I have just had a warning letter from the police informing me that I have been seen driving my car and not wearing a seatbelt and I could be fined £60 for this offence if I continue. Big Brother is watching me!
It is not true that I did not wear my seat belt. I ALWAYS wear my seat belt but because I have a very painful left breast after my lumpectomy, painful lymphodema of the breast and just generally a very painful breast even 3 years after the surgery I find I cannot tolerate wearing the diagonal strap across my left breast. I cannot bear anything tight touching it, not even a bra. I put the seat belt under my right arm instead of over my shoulder so that it lies under my left breast. I am still strapped in across my lap but just wear it a bit lower at the top.
I am a law abiding person but I do not know how I can comply with this law if I am forced to wear the strap across my left breast when I am driving.
Are there any other ladies who have this problem with seatbelts. I surely cannot be the only one who suffers with this pain when I put the seat belt on. It is really uncomfortable. I had thought about putting a cushion there but even the pressure of that would hurt.
I phoned the Police Station about the letter. The Police Inspector who wrote the letter said that only pregnant women could apply for an exemption. He said it was the law to wear the seatbelt in the way it was fitted. He was not very understanding of my problem.
i remember when i had surgery and was going home in my sons car ,i still had 2 drains attached as well ,well there was no way i could have had a seat belt on my wound !!! get your doctor to write a letter confirming this for you and send it to the police ,you never know they may see sense ! typical male dosnt understand the pain of breast cancer and all it entails .good luck !
You can get a certificate from your doctor, and that does not only apply to pregnant women. It also mentions some devices that might help you to wear a seatbelt more comfortably.
BTW, you don’t have to be male to be an ignorant jobsworth.
Thank you Aroma and Jansman for your replies. They have helped me to clarify my thoughts … I am going to write to the Police and tell them that I was wearing my seat belt - which I was. I always do.
I have today ordered a ‘Klunk Klick’ as suggested in the above link to see if it helps.
I definitely cannot have any pressure on my left side so it may mean applying for an exemption certificate if the ‘Klunk Klick’ doesn’t work.
Hi,
My OH bought a Klunk Klick after my mastectomy and recon.It really works.It just stops the seatbelt from tightening against your body but will still work in the event of an accident. Unfortunately he threw it out once I recovered or I would offer to pass it on.
Good luck,
Dot
x
The ‘Clunk Klip’ has arrived. So simple to fit, so simple to use - and just the job.
Thanks to you all - nobody else but you could sort me out. The Breast Care Nurse said to use a cushion, but I know now that this is illegal. The Police said I just had to put up with it to comply with the law. But it was because of you, on here, that I have been able to sort myself out when nobody else could help. Thank you very much.
Re my seat belt saga…I’ve had a letter of apology off the Police and they are going to remove the details from their computer. I never expected that they would apologise!
The ‘Klunk Klip’ is just the job and I am telling the Breast Cancer groups that I am involved in about this marvellous gadget - just in case there are other ladies with this same seat belt problem.
