Neighbour went on holiday - he had been unwell for quite some time. Spain and 30 C+ for a week. He took ill, epileptic fit and was taken to hospital where he was 7 days before coming home.
Back on Monday and went straight to bed.
Today, I went to his door to ask if they needed anything as I was going into town and offered to pick up anything needed!
They did not need any help as they were going to drive along to the supermarket!
He has not seen the GP but spoken to on the phone. He has not been told not to drive. The GP is seeking advice from the local hospital! Mid 80s - No history of the problem.
I said, I felt he should not drive as it is just a week since the seizure but his wife said it's not far!
His wife has not driven for say 25+ years.
What's your opinion?
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I you have serious concerns you can report to DVLA. There is an online form.
The DVLA will not automatically revoke a licence based solely on an outside report.
They will investigate by contacting the driver, asking them to complete a medical questionnaire, or requesting medical reports from their GP or consultant.
Alternatively, if you believe someone is an immediate danger on the road right now, you should contact the police.
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Bit of common sense would tell you to wait and see, leave driving for a bit. But some people don't like being told what to do so they carry on until forced to do something different.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Wed 16 Sep 26 at 13:05
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My opinion would be to let it be, it’s not your responsibility. If his doctor takes issue so be it, but it’s not for you to interfere, although i’m sure you have good intentions.
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I do not intend to interfere.
The point I was making was that if something were to happen so soon after being taken ill - it could be very serious for him licence wise / insurance wise.
Letting the GP take advice was worth waiting a few days to get clarification.
A 12 month ban is possible. However, it is awkward but manageable.
Any incident, a few days after leaving hospital, might be a police matter with huge implications.
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>> My opinion would be to let it be, it’s not your responsibility. >>
It's an interesting question, as doing nowt basically assumes (and hopes) that nothing serious will happen. Some may have seen the recent Channel-4 programme with the story of someone who reported a fellow train passenger watching child porn on his phone. Rail Police arrested him on arrival at Euston, resulting in a 2-year jail sentence. Full disclosure of details and identity on screen, which rather surprised me.
The other half of the programme concerned a group of three immigrant criminals (names looked Lithuanian) who specialised in stealing (usually) JLR cars, using hi-tech gadgets capturing signals from remotes indoors. Good example of thorough policing after about 14 thefts in the Midlands. The gang got roughly the same sentence as the child-porn viewer, who actually had done little wrong as he was being scammed by Nigerians. That's justice at work.
Sorry about early thread drift :-(
Last edited by: Andrew-T on Wed 16 Sep 26 at 15:10
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"watching child porn on his phone." "who actually had done little wrong"
Really?
And yes, I did see the programme.
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>> "watching child porn on his phone." "who actually had done little wrong" >> Really? >>
The fact that you (and I) find it offensive is not the same as 'wrong' in my opinion. People get up to all kinds of things which we may not like, but often causing no harm to anyone else.
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Child porn is wrong. Full Stop.
The fact the man was being scammed is irrelevant. He didn't know he was being scammed but he did know he was watching a child being made to do something deeply unpleasant.
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>> The fact the man was being scammed is irrelevant. He didn't know he was being scammed but he did know he was watching a child being made to do something deeply unpleasant. >>
I was really commenting on the similarity between the sentences for the two rather different offences, plus Channel-4 publishing the identity of the miscreant, which could well lead to his home being attacked (whether or not he is in jail).
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>>He has not seen the GP but spoken to on the phone. He has not been told not to drive. The GP is seeking advice >>from the local hospital! Mid 80s - No history of the problem.
He's spoken to his GP and (hopefully) given them full details. In my book, it's down to the GP, who I reckon should be taking advice from the DVLA, not the hospital receptionist.
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Wed 16 Sep 26 at 15:04
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He was in hospital for a week. Based on personal experience doctors there should have advised him were he judged unsafe to drive. They may have included such advice in his discharge letter which would have gone to his GP.
I was told not to drive for at leaast 6 months. It is normally the responsibility of the individual to advise the DVLA. They did not withdraw my licence merely mark my record.
Six months on I asked DVLA medical team to review my case having had no further events. They were truly dilatory - eventually I sent them a letter recorded delivery giving them 2 weeks to rrespond after which I would resume driving. Never heard from them again.
Unless he has been explicitly advised not to drive, it is up to him. At age 80 he runs the risk that his licence may be permanently withdrawn. Getting it reinstated is likely anyway to be needlessly stressful.
