is is safe to ride a motorcycle/skydive if you're blind in one eye?

[daveymark]

I know the license requirements are different in every state, and I know for a car, it's ok, but what about for a bike? Also, is skydiving ok? They both seem like situations where being blind in one eye could be, shall we say, "detrimental to your health...."

 

[BillGates]

I'm sure your depth perception may be affected on a bike, but if the law allows you (or whomever you're referring to) to ride one, don't let a blind eye stop you. I can't really think of any skydiving issues that would come up.

 

[bmacd]

i can't really fathom why one blind eye would disqualify you from riding a bike. I'd say go for it. Just remember, on a bike, you've ALWAYS got to be alert-YOU'RE the minority on a bike.

-=bmacd=-

 

[TitanDiddly]

I don't think it should stop you. Just don't rely on anything but your altimeter when it comes to pulling the parachute on time.

 

[Bulk Beef]

I have a friend that was born with the nerves in one eye completely dead. That eye is plastic. He's been riding since he was six or seven, and he's fast. Used to race TwinSports, and he set the Harley track record at Roebling Road. If you've ever tried to ride a Sportster fast, you would be aware that this is no easy task.

I used to tell him that it was his lack of depth perception that gave him an unfair advantage.

I've never been skydiving, but I can't see (no pun intended) how having one eye would be more of a liability while dropping out of the sky than it would be on a racetrack.

 

[waggy]

well i wouldnt try rideing a motorcycle with only one eye. but im biased i have been in 2 accidents in my life. would have been in more if i had not seen the cars in time.

But then again who is to say you wouldnt be fine?

 

[daveymark]

ttt

 

[notfred]

I'd be more worried about the lack of peripheral vision on one side than I would be about the lack of depth perception. Seriously, close one eye and walk around and see if it really affects you that much.

 

[cmdavid]

man, i dont think i could even drive a car while blind in one eye... much less ride a motorcycle..
skydiving is probably a bit different... i can see that being done while being blind in one eye...

 

[illusion88]

I dont think it would affect sky diving so much. I dont think that in skydiving your depth perception has to be exact.

 

[phoenix79]

I've done a tandem skydive and I'm blind in one eye. I can' t imagine that it would matter much, you use your altimeter to open your chute and thats the main CRITICAL point.

 

[TheNinja]

Well if you just lost an eye like a week ago I probably wouldn't try it. However if you have always had only one good eye, or if it has been quite a while then I'm sure your body compensates for it. Someone who's had only one eye for quite some time is going to see things differently than someone with two eyes who just closes one temporarily. I'm sure you can do whatever you want with one eye (except be a pirate and put the patch over your good eye I guess).

 

[Hammer]

absolutely. im blind in both eyes and have no problem.

 

[daveymark]

I've been blind in one eye since I was 5, so I've learned to make up for the lost peripheral vision and depth perception. Of course it's not exactlt like it could be. I'm just wondering how it would translate to riding a bike, it's something I've always wanted to do, but been afraid of doing.

 

[fumbduck]

Originally posted by: Hammer
absolutely. im blind in both eyes and have no problem.

awesome

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

I have a scar across the retina of one eye, caused by a virus contracted as an infant.

I have ridden M/Cs all my life and the only time it caused real problems was in reading desert terrain at 70mph.
This made passing difficult, if not impossible. Never did well at baseball either But being that I never really had
binocular vision, I can't say I miss it as I don't know what it is to have. On a m/c, large properly adjusted mirrors
help, as I can see my poor vision side well with the good eye. I still turn my head to look but at least I know what
I'm looking for as that side has a cloudy image.

Never sky dived but do want to be taken up for a glider ride

Landspeed record holder Don Vesco(RIP) lost an eye at a Sprint car race, a rock was thrown up and went through
his glasses taking an eye out. He was a spectator when this occurred. In an interview, he stated that it took the better part of two years to get use to monocular vision.

btw, I look as old as my avatar

 

[shimsham]

my dad was parapalegic(sp?) and he rode my motorcycle a few times when i was young. granted, he didnt go out on the hiway, just in the neighborhood. he couldnt stop for stop signs, and had to stay in second gear. when he got home i had to grab the bike before he fell over. he won 50 bucks of his friend once, who bet him he couldnt do it.

point is, if he could do it with dead legs, blind in one eye shouldnt be a problem.

 

[C'DaleRider]

I've got a congential defect in my right eye giving me >20/200 uncorrectable vision in that eye. Legally blind as it were. I do have peripheral vision, but my eyesight in that eye is like someone smeared vaseline over the lens.........

Given that, I've ridden bikes, driven cars, boats, karts, and almost anything else with wheels. My problem is depth perception, but since I've faced that problem since I was able to see, I suppose I've adjusted to it and don't have much trouble judging distance.....at least when driving. Guess it's experience that's taught me instead of having true depth perception. But, like others who've posted here, I absolutely suck at baseball (worse at chatching vs. hitting), shooting baskets unless I'm in spots I've shot repeatedly from, am constantly hitting my head/extremeties on cabinet doors and the like. Just the way it is.........but motorcycle riding isn't a problem. Rather enjoy it myself.