How do you get around if you can't drive?

How do you get around most often without a driver's license?

  • Public Transport

    Votes: 3 30.0%
  • Uber or other main stream ride sharing service not specific to epilepy/taxi

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Friend/Family

    Votes: 6 60.0%
  • Epilepsy specific service (please post the service's name and location)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other (please post)

    Votes: 1 10.0%

  • Total voters
    10

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To be transparent, this isn't a direct problem for me (I haven't had my license restricted), but I come across this question a lot when I talk with people with epilepsy. So getting more information on how other people manage without a license/a restricted license would help.

Please include the city you live in and whether the solution you are using works well for you. Thank you so much!

Josh
 
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PS: I realized I just posted this in the kitchen section of the forum. Please forgive me for not posting this in a better section of the forum. I only realized this after I posted. Any input you can offer on the question would still be appreciated. Also, if there is a way to move this post please let me know :)
 
I voted "other" because I use a combination of means. Previously I took the bus, while I lived in St. Pete, Fl. Now, I am staying in Oviedo, FL and have taken the bus about 2 times to work. I have gotten back into biking so now I ride a bike to campus where I work.
 
This Is Something A Person Has To Change Over Time!

Jmed,
It has become much easier to live while not having a DL as technology has gotten more advanced. I do my shopping for everything but groceries and meds on Amazon. This way everything is delivered to my door. I pay $99/yr for the Prime membership and get free shipping for any size order. My pharmacy has a free delivery service as does the grocery store(one of a chain) in my home town. If I need to go anywhere I can call a bus service that is based in my town. They provide rides in a three county area for an ride. They charge one price for a ride in your town and so much to an address outside of town.
If I need a ride outside the area that the bus service covers they have a group of private owners who will drive someone to where they need to go for a price. This is run by the bus service too.
This all works out to cost much less than the cost of owning a vehicle, paying for gas, insurance and maintenance. Sure it isn't as convenient but it sure provides me with everything that I need.
If I need to go somewhere in town when the bus service is closed, I have a garden tractor that I have geared up so it travels faster. This works great, and I was told that it was OK to do by the Chief of Police. He said that the tractor would be no different than a person using an electric wheelchair. The only thing is I need gas instead of electricity. :clap:

ACsHuman
 
Thank you ACsHuman! Can you post a link to the bus service? Or just post the name? I would be interested to google them to see how they work and if any thing similar is in other cities. Is it a bus service for anyone that wants a ride, people with some type of disability, or is it epilepsy specific? Thank you!
 
Anyone Can Ride The Bus!

Jmed,
Anyone can ride the buses, but each bus is set up with a wheelchair lift and special seats for the handicapped or any other riders. The buses are the most busy in the early morning(6-7am) and late afternoon(4-6pm). Many handicapped people who use the bus to commute to and from work at those times.
If I need a ride I call their dispatch center and tell them what time I need to be at my destination. They then figure out what bus can pick me up at my address. I have to be waiting for the bus 10 minutes early or the bus may be up to 10 minutes late. This way the bus has a twenty minute window of time to get to my address. I use tokens to pay for my rides. I get the tokens from the bus company. It costs one token for a ride in town and two tokens for a ride to an address outside of town or another town. The buses each have lift a for wheelchairs. The size of the bus is about 25 people. The largest number of people ride the buses in the early morning and late afternoon to commute to work. :clap:
Just Google 'Trailblazer Transit' and you will get their website.

ACsHuman
 
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Thanks for posting! Do you find that works well for you?

It works well enough for me. That said, being the middle of July, it gets very hot here with high humidity. Coming home is much easier than getting to work because I usually have to stop and cool down. I'm going to buy some panniers for my bike to haul groceries. There's also some nice trails around here which are great to bike on. Biking is a great thing to do as not only is it practical to get from place to place, but you also get good exercise from it.
 
There ARE People Who Will Help You Get Around!

A person who has E can find ways to get around that don't include just family or friends! I have found that many churches have members, who are retired, that would be glad to give someone a ride. These people are looking for something to do and if they can do something good for a person who needs something like a ride, they are going to feel real good about themselves.
This is something that IS available if a person w/E checks it out. It may not take place immediately but you can be sure that the pastor or members will find someone who wants to help! They do this because they want to help the people who need help! :clap:

ACsHuman
 
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I've never had an interest in driving, even before my seizures returned & I wasn't on restrictions.

