At what point do people give up driving
Discussion
I reported an old boy last year, drove out of a parking space behind my motorbike, taking my bike with it, leaving it on a heap on the ground as I walked back to it. Didn't stop and drove off, at about 15mph. I picked up the bike with help, caught him at the lights. No remorse, swore blind he hadn't, nothing wrong with his driving, refused to swap details or even look at the blue paint down his wing nor his broken headlight.
Copper I spoke to said he'd been reported a couple of times before. Last I heard he'd been encouraged to surrender his licence.
Copper I spoke to said he'd been reported a couple of times before. Last I heard he'd been encouraged to surrender his licence.
Jonmx said:
I walk a dog for an old boy who's about to turn 95. He only gave up driving at the beginning of this year when his GP wrote to the DVLA stating that he shouldn't be driving anymore. I suspect that he would have given up his licence of his own accord earlier, but his wife of 70 years was in a care home 2 miles away with dementia and understandably he wanted to visit her every day. The day after his licence was taken off him he bought himself one of those electric mobility things and made the trek there and back every day on that. Sadly his wife died last week so he now has no reason to leave the house.
I'd always been of the belief that there should be a mandatory age for surrendering your licence, but if I put myself in the old boy's shoes then I can fully understand why one would want to hold on to it. That said I remember almost being run off the road when I was 18 by a mad old bird. I later found out she was Lady Millicent Buller (local aristo family) and was 101! She died aged 103 and I believe still held a licence at the time.
My father in law is 89 and shouldn't be driving but wont give it up. The council gives him tickets for taxis. His whole driving is 1 mile to the care home his wife is in, or 1 mile to the local shops, or 3 miles to us. His car is battered on all 4 sides...I'd always been of the belief that there should be a mandatory age for surrendering your licence, but if I put myself in the old boy's shoes then I can fully understand why one would want to hold on to it. That said I remember almost being run off the road when I was 18 by a mad old bird. I later found out she was Lady Millicent Buller (local aristo family) and was 101! She died aged 103 and I believe still held a licence at the time.
He's now having dizzy spells so we've taken his key until the doctors tests are complete
Motorrad said:
I think people over retirement age should be subject to further tests but then again I'd advocate 5 yearly tests for everyone to remove the hopeless from our roads.
I'm guessing from that you are a fair way off that age! Be interesting to see if you change your view when you get a bit nearer! 
I'm still 8 years from State pension, but don't see the need for re-testing at that age. But as I said earlier in this thread, I'm definitely in favour of regular eye-testing (at any age)!
Gojira said:
A five-yearly test is a really good Idea, but given the 45 million or so drivers licences out there (according to a quick google, showing the results of an FOI request a couple of years ago), you'd need to manage nearly 175,000 retests every week of the year...
given there are 340 centres in the uk (according to google so it must be true) that would mean 515 tests a week in each centre roughly. I think its a good idea but would require a lot of resources that nobody would be willing to spend I think
I'm a little biased on this subject but here's my story.
My grandad was an excellent driver in his younger years, my grandmother always bloody awful. Eventually she gave up driving as she didn't feel confident, great we all thought, about time. The problem being that they lived in a fairly rural area and had a flat in Cyprus in a fairly remote area, in short driving was something of a necessity to fit with their lifestyle so my grandad who was 9 years her senior carried on driving. The last time I was in a car with him would have been when he was 85 and he was awful. My dad had been trying to talk him into surrendering his licence for a couple of years to no avail.
In my first week back at university in 2005 I got a call, my grandfather had been killed and my grandmother seriously injured in a car accident in Cyprus. He had pulled out in front of a truck and left it far too late. The truck T boned their little Honda and my grandfather died instantly, his neck broken amongst other things. My grandmothers injuries were horrific but she survived. In a sad way it would have been better for her and to some extent us if she hadn't as she never managed to deal with the loss and was never the same again. She blamed herself, my dad blamed himself, the poor truck driver even blamed himself (he was completely blameless) but ultimately only one person can be blamed and that's the silly old codger who decided to carry on doing something that he knew he was no longer capable of doing to an acceptable standard just to maintain an incredibly high standard of living.
There is no easy solution but I would implore anyone who thinks they're no longer up to it or has a relative who isn't to surrender or force the surrender of their licence. The heartbreak my family suffered was horrid but it could have been a hell of lot worse if he'd taken the life of a third party and that's the stark reality of driving, there really is yours and others lives at play.
Not everyone has someone to tell them to hand over their licence and as such there needs to be state intervention. I don't know exactly where I'd set the benchmark but I guess a quick retest including theory every decade up to 70 and a slightly more comprehensive retest including mobility (can you physically check your blind spot), theory and practical every 5 years after would probably be a rough plan. Worst case it would save us all a few quid on insurance and force people to take a look at the Highway Code, best case it would cut casualties.
My grandad was an excellent driver in his younger years, my grandmother always bloody awful. Eventually she gave up driving as she didn't feel confident, great we all thought, about time. The problem being that they lived in a fairly rural area and had a flat in Cyprus in a fairly remote area, in short driving was something of a necessity to fit with their lifestyle so my grandad who was 9 years her senior carried on driving. The last time I was in a car with him would have been when he was 85 and he was awful. My dad had been trying to talk him into surrendering his licence for a couple of years to no avail.
