Drivers License Denied!

[todub]

After reading a few sob stories from people with serious conditions I feel like I shouldn't even be bitchen right now because my problems cant even compare, but everyone needs to vent whether their problems are big or small. For those of you who have serious epileptic conditions I truly hope that everything goes well for all of you. I am going to vent about a little less serious matter though.

I am a CA resident and I was told that if you are seizure free for three months as a complex partial epileptic you will get your license back. When i found out i was epileptic i took it on the chin did my research and handled it as i needed to. Took meds a couple didn't work and finally got on one that did. I am on topamax and fortunately, I have been seizure free for three and half months so i went to my neurologists and he filled out the paper work and looked me in the eye while i looked back at him noticing the plaques from Stanford and Boston university he had earned while he literally made a guarantee that i would be given an opportunity to be seen by a human being at the dmv and take a driving test and written test. Anyway i got a letter from the dmv rather quickly the day before but opened on christmas eve saying that i had been denied a drivers license for another 94 days because a DMV 'official' who has never met me or seen me, or I am smarter than and can drive circles around 24 hours a day 7 days a week knows more about my condition and mental well being than my neurologist. How does that work? Anyway, this woman made a typo on the form that said December 2nd was when she filled out the paper work, when she actually meant the 20th. On christmas eve i was hanging out to the small possibility that this meant this paper work was not in response to the doctors note, but i called the san francisco office today and it was and the dumb woman that has the authority to devour, digest, shit out and flush a 22 year old college students independence doesnt either have the time to write the correct date or the IQ next to her signature. And she has the right to override my neurologists opinion? How fucked up is this system?

Two months before I was diagnosed with epilepsy and my license was revoked i was in town because I had to show up to court because I had to testify against a man who hit me when he was drunk as a skunk when i was stopped at a stop light. Two miles from testifying at the court house from the town i should not have even been in I was driving through a green light going the speed speed limit and ran into an elderly man driving a toyota who had ran a red light. When i got out of my car he said that he was confused and didnt know what happened, and i told he ran a red light and agreed. There was no proof who was at fault, I had to pay 1000$ for an insurance premium because he lied and got away with it. That will most likely come back to haunt me because of my condition. Both of those men probably have drivers licenses right now. I dont, I have never been in an accident that was my fault or got a ticket and i am 22 and been living with this condition all my life. I did everything i could since august to get my life back in order and of course everything i can control myself is going well, things that are out of my control are fucked, that is just how life goes.

If anyone has any good info about driving, or good stories please reply.

[RobinN]

Hey Todub,
It isn't an easy state to be without a license. Sorry to hear about this.
I have a 22 yr old son, who has had a few of his own fender benders, once in my car when a drunk guy rear-ended him. No insurance, revoked license, and my car was totaled. We didn't have a whole lot to fall back on, as my son's insurance didn't include being covered by drivers without insurance. So I was back to buying a new car.
For quite a while my son used his bicycle to get around. He was in great shape.
Do you need to have a full license to drive a Vespa?

[RanMan]

todub

I know exactly how you're feeling. It makes you feel like part of your freedom has been taken away.

This is a topic that REALY BOTHERS ME.
Most people are of the opinion that "that will never happen to me." Well it seems to be happening more often than ever. It seems that the Ministry of transport is getting too leniant.

I went 23 yrs seizure free and I was of the strong opinion that if I were to have an "aura" or get that feeling just before a grande-mal while I was driving, I would be able to pull over in plenty of time, but since found out that it's like playing Russian Roulette, I was fooling myself. I had a minor incident in a parking lot and as a result, I had my licence suspended.I still drove for 2 yrs but I was just lucky that nothing happened. After driving my whole adult life and then having my licence stripped away, I felt like part of my freedom was taken away. It could happen at ANY time and you won't have time to pull over. So again I ask you is it worth the gamble?

Did you hear about the lady in Florida that had a siezure while driving and her licence was under suspention for medical reasons?

She drove her SUV through a school bus drop off area and hit some kids. (not sure how many were killed)

As well as facing criminal charges, she will be living with this guilt for the rest of her life and never be able to get insurance.

I'm sorry but I have a problem with people who have a KNOWN seizure condition and continue to drive and then there's me who has a siezure condition that has been under control for 25 yrs and I've had mine suspended. To me that seems very irresponsible.

I am also on disability for my epilepsy and ulcerative colitis so I really don't need to drive but I'd like to have that freedom again.

