[MalluDude]

Originally Posted by simplythebest

I'm sure other factors like the ability to hear ambulances, and other emergency vehicles can also be factors rather than horns alone.

Ambulances and emergency vehicles have letters written backward on their front for exactly this reason; even if you don't hear them you should be able to make out them on your mirrors.

As someone has pointed out, a large majority have music playing very loudly inside the cars, making them stone deaf. What about them?

[Perakath]

Guys,

There's no question of prejudice here. Being physically fit is a pre-requisite to be granted a license to drive a motor vehicle. Sub-section 4 of section 8 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 reads:

(4) If, from the application or from the medical certificate referred to in subsection (3), it appears that the applicant is suffering from any disease or disability which is likely to cause the driving by him of a motor vehicle of the class which he would be authorised by the learner's licence applied for to drive to be a source of danger to the public or to the passengers, the licensing authority shall refuse to issue the learner's licence:

Provided that a learner's licence limited to driving an invalid carriage may be issued to the applicant, if the licensing authority is satisfied that he is fit to drive such a carriage.

I really don't see how some of you can compare in-car music to being hearing-handicapped. If you're playing your music so loud that you can't hear any sounds from outside the car, you're playing it WAY too loud. Trust the media to make such a ridiculous comparison on television!

The threadstarter hasn't mentioned just how hard of hearing this person is, though.

Originally Posted by subscrive

Boss! Driving is a previlige, not a right.

Absolutely correct. Simply being of age doesn't entitle you to a driving license. It's a privilege, and one that can be lost for a sufficiently serious offence-- something that rarely happens in India, which must be why it's so easy for all of us to forget that fact.

As experienced drivers we tend to forget that driving is actually an inherently dangerous activity-- you're in charge of hundreds of kilograms travelling at speed. Safety is paramount on the road and a completely deaf driver would be an outright hazard. I must say there's no way I would let such a person drive me or anyone I care about anywhere. Would you let a deaf taxi driver drive you around?

[vikrantj]

So RTO is OK with people honking merrily and flaunting all traffic rules of the world, but not OK with a deaf person driving responsibly. Secondly IMHO now-a-day driving is neither a privilege nor a right but a necessity ...

[ikoneer]

Most of the time, the vehicle behind honks our heads off, which puts in peer pressure and adds to the stress, there are times when we rise up the iCe volume to ignore the horn sounds.

This being the case,i guess a person with a Hearing Handicap, will drive more safely and sanely. He may have to pracitce a different driving style to drive with his problem.

The ambulance thing he can always look in the mirror and can act accordingly.

My support for him in getting his DL.

Curious to know, what is the stand in other countries like US/UK, will they grant a DL to him.

[McLaren Rulez]

Don't assume that deafness automatically implies that he'll drive safely and never be reckless. Half the posts here are talking about how normal drivers are rash and disabled drivers are perfectly safe, neither of which is true. He could end up driving just as badly or as well as regular people in which case the lack of hearing can be very dangerous.

[sonirohit]

In india does the RTO bothers if the person is challenged??? If not why do you bother??? However - if you go by rules - this is not possible...

[beejay]

Originally Posted by vikrantj

simple signage on a deaf persons vehicle like "Person driving this car is hearing impaired" can warn other cars his disability and they can be wary of him.
For example I have seen phone booths clearly stating that "This booth is run by a Visually handicap person. Please co-operate" . Same can be taken in this context too !
--Vikrant

A signage will definitely help. A differently abled person who runs a booth poses no risk to anybody.

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

There is a colleague of wife (PSU bank). He got job on basis of his handicap - DEAF. (and he cannot speak too).
Had a two wheeler license, owns and drives one.

So it is possible.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

I think the point about the ambulance sirens is the really valid one. Normally, one hears the siren long before seeing the ambulance in the RVM. It is unfortunate for him but the RTO does have a very good point here.

Originally Posted by MalluDude

Ambulances and emergency vehicles have letters written backward on their front for exactly this reason; even if you don't hear them you should be able to make out them on your mirrors.
As someone has pointed out, a large majority have music playing very loudly inside the cars, making them stone deaf. What about them?

Means he will have to constantly view his RVM.

Originally Posted by vikrantj

So RTO is OK with people honking merrily and flaunting all traffic rules of the world, but not OK with a deaf person driving responsibly. Secondly IMHO now-a-day driving is neither a privilege nor a right but a necessity ...

Well said. Its more a necessity more than anything else.

Originally Posted by ikoneer

Most of the time, the vehicle behind honks our heads off, which puts in peer pressure and adds to the stress, there are times when we rise up the iCe volume to ignore the horn sounds.

This being the case,i guess a person with a Hearing Handicap, will drive more safely and sanely. He may have to pracitce a different driving style to drive with his problem.

The ambulance thing he can always look in the mirror and can act accordingly.

