Day 50: Driving Blind

There once was a movie I saw of a blind photographer played by the actor Hugo Weaving. And his mate played by  Russel Crow The movie was called Proof, made In 1991 it has the best scene yet that I have ever witnessed of a blind man trying to drive a car. It's not that he wanted to drive but he just ended up driving 
Warning this clip is hillarious and may have you wetting your pants with laughter but there is some nudity and a little political incorrectness!

Driving has always been something My Blindman dreamed about from the time his Dad let him use the ride on mower when he was a kid. He often says to me..."In my next life if God says that I can go somewhere just by thinking about it...I'm gonna take the long way around and take you on the back of my Harley Davidson or you can hold on tight in the passenger seat in my V8 super car!" 

Being one of 6 children Deano's parents had the quintessential Aussie 1970's family  people mover...the old Valient Station Wagon in metallic bronze with a white roof.  Only having 6 seats My Blindmans seating position was set in the middle at the bench in the front. The headlight clicker switch was on the floor in this model car so Deano's Father would let him change the headlights from high beam to low beam and back again on family outings. My Blindman recalls how important this made him feel and how all the other siblings wanted to sit in the front middle seat but his Dad saved this position for him and wouldn't let any of the others sit in little Deano's seat. The only time Deano would swap this seat for someone else was on long hall family car trips when it was his turn to sleep in the back boot area of the wagon....(before judging remember people, this was the 70's and although there were seat belts there certainly was no child car seat restraints. It was almost optional to buckle up! 

Living in the country it was a habit for Deano's Dad to leave the keys of his ute in the ignition parked out the front of the house, a huge temptation to would be thieves or one wanna be driving vision impaired son. Deano tells me his younger sister found herself without a lift to a friends house a few blocks away in an adjoining street  and with night already well and truly on its way, too dark for a young girl to be walking the streets even in a country town. Deano being the big softy, he is, did what he had always been dreaming of. The temptation was too great. He jumped in the drivers seat and offered his sister a ride. 

How did he do it still puzzles me,(And In writing this blog I in no way condone his daredevil actions at all) this Evel Knieval want-to-be says "I knew how many light posts there were in each street and each intersection had a larger light so I could tell where I was on the journey" These days he is not so proud of the stupidity of his teenage decision to break the law but can't help himself and loves to impress his mates with this tale of his death defying stunt. It's a man thing I suppose! 

These days Deano has to settle for being in the passengers seat. He loves having the Dog in the back seat of the car as it his excuse to put the windows down and along with the dog lean his head out the window and feel the breeze run through his hair. If there is ever a cure for his blindness heaven help me...I'll have to learn to be his pillion passenger and be known as his bikie mole! Until then enjoy this clip of a middle aged couple, the husband is blind and the woman takes him to the Harley shop to purchase some shiny wheels....only to tow him on it sitting on the back of a trailer pulled behind the family Volvo!