In my first week back at university in 2005 I got a call, my grandfather had been killed and my grandmother seriously injured in a car accident in Cyprus. He had pulled out in front of a truck and left it far too late. The truck T boned their little Honda and my grandfather died instantly, his neck broken amongst other things. My grandmothers injuries were horrific but she survived. In a sad way it would have been better for her and to some extent us if she hadn't as she never managed to deal with the loss and was never the same again. She blamed herself, my dad blamed himself, the poor truck driver even blamed himself (he was completely blameless) but ultimately only one person can be blamed and that's the silly old codger who decided to carry on doing something that he knew he was no longer capable of doing to an acceptable standard just to maintain an incredibly high standard of living.
There is no easy solution but I would implore anyone who thinks they're no longer up to it or has a relative who isn't to surrender or force the surrender of their licence. The heartbreak my family suffered was horrid but it could have been a hell of lot worse if he'd taken the life of a third party and that's the stark reality of driving, there really is yours and others lives at play.
Not everyone has someone to tell them to hand over their licence and as such there needs to be state intervention. I don't know exactly where I'd set the benchmark but I guess a quick retest including theory every decade up to 70 and a slightly more comprehensive retest including mobility (can you physically check your blind spot), theory and practical every 5 years after would probably be a rough plan. Worst case it would save us all a few quid on insurance and force people to take a look at the Highway Code, best case it would cut casualties.
Mr Tidy said:
I'm guessing from that you are a fair way off that age! Be interesting to see if you change your view when you get a bit nearer!
I'm still 8 years from State pension, but don't see the need for re-testing at that age. But as I said earlier in this thread, I'm definitely in favour of regular eye-testing (at any age)!
Not as far as I'd like! I'm still 8 years from State pension, but don't see the need for re-testing at that age. But as I said earlier in this thread, I'm definitely in favour of regular eye-testing (at any age)!
I'd like to see everyone re-tested whatever their age. Even a theory test done online would be better than nothing and would still weed out some drongos.
Mr Tidy said:
I'm guessing from that you are a fair way off that age! Be interesting to see if you change your view when you get a bit nearer!
I'm still 8 years from State pension, but don't see the need for re-testing at that age. But as I said earlier in this thread, I'm definitely in favour of regular eye-testing (at any age)!
Thing is, none of the elderly drivers mentioned in this thread saw a need to have their driving assessed either. (Not calling you elderly!)I'm still 8 years from State pension, but don't see the need for re-testing at that age. But as I said earlier in this thread, I'm definitely in favour of regular eye-testing (at any age)!
Up to and including a few posters with relatives who've been involved in accidents.
I would prefer regular retesting was simply a normal part of our culture but that'll never happen due to logistical issues so... bring on the autonomous cars :sigh:
jmcphee91 said:
Gojira said:
A five-yearly test is a really good Idea, but given the 45 million or so drivers licences out there (according to a quick google, showing the results of an FOI request a couple of years ago), you'd need to manage nearly 175,000 retests every week of the year...
given there are 340 centres in the uk (according to google so it must be true) that would mean 515 tests a week in each centre roughly. I think its a good idea but would require a lot of resources that nobody would be willing to spend I think
Not sure what everyone else meant, but I was talking about the over 70s having a stripped down retest.
Just looked up the figures and
BBC website in 2013 said:
More than four million over-70s hold UK driving licence
So thats 10 retests per day per test centre if you say a retest every 5 years once you are over 70.
I have recently turned 70 and made a pact with my wife that if I become a menace on the roads, that she will hide the car keys and send my licence back to DVLA. 
I am by no means an old, blind codger and have a supercar driving experience 70th birthday present to arrange, when I can fit it in.
I do agree though, that some sort of competence and theory test should be taken after a certain age but what that should be I don't know. Based on my own situation, my sight is fine I have just had my annual eye test and only needed new glasses because my old ones were falling apart, the prescription has not changed for several years. My reaction time is pretty good too, as someone pulled out in from a car park in front of me on a 40mph road and I was able to stop quickly to avoid a collision. Silly old fool looked me in the eye and just went!
I would resent having to pay for such a test as we pay enough motoring taxes already.
I am by no means an old, blind codger and have a supercar driving experience 70th birthday present to arrange, when I can fit it in.
I do agree though, that some sort of competence and theory test should be taken after a certain age but what that should be I don't know. Based on my own situation, my sight is fine I have just had my annual eye test and only needed new glasses because my old ones were falling apart, the prescription has not changed for several years. My reaction time is pretty good too, as someone pulled out in from a car park in front of me on a 40mph road and I was able to stop quickly to avoid a collision. Silly old fool looked me in the eye and just went!
I would resent having to pay for such a test as we pay enough motoring taxes already.
Venturist said:
Thing is, none of the elderly drivers mentioned in this thread saw a need to have their driving assessed either. (Not calling you elderly!)
Up to and including a few posters with relatives who've been involved in accidents.
I would prefer regular retesting was simply a normal part of our culture but that'll never happen due to logistical issues so... bring on the autonomous cars :sigh:
NO - F*CK OFF with the autonomous crap - they have less years experience than me! TURN YOUR PHONE OFF FFS!Up to and including a few posters with relatives who've been involved in accidents.
I would prefer regular retesting was simply a normal part of our culture but that'll never happen due to logistical issues so... bring on the autonomous cars :sigh:
Anytime you want to have a comparison Venturist I'd be more than happy to take part! Bring it on....!
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