Wiped out

[excoriator]

I proceeded into Messrs Halfords clutching the clapped out windscreen wipers from my car, intent on replacing them. A very helpful assistant showed me their extensive range and I left with a box containing the ones I thought the best value. On getting to my car, I opened the box and had some difficulty extracting the replacements. This was because (a) they were the wrong size, and (b) were heavily rusted, being extremely well used.

But I had no difficulty in getting them replaced, the same sales assistant saw me coming and said, before I could explain the problem "Used? I'm sorry I should have checked first!" Whilst replacing them he explained people came in with old ones, swap them for new ones and walk out with the unboxed ones claiming they were unable to find the right replacement. He explained there were only three of them on duty and it's a big shop. A swap can be done easily enough.

I was intending to snap the new ones into place myself, but the assistant insisted on coming outside and doing it for me - free. Mind you, I think he had an ulterior motive as he lit a cigarette on leaving the shop. I did the right thing for him in keeping him chatting long enough to finish it in comfort.

[jonjel]

On a related point Exco. Are you still driving with only the one functioning eye? A friend did so for a number of years but he should not have done as he also had issues with the other eye. He was diabetic and smashed up my land rover (not that badly) and the police report on the accident nailed him. Luckily I was insured for him to drive as third party cover.

[excoriator]

I can apparently still drive quite legally. I told my insurance company and they said it made no difference to them, and was told the same thing by DVLC.

I think I may now be a better driver than I was. I am aware of my impaired depth vision and make allowances for it leaving a bigger gap between me and the car in front, not speeding up to catch the lights before they change etc. Whether this is self delusion or not I cannot say, but I haven't hit anything yet.

The main problem I have is on foot. I lost my sense of balance some years earlier, and learned to cope using vision. Now, without depth perception it's a lot more difficult and I tend t weave a bit like a drunk. Even when I'm sober! In darkness, particularly on rough ground I am all over the place! Driving is OK though. One eye is all you need.

[aqua]

Apr 6, 2021 18:43:53 GMT excoriator said:

I can apparently still drive quite legally. I told my insurance company and they said it made no difference to them, and was told the same thing by DVLC.

I think I may now be a better driver than I was. I am aware of my impaired depth vision and make allowances for it leaving a bigger gap between me and the car in front, not speeding up to catch the lights before they change etc. Whether this is self delusion or not I cannot say, but I haven't hit anything yet.

The main problem I have is on foot. I lost my sense of balance some years earlier, and learned to cope using vision. Now, without depth perception it's a lot more difficult and I tend t weave a bit like a drunk. Even when I'm sober! In darkness, particularly on rough ground I am all over the place! Driving is OK though. One eye is all you need.

[aqua]

Interesting. I have reasonable vision in both eyes, but have recently debarred myself from driving. That's because my eyes seem to work independently, eg, double vision, because of my macular degeneration. However, I look forward to the hallucinations that my affliction offers. I gather this because the brain will try to compensate for my not being able to see properly.

[excoriator]

Since losing my eye, when I close my eyes I can see the most wonderful complex, non recurring patterns for about 10 minutes before they fade away. Different every time, sometimes they are sort of pointilist, with twinkling points, other times they are lines or interconnecting shapes, but I look out for them when going to sleep. Small compensation but compensation anyway. If I were any sort of artist, I'd have a go at copying them on paper.

The only other visual disturbance I've ever had was during a seminar at work, maybe 20 years back. Someone was rabbiting on about their project when I suddenly noticed a small twinkling spot in my field of vision. I could see it with eyes open or closed. It began to grow bigger and I could see it was actually a chequerboard pattern in which the squares swapped colour several times a second. I could see 'through' it and someone asked me a question to which I was able to replay as I watched it, growing mildly alarmed as I did so. In about an hour, it had covered my whole field of vision and was fading rapidly, and a couple of hours later had gone.

Months later apropos of nothing I mentioned it to the doctor who seemed as baffled as I was. "How did you feel during it?" he asked, and when I said "Curious" and described how I'd functioned normally throughout, admitted he hadn't a clue.