Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I hated my driver’s evaluation this morning


I had the indoor assessment this morning and just hated the whole experience.  The process seems set-up to be demeaning and negative.

I just love the question at the beginning:
  1. Do you still have a brain tumor?
  2. What happened during that incident earlier this month? What was that? (feel free to add the appropriate lilt to your voice)
  3. Have you improved? (Said with a uncertain and probing tone)
  4. Do you still have a slow processing unit? (Ok, maybe she didn’t ask it exactly this way, but this is how I felt she asked it)
I find the entire process negative.  You walk in the door and you are guilty until proven competent. Of course, her eyes I am guilty of still having a brain tumor – that came through loud and clear.

My recent visit with my ophthalmologist was totally different – he was upbeat, positive and encouraging. He made me feel like I could go forth and conqueror dragons.  And he wasn’t blowing smoke, he just looked very professionally at my eyes and eyesight and noticed some improvement. 

Of course, I didn’t help myself.  Still on steroids, I slept like crap last night and was in a daze when I got to there.

On top of that, I find it odd that the therapist wants to do another visual field test my hand rather than just rely on the very accurate visual field test that I just had from my ophthalmologist. I mean, really, what is she going to learn from poking a pencil into my visual field from different sides that the professional test results can’t tell her?

In spite of my daze and less than impressive results, I asked for another test when I was off steroids. So, of course, she said “no”, that she wants to proceed directly with a road test. I find this confusing.  I will be off of steroids by the test and should be able to react much better.  Will she trust the over-the-road results without a very strong indoor assessment? 

This whole process gives me gas.

2 comments:

Maureen said...

Oh, boy. It's the feeling that all the power rests with your evaluator. Why does this public servant not serve clients better?

I hope that her recommendation of a road test is a vote of confidence in your abilities.

John's Brain said...

I think you understand this as well as anybody. I'll keep you posted on my progress, but I'm rally surprised that she didn't offer some exercises or assignments or work prior to the over-the-road assessment. I plan to really work on my own on my weak points between now and then.