Unsafe elderly driver - how to protect the public

margaretclare

Inactive wrote: »

Compulsory Car Driving Tests began in 1935.

So anyone who started driving without having to take a test will be 90+ now. Like I said, a declining number.

jeannieblue

Inactive wrote: »

Fair comment, I wonder just how many of us could safely say 100% that they could pass a standard driving test tomorrow without any further instruction??

I'd pass the driving test - but without doubt would fail the theory! Remembering all the stopping distances etc....... I never sit up anyone's back side - leave a good distance especially if the conditions are wet etc. I know all the rights and wrongs etc - but think the theory test would get me. I would certainly have to do some serious studying and I feel that all those that are honest amongst us, would say the same.

All the new young drivers are 'fresh' from college and used to studying!! But we have the experience and hopefully the common sense!!

I digress a mo.... Is it me, or has the standard of driving over the last few weeks gone downhill?? My trips to and from work have been awful and it is a wonder I am still alive! A girl in a lovely Mini was on my side of the road aiming straight at me the other morning - there were no parked cars or any reason why! She seemed to look up suddenly and pull over to her side - no apology or anything. First thing I thought of was, was she texting??? Others were just pulling out without looking, overtaking when not safe etc. Glad I have two weeks off...........

gilbert_and_sullivan

jeannieblue wrote: »

I digress a mo.... Is it me, or has the standard of driving over the last few weeks gone downhill?? ..........

It's getting worse all the time, and by far the most dangerous time of the day....apart from evening in town when young hotheads with dubious driving capability and no common sense roar around like someone possessed....is on a Friday afternoon.

Without fail any and every trunk road will be littered with accidents particularly motorways.
How they manage to hit each other when they're all going the same way at similar speed never ceases to amaze me.

Strangely enough you don't often see a senior citizen at the scene of these pile ups....wonder why.

jeannieblue

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

It's getting worse all the time, and by far the most dangerous time of the day....apart from evening in town when young hotheads with dubious driving capability and no common sense roar around like someone possessed....is on a Friday afternoon.

Without fail any and every trunk road will be littered with accidents particularly motorways.
How they manage to hit each other when they're all going the same way at similar speed never ceases to amaze me.

Strangely enough you don't often see a senior citizen at the scene of these pile ups....wonder why.

Fridays are always the worst days for accidents - I'm not sure why. Someone must've done a survey.....

I must say that all the twits that have been pulling out on me etc., or the girl in the mini, none of them were of the older generation. Mixed ages.

I was behind a van the other night that appeared to be glued to the bumper of the car in front, the driving was really attrocious. He was like a man possessed. When I got a glimpse of him, I would say he was in his mid forties. You really can't label bad drivers. They come in all shapes and sizes - and ages!

Jakg

Inactive wrote: »

Where did you get that information from??...it is wrong I'm afraid.

Ok - my Dad's bike test consisted of riding from the test centre, round the block back to the test centre. There was no bike following him, and as he made it back the examiner passed him as safe for the road. My Mum cannot drive at all, but she has her license and will menace everyone else on the road - I can't wait for compulsory retests for EVERYONE every so many years.

One of the few modifications i'm looking to do to my car is a camera in the front and rear to video some of the morons on the road!

jeannieblue

Jakg wrote: »

Ok - my Dad's bike test consisted of riding from the test centre, round the block back to the test centre. There was no bike following him, and as he made it back the examiner passed him as safe for the road. My Mum cannot drive at all, but she has her license and will menace everyone else on the road - I can't wait for compulsory retests for EVERYONE every so many years.

One of the few modifications i'm looking to do to my car is a camera in the front and rear to video some of the morons on the road!

Hope your mum doesn't come on this site............ :eek:

Jakg

She'd probably complain because I drive too fast on slip-roads - it seems like i'm the only one in this county that goes faster than 40 on sliproads :X

Inactive

Jakg wrote: »

Ok - my Dad's bike test consisted of riding from the test centre, round the block back to the test centre. There was no bike following him, and as he made it back the examiner passed him as safe for the road.

That doesn't change anything; (1) We are talking car driving and (2) the pass/fail rates didn't change much from the older Motor Cycle Test to the newer one.

Your Father didn't just ride around a block either, he was instructed to carry out an emergency stop and a slow ride at walking pace and a U turn, he would have been sent around numerous different blocks, at times not knowing where the examiner was. The test lasted as long as a car test did as well.

Garetha

Inactive wrote: »

That doesn't change anything; (1) We are talking car driving and (2) the pass/fail rates didn't change much from the older Motor Cycle Test to the newer one.

Your Father didn't just ride around a block either, he was instructed to carry out an emergency stop and a slow ride at walking pace and a U turn, he would have been sent around numerous different blocks, at times not knowing where the examiner was. The test lasted as long as a car test did as well.

I have a memory from the 1960's of watching a motorcycle tests in progress - the examiner was at the roadside waiting for the bike to pass - and he stepped out into the road to check the emergency stop. Brave examiner!

Nenen

I have a friend of 80 who is still driving. However, she recently took some sort of test to check her reaction times and, although this showed she was still quick enough to be safe on the roads, she was quite taken aback by the results which showed a definite decline in reaction time since the last time she took it. She hadn't felt her reactions had slowed at all. I will try and find some more details about this from her because perhaps your dad could be persuaded to sit a similar test and either the results would show your worries are unfounded or would be bad enough to convince him that he should not be driving!

The other option would be to persuade your dad to do what MargaretClare has done and take an advanced drivers course. (I LOVE your posts by the way MargaretClare - they always give me hope for the future). My son has just done an advanced driver course and found it very useful. It is not only potentially lifesaving but moneysaving too as insurance costs are lower if you have passed!