Denial of Freedom: More Tests for Drivers over 70?

peterbaker

(withdrawn)

Murphy_The_Cat

Hi Peter

I think the IAM probably wrote their report after seeing the absolutely woeful standard of driving by older people in rural Cumbria !!

I am not prepared to tar everyone with the same brush, but where i live there is a sizeable minority of older drivers who are a menace to both themselves and other road users.

MTC

Also look here for thoughts on a similar vein

andy88_2

Eye tests would be a good start; apparently about 30% couldn't see properly in random tests near here a few years ago. There was also a TV programme a few years back which showed someone knocking down someone right in front of them on a garage forecourt

Browntoa

and the old boy who backed into my car the other day as he "did'nt see it "

he seemed totally at a loss when i spoke to him and was glad that he had actually remembered to insure his car, I'm not sure he should have even been out on his own , let alone drive a car !!

m00nie

wahooooooooo about time..

hope they look at doing the same for women also soon

izzy_flint

m00nie wrote:

wahooooooooo about time..

hope they look at doing the same for women also soon

Totally agree here only last week i sat in the car watching in amazment as an oap took five minutes to walk to the cashiers desk from the petrol station forecourt after filling up their car.With reactions like that it only takes one child to chase a ball onto the road.What chance would they have.

tonys_3

izzy_flint wrote:

Totally agree here only last week i sat in the car watching in amazment as an oap took five minutes to walk to the cashiers desk from the petrol station forecourt after filling up their car.With reactions like that it only takes one child to chase a ball onto the road.What chance would they have.

Probably a lot more chance than meeting someone high on E's

izzy_flint

tonys wrote:

Probably a lot more chance than meeting someone high on E's

The only difference here is the idiot who drives with e's or other drugs in their body is not like that everytime they go out in a car

nearlyrich

Browntoa wrote:

and the old boy who backed into my car the other day as he "did'nt see it "

he seemed totally at a loss when i spoke to him and was glad that he had actually remembered to insure his car, I'm not sure he should have even been out on his own , let alone drive a car !!

I had exactly the same experience a few months ago, the elderly guy concerned was attempting a three point turn into a 2 foot gap between my car and the next one with his wife guiding him. His car was totally misted up and he couldn't see out of the windows. He stopped just in time but then having left it in reverse set off again and he hit my wing and dented it badly. When I challenged him he kicked my car and growled at me. :mad: I took some pics with my digital camera and handed it over to the insurance company.


As for eye tests apparantly it's not just over 70's that are driving around needing their eyes testing, every driver should have to have an eye test every 5 years minimum.

I am not over 70 but I wouldn't be too concerned about extra checks, if I was causing a danger to other road users I would rather not drive however inconvenient.

nearlyrich

m00nie wrote:

wahooooooooo about time..

hope they look at doing the same for women also soon

Moonie........ watch it, we're not all bad drivers and the, fortunatly minor, accidents I've been involved in have invariably been caused by .....MEN....:eek:

m00nie

lol.. you know im only kidding dont ya...

come to think of it my ex gf was a brilliant driver,












could drive me up the wall everyday without fail