Reporting a old age driver?

Reporting a old age driver?

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Slow

Original Poster:

6,973 posts

136 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Just followed some 90 year old looking woman for 15 miles of single track lane at between 3 and 25 mph.

The car STANK of cooked brakes despite the brake lights only coming on to let bikes past (never waited in the same passing places to let me past but whatever).

Brand new 20 plate car so I assume she left an electronic handbrake on but somehow never noticed the car was stopping really fast whenever she let off the accelerator.

Stopped on the road to indicate right to turn off, it’s a corner you would take at 15mph and not need to stop for as have line of sight for and it’s wide.

I don’t know her to talk about it but is there someone I can report her to as I am genuinely not sure she should be driving.

lord trumpton

7,321 posts

125 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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The roads seem to be absolutely full of dithering old buffers at the moment.

Compulsory testing at pensionable age is the way.

Get all the old skivvers off the road and onto the free public transport the government provides for them.

It will have the benefit of reduced emissions and congestion too party

Edited by lord trumpton on Thursday 9th July 13:31

Slow

Original Poster:

6,973 posts

136 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
quotequote all
I’m out in the countryside so it’s likely to take away independence if she is the only driver in the house (assuming she lives out this way). Wasn’t sure if there was some in between step before going to police where they can try talk to her about it.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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In before the whataboutery...

I live in Dorset. If I reported every substandard elderly driver I saw I'd have to give up work to make time.

I firmly believe we should ALL take a mini test every ten years; if you fail you have to take a full test again.

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Has 'Grass up a Granny Day' come round again so soon?

Just you wait until you're old sonny...

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Was her driving dangerous? Honestly?

Live and let live.

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

169 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Make sure you get the compo claim in as well.

lee_erm

1,091 posts

192 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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I reported an old timer once after he clipped a couple of wing mirrors in a line of parked cars and just carried on. I called 101 and reported it, absolutely no idea what became of it. Call it interfering but it's the right thing to do.

deggles

614 posts

201 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Tricky one. Unless you know her or where she lives there's not much you can do other than police. I'd only do that if you thought she was a genuine danger to herself or others.

If you do know where she is, maybe contact AgeUK for advice.

Be kind, we'll all be old (with a bit of luck) one day!

Brads67

3,199 posts

97 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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To all the "live and let live" types.

A 91 yr old woman mounted an Edinburgh pavement last week and killed a 3 yr old boy.

Wonder if anyone had thought about chatting to her about giving up driving.

Dangerous is dangerous and the roads are bad enough without people who should have given it years ago carrying on because they feel entitled.

Edited by Brads67 on Thursday 9th July 14:19

Zetec-S

5,832 posts

92 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Slow said:
I’m out in the countryside so it’s likely to take away independence if she is the only driver in the house (assuming she lives out this way). Wasn’t sure if there was some in between step before going to police where they can try talk to her about it.
It's a tricky one.

But if it was a young lad driving too fast I'm sure plenty would be queuing up to take away their licence and not care if it's taking away their independence.

Stuart70

3,910 posts

182 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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A few years ago now, my father in law’s father (aged 84) pulled out of a junction into a police car going along the main road with full blues and twos.

Destroyed two cars, injured his wife, the rising star footballer in the back of the police car as well as the two police officers and put himself in hospital. When asked what happened he stated that he saw the car, he just pulled out by mistake.

There is a point when people need to be honest with themselves as to whether they should still be driving. And if that does not work then there should be mandatory retests / eye sight testing etc.

It is a real safety concern.

Chubbyross

4,537 posts

84 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Report her. It’s a painful thing to do and painful to lose a license after many years but she could and probably will have a bad accident involving others. My family forced my father to be tested for his driving abilities in the early stages of dementia and he failed. It was devastating for him and for all of us but he wouldn’t recognise he had a problem. At some point we’ll all reach the stage when we need to stop driving. Some of us will do it willingly, others will need to be forced. It’s just how it is. Most of us wouldn’t have a problem reporting someone who was way over the drink drive limit (I would hope). It should be the same with age-related driving issues.

vikingaero

10,256 posts

168 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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The greater good outweighs all other negatives/positves.

We seem to have a mind your own business mindset when it comes to uninsured, untaxed and No MOT cars. It's quite simple: Insure, tax, & MOT it or sell it. If you can't afford to do any of the above then you can't afford to drive and should ride a bike or use public transport.

J4CKO

41,286 posts

199 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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If someone is being dangerous because they can no longer drive safely and dont have the wherewithal to make the call themselves then its a public service to report it.


ambuletz

10,690 posts

180 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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ill plaay devils advocate here.

suppose she just isnt used to the brand new car. maybe she isnt used to using e-brakes and didnt realise,

Brads67

3,199 posts

97 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
quotequote all
vikingaero said:
The greater good outweighs all other negatives/positves.

We seem to have a mind your own business mindset when it comes to uninsured, untaxed and No MOT cars. It's quite simple: Insure, tax, & MOT it or sell it. If you can't afford to do any of the above then you can't afford to drive and should ride a bike or use public transport.
Thread drift, but I get your meaning

crankedup

25,764 posts

242 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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lord trumpton said:
The roads seem to be absolutely full of dithering old buffers at the moment.

Compulsory testing at pensionable age is the way.

Get all the old skivvers off the road and onto the free public transport the government provides for them.

It will have the benefit of reduced emissions and congestion too party

Edited by lord trumpton on Thursday 9th July 13:31
Whilst we are at it, get all the arrogant selfish drivers the road, all the young under 30 age group off the road. All the mums taking their kids to school off the road causing congestion twice a day.
Just as long as they leave me o drive when I like rolleyes

djc206

12,245 posts

124 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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Brads67 said:
To all the "live and let live" types.

A 91 yr old woman mounted an Edinburgh pavement last week and killed a 3 yr old boy.

Wonder if anyone had thought about chatting to her about giving up driving.

Dangerous is dangerous and the roads are bad enough without people who should have given it years ago carrying on because they feel entitled.

Edited by Brads67 on Thursday 9th July 14:19
My grandfather died because he wouldn’t listen to my dad (a traffic copper) about giving up. Pulled out in front of a lorry, died instantly, grandmother was in hospital for weeks with the injuries and never got over the psychological trauma of it all.

I’m very much in the camp of driving is a privilege and when you can no longer do it to an acceptable standard then it’s a privilege that should be revoked.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 9th July 2020
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J4CKO said:
If someone is being dangerous because they can no longer drive safely and dont have the wherewithal to make the call themselves then its a public service to report it.
I tried that with an elderly, very dangerous neighbour, police and DVLA.........not even the slightest bit interested..fortunately my wife knew his son that lived 200 miles away and rang him about our concerns and he stopped him..........shan't ever bother again though.