My support for him in getting his DL.

Curious to know, what is the stand in other countries like US/UK, will they grant a DL to him.

For the stringent norms applicable worldwide, I think it would be near to impossible. I am just guessing.

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Don't assume that deafness automatically implies that he'll drive safely and never be reckless. Half the posts here are talking about how normal drivers are rash and disabled drivers are perfectly safe, neither of which is true. He could end up driving just as badly or as well as regular people in which case the lack of hearing can be very dangerous.

I quite agree. How can we assume he will drive safe.

Originally Posted by sonirohit

In india does the RTO bothers if the person is challenged??? If not why do you bother??? However - if you go by rules - this is not possible...

Sonirohit, Dont you think it poses a risk to others?

[shubhodeepdas@g]

It's a strange discussion, but definitely a valid one.

In my opinion, a deaf person can surely drive, safe or unsafe is purely dependent on his driving skills and not his hearing abilities.

How many of use roll up their windows in heavy traffic and pump up the volume on the audio system just to cut out the noise from outside. Probably a large percentage if I am not wrong, and this whole percentage, in that situation is 'practically deaf' to the traffic.

Plus the positive side, he is never going to pick up and answer his phone for one.

[SafeSteer]

Everyday I see number of cab/car drivers, bike riders with ear phones in their ears. We all know, how much external sound can we hear with ear phones in our ears. Theoretically all those driving/riding with ear phones are deaf. (I have personally honked long to get way from pedestrians with ear phone).

Emergency vehicles (ambulance / fire engine) should get their way cleared not only from cars, but everyone on the road - including pedestrians. That may be the reason why emergency vehicles are multiple alert devices - blaring siren, flashing lights, and high decible horns.

A driver/rider who is hearing impaired can sense the flashing lights and oblige.

In my view, eye vision in both eyes are very very critical (else you do not get 3D view to judge distance; there have been accidents by truck driver with vision in one eye only) than hearing.

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by SafeSteer

Everyday I see number of cab/car drivers, bike riders with ear phones in their ears. We all know, how much external sound can we hear with ear phones in our ears. Theoretically all those driving/riding with ear phones are deaf. (I have personally honked long to get way from pedestrians with ear phone).

A driver/rider who is hearing impaired can sense the flashing lights and oblige.

Well your horns are one thing but hardly anyone plays music so loud that they cannot hear emergency sirens. Those sirens are unbelievably loud and impossible to ignore irrespective of what you do with your ICE.

I'll give you an example of a case where the siren is the only way of knowing that there is an emergency vehicle behind. Imagine, at the signal, there is a huge long queue of traffic. An ambulance turns up at the back of that queue. Now, the cars at the front of the signal have no idea there is an ambulance because their RVMs are full of the cars between them and the ambulance. But fortunately, they hear the siren and jump the red light to allow the ambulance to pass through. What happens if the car in front is driven by a deaf person?

This is precisely why the ambulances have sirens. We can all check our RVMs for flashing lights but in many scenarios, only the siren is heard and the lights are not seen.

[sathee46]

A deaf person wanting to drive is highly debatable. IMHO it is hazardous for other drivers on the road. The siren is one example, I've personally had a bad experience with a hearing impaired person at a blind turn.

[CrackedHead]

Originally Posted by sathee46

A deaf person wanting to drive is highly debatable. IMHO it is hazardous for other drivers on the road. The siren is one example, I've personally had a bad experience with a hearing impaired person at a blind turn.

Its debatable alright!

Like someone already pointed out - a car being driven with the ICE turned up to full blast may be just as dangerous as one with a hearing impaired person behind the wheel (especially when coming around a blind turn).

What is so different between these two cases and who (the RTO ? ) is qualified to pass judgement on the matter ?

[diwa]

I think a deaf person shouldn't be allowed to drive alone. Maybe they can issue a license with a clause like the learner's license

1. A visible sticker indicating that the person driving is deaf (something similar to an "L" board)
2. A person with an valid DL as a co-driver should be travelling with him

[McLaren Rulez]

Originally Posted by diwa

2. A person with an valid DL as a co-driver should be travelling with him

Might as well get the guy with the DL to drive.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by CrackedHead

Its debatable alright!

Like someone already pointed out - a car being driven with the ICE turned up to full blast may be just as dangerous as one with a hearing impaired person behind the wheel (especially when coming around a blind turn).

What is so different between these two cases and who (the RTO ? ) is qualified to pass judgement on the matter ?

I guess not everyone drives with their ICE set to max. Most people turn on the ICE at a sane volume level, and can hear horns/sirens etc easily.

On the other hand, That is not going to be the case with someone who is hearing impaired - he cannot hear anything anytime.

Also, if the RTO can take tests and certify that we are drivers worthy for the road, and certify that cars are mechanically fit for the road, then they surely have absolute jurisdiction on this case.