Cycle2Work Scheme - Blind in one eye.

Colin wrote on 25/07/2006 23:44 +0100:

Quoted message said:

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

I knew an 85yr old cyclist with extreme tunnel vision who put me to
shame with his average of 8000 miles a year around town. He could only
turn left - his vision didn't allow the complexities of observation
involved in turning right but he just designed his routes that way. One
eye should be easy in comparison.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

In article <[email hidden]>

Colin said:

Thanks to this cycle to work scheme there is a real possibility that 70%
of the staff might be cycling to work in the near future.

It might be even higher if I can encourage one more member of staff to
consider this as an option, but she does have a possible excuse, totally
blind in her left eye.

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

She should probably try it and see how confident she feels - she'd
obviously have to pay extra attention to the possibility of cars pulling
out from the left, or pedestrians stepping off the pavement, but I
reckon she'll be much safer than if she was blind in the other eye. A
pair of mirrors would probably be a good idea: she won't be much good at
glancing over her left shoulder, and if she's normally facing a bit left
of centre to compensate for the one-sidedness then her peripheral vision
on the right will effectively be reduced.

Colin said:

Thanks to this cycle to work scheme there is a real possibility that
70% of the staff might be cycling to work in the near future.

It might be even higher if I can encourage one more member of staff to
consider this as an option, but she does have a possible excuse,
totally blind in her left eye.

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

Does she drive?
My uniocular mum used to cycle to work with no problem. One-eyed folk adapt,
hold their heads slightly differently, judge distance by parallax not
stereopsis (which only really works within about 3 metres anyway).
If she drives, she has no excuse, does she?
--

Martin Bulmer

Martin Bulmer said the following on 26/07/2006 07:04:

Quoted message said:

Does she drive?

I always thought you wouldn't be allowed to drive. We had a guy at work
years ago with only one eye, and that's what he said, anyway.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Rob Morley wrote on 26/07/2006 02:12 +0100:

Quoted message said:

She should probably try it and see how confident she feels - she'd
obviously have to pay extra attention to the possibility of cars pulling
out from the left, or pedestrians stepping off the pavement, but I
reckon she'll be much safer than if she was blind in the other eye. A
pair of mirrors would probably be a good idea: she won't be much good at
glancing over her left shoulder, and if she's normally facing a bit left
of centre to compensate for the one-sidedness then her peripheral vision
on the right will effectively be reduced.

You might think of a bike-buddy system for those less confident at
cycling. The idea is that for the first few days, a confident cyclist
turns up at their house and they cycle in and home together. A few days
of being chaperoned like that quickly builds confidence that its not
that bad. Then doing it alone is a lot easier - especially as they no
longer have to think about cycling, navigating, what you should be doing
at a junction etc.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Paul Boyd said:

I always thought you wouldn't be allowed to drive.

My Dad has been virtually blind in one eye for years. As long as you
can read a number plate at (some distance) it seems to be OK.

Just had my annual conteact lens check yesterday, no deterioration in my left eye thank goodness, but I can only see teh first 2 rows on an eye chart. I can't drive a car due to my eye sight, but have no problems cycling round London (where I think my eye sight is beter than most of the motorists :-)

Bryan

"Colin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thanks to this cycle to work scheme there is a real possibility that 70%
of the staff might be cycling to work in the near future.

It might be even higher if I can encourage one more member of staff to
consider this as an option, but she does have a possible excuse, totally
blind in her left eye.

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

Old time readers of urbancyclists may remember Sam Fleming, who is a quite
keen cyclist with only one eye. Didn't stop her commuting at all.

cheers,
clive

Colin said:

Thanks to this cycle to work scheme there is a real possibility that 70%
of the staff might be cycling to work in the near future.

It might be even higher if I can encourage one more member of staff to
consider this as an option, but she does have a possible excuse, totally
blind in her left eye.

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

Doubtful. I have a lazy left eye and this causes me no problems at all
when cycling. Catching a ball, however...

In article <[email hidden]>

Paul Boyd said:

Martin Bulmer said the following on 26/07/2006 07:04:

Quoted message said:

Does she drive?

I always thought you wouldn't be allowed to drive. We had a guy at work
years ago with only one eye, and that's what he said, anyway.

My mate is blind in one eye and is fine driving. He also used to race
grass-track motorcycles. :-) As long as vision in the other eye is
reasonable there shouldn't be any problem getting a medical certificate.

Colin said:

totally blind in her left eye.
Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

A blind man in Nanjing has safely ridden a bicycle to work on his own
for 30 years
http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2002/1010/bz9-3.html
(allegedly)

I think it is common for blind folks to ride and even race tandems too.

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 23:44:37 +0100, Colin <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Thanks to this cycle to work scheme there is a real possibility that 70%
of the staff might be cycling to work in the near future.

It might be even higher if I can encourage one more member of staff to
consider this as an option, but she does have a possible excuse, totally
blind in her left eye.

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

I'm kinda bothered by your posting.

Does the one-eyed woman get any kind of say in the matter? It doesn't
read like she does...