Randy
diagnosed with epilepsy and Ulcerative Colitis in 1979
- current meds are:

275mg dilantin/day
120mg pheonobarb/day
3,000mg Mesasol/day

[alivenwell]

It is kind of frustrating to not drive especially with poor public transportation. My parents' generation had great public transportation because nobody owned cars during the depression.
I only hope our public transportation gets much much better. If gas prices get much higher, then I'll probably drive very little, if at all.
For over 20 years, I walked everywhere, lived near a lot of necessary places like a grocery store, hospital, mall, physicians, neurologist, and banks just to name a few. If I could carry something through the grocery store, then I could carry it home. I now have a physically fit kid unlike many of today's obese children. I work at an employer that encourages employees to stay physically fit. We were all given pedometers a few years ago.
In a way, you are in one place physically. However, there is no limit to your spirit.
If you have the ability to study something interesting rather than burn gasoline and pollute air, you will travel much farther in your life than most motor heads. I personally found that when I was restricted from driving, I was forced to find something else to occupy my mind. In my case, I love music like a lot of people in this forum seem to also love. I played piano for over 25 years and became an accomplished pianist. I studied advanced math, science and engineering. I now have a great job simply because I applied my abilities and advanced my skills. I also have an incredible passion for art. If I could turn time back, I would also have majored in art. My idea of a good time is to get a box of crayons or colored pencils out and draw anything that I desire. Anything is possible if you apply your mind.

[brain]

Well...

How about this twister: I have...

0 Violations
0 Infractions
Flawless Driving Record
Safe Driver

But yet .........

25 car accidents (2 of them as a cyclist,
a couple as a passenger, remainder were
while as a driver, but 2 of the most CRITICAL
crashes were a result of FELONS!
with the last one being June 28, 2007)

While majority of the crashes were
in the rain or right after the rain,
rear-end; people not paying attention,
slamming on the brakes at the intersection
and hydro-planed and crossing lanes and
of all the vehicles there, they have to plow
into mine! *sigh*

NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER BEEN MY FAULT!

But the last accident did me in ...
I surrendered my license, even though I'm
a Florida resident (even while in Georgia
temporarily for a short term, I had a license
there and it was flawless, but still, got plowed
by wreckless drivers)... have Epilepsy and
neurological problems, first being mildly
hard of hearing, then the 1988 accident
making me deaf overnight but I still drove,
and had driven since I've had my Learner's
Permit when I was 16.

The State of Florida DMV Medical Board (to
which known now as DHSMV) had always
monitored me - first the long forms, then it
became the shorter forms, and now the
computerized forms but STILL requires the
Doctors to handwrite the information in.


Since July 2007, I surrendered my license,
I just knew my driving days were over; I
wasn't sure how or why, no one told me to
give it up - I just went down there on my
own, then told my Primary Doctor AFTER I
had surrendered it, then my Cardiologist,
my Neurologist found out about it later on.

People at my age just do not walk in and
surrender - they (DHSMV and Doctors) have
a hard enough time getting people to give it
up!

Am I ever going to be able to drive again?
I don't know .. it would be nice. But SAFETY
COMES FIRST! This is one thing I will talk to
my Primary Doctor tomorrow about.

[alivenwell]

Yup! I agree. There are a lot of idiots out on the roads today. It's amazing how some of them get by with breaking the rules. I live near a highway and absolutely love it when we get a major snow storm because nobody is out there driving. It's incredibly quiet. And, the air is fresher.

[todub]

I am 22. i feel the 'experienced drivers' pain. I am back home from college right now and right now fortunately i have a nice enough mom who will drive me to my friends house that is 10 minutes away from here. I cannot take the bus because the closest one is 4 miles from my home. After she drops me off, I will be watching my friends drink alcohol either at a party or a bar and feel useless because i cant at least drive while im sober. It is great just to be around them though. However, my doctor guaranteed i would have my license back right now thanks for being completely wrong doc! Now i get to look forward to 3 more months at least of taking the bus, staying in cuz i dont go out anymore cuz the meds make my anxiety levels higher than normal and i was already a shy person on top of that, and now that i dont have a car to take them theres no way ill be bold enough to ask a girl out... this is bullshit

[alivenwell]

During my college breaks, I had to go home way, way, way out in the country. It was a beautiful place, but definitely not for a rowdy person. If you're shy, that's OK. A lot of people are with you in that spectrum. Shy people are probably more easy to be with than loud obnoxious ones. It's just my opinion.
My method of dealing with stress is to do a lot of walking. I've walked up to 4 miles with my really active dog. We both feel much better (and tired) after a good long walk or play session. It sounds like your friends are supportive. As they say, some things take a credit card, and some things are priceless!

Anyway, if you're in a bar with your friends, you can always get one of those sparkled Perrier waters (or something less obvious) that's non-alcoholic. I recommend bottled stuff 'cause nobody can spike it.

And, who's to say that some girl already likes you now?! My sister used to say guys made passes at me and I was totally oblivious. I just didn't notice them.