I agree with this wholeheartedly. The Highway Code has changed a bit in the past 50 years! No politicians will propose though for fear of it being unpopular and losing them votes.
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[Misc] Who taps us on the shoulder and says "time you stopped driving old fruit"?
- Thread starter Harry Wilson's tackle
- Start date
I agree with this wholeheartedly. The Highway Code has changed a bit in the past 50 years! No politicians will propose though for fear of it being unpopular and losing them votes.
My late dad was a driver all his life (RAF, delivery and then three decades as a cabbie).
He woke up one day and said "I've been driving all my life and never had a serious accident. I'm not pushing my luck any more". And he handed back his licence to the DVLA. He knew his reactions were slowing down and his eyesight wasn't as good as it once was.
It's a shame more don't take personal responsibility. Living in Worthing I see the old dears, struggling to see over the dashboard, and crawling along at 10mph, usually with an indicator or hazards flashing away, almost every day. The OB should be far more proactive in getting these dangerous fools off the road.
He woke up one day and said "I've been driving all my life and never had a serious accident. I'm not pushing my luck any more". And he handed back his licence to the DVLA. He knew his reactions were slowing down and his eyesight wasn't as good as it once was.
It's a shame more don't take personal responsibility. Living in Worthing I see the old dears, struggling to see over the dashboard, and crawling along at 10mph, usually with an indicator or hazards flashing away, almost every day. The OB should be far more proactive in getting these dangerous fools off the road.
thedonkeycentrehalf
Moved back to wear the gloves (again)
- Jul 7, 2003
- 9,128
If he poodles around wearing a big straw sun hat then it was himThat was probably my aforementioned neighbour who had his driving licence taken away. Proper bloody menace around BH town now on his scooter
For many people, they'd lose the ability to look after themselves before they lost the ability to drive, so at some point someone would notice and they'd get taken into care (or they'd die of neglect).
Super Steve Earle
Well-known member
It starts when the kids won't let the grandparents pick up the grandchildren in the car anymore.
portlock seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,609
Difficult one because age is but a number. Some shouldn’t be driving, others should. Of every age!
Putting aside the fact that it was obviously the correct decision, I think a lot of people would be upset to receive such a seismic bit of news in an unsolicited TEXT message. That does seem a bit poor, tbh.
100%. Poor chap was desperately upset.......came round in tears asking me what it really meant.
Withdean South Stand
Well-known member
- Mar 2, 2014
- 457
Very responsible from your late Father. He sounds like my late father, who was always passionate about driving and did it professionally for decades. He was an excellent driver but he told me he was concerned he was losing his ability and confidence and would I sit in the car with him for a drive. It was the last time he drove, he was awful and I put a stop to it when he got flustered by a bus turning which didn't impact him at all but which he reacted to so much he almost mounted the pavement.
Some people know when to hand it back in and stop, others need someone to take it from them and throw it on a bonfire.
Ultimately, what really concerns me, is how many people only have their license taken off them after an accident which was inevitable and avoidable.
My folks did the same - when they moved from deepest (no public transport of any practical use in their village) Devon to Basingstoke, and dad wasn't well anyway (legally allowed to drive but didn't feel he was 'safe'), and my mum was terrified by what she saw as extremely busy roads with which she was completely unfamiliar, they got rid of the car as they realised getting into town was easy by bus or cheap by taxi, and they were barely using it anyway.Very responsible from your late Father. He sounds like my late father, who was always passionate about driving and did it professionally for decades. He was an excellent driver but he told me he was concerned he was losing his ability and confidence and would I sit in the car with him for a drive. It was the last time he drove, he was awful and I put a stop to it when he got flustered by a bus turning which didn't impact him at all but which he reacted to so much he almost mounted the pavement.
Some people know when to hand it back in and stop, others need someone to take it from them and throw it on a bonfire.
Ultimately, what really concerns me, is how many people only have their license taken off them after an accident which was inevitable and avoidable.
portlock seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,609
How sensible and to be applauded. But utterly the exception in my experience dealing with numerous oldies. They will not give up, and go on and on, no amount of logic and persuasion works. All stubborn beyond words and refuse to listen to reason. In my Dads case had to take keys off/authorities involved and very nearly Police. I know others who have killed other round users and only then surrender their drivers licence. Obviously too late by then. Old people can be absolute ****s about driving.
BrianB
Sleepy Mid Sussex
- Nov 14, 2020
- 467
EBikes are definitely a bonus worth buying..
My grandmother was driving up until months before popping her clogs at 99.