I live in a pretty central area so walk when I can. When I can't walk places I am able to get public transport. I have to catch a bus to work, the bus stop is only 15 min walk from home & it stops right in front of work.
The epilepsy clinic I go to is in the city & is about 4 hours each way so I get a train to the clinic.
 
I used to drive but that was years ago.When I lived in London public transport is good where I live now it average.You certainly see who your friends are when you don't drive
 
After an accident during a seizure this week I've voluntarily stopped driving until I'm under better control. What's strange is it's still legal for me to and I've had to remove myself out of concern for myself and others' safety.
 
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Should i drive?

This is a question that a lot of people w/E have to make a decision about! With the way that there are so many different requirements set by the many different states for a person w/E many times a person has to make the decision by themselves.
All too often a person w/E may think that their being able to drive is more important than the safety of the other people who may be on the road at the time that person is driving. This can result in people having different feelings about how the person w/E is making decisions for themselves.
I strongly respect anyone who makes the decision to stop driving because of their E. That person is showing that they are definitely thinking about a lot about the safety of everybody else, just in case a seizure may occur!
One thing I don't like hearing is how someone who has a condition like asthma or diabetes has a seizure but as far as the DMV is concerned, this was just a medical problem and does not need to be checked out to see if their driving privileges should have some restrictions put on them. It seems that a person w/E is treated in a totally different way! :twocents:

ACsHuman
 
I've never had an interest in driving, even before my seizures returned & I wasn't on restrictions.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't have a strong interest in driving, some people think it's weird to not "want" to drive. But when the seizures started, that changed a little. Not because I wanted to actually drive, but because it gives me freedom, and my mom is SO clingy and I feel like she gets some strange satisfaction from having to drive me everywhere. But I've found other means of freedom such as walking and biking(if not too far), and public transportation (although I haven't used public trans yet, that's another story).
 
I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't have a strong interest in driving, some people think it's weird to not "want" to drive. But when the seizures started, that changed a little. Not because I wanted to actually drive, but because it gives me freedom, and my mom is SO clingy and I feel like she gets some strange satisfaction from having to drive me everywhere. But I've found other means of freedom such as walking and biking(if not too far), and public transportation (although I haven't used public trans yet, that's another story).
I've had a few opportunities of where I could get my licence but never been interested & didn't really have the confidence.

I was 1st diagnosed with epilepsy as a baby & took tonic clonics until I was 3 then went 21 years seizure free. I started taking seizures again in 2002 when I was 24. I had brain surgery in 2011 & was 2 years seizure free until I started having funny feelings in 2013.

I had a VEEG this time last year which confirmed the funny feelings I have are focal seizures.

After my surgery my neuro asked me if I'd like to be signed of to get my licence & I said no thanks. When I had the VEEG & they confirmed the type of seizure I was having I was put back on some restrictions which included no driving.

I am pretty independant as I get most places on my own, my parents take me shopping once a fortnight so I can do a big shop & if I need to get anything too big to carry. Other then that I get to most places myself.

Both my parents & I have had people ask me when am I getting my licence or why don't I get my licence. Even now one of my sister in law is still asking me when will I get my licence & I said never. Mum even told her it's better that I don't because my seizures aren't completely controlled.
Ive also had work colleagues ask me whether Id get my licence (they all know I have epilepsy & my seizures are pretty much simple partials) & Ive told them that Im not interested & Im also not aloud at this stage.

What bugs me is that when people see me have one of my seizures it may not seem that bad & sometimes people don't even realise I had a seizure unless I told them. But they don't see how I feel after a seizure, and even a smaller seizure can wear me out or make me feel like crap.
I personally would prefer not to drive while my seizures until 100% controlled because if I ever did have an accident while driving & hurt someone I'd never forgive myself.
:soap:
 
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Hi Josh,

I've always gotten a ride from my husband or family member once is a great while a friend will give me a ride. I can also get the bus if I need to. I live in upstate NY and
if I need the bus everything works out fine. In NY you have to go 1 yr. without a seizure and have a Drs. written statement saying it's safe for you to drive but the insurance rates
are sky high. Here's wishing you well and May God Bless You!

Sue
 
Both my parents & I have had people ask me when am I getting my licence or why don't I get my licence. Even now one of my sister in law is still asking me when will I get my licence & I said never. Mum even told her it's better that I don't because my seizures aren't completely controlled.
Ive also had work colleagues ask me whether Id get my licence (they all know I have epilepsy & my seizures are pretty much simple partials) & Ive told them that Im not interested & Im also not aloud at this stage.

