Compulsory driving retest for old biffs?
Discussion
It won't be long (and rightly so imho) before any form of alcohol consumption in combination with driving will be outlawed. Why? well it's proven that your reaction times slow, your judgement of speed is hindered and your concentration is reduced etc etc
So, as we age our eyesight deteriorates, our reaction times slow, we develop physical ailments and health conditions, maybe dementia if unlucky enough.
After three years our cars need an annual MOT test to ensure it is roadworthy
You can see where I am going here - why are we allowed to continue to drive in old age without facing a retest or some form of drivers MOT?
Some of the driving I have seen over the years performed by old burners is shocking.
I guess if the statistics showed an increase in RTA fatalities correlated with age then there would be a lot more noise being made, that said it does seem odd given the other requirements I have listed above.
Anyone else think old gimmers should be MOT'd as it were? Say >70 year old?
So, as we age our eyesight deteriorates, our reaction times slow, we develop physical ailments and health conditions, maybe dementia if unlucky enough.
After three years our cars need an annual MOT test to ensure it is roadworthy
You can see where I am going here - why are we allowed to continue to drive in old age without facing a retest or some form of drivers MOT?
Some of the driving I have seen over the years performed by old burners is shocking.
I guess if the statistics showed an increase in RTA fatalities correlated with age then there would be a lot more noise being made, that said it does seem odd given the other requirements I have listed above.
Anyone else think old gimmers should be MOT'd as it were? Say >70 year old?
ksNice idea but totally impractical. For a start, for many of us old gimmers, there wasn't even a theory test at the time. OK you can argue that everyone should take a theory test - but you've just cranked up the number of tests required a whole lot - and what are you going to do to all the drivers who could (and do) meet the required practical standard, but can't do the theory - are their driving careers over?
And what about grandfather rights? I have "grandfather" rights to drive up to 7.5 GVW - I don't use mine and the ability to use it for a living has just had the CPC rights added - but plenty of "hobby" (horse box, race transporters ect) users are doing.
Then have a think about the costs and the numbers - you're going to need a flip of a lot of extra test centres and examiners....
It'll never fly.
And what about grandfather rights? I have "grandfather" rights to drive up to 7.5 GVW - I don't use mine and the ability to use it for a living has just had the CPC rights added - but plenty of "hobby" (horse box, race transporters ect) users are doing.
Then have a think about the costs and the numbers - you're going to need a flip of a lot of extra test centres and examiners....
It'll never fly.
V8forweekends said:
Nice idea but totally impractical. For a start, for many of us old gimmers, there wasn't even a theory test at the time. OK you can argue that everyone should take a theory test - but you've just cranked up the number of tests required a whole lot - and what are you going to do to all the drivers who could (and do) meet the required practical standard, but can't do the theory - are their driving careers over?
And what about grandfather rights? I have "grandfather" rights to drive up to 7.5 GVW - I don't use mine and the ability to use it for a living has just had the CPC rights added - but plenty of "hobby" (horse box, race transporters ect) users are doing.
Then have a think about the costs and the numbers - you're going to need a flip of a lot of extra test centres and examiners....
It'll never fly.
I was thinking more of the practical element - the physical drivingAnd what about grandfather rights? I have "grandfather" rights to drive up to 7.5 GVW - I don't use mine and the ability to use it for a living has just had the CPC rights added - but plenty of "hobby" (horse box, race transporters ect) users are doing.
Then have a think about the costs and the numbers - you're going to need a flip of a lot of extra test centres and examiners....
It'll never fly.
V8forweekends said:
and what are you going to do to all the drivers who could (and do) meet the required practical standard
I'm guessing they would get a pass and carry on driving as normal. I'd take the idea further and make it a retest every 20 years, wouldn't cost the motorist a horrible amount in overall terms. I would make a medical test (including eye test) part of the exam though.
lord trumpton said:
I was thinking more of the practical element - the physical driving
Then as I said, you'll be needing a lot of new examiners and test centres. Are you allowing retests? how many? Can they drive in the interim? how long will they have to wait for a retest?I think it's a solution looking for a problem. There are loads of aggressive dangerous, moronic, inattentive drivers on the roads. Most of them convinced an examiner they were OK at some point - devious ones could do it again.
The framework already exists to deal with old drivers who are a menace. An elderly relative of my ex wife's was "grassed" to DVLA who required him to undergo an assessment. Everyone was utterly astounded when he passed. We all thought he was a danger on the roads, but he'd somehow managed to up his game on the day.
I was driving along earlier this week, an old bloke in a Micra pulled out in front of me (not dangerous but arguably discourteous). He wobbled along the road quite slowly, either lacking confidence or ability, but I had to cut him a bit of slack, like I have to when faced with an oncoming car being driven at 85 leptons by a powerfully built company director who hasn't judged his overtake all that well.
Edited by V8forweekends on Friday 13th February 22:00
Troubleatmill said:
Every 5 years for everyone would suit me.
Most of the driving gods - I see daily - are fecking dangerous.
Most of the driving gods - I see daily - are fecking dangerous.
Holy flip - what sort of pass/fail rate are you imagining here? Don't you think it'd be a major disruption to normal life? Most people don't drive for fun, so you have to assume that the consequences of failure would be massively disruptive.
I would contend (as I observed elsewhere) that passing a test every five years won't make you safe either.
"Driving Gods" will just drive to the test and then carry on being dangerous straight afterwards.
Just a waste of money and a huge productivity loss to the nation - everyone who drives needs (at a minimum) a morning off every five years that they didn't need before...
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