Deaf Driver Sign

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Say you were behind a driver and saw a sign which said "deaf driver", how would you feel being behind that car? For example, would you feel more cautious or vulnerable because the driver might not hear or would you feel (in an odd way) "safer" because the driver might be more observant to make up for the loss of hearing? Or does it have the opposite effect of "not another bloody sign warning me of X, Y, Z"

Im not trying to see if people act in a discriminatory/stereotypical / judgemental way...im just wondering what sort of feelings a sign like this would evoke. I drive around with a deaf driver sign on my car (even though im not 100% deaf and can hear stuff) to simply let emergency veichles know that it might take me a bit longer to hear them zooming down the road with their sirens blaring :rolleyes:

The main reason im asking this is because Im in the process of writing an article about deaf psychologist/health professionals and patient relations for the British Psychological Society. The mental health patients I work with seem to respond positively to the fact I have a hearing impairment because it shows I also have a "problem" and im not a perfect professional who will look down on them. However im not sure if I will submit it formally once ive written it....

Maria

[cuffy]

I'd just ignore it, same as the "baby on board" signs, is tht meant to make me coast past as not to wake baby? Never understood them.

However, "Pole dancer on board" usually makes me give a sideward glance when overtaking :smt047

[G]

I didnt even know a piece of 'deaf driver' signage existed to be honest.

They are probably more aware of their sorroundings than joe ******** with their music blaring at maximum level.

[Mr Speirs]

Im with cuffy. I drive responsibly curtiously and safely so I don't know what more I could do when met with baby on board etc signs.

I understand the reasoning with your sign to alert emergency services but beyond that to the everyday driver im not sure it is relavent. Actually thinking about it do you find cars are sometimes overly cautious to the point they make themselves a hazard?

[Foey]

I'm usually too busy watching the road & other road users, only time i read a sign on a car is when it says "POLICE".

[fizzwheel]

I'd treat them the same as every other car driver. I.e. I assume that they havent seen or heard me. Being deaf has no relfection on your ability to drive like a muppet.

[Grinch]

I'm not sure I'd think about it, our car has 'disabled' badges on it (Jax has rather damaged knees). But more for parking to hope people give us a little bit more space and don't box us in or something.
In the day to day road use I'm not sure most people would give it a second thought, but its usefulness to emergency services is great. Meaning they that know Jax may have difficulty if there was a accident and I'm sure its the same for you.

[thor]

Quite simple really. It's just letting you know that the horn won't work. Other than that, I don't see why you would treat them differently?

[Woz]

I'm usually too busy watching the road & other road users, only time i read a sign on a car is when it says "POLICE".

Me too. Oh and L or P plates get my attention too.



I'd just ignore it, same as the "baby on board" signs, is tht meant to make me coast past as not to wake baby? Never understood them.

There's an urban myth that an unconscious woman was cut from a very serious car crash by by the emergency services. When she woke up in hospital she asked where her baby was. The response was "what baby?" Now overprotective parents display them 'just in case'. Someone must have made a killing on that one.

[Tiger 55]

"baby on board" signs
It's madness to put your baby on a board anyway. If you can't afford a proper car seat don't take the baby in the car I say.

[Speedy Claire]

It`s something I`ve never encountered or really thought about til now but it made me think of the emergency services, obv drivers with a hearing impairment will still use mirrors etc. but at say traffic lights with an ambulance coming from left or right you wouldn`t hear them til the last minute. In answer no, I wouldn`t treat the driver any differently from other drivers on the road and good luck with your article :D

[simesb]

I'm usually too busy watching the road & other road users, only time i read a sign on a car is when it says "POLICE".

How do you know if it doesn't say POLICE without reading them all? :D

[yorkie_chris]

I didnt even know a piece of 'deaf driver' signage existed to be honest.

They are probably more aware of their sorroundings than joe ******** with their music blaring at maximum level.

Same here.

Wish they'd have similar for blind drivers.

[Kate Moss]

Never really thought about it TBH. I don't think there is anything in the way that I drive that I could change to make a differenc to a deaf driver.

Do you feel that you drive differently to accomodate your dissablility? Sorry if thats not the correct termanology but you know what i mean!

