Just the other day, Mrs B received a nice letter in the
post, informing her that she had been caught speeding, and asking her to fess
up to being the driver in question. I jokingly suggested that perhaps I could
claim responsibility for the offence as there was little chance of me accruing
any more points. This got me thinking as to my possible response to the
authorities…
Dear Sir/Madam
Further to your recent correspondence with my good lady wife,
I wish to inform you that it was in fact my good self driving the car when the
speeding infringement took place.
Before you decide on the appropriate sanctions relating to
this offence, I would just like to offer up some mitigation in my defence.
First, due to my severe lack of sight, I was unable to see
the speedometer display on the dashboard. Being a responsible driver, I did use
my other senses to do my best to estimate my travelling speed at the time. I
could not smell the tyres burning, the windows were not rattling and I could
feel only the slightest G-force pulling at my face. I therefore concluded that
my speed was reasonable for the road conditions. Until car manufacturers start
to make their displays more accessible for the blind then we will continue to
have these problems.
Secondly, my sight loss makes it impossible for me to see
any road signs, including those indicating the speed limit. Once again, I am
disadvantaged by my disability and the blatant disregard for my communication
needs. Has the local authority ever heard of the social model of disability?
Third, in recognising the dangers of having to drive in an
environment clearly not set up to meet my needs, I was doing the considerate
thing by driving as fast as I could to my destination, thus minimising the time
spent on the road and the associated risks.
Finally, I am sure you appreciate how important it is for blind
people to maintain their independence, and driving my car is the best way for
me to do this. Once a friend or neighbour has helped me locate the vehicle, and
helped me put my guide dog into the boot, I am good to go, with no further
assistance needed.
I trust you will take these circumstances into account when
dealing with my offence.
Yours sincerely
Bogsey.