This story in the Daily Mail says that millions are driving “almost blind” because of hay fever.
In a way, it’s yet another statement of the blindingly obvious – like saying that if people have a ruptured appendix or a broken leg then they are not going to be driving up to par. But they do have a point… of sorts.
I hate it when I sneeze in the car when I’m driving. I always have, because you can’t help close your eyes when the spasm occurs. When I’m on a lesson and it happens I say to the pupil “don’t do anything wrong for a minute. I’m going to sneeze”.
When they have a sneezing fit, I’ll usually take hold of the wheel just in case.
I can sneeze any time during the year – nothing to do with hay fever – but I do find that early in the spring the tree pollen makes it a little worse. I don’t get runny eyes or anything, and I use Pollenase occasionally, which does help.
Some people get it really bad, though, and it is really debilitating. I know one of my pupils tried Pollenase and reckoned it was a miracle cure for him.
But this story is just a publicity thing – this time by Halfords. You can have regular sneezing fits with certain types of cold (often in winter), or if someone is wearing a certain perfume. Sneezing has always been a potential problem, and I can remember at least one accident being reported as being due to someone doing it.