Senator Hayden penalizes blind pesons who acheive

Posted by Bioptic Bob on February 09, 1999 at 09:08:44 PM EST:

In Reply to: Senator Hayden's office responds to concerns posted by Zack Bodner on February 08, 1999 at 06:04:31 PM EST:

So what does Senator Hayden demonstrated? Well, he has set the stage wherein no one whose visin is 20/200 will even have the opportunity to try to get a licence.

In other words, it will not matter highly motivated or effective a person copes with their limited vision. There are not many people who really appreciate just how much effortit takes a person with low vision to drive? It takes an understanding of your abilities and limitations, it takes concentration, it takes planning, it takes determination to go beyond traditional perceptions of what it means to make the most of the vision you have.

There are only a few people with that acuity who demonstrate a level of skill and ability such that they can drive. I believe the vast majority of persons with 20/200 do not see themselves as able, and undoubtedly justifiably so. They are not crazy, and they are not unreasonable. Many of them will have other disturbances in their visual pathway that limit their ability to take use the advanatges of BiOptic telescopic spectacles.

But, for a few, a very motivated few, those spectacles can help them do things previously thought impossible. Does Senator Hayden not understand that technology can help people achieve more?
It is unfortunate that prejudices about what it means to be "legally blind" and forever limit the acheivement of exceptional people.

What Senator Hayden's proposal really intends to do is ensure that a so called "legally blind" person can never be exceptionial.

BDN, low vision driving driver, drive, BiOptic, albinism, albino, macular disease, nystagmus, cataracts, corneal diseases, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, archived by, BIOPTIC DRIVING NETWORK

Follow Ups:

• Hayden's bill is a threat to all low vision drivers. Mike Williams 02:18:28 PM 02/14/99 ( 4)
  • Re: Hayden's bill -- is a 20/200 requirement evil? Matt Bailey 11:06:34 PM 02/17/99 ( 0)
  • Re: Hayden's bill is a threat to all low vision drivers. John 05:40:21 PM 02/14/99 ( 2)
    • Re: Hayden's bill is a threat to all low vision drivers. Rick 09:34:04 PM 02/15/99 ( 0)
    • Re: Hayden's bill is a threat to all low vision drivers. John 05:44:26 PM 02/14/99 ( 0)

BDN, low vision driving driver, drive, BiOptic, albinism, albino, macular disease, nystagmus, cataracts, corneal diseases, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, archived by, BIOPTIC DRIVING NETWORK

Subject:

Comments:
: So what does Senator Hayden demonstrated? Well, he has set the stage wherein no one whose visin is 20/200 will even have the opportunity to try to get a licence. : In other words, it will not matter highly motivated or effective a person copes with their limited vision. There are not many people who really appreciate just how much effortit takes a person with low vision to drive? It takes an understanding of your abilities and limitations, it takes concentration, it takes planning, it takes determination to go beyond traditional perceptions of what it means to make the most of the vision you have. : There are only a few people with that acuity who demonstrate a level of skill and ability such that they can drive. I believe the vast majority of persons with 20/200 do not see themselves as able, and undoubtedly justifiably so. They are not crazy, and they are not unreasonable. Many of them will have other disturbances in their visual pathway that limit their ability to take use the advanatges of BiOptic telescopic spectacles. : But, for a few, a very motivated few, those spectacles can help them do things previously thought impossible. Does Senator Hayden not understand that technology can help people achieve more? : It is unfortunate that prejudices about what it means to be "legally blind" and forever limit the acheivement of exceptional people. : What Senator Hayden's proposal really intends to do is ensure that a so called "legally blind" person can never be exceptionial.

BDN, low vision driving driver, drive, BiOptic, albinism, albino, macular disease, nystagmus, cataracts, corneal diseases, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, archived by, BIOPTIC DRIVING NETWORK

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