[nabs-l] A common-since legislative idea

Wed Apr 1 21:49:03 UTC 2009

Perhaps we are discussing someone  who goes legally blind, but has obtained a license before they became blind. 
David 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 11:49 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] A common-since legislative idea

I've actually never heard of someone who was in fact legally blind (visually
acuity of no better than 20/200 with correction in the better eye or no
greater than a 20 degree field of vision) obtaining a license. Maybe it's
different in other states. I know of plenty of people with very low vision
(but not quite to this point yet) who were able to legally obtain licenses,
but to be fair they do not fit the legal definition of blindness, so any
legislation preventing the legally blind from having a license wouldn't
affect them. Perhaps the definition and the laws relating to it vary from
state to state?

On Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 12:28 AM, Peter Donahue <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> Hello Beth and listers,
>
>        I believe that's what non-valid drivers licenses are for. They've
> worked for Mary, myself and many others  for years. The old saying holds
> true in this situation, "If it ain't broke why fix it."We have bigger
> legislative fish to fry than this.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 7:11 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] A common-since legislative idea
>
>
> Blind people should have some form of ID, and the problem I have with
> the surrender of a driver's license is this: everyone asks for a
> "driver's license."  Not necessarily a Florida Identification Card.
> It has a number and that on it like a license, but stll not a license.
> Beth
>
> On 3/31/09, Nathan Clark <troubleclark at gmail.com> wrote:
> > anybody who is blind should not be driving.
> >
> >
> > On 3/31/09, Jason Mandarino <blind.subscriber at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> I have had a few friends that are legally blind, but were not in a
> >> position
> >> of degenerative eye sight. Of course they were of the large print
> >> category,
> >> but never the less unattractive glasses and additional equipment as they
> >> would put it.
> >>
> >> My only issue with this is that it is yet another thing based on
> >> generalizations. I understand the point, but I thin that statements like
> >> these am what corner us into our own issues. We are easily caught up
> into
> >> what works for one or a few, and forget that blindness is just as
> >> individualized as personality. I am completely for the safety of others,
> >> but
> >> even when it comes to elderly people and their driver's license, perhaps
> >> it
> >> would be more appropriate to have them do something more than a written
> >> test
> >> and a brief eye exam.
> >>
> >> Unfortunately, there is no expectation to even have driver's education
> in
> >> Georgia, so in my opinion the established safety nets are the true issue
> >> not
> >> more policies.
> >>
> >> Mandarino
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> >> Behalf
> >> of Jim Reed
> >> Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 2:02 PM
> >> To: MAB List
> >> Subject: [nabs-l] a common-sence legislative idea
> >>
> >> Hey all,
> >> The following is not going to sit well with some of you so let me
> preface
> >> it
> >> with some personal background to set the context:
> >> 1. By 2005 I was legaly blind with RP.
> >> 2. In the summer of 2007 I bought a car.
> >> 3. In summer of 2008, I wrecked said car, with a passenger, because I
> did
> >> not see the sharp turn ahead. Fortunatly, the accident was injury-free,
> >> but
> >> could have just as easily been a fatal roll-over.
> >>
> >> That said, my idea:
> >> Blind people, contingent upon recieving any government services which
> >> they
> >> qualify for,(in part, or in whole) as a result of being blind, must
> >> permanatly surrender their drivers license.
> >>
> >> I know some will say this is cohersive, and it is.
> >>
> >> Some will say it prevents blind people from recieving essential
> services,
> >> it
> >> does; but, no one has the right to endanger the life of another, and, if
> >> a
> >> person chooses to do so, that person does not deserve the support of
> >> society
> >> or it's government.
> >>
> >> And lastly, some will make a free-choice arguement. To them I would say
> >> blindness isnt a choice, its a fact.
> >>
> >> This is one of those "father knows best" type situations where what is
> >> truely best for the individual is percieved by that individual as
> >> negitive.
> >>
> >> As it seems likely that it is the younger blind people who are most
> >> inclined
> >> to make choices similar to mine, what we are really talking about here
> is
> >> saving the next generation of blind people from injury, death, or legal
> >> troubles.
> >>
> >> As negitive as this may seem to some blind people, if it saves even one
> >> life, blind or sighted, then it was worth it.
> >>
> >> Thoughts?
> >> Jim
> >>
> >> "Ability is of little account without opportunity."
> >>
> >>      |
> >>           -Napoleon Bonaparte
> >>
> >>
> >>
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