Cycling Eyesight Standards

[Barrowman]

Is anyone aware of statutory legislation regarding minimum eyesight standards required to Cycle in the UK?

I ask on behalf of a friend if a friend who has had to surrender their driving licence due to eyesight issues, and now thinks an Electric Pedal Cycle will be the answer to their transport issues. ( ) Our mutual friend has already expressed their doubts about the safety of the proposal.

They do not seem to see what is the pretty obvious flaw in this plan and we are collectively trying to steer them away from this idea.

[Mick F]

Enforcement is the issue here.
As you don't need a licence, tax, MOT, insurance etc, there isn't any law about anyone riding a bike.

I've been pedalling a bike since I was three, and two years later (perhaps) on two wheels on the roads. There's no statutory minimum age, nor a maximum age either, let alone profound deafness.

All we have is common sense.

[Jdsk]

Is anyone aware of statutory legislation regarding minimum eyesight standards required to Cycle in the UK?

I ask on behalf of a friend if a friend who has had to surrender their driving licence due to eyesight issues, and now thinks an Electric Pedal Cycle will be the answer to their transport issues. Our mutual friend has already expressed their doubts about the safety of the proposal.

They do not seem to see what is the pretty obvious flaw in this plan and we are collectively trying to steer them away from this idea.

I don't think that there is.

You might choose to include some what ifs in your advice, including both civil liability and criminal responsibility.

Jonathan

[Carlton green]

An interesting topic. Well over a decade ago a guy local to me lost his licence due to poor vision. He’s a smart chap and quite old now. He’s ridden electric bikes for a very long time, he rides slowly but covers a radius from his home of say 15 miles such that he can pursue his interests and maintain his independence. He’s single too, I don’t recall his family details but IIRC he’s widowed with children some distance away. He lives in the country and selects quiet routes to travel along.

Anyway, the point that I make is that badly impaired vision is not necessarily a reason not to use an e-bike.

If Barrowman’s friend is otherwise in reasonable health then I’d suggest that they try an unassisted bike first, one with good gears and good brakes.

[Barrowman]

Thanks for the input , it just seems wrong to me . I don't know exactly how bad the eyesight is but I understand there have been operations and the DVLA have revoked the licence.
I think our mutual friend has covered the 'what if's' already, Johnathon.
But I suppose a rigorous risk assessment ( quiet roads, no rush hour ) may enable the gent to maintain some independence against the odds. And contribute to their own mental wellbeing.

[geomannie]

I also find this an interesting topic. A new person joined our cycle group the other day. He was a bit slow & at the back, but not much so. All the same he lost us twice & nearly had a collision with me because he didn't see where the leader had gone or me pointing the direction of the route.

He then explained that his eyesight was poor & that he had to go down hills slowly to avoid possible potholes.

I wish he had told us first as these was a definite safety issue, especially in group cycling.

[Jdsk]

It will come up at some point... lots of tandemists and clubs ride with people on the back who have impaired vision.
https://tandem-club.org.uk/files/inform ... abled.html

Jonathan

[Barrowman]

And Charlottes Tandems too.

[Jdsk]

Yes... contact details in that linked page.

: - )

Jonathan

[Carlton green]

Thanks for the input , it just seems wrong to me . I don't know exactly how bad the eyesight is but I understand there have been operations and the DVLA have revoked the licence.
But I suppose a rigorous risk assessment ( quiet roads, no rush hour ) may enable the gent to maintain some independence against the odds. And contribute to their own mental wellbeing.

I’m normally risk averse but in this case I think one has to be open to risk, look at risk management and truly understand the degree to which the remaining eyesight limits a person’s ability to get on with their life. Limited vision can be an issue and is one that many of us have already experienced: riding in the (otherwise) pitch black with an old fashioned and faint battery light allows only limited vision but we got by if at reduced speed and with stops here and there to check on things, similarly we’ve all ridden through thick fog and managed to find our way to our destination.

[Jdsk]

And it can often help to ask a neutral party to advise.

Many driving instructors do this for the enormous problem of old people who want to continue driving.

Any suggestions for who could help with this? GP? Optician?

Jonathan

[mattheus]

Thanks for the input , it just seems wrong to me . I don't know exactly how bad the eyesight is but I understand there have been operations and the DVLA have revoked the licence.
But I suppose a rigorous risk assessment ( quiet roads, no rush hour ) may enable the gent to maintain some independence against the odds. And contribute to their own mental wellbeing.

I’m normally risk averse but in this case I think one has to be open to risk, look at risk management and truly understand the degree to which the remaining eyesight limits a person’s ability to get on with their life. Limited vision can be an issue and is one that many of us have already experienced: riding in the (otherwise) pitch black with an old fashioned and faint battery light allows only limited vision but we got by if at reduced speed and with stops here and there to check on things, similarly we’ve all ridden through thick fog and managed to find our way to our destination.

I'd agree.

[Carlton green]

And it can often help to ask a neutral party to advise.

Many driving instructors do this for the enormous problem of old people who want to continue driving.

Any suggestions for who could help with this? GP? Optician?

Jonathan

Good point. Rather than any of the above I’d suggest you need to be talking to people who specialise in making the best of what vision someone has, the RNIB comes to mind but no doubt there are others. I’d be inclined to talk some expert cycling instructor too to get a feel for practical minimum levels of vision required. Be aware thought that people will very often advise you not to do something just in case you do and have a mishap - you don’t get sued for telling people not to do something.

[Cugel]

An interesting topic. Well over a decade ago a guy local to me lost his licence due to poor vision. He’s a smart chap and quite old now. He’s ridden electric bikes for a very long time, he rides slowly but covers a radius from his home of say 15 miles such that he can pursue his interests and maintain his independence. He’s single too, I don’t recall his family details but IIRC he’s widowed with children some distance away. He lives in the country and selects quiet routes to travel along.

Anyway, the point that I make is that badly impaired vision is not necessarily a reason not to use an e-bike.

If Barrowman’s friend is otherwise in reasonable health then I’d suggest that they try an unassisted bike first, one with good gears and good brakes.

Ironically (having argued for an abolition of e-bike assistance limitation speeds, elsewhere in this forum) I would be agin' a fellow with eyesight so poor he's banned from driving a car being allowed the driving of an electric bike that could do 25mph. On the other hand, if the fellow of dim view is fit as a fiddle otherwise and can propel an unpowered bike at 25mph, I'd feel quite justified in preventing him doing that too.

I imagine that, as eye-dim tends to occur with an increasing age that also limits thrusting power, the dim-eyed would possibly be safe at much lesser speeds of, say, 12mph. Or would they? It surely depends on the degree of dim. Also, what about those fast downhills?

Cugel

[Psamathe]

I wonder if there is any aspect of Personal Liability Insurance cover. If the rider with vision issues has 3rd Party Liability Cover I wonder if this might be voided or limited if they failed to make their insurance company aware of conditions that impact the risks. Or maybe the Insurance company just accept it's rare. Plus 3rd Party Liability Insurance is something one can choose to have or not have and not a requirement.

My 3rd Party Liability cover is included with my House Insurance Policy and they never ask anything about health conditions for any activities but maybe there is some broad sweeping question/condition I didn't spot (because it does not apply to me).

Ian