When do you think you'll hang up your keys ?

[LTD]

We are all getting a little older ...

Had a conversation with SWMBO about cars and that I'd really love to get a new S Class some day. Whilst I cannot justify it financially at the moment, it's something I'd love to consider as a 'final' car purchase before I hang up my keys.

However, I've seen my father's driving skills drop off in recent years. He is now 75 years of age. I see his current car as his last.

So it got me wondering, do you ever see yourself giving up driving and, if so, when do you see/hope that will be ?

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

I will hand my keys to St Peter, or Cerberus along with a bone.

 

[MOCAŠ]

I will hand my keys to St Peter, or Cerberus along with a bone.

Three bones, surely?

 

[LTD]

I will hand my keys to St Peter, or Cerberus along with a bone.

Hopefully not as a result of a fatal driving accident

 

[eihtur]

My parents in law, 84 and 78, have both stopped driving. My parents, also 84 and 78, are still diving, though my mother does most of it with my father preferring to sit in the back.

So, I hope I'll be well into my 80s before I have to stop.

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

Three bones, surely?

Just the one,that'll be the devil in me.

 

[grober]

In a car- centric world where driving often means maintaining independence in old age keep going as long as you are able/safe on the road. I can foresee the day however in our increasingly crowed roads where legislation may make it increasingly difficult to continue to drive to a "ripe old age" . On that basis and with the price of fossil fuels continuing to escalate I would say " If you want that V8 motor/luxury limo/2 seater sports you always promised yourself --- don't put it off ----if you can afford it--- do it now!

 

[flango]

I'll be hanging my keys up at 70ish, seen too many fatalities caused by ageing nightmares who think their reaction times and driving skills are still there with the best of them.

It should be compulsory to hang up the keys at around this age, I have never been in a car with anyone past this age either personally or professionally that did not scare the cr*p out of me.

I'm approaching 50 and know my reaction times and skills are not as good as my 20 year old daughter, unfortunately some people just can't accept this and think they are still safe well into their 80's, they are not, research has proved this and just look at the number of news articles you've seen recently with ageing nightmares driving the wrong way down motorways and dual carriage ways.

If you want to carry on past 70 you should have to sit a full retest + medical + reaction time testing, then if you pass all 3 you should have your licence renewed for a year before being tested again.

Contrary to popular belief elderly drivers cause more direct fatalities to 3rd parties than young drivers, a fact that seems to be ignored by all the do gooders trying to impose unreasonable restrictions and incredible insurance premiums on younger drivers.

 

[LTD]

Once I find driving outwith my skill set, I plan to go on gardening leave.

Can't do a lot of harm with pruning scissors, or can I ?

 

[MOCAŠ]

unfortunately some people just can't accept this and think they are still safe well into their 80's, they are not...

Dangerous to generalise, flanaia1. About 8 years ago I was taken on a test drive around the lanes of Wiltshire at or near to he legal speed limit by a certain mid-octagenarian of my acquaintance, who proved himself to be a very sharp and competent driver - he was giving a commentary on the car's handling throughout. I came away very impressed with his driving ability, and not just for a man of his age.

It's not about age, but competence, though I accept the two are related as the years advance. Your idea of regular retesting for the over 70s seems a fair one, although to do so every year may be excessive.

 

[PXW]

It's not about age, but competence, though I accept the two are related as the years advance. Your idea of regular retesting for the over 70s seems a fair one, although to do so every year may be excessive.

I was under the impression that you had to re-apply for your licence every three years after the age of 70 anyway. I assume that part of that process ins a declaration of continued fitness to drive - in which case the argument for compulsory re-testing is essentially one of checking the honesty of the citizen concerned. I realise there may be (?many) cases of gradual deterioration where the person in question does not recognise their own limitations but I would have thought most would know. So does the case for or against compulsory age related testing come down once again to exercise of state control? Not trying to be provocative or political here, but it does seem to me that there is a general principle whereby the more that the state takes the thinking out of decisions, the less people will think.