Shouldn't have been driving for at least the last 15 years of that but as she literally only drove 500 yards to the supermarket or 500 yards to her daughter's nobody intervened.
It did help that she lived in a small town where pretty much everyone knew her.
I went to the aforementioned supermarket with her once and it was noticable that the vast majority of other road users rapidly got well out of her way.
Shouldn't have been driving for at least the last 15 years of that but as she literally only drove 500 yards to the supermarket or 500 yards to her daughter's nobody intervened.
It did help that she lived in a small town where pretty much everyone knew her.
I went to the aforementioned supermarket with her once and it was noticable that the vast majority of other road users rapidly got well out of her way.
BluesRockDJ
Well-known member
- Jan 24, 2020
- 1,244
No one mentioning drivers at the other end of the age scale, who are arguably more irresponsible than us "oldies" ?
PS Japan are planning a deal where drivers over 70 are being offered a deal, where they hand over their licence, in excchange for the government to pay 50% of their funeral costs !
PS Japan are planning a deal where drivers over 70 are being offered a deal, where they hand over their licence, in excchange for the government to pay 50% of their funeral costs !
Lindfield by the Pond
Well-known member
My wife's car was written off by an aged driver. Fortunately it was parked (legally) at the time but the old fella smashed into the back of it, and he went through the hedge of neighbours front garden.
With the noise and commotion, the neighbour came out to find the elderly fella cussing his wife for not telling him the car was parked there. Turns out he was practically blind, and relied on his wife to warn / direct him. Fortunately no-one was hurt. Police removed his license.
With the noise and commotion, the neighbour came out to find the elderly fella cussing his wife for not telling him the car was parked there. Turns out he was practically blind, and relied on his wife to warn / direct him. Fortunately no-one was hurt. Police removed his license.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
I did earlier in the thread but it ruins the anecdotes of dopey old pensioners.
Thankfully my father had exactly the same attitude. As a 90 yr old, he took me out for a 20 minute drive on mixed roads/junctions etc. ..... and drove perfectly!
But he would have given up if I had told him he should.
Until then I had just assumed that he was driving OK because there were never any dents/scratches on his car. Maybe we, as offspring, should implement short rides out like this until the govt. gets around to enforcing re-tests on oldies.
A mex eyecan
Well-known member
- Nov 3, 2011
- 3,629
yes but to fair to them all the blokes, whilst holding the flags, were laying in the middle the road having been splattered by a 20 something thinking they are the worlds best racing driver whilst being stoned out their heads
I think this is long overdue
I am 64 and my reaction time, eye sight and general health are not what they were when I was 17 however I do think my decision making is better decreasing my acceptance of risk.
I have only taken one driving test in 45 years although I did undertake a driving assessment for work probably 20 years ago.
cars have become far more technical and generally much safer with electric cars being as far removed from a 1970’s cortina as it could be.
My Dad in old age was a danger to himself driving, less so to others as he was so slow I don't think him hitting anything would have done much damage, I and others advised him to stop driving which understandably he was reluctant to take as being without transport would Massively reduce his world .
In the end the decision was taken by the fire brigade who attended a car incident involving my dad no one was injured and his car had very minor damage I am convinced that having spoken to my dad still sitting in the car at this stage that they made the decision for him as such they cut his car into bits in my opinion as a training exercise to free him when he was not trapped in anyway.
I think we should have to sit a driving refresh course including use of safer driving aids and driving assessment at retirement age which include proof of an eye test and appropriate glasses to drive safely.
Our cars need a yearly MOT so should the drivers
I am 64 and my reaction time, eye sight and general health are not what they were when I was 17 however I do think my decision making is better decreasing my acceptance of risk.
I have only taken one driving test in 45 years although I did undertake a driving assessment for work probably 20 years ago.
cars have become far more technical and generally much safer with electric cars being as far removed from a 1970’s cortina as it could be.
My Dad in old age was a danger to himself driving, less so to others as he was so slow I don't think him hitting anything would have done much damage, I and others advised him to stop driving which understandably he was reluctant to take as being without transport would Massively reduce his world .
In the end the decision was taken by the fire brigade who attended a car incident involving my dad no one was injured and his car had very minor damage I am convinced that having spoken to my dad still sitting in the car at this stage that they made the decision for him as such they cut his car into bits in my opinion as a training exercise to free him when he was not trapped in anyway.
I think we should have to sit a driving refresh course including use of safer driving aids and driving assessment at retirement age which include proof of an eye test and appropriate glasses to drive safely.
Our cars need a yearly MOT so should the drivers