Old people and driving

to drive or not to drive, that is the question......

from JoeUser Forums
Old people and driving. Should they be able to drive or not? That's the question I'm bringing up. We all know how they're always driving slower than a stampeed of turtles in peanut butter. I know they're trying to take it safe, but gosh at least go the speed limit not under it. If you're not going to drive the way you're supposed to then stay off the road. The point I'm trying to get to here is wether or not old people should drive at all.

Today we were heading to the local store which is on a major highway. This old couple was infront of us. Out of no where they stop and the old lady in the passenger seat gets out of the car and walks over to the driver's side. She open's her hubbies door and then tells him to scoot over. Well obviously he didn't have it in park. He started to scoot over and the car started moving with the old lady hanging on to the door. I thought for sure she was going to be knocked under the car. It scared the shiza out of me. But thankfuly she didn't get knocked under the car. The man hit the brake, but very slow. Then you hear the lady's squeaky high pitched voice say, "Gosh! Are you trying to KILL ME!!!!" Ok, i'll admit it was kinda funny, but not so funny at the same time. So then the man puts it in park and the lady gets in nearly ontop of the man. Then they pull off with us still behind them. The lady wasn't so hot in the drivers seat either. She was practically on the other side of the road. Thankfully my mom is as patient as she is. Now if it had been one of those unruly teenagers driving they could've been un patient and hit the old couple or something. I'm supprised no body clipped the door of their car or the lady herslef.

So do you think old people should drive? I'm not against it or for it. I'm just curious for opinons and open thoughts.

~carebear~
misc
7,091 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think everybody should be required to pass some sort of comprehensive capabilities test every so many years.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I don't think it should be a matter of age, but rather of ability. Some old people I know are hazards on the road because of their caution. Some are excellent drivers. But consider that many younger people have no business driving. I'm all about meritocracies.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I think everybody should be required to pass some sort of comprehensive capabilities test every so many years


Yes, I agree with you. But then again, you'd have all these people comming in to do it.

~carebear~
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
But consider that many younger people have no business driving.


Yeah, I guess you have to consider the younger people too. I know they can also be hazardous at times. That's why i think xtine's idea was a pretty good one. But hey, thanks for the nice comment!

~carebear~
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
If we are gonna fine-tune competancy to a single beer or drink, then we have to be honest and fine tune it to other aspects of life that impair our ability and judgement. We have to acknowledge that age, and all the disabilities that go with it, are easily as debilitating.

The pride of the elderly is not worth the risk of life. We hear about awful accidents all the time, but what about the ones that aren't horrific enough to make the news? What about the property damage and insurance costs of the accidents that don't cause injury?

I think it is common sense that beyond a certain age people are tested as to their ability to drive. No amount of annoyance is worth people dying, not the elderly person, and not the people they endanger. There's no harm in it. You have to go in periodically to have your driver's license and tags renewed anyway. There's a lot more to gain than would be sacrificed.

Not to sound like a hippy, but if we in the US had better mass transit, I don't think it would even be such an issue.

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Not to sound like a hippy, but if we in the US had better mass transit, I don't think it would even be such an issue


Yes, i agree!

~carebear~
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Not to sound like a hippy, but if we in the US had better mass transit, I don't think it would even be such an issue.


The problem is that there is a lot of open space in the US (Canada and Mexico too). Mass transit is fine for cities, but is not really feasible in many areas where there isn't enough mass to make the transit economically viable.

It would be great if that were not so. We could reduce injuries and deaths on the road. Reduce insurance premiums. Reduce expenditures on auto maintenance. And reduce our dependency on gasoline.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hmm...I don't know why old people should be driving so slow.....I mean, they're not getting younger...in fact they're time is running out...they should be speeding. When I get old all I'm going to do is drive fast and steal things...and that will be how I go out....(Nick Swardson gets credit for that, I think...lol).

Anway to relate to your article in a serious way...I think that old people should have to drive with an instructor every few years to evaluate their driving skills...or something like that....

See ya,
~Zoo
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah i agree with ya Zoo.

~carebear~
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Capability is the real issue here. I think there should be some sort of test to take to get your license renewed. Nothing here against young en's or elderly people, just as long as they are capable and competent while driving.

Peace,

Beebes
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah, everyone has come up with that idea so far. Anybody got anything new??

~carebear~
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top

I'm in total agreement about the mass transit idea.


As for old people...I think that once you reach a certain age you should have to take a test with an instructor yearly.  I'd like to have elderly drivers have a competency note from their physician, but then we'd run into the issues of who'd pay for the appointment to determine competency etc etc. 


The only reason I bring up the competency problem is because I've known old folks who forgot where the bathroom was in their own home but still had a perfectly valid license to drive...and who did so regularly.  That's scary.

Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
but then we'd run into the issues of who'd pay for the appointment to determine competency etc etc.


Yeah, that's the only problem about this so great idea. I don't think anyone wants to pay taxes for something like that.

The only reason I bring up the competency problem is because I've known old folks who forgot where the bathroom was in their own home but still had a perfectly valid license to drive...and who did so regularly. That's scary.


Yeah, that is scary!!

Thanks for the cool comment dharma!

~carebear~
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
People are constantly taking driver's tests, aren't they? The instructors are there, already paid. There would be a lot more work, but it isn't like we don't have the infrastructure there to begin with, just more of the same.

Like I said in my post, everyone has to go in and renew their license tags and their driver's licenses every so often anyway. I have to show proof of insurance, why not just ask the elderly for some sort of proof that they have been cleared by a doctor to drive, and then have them use the same driving test all the other people use?

There's also the issue of eyesight. It makes you wonder why, when eyesight so often suffers with age, the elderly aren't asked to have periodic checkups.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top


There's also the issue of eyesight. It makes you wonder why, when eyesight so often suffers with age, the elderly aren't asked to have periodic checkups


They have to take eye exams, but they have found the loophole: When they flunk the vision test at the DMV, they go to the eye doctor, they request surgery (I have worked at different eye doctors offices)with the sole purpose of being able to drive again. When the surgery doesn't have the desired results. (Because they are old, and several things may go wrong); they bring the slip from the DMV back to the doctor's office. They demand that the doctor signs it, the doctor feels pressured, because he knows he performed surgery based on that premise. 7 out of 10 times, the doctos signs the slip that allows a 95 year old semi-blind person to be on the road again.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
i think that after you hit a certain age that you should have to take a driving test all over again to see if you are cable of driving on the road again. But i also think that it depends on the person who is driving my grandparents drive like regular people and not like they are ancient. So i do agree with xtime there would be a little more people coming and going at the driving school or the bmv but if it helps the people who do drive and are out on the road daily to make it safer than you really can't lose!

Love Lots~
Amandahillbilly