What bugs me is that when people see me have one of my seizures it may not seem that bad & sometimes people don't even realise I had a seizure unless I told them. But they don't see how I feel after a seizure, and even a smaller seizure can wear me out or make me feel like crap.
I personally would prefer not to drive while my seizures until 100% controlled because if I ever did have an accident while driving & hurt someone I'd never forgive myself.
:soap:
People ask me a lot too, sometimes rudely. I've had two people call me lazy for not driving when I was having motor seizures and wasn't medicated (and my seizures would cause me to look away from the road or remove my hand from the wheel if I was driving)! Like if you want me to lost control and kill you, then okay I'll get my license. People are so judgmental. :mad: Repetitive movement causes jerks for me now so I can't drive even though most of them are nocturnal. I guess driving is some weird cultural thing haha.

And yes, about the small seizures, people seriously do not understand that the after effects are the same for a lot of seizures. I have to nap because of them and I got called lazy again for this, and this lady was so shocked when I told her I have seizures. I only told her because she said that migraines causes her seizures. I'm still in disbelief. I would think someone with migraines triggering seizures would be slightly more open minded.

And not being 100% controlled is my biggest fear about driving. I'm not going to drive since they aren't 100% controlled and I have no warning, and I hope other people with epilepsy or other health conditions that would affect their driving not drive. I read a news story that this man wasn't supposed to drive but he would drive anyway . One day he had a t/c and killed a person or family (can't remember). He plead that he would never drive again but the judge gave him ten years. :roll:
 
If one has genuine migraine they should not be crass.I can have something really momentary be unaware but I will have the migraine and it impossible get out of bed.That momentary sz is all difference between foot on gas and over the red light maybe tell them that.I think that story happen in north of England or Scotland and another in America .The English guy was dustman driver and he lied on medical said he never had black outs.I felt sorry for his GP who had to go to court poor man was visibly upset the doc at one time had diagnosed him with e and signed him off driving the guy lied said he never had any problems for 3years.It was all very sad situation he needed job did he lie nobody knows The Docs said he likely was aware.I think case still pending I know relatives want answers.
So do I think you should drive even with small sz no I don't you being bullied.You need assertive lessons I went on course of them and really helps
 
Having A DL Is Considered A Necessity Today, Just Like Having A Cellphone!

The attitude that many societies have today about a person who doesn't follow the 'norm' is a very big problem today. Just like we talked about how so many societies have the attitude that a pill can 'cure' anything, those same societies have chosen to hold anyone who doesn't have something that is common in that society as 'dumb', 'lazy', 'lacking common sense', etc. This is done because they think that anyone who dares to be different in any way is 'damaging society'.
If a person does enough research into some of these things they would find that there have been laws passed and put in place that make it illegal to not do some things because the small number of people who pass these laws think they know what is best for everybody.
I have faced situations in my life where the society I live in has set up ways to do something that were impossible for me to do, because of my E. Even with the condition I have I was told I had to do these things just as everyone else did, even if it was NOT possible. I would be fined if I didn't do them in certain way! One of these is when it is required to make payments in person and that place refusing to take a payment by phone or by mail.
I know of people who have been turned down for a job because they didn't have a cellphone. This took place even though the cellphone had nothing to do with performing the job! They were considered to NOT be as knowledgeable about technology as they needed to be. HOW DUMB IS THAT?
Until society learns to accept everyone as they are, we will never have a full understanding of the true needs of everyone! :twocents:

ACsHuman
 
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When someone asks me why I don't have a licence I have a variety of answers I either say not interested, prefer walking or driving can make you lazy lol. If I know the person i will tell them I have a medical condition.

Yesterday I was out walking & called into the supermarket to get some groceries, when it was my turn to be served I gave the cashier a material bag. She asked me if there was anything in particular I wanted in the bag, I said nope whatever you could fit as I have to walk home. The girl said 'OK then said Ill make sure I dont put anything too heavy in there for you'. I only had one material bag so the rest of the groceries went in plastic bags but she doubled them up to make it easier for me :)
The lady who was served before me hadn't gone yet & told me I was an inspiration for walking & she should walk more lol.
When she went I was talking more to the cashier as she scanned my items, I said don't drive so got to walk plus i enjoy the walking. She said sometimes she regrets getting her licence as she doesnt walk as much as she should.

I said yes driving is handy in some ways but it can also make you lazy.

I know for me there are a few times where it would've been better if I had a licence but I work around that. But I also see people who have licence drive somewhere which is a 5 minute walk. I prefer to walk, I tend to do a lot of my thinking while im out walking with my headphones in lol.
 
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