 helped changed the learner laws).

Anyway, Phenytoin helped control the fits, but made him extremely 'slow' and his gums and teeth hellish. Managing the illness was a strain for us all, but, alarmingly, he continued to drive until I had to let the authorities know. Several issues, mainly in supermarket car parks (stress).

A related brain tumour got him in the end.

quote:

---

Originally posted by motorcycle_mayhem
Yes, my father was epileptic. A serious motorcycle accident left him with the condition ... Anyway, Phenytoin helped control the fits, but made him extremely 'slow'.

---

Really sorry to hear this news.... If you want to drive in the mean time, maybe on track with dual controls
?

My mum was crashed into by a chap having a fit when he wasn't meant to be driving. Hang tight and hope for the best.

Sorry to hear about the accident and the consequences, but I don't understand your beef with the DVLA.
You sensibly accept that you should not be driving but object to the DVLA telling you that you shouldn't be driving ?
Anyway, hope the condition improves and you get your licence back before too long.

My brother when he first started having seizures ended up putting a Fiesta up a tree, Fiesta car, not the jazz mag.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Macbeast
Sorry to hear about the accident and the consequences, but I don't understand your beef with the DVLA.
You sensibly accept that you should not be driving but object to the DVLA telling you that you shouldn't be driving ?
Anyway, hope the condition improves and you get your licence back before too long.

---