Posted on 07/08/2006 9:33:11 PM PDT by nutmeg
One of the hardest and saddest things I ever had to do was convince my Dad it was time to hang up his keys. It would have killed him if he had ever hurt/injured someone.
Lol. Boy, there's a web site for everything isn't there.
I don't agree with an age limit for driving. If you want to test people, that's fine, but if they pass it, let them drive. Just because someone is older doesn't automatically make them bad drivers. I have run into really dangerous young drivers. In my view, it simply depends upon the individual.
" . . . I don't think people over 85 should be driving on the roads nowadays."
They don't. They drive on sidewalks, apparently.
Seriously, I agree with those who recommend testing after a certain age, and in some cases, an 'as need' basis.
"coot"
Easy, I'm sure you hope to be a . . well, a coot, someday.
You won't get a slam from me, but my grandmother, who turns 79 this November, is still the safest driver I know, including myself. But as for soccer moms in SUV's yakking away on cell phones, I see it everytime I drive to work. Those are the ones that need to have some remedial drivers ed...
Nevermind the fatal seizures, the reaction time of most humans slows down as they get older.
He's had his a while. Here he is at the beach last week.
Hardest day of my life was having to tell my grandmother that it was unsafe for her to be behind the wheel of the car. She nearly collided with a 3/4 ton pickup truck on the open road, and ran into two people in town. Was reported by three individuals. Highway Patrolman came out and helped me explain to her what might've happend.
She simply refused. The patrolman ended up taking away her drivers license, and I've had to hide her keys.
There, I fixed it.
"the reaction time of most humans slows down as they get older."
Maybe . . . , . . . but . . . in . . . my . . . case . . . I . . . don't . . . think . . . it's . . . noticeable.
Seems like a plausible explanation, but I wonder why elderly people start doing this. On the other hand, in a number of these accidents, not only does the driver step on the accelerator, but they don't realize their mistake and take their foot off. I once witnessed an accident at an intersection. The woman at fault, who was not so elderly, did not take her foot off the accelerator even after her car was stopped by the car she hit. In fact she didn't stop spinning her wheels until a passerby opened her car door and told her to take her foot off the accelerator. Some people just freeze after the first thing goes wrong and this makes the accident worse. I think this accounts for some of the cases in which multiple people are mowed down.
Well, we do test people when they start driving. Last year I was seriously lynched for mentioning something I saw at a Registry of Motor Vehicles office, but it does serve to illustrate a problem:
I was standing in line to renew my license. A few people ahead of me, a very old man, who was accompanied by someone I assumed to be a son, would just STOP in line and go into some kind of fugue. The son would then give him a gentle shove to wake him up, or "Jump Start" him, or whatever. This went on as the line slowly snaked its way to the rudimentary eye test, etc.
He passed and left with a license.
Now before the screaming starts at me daring to mention this event, I am over sixty, and anyone can test me anytime they want.
Somewhere in the Northeast, this guy is driving. Diminished capacity is diminished capacity, whether it is drugs, booze, DVD players,or whatever.
When I posted this story last year I was amazed at the panicky, hostile tantrums. So this time I will add the disclamer, "OK, keep driving, and since you do not care about anyone else, then think about having your estate cleaned out, instead".
For the past 2 years I have driven my daughter to the local high school, and I have seen some of the most stupid examples of driving by these crazy teens with new licences. Things like reckless passing, 45-50 mph in a 25 school zone, etc.(where are the cops)
I barely missed one accident per day in the schools PARKING LOT!
Of course, the drug deals were in full view across the street from the front entrance of the school every afternoon, and the cops just observed that too.
No wonder my daughter doesnt want to drive!
I will deal with the older drivers any day over that bs.
Why 60 when elderly is 65 & over?
Besides...provide a story where someone in their 60's plowed into a crowd
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