🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sat, 24 Feb 2001 14:44:03 -0800, Doug the Desert Tripper
<destrip@see-below.no-SPAM.net> wrote:

>At the followup visit, the doctor informed me that a diagnosis of
>sleep apnea IS NOW REPORTABLE TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH 
>AUTHORITIES!! At the time I didn't think much of it, until I got a letter from the
>Department of Motor Vehicles "Driver Safety Division" (a bureaucratic
>wing which I didn't even know existed). 

In Texas, it's called the "Driver Improvement Division." 

I (as well as everyone else) has to go through their screening
questionnaire when they get their drivers' license.

>I am writing to my reps, Senator Brulte and Assemblyman Leonard, to
>tell them how I feel about this law. 

Good thing I'm not your Senator or Assemblyman. 

IMHO, It's rather akin to listening to somebody who parks in a
no-parking zone complaining about getting a ticket.

>I realize it's designed to increase public safety, but, as usual, the 
>gov. goes too far

If you study the causes of accidents, sleep deprivation is probably #2
behind use of alcohol. Much of that may be OSA.

It may help to read their guidelines:
	http://www.dmv.ca.gov/driversafety/phy_mental.htm

I came to the conclusion that if you're under treatment, and you
aren't showing fatigue, they'll send you through OK. However, their
table for OSA includes the word "epilepsy" which didn't seem to
belong.

>and if too many people avoid getting diagnosed for fear of bureaucratic
>repercussions, those people's health could be affected in the long
>run.

Once OSA gets to the point where it's impairing driving, it's probably
also impairing most of the ADL's.

>For those interested, here is the text of this strange new law (makes
>me feel great, being lumped into a category with Alzheimer's Disease
>patients):

Driver's licensing regulations read like that.

If you want to see some really good ones, look at handgun laws. Taking
psychotropic medication equals "mentally incompetent."