Older drivers revisited!!!
Discussion
Just thought i would post this little quote before i have my afternoon nap, wake me up when that nice young nurse comes round to do the bed bath ater.
"Gordon Morris, managing director of Age UK Enterprises said it has 1,673 customers aged 100 or more and added: “It is clear from this report that we are growing into a nation of older drivers.
“We believe that people should be able to drive no matter what age they are, including and above the age of 100 years – ability is what matters. For many older people driving is a way of remaining independent and mobile. This is why it’s so important that there are insurance policies which have no upper age limit.”
But it is not all bad news for baby boomers – or people born shortly after World War II – who want to stay behind the wheel. Saga and RIAS are other major insurers which have no upper age limit. The AA takes on new customers up to 99 and Virgin Money says it insures up to 120. So, despite some MPs’ concern about safety statistics, leading insurers believe that older hands on the driving wheel are likely to be wiser and safer hands."
Ah Rosebud!!
"Gordon Morris, managing director of Age UK Enterprises said it has 1,673 customers aged 100 or more and added: “It is clear from this report that we are growing into a nation of older drivers.
“We believe that people should be able to drive no matter what age they are, including and above the age of 100 years – ability is what matters. For many older people driving is a way of remaining independent and mobile. This is why it’s so important that there are insurance policies which have no upper age limit.”
But it is not all bad news for baby boomers – or people born shortly after World War II – who want to stay behind the wheel. Saga and RIAS are other major insurers which have no upper age limit. The AA takes on new customers up to 99 and Virgin Money says it insures up to 120. So, despite some MPs’ concern about safety statistics, leading insurers believe that older hands on the driving wheel are likely to be wiser and safer hands."
Ah Rosebud!!
Ability absolutely is the key.
However, living as I do in "Gods waiting room" (Devon), it's abundantly clear that there are many many elderly drivers who are far from able, but will never stop unless they're made to or when they have the big crash.
We usually get a couple a month, normally automatics, the usual MO is touch the "brake", car gathers speed, so foot hard down on the "brake", car accelerates harder, keep pressing till they hit something solid enough to stop them (and sometimes they still keep pressing then). There just isn't the mental capacity to realise they were on the accelerator. That happens a lot.
A few examples here:
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/search/search.ht...
This is a very typical one, this is in a sleepy road by some shops and a school with a 30 limit but no one goes much over 20.
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/Elderly-driver-u...
However, living as I do in "Gods waiting room" (Devon), it's abundantly clear that there are many many elderly drivers who are far from able, but will never stop unless they're made to or when they have the big crash.
We usually get a couple a month, normally automatics, the usual MO is touch the "brake", car gathers speed, so foot hard down on the "brake", car accelerates harder, keep pressing till they hit something solid enough to stop them (and sometimes they still keep pressing then). There just isn't the mental capacity to realise they were on the accelerator. That happens a lot.
A few examples here:
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/search/search.ht...
This is a very typical one, this is in a sleepy road by some shops and a school with a 30 limit but no one goes much over 20.
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/Elderly-driver-u...
Edited by Ari on Tuesday 3rd April 14:21
It's not just ability that matters, IMHO.
OK. So you often see elderly drivers who do not (can't?) look over their shoulder to gauge traffic when overtaking, merging, reversing, etc. It takes more effort to do this as you get older, less supple and more rickety. They are clearly less able, and it is a road safety problem.
But you also see young and middle-aged drivers who are just the same. Not inability for these; it's plain laziness. Same goes for many other simple observation practices.
All of these need to be taken off the road.
OK. So you often see elderly drivers who do not (can't?) look over their shoulder to gauge traffic when overtaking, merging, reversing, etc. It takes more effort to do this as you get older, less supple and more rickety. They are clearly less able, and it is a road safety problem.
But you also see young and middle-aged drivers who are just the same. Not inability for these; it's plain laziness. Same goes for many other simple observation practices.
All of these need to be taken off the road.
There's nothing wrong with older drivers if they've still got the ability to drive safely. The fact is however that your reactions and anticipation fades with age and no amount of campaigning is going to change that. Its fact. Eventually you will reach an age where you are a hazard. End of.
I dont agree with a cut off age but we need a better assessment at 70 than signing a form which says 'I can drive, honest!'
I dont agree with a cut off age but we need a better assessment at 70 than signing a form which says 'I can drive, honest!'
d5705 said:
It's not just ability that matters, IMHO.
