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**Floatyboaty** · 28 April 2009, 09:03

I personally think that people that drive for a living, bus drivers, taxi drivers lorry drivers etc should have priority. It is awful that this 'disease' stops people earning a living because the NHS and DVLA systems are so slow.

I was one of the lucky ones (and I don't drive for a living)

**leswaller** · 29 April 2009, 07:38

What about people who live in rural areas and have to drive to get to work ?? Not easy is it. If we didn't have political intervention in the NHS causing so much pressure on managers to get more for less, then we wouldn't have this problem. When will the politicians stop playing with health and education just to advance their own agendas

( end of serman)

**Floatyboaty** · 29 April 2009, 19:23

the list could go on! but those of us that drive to work can usually find an alternative albeit inconvenient, but to not be able to earn at all....

**leswaller** · 30 April 2009, 10:28

Sorry, but you are making an assumption that is wrong. I live in a rural area and have to drive 15 miles to work. I am a health care professional and cannot find local alternative employment. If I tried to get to work by public transport the 15 miles would become 70 miles and would take 3.5 hours. Dont know where you live, but it is certainly not rural.

**Brummie Jon** · 30 April 2009, 17:31

OSA sufferers are an easy target

Hi

I emphasise wholeheartedly.....

You can see my posts in the threads "adult sleep apnea/ sleep apnea and driving", about how I feel about my driving ban and how badly it has affected me. You can also see some rather judgemental posts on this forum from some members who insist that we only have ourselves to blame if we lose our licences, because we went about it it all wrong and didn't do our "homework" properly.... grrr...

The DVLA are taking their time reassessing my case, according to some members of this forum that is because I have annoyed them..... so beware of the advice and "support" that you can receive here...

All I know is that, when I had my first two children, I was a lot sleepier than I have ever been with OSA, in fact I was more of a zombie for a couple of years than a human being, OSA tiredness pales into insignificance.... How many half asleep parents ferry their kids to school every morning.....

As far as I'm concerned, OSA sufferers are an easy target for the DVLA to show that they are vigilant about tackling sleepy drivers, I wouldn't mind in principle but the evidence that they make that judgement on is flimsy and unscientific.....

*JP*

**Floatyboaty** · 30 April 2009, 17:34

I meant an alternative form of transport, not employment!
Where I live is not rural but probably has some of the worst travel links in a towny area.
When I used to drive to work it took me 35 minutes. If I had to use public transport then it would have taken 2+ hours (train bus bus). It would have been very inconvenient (not as inconvenient as 3.5 hours admitted) but I would still be earning. So would you if you travelled by public transport but professional drivers have no alternative however inconvenient.
And it is only until one becomes compliant, then you can return to the driving.

**Brummie Jon** · 30 April 2009, 17:38

compliance

Actually, I have been compliannt for a month now, it is when the DVLA's medical baord get round to reassessing your case and you prove compliance when you get your licence back.... I'm still waiting.... The DVLA said that reassessments are done on a first come, first served basis and each case has to be dealt with within 90 days. I was told that the DVLA could not indicate how long my case would take to reassess because it depends on how long the cases infront of mine take......

*JP*

**leswaller** · 30 April 2009, 19:03

Floatyboaty
With due respect you are talking out of your backside. Tell me how I can be at work for 8:00am after a 3.5 hr / 2 bus journey when the first bus (they only run every two hours) doesn't leave until 7:00 am. Even if there was a bus that would get me to work on time, in the evening I leave work usually at 6:30 pm and by the time I could get the first of the two buses I need it would be too late to get the second bus connection, as the last one leaves at 9:00 pm and I would miss it by 15 mins. Even if I could connect with the last bus it wouldn't get me home until 10:30 pm.
If I were you I would stop digging!

**gvader** · 30 April 2009, 19:19

Rural Transport

Floatyboaty, you are so wrong in your assumptions amd I would back up what Leswaller says.

I'm not that rural, I live on an A road (albeit it has 4 digits) and am only 10 miles from a small town. I work 13 miles from home in a reasonable sized town, the journey involves one change of road and the drive takes me less than 20 minutes.

If I tried to get to work using public transport I would need to catch the first bus through my village (07:56) and have to change buses in 2 different towns before getting to the correct town and my work just short of 11:00. For the return journey, if I left my place of work after 16:45 then I would not get into my village until 08:20 - yes, that is 08:20 THE NEXT DAY!

**threewheelweave** · 30 April 2009, 22:49

Mutual Respect On Comments

If this forum is really going to work for members, casual visitors and guests we need to have a little more respect for each others viewpoints based on that persons experiences with both OSA and all the other third parties (DVLA Sleep Clinics suppliers etc).
If I did not have my licence then it would take me 4 hrs to get to my normal place of work, in addition doing circa 45K miles per year visiting clients and potential work sites, training days, commitee meetings etc would be fairly impossible to achieve. I both live rurally and work on the outskirts of a minor town there are no direct bus routes, train routes or trams so it would turn my life upside down. I appreciate that if that is what has and is still happening to some of you then the levels of frustration must be extremely hard to deal with. However please do not just vent all your frustration on this forum -present solutions and ideas that have worked and objectives that you have achieved - that way everyone can and will benefit from your experience.
It is the difference that it makes when someone offers you constructive steps to improve your life or some business aspect instead of just complaining about what you have done - basically I say we need to HELP each other through a life changing experience with reasonableness and great ideas together with moral support.

TWW
UK

**Brummie Jon** · 1 May 2009, 07:11

long commute in an urban area

Hi

Just to put this in context for Floatyboaty...

Normally my commute to work takes 50 mins for a 36 mile journey....

I do not drive for a living but since the DVLA took my licence off me, my daily commute to my place of work costs me �130 per week and takes in 4 trains per day, two taxi journeys and 50 mins of walking (at least it will help me lose weight). My commute alone takes a total of 7 hours per day and I am lucky to work flexi time and have a relatively sympathetic employer. It has done wonders for my OSA, my social life and my wallet.......

*JP*

**threewheelweave** · 1 May 2009, 10:31

BJ Makes a Valid Point!

BJ makes an excellent point on this issue
They say time is money and without transport / no job = no money
One of the things that the UK is excellent for is the complete lack of an intergrated transport system!

Most other developed countries are literally years ahead of us!

TWW
UK

**Floatyboaty** · 1 May 2009, 12:40

Can't see what I am supposed to be digging here except the fact that we all have opinions and as mine does not agree with yours then I must be wrong mustn't I?

**leswaller** · 1 May 2009, 15:58

Floatyboaty I do not wish to start an argument with you, your opinion is very much the minority on this subject....... end of!

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