"Don't take my Independance away!"

A gentleman of my acquaintence had a black-out last week.
He was driving at 60 khm along an artireal route. He had a passenger.
He felt a sharp pain, and then, nothingness.

Raising his head with great effort from where it had lolled he squinted to open his eyes.
He was still travelling at 60khm, on the wrong side of the road, headed for 2 women on bicycles. He braked in time, but just barely.

We were talking yesterday about this experience. He was on his way to the Doctor, to find out if he was allowed to drive. The Doctor had told him there was to be no driving until they deteremined what had happened.

"It is my independance. I can't loose my license. I need my license."

He lives in a little place by the river on the town side of things. His habit is to walk to get groceries, walk to the cafe we both frequent, and sometimes, walk to the library.

"Sir, you do not really NEED your car, do you?"

"I do need my car!"

"As long as you don't make a habit of passing out you probably will get your papers back."

"Oh this is not the first time."

"Pardon me?"

"It isn't the first time I have blacked out behind the wheel. It has happened to me about 4 or 5 times."

"What does your Doctor say?"

"Are you kidding? I would never tell my Doctor. He took my license and I want it back!"

"Either you tell your Doctor or I will."

"Noooo, don't say that. Don't take my independance away!"

And when he kills someone, what then?

We had a fatality once every 4 days in the last month, due to human error.
Needless deaths.

He is not very happy with me, but I value everyone's life, including his own, MUCH more highly than his right to drive.