Went down to the Maryland DMV today to get my permit. been studying up for my permit tests and got 90s on a few practice test I took before i went to the dmv. Sit and wait 35 minutes to have my number called. My number gets called and I go to the station the lady tells me to look in and read line 4. I do that no problem, then the vision field test pass that no problem. Then she puts up these colored circles that are red green and yellow and she tells me to read the numbers inside. I identified the colors fine. Was only able to depict one of numbers and she tells me i failed the vision test. I thought it was unfair because the the way the numbers were printed was like an optical illusion where you need to focus your eyes for a few minutes and try to deciper the picture. so now even though i identified the colors correctly she tells me I have failed the vision and that i need to go home and bring in my dot long showing that they did and I passed a color test.

She also told me she cant just ask what color is this on a brochure of a wall. so now I wasted 40 minutes of my life at the dmv and gas to and from for nothing now i am going back friday.

They try to comfort you telling you 70% of men don pass that test and need to have their long form in order to verify it. Hello if 70% are failing then maybe the test needs to be changed.

Any thoughts??

 

I have to side with the DMV.

If there are vision issues, then I'm not sure where you can be upset with them for failing you on it. You said it takes a few minutes for your eyes to focus? That seems like a problem, I would think.

I recently re-upped my regular icense in the fall...I took the same type of vision test. Letters, colors, flashes, numbers in colors, the whole shebang. Granted, you have to be able to focus your eyes fairly quickly on the test, but if you're guiding an 80,000 pound piece of loaded machinery down the road with me next to you, I wouldn't want it taking you several minutes to focus on something.

Just my $.02.

 

i took the same test. i passed. you have vision issues.

 

They are testing for color blindness, particularly red/green colors.
I guess you can figure why that would be important.
Some people can not actually distinguish between the two colors, very easily.

Here is a couple test examples.
http://colorvisiontesting.com/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...pages/9962.htm

 

i dont have color vision issue i recited the colors correctly but because i couldnt see the numbers thats why i failed. she told me i identifed the colors correctly. i can identify most any color.

yeah i wear glasses but have never failed a dmv vision screen til today.
i just renewed my regular license in feb.

I have my dot long which says I can distinguish between colors and all. They told me bring it in and I will pass on to the knowledge tests.

i can see far away just fine.

 

Yes, you do have color vision issues, otherwise you would've passed the test. They were indeed testing for color blindness, and you failed due to your apparent inability to differentiate some of the colors. Failing one portion of the vision test means you failed the entire test. Color
blindness tests are totally different than being able to tell the difference between red and green, or yellow and purple, etc. They are designed that way for a purpose.

However, if you can still distinguish the red / yellow / green colors by themselves, which is what the long form should state, then you will be OK as far as the DMV is concerned.

 

If you can't see the numbers, then you have trouble distinguishing between the 2 colors.

 

seriously though if 70% of men are having a problem passing this test then it needs to be changed.

 

papa, you may have heard the figure wrong. It is 7%.... not 70%.

Still as this article states, 7% is around 10 million men.
http://www.hhmi.org/senses/b130.html

Women have less trouble with color blindness.
I guess they can tell a clear diamond from a yellow one... dang it. :lol:

 

Not sure where you are in the state, but the further from the I95 corridor you get, the more slack you get at the MVA.

Color differentiation is somewhat moot, as all horizontal lights have the same order, as do vertical lights.