[dirtydog]

It wouldn't make any difference to how I treat that driver. My brother has never displayed a sign like that and although completely deaf he's never had a close run in with the emergency services (well not on the road anyway)

[Foey]

How do you know if it doesn't say POLICE without reading them all? :D


Smart ****. :D

[startrek.steve]

I work with the deaf in my job, and if theyre profoundly deaf, they seem to have miles better visual awareness than us mundane hearing types..
Less distraction I suppose:smt015
Steve

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Never really thought about it TBH. I don't think there is anything in the way that I drive that I could change to make a differenc to a deaf driver.

Do you feel that you drive differently to accomodate your dissablility? Sorry if thats not the correct termanology but you know what i mean!

Nah I drive normally. I think I drive the best out of all my mates who don't concentrate on the road properly, talk too much while driving (I don't let people talk to me if im driving :lol:) etc. I haven't had a close run with emergency services or nearly crashed or anything like that, I just put up this post because I was curious about what people thought if they saw a sign like that.

Matt thinks its great purely because he can easily spot my car when he's filtering in traffic (used to be on a wednesday afternoon when we were both on the A406)

Maria

[joshmac]

It's madness to put your baby on a board anyway. If you can't afford a proper car seat don't take the baby in the car I say.
:lol:

[silverelephant]

I'd treat them the same as every other car driver. I.e. I assume that they havent seen or heard me. Being deaf has no relfection on your ability to drive like a muppet.
+ 1

[phil24_7]

I don't think there is anything in the way that I drive that I could change to make a difference to a deaf driver.

She's probably right, she never drives fast enough to be a risk to anyone, if she was to crash into a pedestrian they'd probably just shake their head at her!! ;-)

[Blue_SV650S]

I'd just ignore it, same as the "baby on board" signs, is tht meant to make me coast past as not to wake baby? Never understood them.

However, "Pole dancer on board" usually makes me give a sideward glance when overtaking :smt047

+1

... and :lol:

[Stu]

There's an urban myth that an unconscious woman was cut from a very serious car crash by by the emergency services. When she woke up in hospital she asked where her baby was. The response was "what baby?" Now overprotective parents display them 'just in case'. Someone must have made a killing on that one.
Yeah but how many actually take them down when there's no baby on board ;)

Maria, probably wouldn't treat the driver any differently, and probably it would upset me less than a baby on board sign. :) so if you want it keep it up.

[clanger]

I don't recall ever having seen such a sign myself...and unless there was a specific circumstance where I'd have to speak to the driver, I don't suppose it would change my perception of them at all.

[Lozzo]

I'd treat a deaf driver like I do every other road user, i.e deaf, blind and stupid.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling deaf people stupid, it's just that I regard everyone out on the road as a potential threat to my life, regardless of whether they have full use of all their senses or not. Displaying a badge in the window won't change the way I treat them, though I may be a little more likely to position myself better in the road to ensure they can see me, if I know they may not be able to fully appreciate the sound of an Akrapovic race can on a middleweight V-Twin.

[cuffy]

However, "Pole dancer on board" usually makes me give a sideward glance when overtaking :smt047

+1

... and :lol:

Imagine the disappointment though when you see this...

http://www.jaunted.com/files/admin/Polish_Dancing.jpg

Insted of this...
http://www.topnews.in/files/pole-dancing1.jpg
:D

[Baph]

I'd treat them the same as every other car driver. I.e. I assume that they havent seen or heard me. Being deaf has no relfection on your ability to drive like a muppet.
+1

Having talked to you in the past Maria, and knowing how careful you are etc, TBH, if I were riding near London & saw the sign, about the only thing that would enter my head is "ooohhhh... I wonder if that's Maria.... must remember to post an eyeball..."

Other than that, you're just another road user to me. If I'd been sat behind your car for a while, maybe I'd deliberately not choose a close overtake (risk of on coming vehicles etc) - but that's mainly as a bike overtaking fast can shock anyone, not just deaf people. Though I think the sign would influence me to be a little more courteous.

[joshmac]

Never really thought about it TBH. I don't think there is anything in the way that I drive that I could change to make a differenc to a deaf driver.
She's probably right, she never drives fast enough to be a risk to anyone, if she was to crash into a pedestrian they'd probably just shake their head at her!! ;-)

:lol: Brave man :smt075:smt021
Now where did I leave the popcorn :p

[mr.anderson]

Though I think the sign would influence me to be a little more courteous.

I would do the same, but otherwise treat you as a driver like everyone else.