 

[Charles Morgan]

My parents have sensibly moved from a house high on Bodmin Moor, 3 miles from the nearest town, to the centre of Plymouth, from where they can walk to the shops within 5 minutes. Add in a bus that stops right outside that takes them to either the rail station or the bus station and they are well covered in the event that they have to stop driving. They can even walk to the ferry to France or Spain in 10 minutes (at their pace!).

My father is slowly losing his ability to judge distances, my mother is fine. I can easily forsee my father stopping driving in the next five years as he no longer enjoys using the car and on long journeys leaves it to my mother. But if they do, they have lost only a tiny percentage of their mobility because of where they live.

When I become less able, that is exactly what I shall do.

 

[pete-d]

My parents moved to a house close to a bus route and shops in their early 60s. Dad probably continued to drive after he should have stopped (driving was fine but he had started to forget some routes he'd driven for years) but gave up after he had a stroke that affected his eye sight. Mum is still capable of driving but has chosen not to for about 3 years because she doesn't feel confident that she can do it safely. They're now in their mid 70s.

 

[DSM10000]

My maternal grandfather decided one day that he was giving up driving at the rather grand age of 89, he announced this to his wife (also 89) after which he sat in his chair, drank a cup of tea and peacefully passed away. All in all not a bad way to bow out!

 

[WDB124066]

Because I can, says 'little old lady' | Stuff.co.nz

 

[goldenii68]

Read this BBC News - Los Angeles driver, 100, hits group of children

 

[flango]

Dangerous to generalise, flanaia1. About 8 years ago I was taken on a test drive around the lanes of Wiltshire at or near to he legal speed limit by a certain mid-octagenarian of my acquaintance, who proved himself to be a very sharp and competent driver - he was giving a commentary on the car's handling throughout. I came away very impressed with his driving ability, and not just for a man of his age.

It's not about age, but competence, though I accept the two are related as the years advance. Your idea of regular retesting for the over 70s seems a fair one, although to do so every year may be excessive.

Sorry but I have to disagree it is an age thing, reactions slow, eyes degenerate, muscles weaken, bones become brittle, brain slows, all related to age.

I have been at the side of some former F1 drivers now in their latter years and they too scared the cr*p out of me. I don't believe a mid octogenarian could drive as well as someone in their late 20's and research proves this.

Test them and if the are fit and competent to carry on then fine, no problems but test them in realistic high pressure situations not bumbling along on a country road. Basic psychometric testing would rule some of them unfit to drive immediately but unfortunately we shy away from that in this Country.

These people are more dangerous than young inexperienced drivers.

 

[stevieb15]

As someone who believes we should all re pass annually, in the same way our cars have to pass the mot annually, I assume when the driving test examiner tells me I'm no longer fit to drive unsupervised I'll call it a day.
I really can't work out the current disconnect between ensuring the vehicle meets certain standards but not the driver, but it's bound to be rationalised sooner or later and then it'll be taken out of all our hands.

 

[grober]

Sweeping generalisations do nothing to advance anyone's argument. Insurance accident statistics simply don't back up the assertion that older people are more dangerous than younger drivers. Older drivers are physically less capable than younger drivers but not necessarily "incapable" Where older drivers score is mentally with experience and better judgement. Sure there are tragic exceptions but these occur at all ages. That innocent bus queue could be mowed down by an octogenarian, white van man, a joyriding kid with his mates, a foreign lorry driver who fiddled his tachograph, a criminal fleeing from the scene of a crime or a young thrusting executive drag racing someone from the lights in his/her Porsche/SL/BMW/TVR/Ferrari I am in favour of periodic retesting of drivers but it would naive to concentrate merely on the older driver if you wish to reduce accidents . One of the major driver hazards you come across is aggressive or reckless behaviour and dare I say it this --- is fuelled in the main by----- testosterone levels ----which as we all know declines with-----

 

[artyman]

Just wait until the Government realise that frequent driver testing could be another money spinner. I'm approaching my 'best before date' but whilst I would concede that my reactions are not as sharp as they were in my 20's, intelligence and experience offset that shorfall at the moment. I think I shall be well aware when my facaltys aren't up to the job of modern day driving, mind you a little more consideration and less competitiveness on the roads would make the driving experience better for all of us.