Your reference to her disabilty as an "excuse" leaves a bit of a bad
taste in this mouth at least.

I like to occasionally chide my more sluggish workmates about their
apparent laziness, but your sort of collecting of cycling conversion
scalps smells of the kind of evangelical fervour that has me booting
well-dressed types off my doorstep.

"Have *you* accepted cycling into your life!?"

Colin said:

Thanks to this cycle to work scheme there is a real
possibility that 70% of the staff might be cycling to work in
the near future.

It might be even higher if I can encourage one more member of
staff to consider this as an option, but she does have a
possible excuse, totally blind in her left eye.

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would
such a disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for
commuter cycling?

I used to watch a speedway rider that had lost an eye cycling should
be easy in comparison.
--
Cheers
the.Mark

Tim Binns said:

On Tue, 25 Jul 2006 23:44:37 +0100, Colin <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

What are the panels thoughts on this as a handicap? Would such a
disability mean she was definitely unsuitable for commuter cycling?

I'm kinda bothered by your posting.

Does the one-eyed woman get any kind of say in the matter? It doesn't
read like she does...

Yes, I do take your point. She does, very often "get her say in the
matter", many matters in fact. I neglected to mention that she's also my
mother in law. Not only would I like to see her cycle to work, I'd like
her to come out cycling with her grandchildren also.

Quoted message said:

"Have *you* accepted cycling into your life!?"

I'm not sure, because of the quote marks, if this is supposed to be a
direct question but, I did the Dunwich Dynamo this year if that's any
indicator. I was the one making heavy weather of it, wearing the Dunwich
Dynamo Virgin T-Shirt, if anyone cares.

Tony Raven said:

You might think of a bike-buddy system for those less confident at
cycling.

Yes, this is almost certainly going to be something I will have to offer
to help with, along with basic maintenance. Not that I mind helping out.
I was able to 'persuade' one other colleague to start cycling again on his
long abandoned bike with the offer of a bit of bike-buddying and I knew I
had won, and my bit of effort was worth it, when he continued to cycle to
work all through last winter. I still can't get him to a Critical Mass
ride though :-(

Rob Morley said:

She should probably try it and see how confident she feels

Well yes, this is very true. To answer another posters question is
passing, she doesn't drive a car, never had the need to learn. This means
that her road skills will be very raw and will have it all to learn. I'm
sure this is her real reason for opposing the suggestion to cycling to
work, the eye offered up as an excuse. You've all given me lots of
information to show that her poor vision shouldn't stop her.

I also believe that her road positioning skills will be important, no
point her being a curb hugger if she won't be able to easily she when it's
safe to pull out to pass a parked car, for example. She would benefit
greatly from proper cycle training, as would some of my other colleagues
who look like they will take up cycling. We work in Kensington & Chelsea,
frustratingly close to the border with Hammersmith & Fulham. The borough
of H&F does offer free cycle training, K&C doesn't, as far as I can see.
Ho hum.

Colin wrote on 26/07/2006 20:55 +0100:

Quoted message said:

Well yes, this is very true. To answer another posters question is
passing, she doesn't drive a car, never had the need to learn. This means
that her road skills will be very raw and will have it all to learn. I'm
sure this is her real reason for opposing the suggestion to cycling to
work, the eye offered up as an excuse. You've all given me lots of
information to show that her poor vision shouldn't stop her.

Reading through your posts I can't help feeling there is the Jehovah's
Witness streak to you - she will cycle whether she wants to or not. If
she doesn't want to cycle, let her be. In time she may come round to
the idea if she sees others doing it but that is far better than forcing
her to cycle against her will.

Just my £0.02

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Colin said the following on 26/07/2006 20:54:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

"Have *you* accepted cycling into your life!?"

I'm not sure, because of the quote marks, if this is supposed to be a
direct question

It was a reference to the religious types who knock on your door. Like
the lot that woke me up far too early one Saturday morning, I stumbled
downstairs bleary-eyed and a mess because I was expecting a parcel, only
to find one variety of Christian trying to flog me "Awake" magazine.
I'll just say that they failed to see the irony...

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

In article <[email hidden]>

Colin said:

Rob Morley said:

She should probably try it and see how confident she feels

Well yes, this is very true. To answer another posters question is
passing, she doesn't drive a car, never had the need to learn. This means
that her road skills will be very raw and will have it all to learn. I'm
sure this is her real reason for opposing the suggestion to cycling to
work, the eye offered up as an excuse. You've all given me lots of
information to show that her poor vision shouldn't stop her.

I also believe that her road positioning skills will be important, no
point her being a curb hugger if she won't be able to easily she when it's
safe to pull out to pass a parked car, for example. She would benefit
greatly from proper cycle training, as would some of my other colleagues
who look like they will take up cycling. We work in Kensington & Chelsea,
frustratingly close to the border with Hammersmith & Fulham. The borough
of H&F does offer free cycle training, K&C doesn't, as far as I can see.
Ho hum.

Just get a few copies of Cyclecraft to lend to your potential victims,
and make sure that they have a competent chaperone to get them started.
:-)