Too old to drive ?

[st4]

Limitations...? 25mph on an A class road with a speed limit of 60mph, is far more dangerous than lets say, driving at 100mph on the same stretch of road. If your limitations are likely to cause frustration to other drivers, resulting in serious accidents, perhaps a 3/5 year assessment on your driving skills isn't a bad idea.

Not so sure shaun, you crash @ 25mph or into someone doing 25mph its totalled cars. Crash into a vehicle/crash your vehicle @ 100mph and you'll do well if your body doesn't end up as police property where your organs etc are taken out of you to be examined to determine the cause of death.

100mph is very high speed. If you drive @ 70mph and stop just before the point of collision you are okay. @ 100mph you'll hit the object at 70mph and at these speeds the safety aids in your car are probably not much help

Neither is a suitable speed for the class of road if conditions are fair, but one of these unsuitable speeds will kill, the other won't.

 

[LTD]

Was there a presentation on Road Safety or something last night ?

 

[G-Force]

My thoughts of age/speed/ability where echoed by Finnie....it's all about risk manangment..young folks haven't had enough experience to be aware of the risks..old folks have generally forgot about the risks and think they are driving very safe and sensibly...unaware of the amount of "near misses" they have caused- mainly due to ability of others to avoid the unsafe members of the older population, im not mocking them....just hoping i live long enough to become one of them .

Driving is bit like life....you mature and get better as you go on...till a point where you're mind/body and eyesight just can't cope as well as it used too...although not many folks will admit it

Not having a moan,or stereotyping but the sensible alert drivers will recognise and manage the risk posed by people doing stupid things on our roads accordingly...failing that it'll be road rage time....

Driving nice cars CAN still be a pleasure...it's drivers that get up tight and rush about with a lack of awareness and ability that ruin it for others...if you drive about with enough time for your journey you can sit back and watch the mayhem from a safe distance and have a chuckle at the state some people get themselves into while terrorising our roads

Stay safe folks and dont be the angry chappie demanding you pull over to beat the **** out of someone......and for those (not on this forum im sure) that ARE that angry chappie....you aren't as brave when someone bigger does pull over and gives you a taste of your own medicine

 

[st4]

Was there a presentation on Road Safety or something last night ?

Nah, just how to spot an unmarked car.

Clocked one today, silver, no additional ariels but the key is the grille, you can see the additional lights in there

The two coppers and camera above the mirror didn't give them away either, nor did them pulling into Dumbarton plod but its nice to think I am clever

Ta for the coffee BTW.

 

[BTB 500]

My gran had Alzheimers and used to drive off in her Mini then forget where she lived (she had moved from Nottingham to sheltered accomodation in Surrey after my grandad died). That's why we took the rotor arm out ... she didn't have AA and in the end my parents persuaded her to give the car to my young sister.

I suppose on a modern car you'd have to take a plug out or something to disable it in a non-terminal way.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I don't care what you say about old peoples driving skills, I just wish that they'd get the money ready before they reach the cashtill.

 

[Dryce]

Limitations...? 25mph on an A class road with a speed limit of 60mph, is far more dangerous than lets say, driving at 100mph on the same stretch of road.

One of these acts is legal and the other isn't.

 

[flango]

One of these acts is legal and the other isn't.

Actually they both could be classed as ilegal I'll qualify that both could be classed as an offence under the road traffic act.

 

[G.O'Rilla]

Just persuaded my old man to give up driving. It took about 5 years........

 

[ecossebev]

OK, maybe 100mph was a bad example. The point I was trying to make was, that when you come across a vehicle travelling well below the speed limit, and is holding up the flow of traffic, frustration can creep in (as was discussed on Tuesday night). Thats the point where a driver can/will exceed his or her driving capabilities in order to overtake the slower vehicle. Its a gamble, which in most cases will pass without incident, however....sometimes the gamble doesn't pay off. Slow driving might be the safest option if you are in the slow vehicle, but 9/10 these drivers have no idea the problems they are creating behind them. (was going to use caravans as an example of a slow vehicle, but I'll probably get lynched at Stirling) The invitation of an empty, open road ahead of the slower vehicle is too much of a temptation for some drivers.

 

[219]

I'd rather be held up behind a slow driver , frustrating as it might be sometimes , than be hit by an idiot driving far too fast for the conditions .

Mind you , I don't get so annoyed at some elderly person driving slowly through either timidity or realisation of their limitations - some of them possibly started driving when cars and traffic were much slower than today and have just not changed - I just think to myself that it could be my dear departed grandmother , and would I toot at her or storm past in a rage ? I think not . What does annoy me is the tractor driver who will drive 10 miles along an A road ( A737 , regularly ) during morning rush hour at 30 mph and refuses to pull over to allow the 2 mile queue of traffic that has formed behind to pass , despite plenty of places being available and the law requiring them to do so .

 

[lynall]

Got to say when i lived in norfolk other drivers can be very frustating but darn south most roads are dual carriageway and the slow people dont effect anyone, thats unless you decide to drive to hastings or similiar and the roads are crap, i now hate going back up norfolk as they all seem to think 50 is fast!
Its only in last few years that they have actually dualed the a11 to norwich and still they talk about dualing the a140.



