Before ANYONE starts on me this is a GENUINE question and NOT a racial statement

Driving yesterday with right of way when a car decided it was going to pull out on me and i had to swerve to avoid it.

Besides hurling abuse for been a crap driver and wanting to know what the hell they were playing at as i carried on driving i noticed that that the driver was a female and had (i think its called please correct me) a burka on. Its the head covering that only has a slit for the eyes so someone please educate me if i have called it wrong

My question would be, is this legal to drive in. I presume the woman didnt see me, either that or she was a completly incompetent driver with no regard or knowledge for the laws of the road.

Do these head coverings provide periphial vision whilst driving or not? if not is it legal to drive in them?

Anyone advise because i if i had been hit by her last night i would have NOT been amused.

sheffbag

Saw exactly the same thing only last week at Page Hall {could it be the same one) What surprised me most was that the woman was in a Driving School car learning to drive with the instructor at her side.

I remember my late father had to inform his insurance company and the DVLA and give up his driving licence because of problems with his periphial vision.

As far as I can see the burqa allows vision reasonably well.

In terms of peripheral vision, just look at the columns and pillars in some cars, and also the design of many pairs of sunglasses and spectacles that impact on peripheral vision.

Sounds like she didn't look - many drivers don't and don't need the assistance of a burqa to be poor.

Joe

Joe

Im not on about the design of cars or sunglasses or anything like that, my question was appertaining to the Burqa only.

Is there anyone from the police or dirving authorities that can provide a factual reply to this not an opinion

More opinion:

There are different veils which are often loosely referred to as burqa depending on the country of family origin. I think I am correct in assuming that all are separate from jilabab and headscarves in that they come up over the nose and down over the eyebrow, leaving only the eyes visible.

Some burqa have an integral mesh/veil covering the eyes and I think that it is safe to say that driving while wearing one of these is definitely unsafe. However, the beliefs that involve the wearing of such a veil often preclude women from driving in any case.

The other burqa without veil and just a "slit" for visibility is open to debate.
I personally think that it will increase risk, but then I also believe that the wearing of 'hoodies' and 'parkas' while driving do the same.

I think it unlikely that police will stop anyone driving while wearing a burqa but it is quite reasonable to expect that in the event of an accident it may contribute to accusations of driving without due care & attention.

Sheffbag,

I'm talking about visibility in general. Whether the impact on visibility is from a Burqa, sunglasses, car construction or a desire to where a ski mask shouldn't matter.

Sorry, am clearly not an expert on Burqas having never worn one.

Why not call the DVLA?

Joe

[i]I think it unlikely that police will stop anyone driving while wearing a burqa but it is quite reasonable to expect that in the event of an accident it may contribute to accusations of driving without due care & attention. [/B]

Don't think so because its perectly permissable to wear one for the driving test. However due to the identification requirements, these ladies are asked to step into a separete room anad remove the veil before going out on test

if walked into a bank wearing a balaclava, would i be asked to go into a room and, and identify myself, yes the police would be called, and i would probably be arrested , there are so many people,walking around in this country, masked by religion.
bin laden could be in sheffield, anyware in this country, im sorry but when in rome do what the romans do, i am not racist but people should be prepared to be honest, about who they are and what there religion is about , be proud ofwho they are and where they come from.

Originally posted by Saxon
Don't think so because its perectly permissable to wear one for the driving test. However due to the identification requirements, these ladies are asked to step into a separete room anad remove the veil before going out on test

Just out of interest, in your experienced opinion, is this because the authorities are pandering to 'the minorities' or do they really not cause an obstruction.

As I say, just interested in an opinion of someone'in the know'

:thumbsup:

I choose not to wear a baseball cap because i feel that I cannot see correctly when driving, due to not being able to see the traffic in the distance. ( I wear a cap low)

I would also choose not to wear the hood up on my parka due to the fact when I turn my head my parka hood does not move thus I see nothing.

I could see how wearing certain items could stop you seeing things correctly.

Originally posted by mat1978
Just out of interest, in your experienced opinion, is this because the authorities are pandering to 'the minorities' or do they really not cause an obstruction.

As I say, just interested in an opinion of someone'in the know'

:thumbsup:

'No comment' in respect of your first point. In respect of the second one, then yes I think they could cause vision problems

if there are cases where religous dress is incompatible with the laws of the land then the religion has to bend.
I can imagine that unless put on very carefully some head coverings could potentially make your driving more dangerous.

Arguing that other things might also do this, be it car design, sunglasses, driving with your eyes shut or whatever else doesn't justify it.

roughy101 - maybe on halloween everyone in a mask should be arrested, as you seem to be implying that hiding your identity should be a crime?

Once I was in a court in Oxford where some blind guy was up for 'driving while blind.'

His son had been helpfully been his 'back seat driver' after the unfortunate bloke had gone blind twelve months before.

His 'excuse' was that the doctor didn't tell him that he was no longer allowed to drive.

Unbelievable.