Saturday shopping trip
Discussion
Sainsburys in Guildford.... pop in for a few things & as I reverse out of space a very old man drives behind me - totally fixated on the route ahead & can hardly see over his steering wheel.... he tries to negotiate the bend at the end heading towards the exit & clips the small kerb (only doing 3mph at this point so no damage done) - if you know this store you'll know that halfway down the exit route there is a 'give way' - old man fails to give way & pulls out in front of car - car beeps & flashes - old man is oblivious & carries on..... he gets to the end & has to turn sharp right past the petrol sation - at this point he is stationary & trying to do a 3 point turn round the corner - again he clips the kerb and low wall of petrol station (still at around 3mph). He's leaving a trail of literally horrified expressions on passing faces!
The other man who had been pulled out on gets fed up & accelerates hard past old man - the old man carries on at 3mph & leaves sainsburys into a main road using no signals & no stopping and definately no looking.
I lightly toot my horn (not in a 'get out the way' manner - just in a 'look up before the roundabout' manner). Old man manages to find indicator & hits kerb & stops. Despite the tailback of around 15 cars I feel overwhelmed to stop & have a chat with this man - I felt really sorry for him but also very worried about what may happen if he gets to the dual carriageway!!- he was clearly disorientated & overwhelmed with the task of driving.
I ask if he's ok - yes - "he's just off to the shops but it's ok cos he's going very slowly" - I felt torn between feeling really sorry for this chap, who was clearly frightened but at the same time must have known he was unable to drive as he said was staying in first gear.... I just said to him that I was concerned for his safety as he was clearly having a great deal of trouble - and maybe he needs to get someone to help next time & reminded him to look if he's at a junction -
What would you do? would you stop or drive on?? should you take someones keys off them if they're likely to have an accident??? Poor bloke
he reminded me of my grandfather - we had to take his keys off him & sell his car cos he kept driving when it wasn't safe - very sad but at the same time when you're out on a bike you don't want to meet someone like this!!
Anna
The other man who had been pulled out on gets fed up & accelerates hard past old man - the old man carries on at 3mph & leaves sainsburys into a main road using no signals & no stopping and definately no looking.
I lightly toot my horn (not in a 'get out the way' manner - just in a 'look up before the roundabout' manner). Old man manages to find indicator & hits kerb & stops. Despite the tailback of around 15 cars I feel overwhelmed to stop & have a chat with this man - I felt really sorry for him but also very worried about what may happen if he gets to the dual carriageway!!- he was clearly disorientated & overwhelmed with the task of driving.
I ask if he's ok - yes - "he's just off to the shops but it's ok cos he's going very slowly" - I felt torn between feeling really sorry for this chap, who was clearly frightened but at the same time must have known he was unable to drive as he said was staying in first gear.... I just said to him that I was concerned for his safety as he was clearly having a great deal of trouble - and maybe he needs to get someone to help next time & reminded him to look if he's at a junction -
What would you do? would you stop or drive on?? should you take someones keys off them if they're likely to have an accident??? Poor bloke
he reminded me of my grandfather - we had to take his keys off him & sell his car cos he kept driving when it wasn't safe - very sad but at the same time when you're out on a bike you don't want to meet someone like this!! Anna
its a tough one. But ultimately he could very well pull out on someone and cause a big accident bike/ car anyone.
Would reporting this to the local police be any use would they follow it up? are there any powers that they can use to stop someone driving?
Dont know but it would be better for everyone if he was not on the road IMO
Would reporting this to the local police be any use would they follow it up? are there any powers that they can use to stop someone driving?
Dont know but it would be better for everyone if he was not on the road IMO
I totally agree with you on this one.I dont know if I would have had the pactience to get out and speak to the old chap.
This is a sad state of afares when people of that age/ Mental state are aloud to drive a car on a public road. I am sure its not the old chaps fault either, its bloody the bill and bens that run our government.
I remember my gran still had her liecence and was legally entitled to drive even though she suffered from dementia and very rarely new the day of the week never mind when to give way.
Makes me feel sorry that we dont look after our older people.
This is a sad state of afares when people of that age/ Mental state are aloud to drive a car on a public road. I am sure its not the old chaps fault either, its bloody the bill and bens that run our government.
I remember my gran still had her liecence and was legally entitled to drive even though she suffered from dementia and very rarely new the day of the week never mind when to give way.
Makes me feel sorry that we dont look after our older people.
Well, we often talk about better training/testing & re-testing, if a good system of retesting was in place people like this would not be on the road.
I don't wish to deprive someone of their driving licence but we must accept that, for some at least, there comes a time!
But hey, as long as he doesn't exceed the speed limit eh?
I don't wish to deprive someone of their driving licence but we must accept that, for some at least, there comes a time!
But hey, as long as he doesn't exceed the speed limit eh?
lol @ the new user 'fat fred' - I think I'll keep the keys & use your knackered old shed for Sainsbury's trips instead of taking my precious! 
It's gonna be much tougher for our 'speed' generation to give up our keys tho' isn't it.... we're used to getting everywhere fast, in high performance cars or on fast bikes... A
It's gonna be much tougher for our 'speed' generation to give up our keys tho' isn't it.... we're used to getting everywhere fast, in high performance cars or on fast bikes... A
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