OK. So you often see elderly drivers who do not (can't?) look over their shoulder to gauge traffic when overtaking, merging, reversing, etc. It takes more effort to do this as you get older, less supple and more rickety. They are clearly less able, and it is a road safety problem.
But you also see young and middle-aged drivers who are just the same. Not inability for these; it's plain laziness. Same goes for many other simple observation practices.
All of these need to be taken off the road.
It's not about physical ability, that can generally be worked around.OK. So you often see elderly drivers who do not (can't?) look over their shoulder to gauge traffic when overtaking, merging, reversing, etc. It takes more effort to do this as you get older, less supple and more rickety. They are clearly less able, and it is a road safety problem.
But you also see young and middle-aged drivers who are just the same. Not inability for these; it's plain laziness. Same goes for many other simple observation practices.
All of these need to be taken off the road.
It's about mental capacity and the ability to react and function.
Unfortunately as all of us age, should we be lucky enough to live long enough our faculties will diminish.
The challenge is to find a way of ensuring that people who's faculties have faded to a dangerous level are no longer driving.
I'd definitely say it's more down to ability than age. My next door neighbour is 71 and he's more than capable of driving properly - okay, his reactions probably aren't as sharp as they were 50 years ago, but I've seen him driving around (and he's given me the odd lift or two) and he's a decent driver, indicates on roundabouts and has a general sense of awareness of what's going on around him. He accelerates like any other driver and is happy sitting at/around the speed limit.
My old man, on the other hand, is 60, and is beginning to give up driving. He can't maintain speed, doesn't see a car in front braking until far too late (when my imaginary brake pedal is firmly on the floor), and hits the brakes at just about everything. Parks like a trooper, though.
My old man, on the other hand, is 60, and is beginning to give up driving. He can't maintain speed, doesn't see a car in front braking until far too late (when my imaginary brake pedal is firmly on the floor), and hits the brakes at just about everything. Parks like a trooper, though.
In the 70's they were easy to spot driving their green mobility cars.
In the 80's they were easy to spot driving their Austin Maestro's.
In the 90's they were easy to spot driving their Rover 214's
In the 00's they were easy to spot driving their Honda Jazz
They are more difficult to spot in todays society. Even my 70 year old mum drives a new 3 series, they can be lurking behind the wheel of any car. I spotted an old man with his elderly wife driving a Subaru Impreza Cosworth in the village the other day. No lie.
In the 80's they were easy to spot driving their Austin Maestro's.
In the 90's they were easy to spot driving their Rover 214's
In the 00's they were easy to spot driving their Honda Jazz
They are more difficult to spot in todays society. Even my 70 year old mum drives a new 3 series, they can be lurking behind the wheel of any car. I spotted an old man with his elderly wife driving a Subaru Impreza Cosworth in the village the other day. No lie.
sebhaque said:
I'd definitely say it's more down to ability than age. My next door neighbour is 71 and he's more than capable of driving properly - okay, his reactions probably aren't as sharp as they were 50 years ago, but I've seen him driving around (and he's given me the odd lift or two) and he's a decent driver, indicates on roundabouts and has a general sense of awareness of what's going on around him. He accelerates like any other driver and is happy sitting at/around the speed limit.
My old man, on the other hand, is 60, and is beginning to give up driving. He can't maintain speed, doesn't see a car in front braking until far too late (when my imaginary brake pedal is firmly on the floor), and hits the brakes at just about everything. Parks like a trooper, though.
Im 66 & find that unreal are you sure he is not 160My old man, on the other hand, is 60, and is beginning to give up driving. He can't maintain speed, doesn't see a car in front braking until far too late (when my imaginary brake pedal is firmly on the floor), and hits the brakes at just about everything. Parks like a trooper, though.
. I still drive a 200mph car & if you want to test my ability try keeping up 
.MADRod said:
Im 66 & find that unreal are you sure he is not 160. I still drive a 200mph car & if you want to test my ability try keeping up .
He looks like it . I still drive a 200mph car & if you want to test my ability try keeping up .I omitted(sp) from my earlier post that I'm sure that there are a few folks on here, who are older than my related old cranky hermit, that can drive upside down better than I can on a track in a GT3. However, my old man's not in good health and the older folks of my heritage have never lived long (I'm 21 and have had no grandparents since I was 17, for example).
MADRod and fellow, er, experienced drivers, the point of my post was to say that the age of a driver is not important. A driver could be 97 and still sharp enough to be able to piss all over the YCs such as myself - but then again, as proven with my dad, or some, 60 could be the grey line (to match his hair).
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