Lynall

 

[Roger Jones]

Now, if everyone had to re-pass a driving test every five years -- what a good idea -- then incapable older drivers could be filtered out as part of a standard system, rather than feeling got at and emotional because of the loss of their independence.

If we could all persuade gran & gramps to look at it rationally, many might give up driving and take taxis. Their mileage is generally tiny and the cost doesn't make sense. Trouble is, their car is a symbol of their independence.

I think 80 is getting too old to drive without special permission from a doctor -- special permission rather than having to find reasons to withdraw the licence.

 

[SilverSaloon]

let's not forget that many people continue to drive because there is no option if they are to not just sit in their house all day. Bus routes have been slashed to a minimum and travelling by train (unless you book three months in advance) is the privilege of the rich.

i see what you mean, but that doesnt give them the right to drive around putting innocent lives at risk.

 

[grober]

Now, if everyone had to re-pass a driving test every five years -- what a good idea -- then incapable older drivers could be filtered out as part of a standard system, rather than feeling got at and emotional because of the loss of their independence.

I think that's an excellent idea then incapable [-----] drivers OF ALL AGES could be filtered out as part of a standard system. There is a case for drivers over say 65 having an annual medical examination to test their physical and mental fitness to drive subject to right of appeal /second opinion/ resit test safeguards.
Driving too slow for prevailing road conditions does fall under the provision of driving without due care and attention for other road users and is an offence under the road traffic act I believe. Driving Without Due Care and Attention - No Penalty Points (UK)

Perhaps it would be more helpful if people actually registered a complaint with the police about specific individuals who they feel are committing an offence rather than "tar all older drivers with the same brush" That way people no longer capable of driving can be removed from our roads by due process rather than prejudice?

 

[Carrotchomper]

I think it's possible to go round in circles all day about this issue. There ARE terrible drivers of all ages, but there should be some sort of re-testing/vigilance brought into the RTA at certain ages- Say 70 onwards, with 5-year intervals. Not necessarily full re-tests but a driving-specific checkover by a doctor or similar covering reactions, general fitness to drive etc. Would give the families of clearly unfit elderly drivers the chance to discuss the matter with the driver and , perhaps, gently suggest ceasing driving??

The comment regarding RRS drivers is entirely true though. Was driving through town yesterday (at work) and noticed the chap inches from rear bumper. Stopped at traffic light in 2-lane section and they undertook me through said red light

Damn, how I wish they would fit covert lights in our cars

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I think it's possible to go round in circles all day about this issue. There ARE terrible drivers of all ages, but there should be some sort of re-testing/vigilance brought into the RTA at certain ages- Say 70 onwards, with 5-year intervals. Not necessarily full re-tests but a driving-specific checkover by a doctor or similar covering reactions, general fitness to drive etc. Would give the families of clearly unfit elderly drivers the chance to discuss the matter with the driver and , perhaps, gently suggest ceasing driving??

The comment regarding RRS drivers is entirely true though. Was driving through town yesterday (at work) and noticed the chap inches from rear bumper. Stopped at traffic light in 2-lane section and they undertook me through said red light

Damn, how I wish they would fit covert lights in our cars

I saw a really funny incident in the Midlands last year, I forgot all about it until now.

I was waiting at a set of lights to turn right when a stream of cars pulled up at the lights to my right. I noticed that the lead car was very closely followed by another (Mercedes -ahem).

I imagine that he had been tailgating for some time and the driver of the car in front was a little upset. So the guy in the lead car jumps out, approaches the side window of the car behind and shows him the contents of his wallet, I'm assuming that it contained a warrant card as the Merc driver went bight red and shut up pretty quick.

Made my day it did!

 

[Rory]

The Police do look out for this - my neighbour's brother is a Police Accident Investigator and older drivers are a big target for them.

I totally agree with the others who have pointed out that older drivers are generally annoying by being slow etc but they're not likely to smash into you at high speed as younger drivers are. If other drivers were more considerate then there would be much less of an issue.

Perhaps they should have some sort of "old" identifier on their cars, like P plates? I watched a car with foreign plates struggling on a large roundabout the other day, obviously unsure where they were going - the foreign plates made me wary and I hung back but other drivers just barged past and there were several near misses.

 

[SilverSaloon]

a P plate is no good to the 5 year old who runs out and because of poor reaction the driver mows them down, or to the person on the pavement that gets run down when the driver leaves the road due to generally dozyness.

i would say there starts to be a danger past 70 to 75 age group.

i think it all comes down to driver choice. a driver makes a choice to drink & drive and gets the punishment. same with drugs, same with driving tired and same with driving when they must know how bad their reaction is. people who can hardly hold a mug of coffee without steadying their hand with their other should NOT be trying to drive a car!!

i am sure there are plenty of good older drivers out there - its just i dont see them very often. of course, the same problems exist across age groups and yes i do believe that young, foolish drivers will be more of a risk-group. but it gets my goat that these older people (who should know better, due to life experiences etc), ignore their common sense just because they want to keep their indepenance.

 

[Rory]

a P plate is no good to the 5 year old who runs out and because of poor reaction the driver mows them down,

Do you have any stats on how often that happens?

I have no idea, but I'm not constantly reading stories of such an event.