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>> He was in hospital for a week. Based on personal experience doctors there should have
>> advised him were he judged unsafe to drive. They may have included such advice in
>> his discharge letter which would have gone to his GP.
I wonder whether the incident and hospitalisation being outwith UK has affected how the GP practice have handled it?
Are they sure, or at least convinced on balance of probability it actually was an (epileptic?) seizure or some other incident.
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My son, aged 26, was out for a run. He tripped and fell and banged his head. He was briefly unconscious. A passer-by called an ambulance and told the paramedics that he might have had a seizure.
He went to hospital and had dislocated his shoulder, among other things. He was told not to drive and DVLA were notified.
It took several months, and brain scans which the neurologist said showed no signs of any epilepsy, till he could get his licence back.
If it had been epilepsy, and he had continued to drive, he could have blacked out and caused an accident. Not worth the risk, for him or for other road users.
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I'm pretty sure he should not drive.
Cousin of Mrs B had a seizure and licence was suspended for some while.
I wonder if usual protocols are by passed as hospitalisation was outwith UK?
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>> My son, aged 26, was out for a run. He tripped and fell and banged his head. He was briefly unconscious. A passer-by called an ambulance and told the paramedics that he 'might have had a seizure'.............It took several months, and brain scans which the neurologist said showed no signs of any epilepsy, till he could get his licence back.>>
I think there must have been more to this than just an offhand comment that 'he might have had a seizure'. Depriving someone of their driving licence is not usually undertaken so lightly.
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Well my neighbour, despite having a seizure and in hospital for 7 days is out driving. His logic is he has not been told by the GP to stop driving and therefore still has a licence.
He knows he has had a seizure and goes out driving. It's a bit like having say 3 pints.
You might still feel fine but there is no way you should be driving.
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>> Well my neighbour, despite having a seizure and in hospital for 7 days is out
>> driving. His logic is he has not been told by the GP to stop driving
>> and therefore still has a licence.
>>
>> He knows he has had a seizure and goes out driving. It's a bit like
>> having say 3 pints.
>> You might still feel fine but there is no way you should be driving.
If you're concerned, report him. www.gov.uk/epilepsy-and-driving
Remember this case? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Glasgow_bin_lorry_crash
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>> Remember this case? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Glasgow_bin_lorry_crash>>
I do indeed. I wonder how much the subsequent prolonged exacerbation of legalosis cost the tax payers of Glasgow and the unfortunate families of the bereaved.
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>> Well my neighbour, despite having a seizure and in hospital for 7 days is out
>> driving. His logic is he has not been told by the GP to stop driving
>> and therefore still has a licence.
>>
>> He knows he has had a seizure and goes out driving. It's a bit like
>> having say 3 pints.
>> You might still feel fine but there is no way you should be driving.
Not only has his GP not advised him, I am assuming the various specialists under whose care he would have been in hospital have similarly made no comment about driving.
Whilst in hospital he would (no doubt) have had copious physical examinations, blood tests and scans, to identify the cause of the seizure so appropriate treatment could be given. None of which apparently caused specialists concern.
Arguably he has had a personal super MoT. He may well be in rather better health than half those on this forum!
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>> Not only has his GP not advised him, I am assuming the various specialists under
>> whose care he would have been in hospital have similarly made no comment about driving.
>>
>> Whilst in hospital he would (no doubt) have had copious physical examinations, blood tests and
>> scans, to identify the cause of the seizure so appropriate treatment could be given. None
>> of which apparently caused specialists concern.
>>
>> Arguably he has had a personal super MoT. He may well be in rather better
>> health than half those on this forum!
A few years ago I had an emergency admission to hospital with Cardiac issues. Over the next few weeks I had a number of follow up visits. At the time of admission I reckoned I shouldn't be driving, so voluntarily stopped.
None of the specialists advised me to stop driving or to notify DVLA. Neither did my GP, until I raised it with him. He looked it up on the DVLA website and it was down to me to notify the DVLA, which I did (this was 2 months after my initial admission, and I hadn't driven in the meantime). I got a reply, from the DVLA, acknowledging that I was fine to drive (think they checked with GP, but not 100% sure).
My point is the medical experts leave it to the driver to notify the DVLA.
The link I posted further up. www.gov.uk/epilepsy-and-driving
Epilepsy and driving
You must tell DVLA if you’ve had any epileptic seizures or blackouts.
You must stop driving straight away.
You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.
Last edited by: TSI Owner on Sun 20 Sep 26 at 21:20
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Can he drive? - ORB>>>
