How to report an elderly driver that is clearly unable to drive properly

ILW

mcfisco wrote: »

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news--general-news/biker-killing-10mph-motorway-driver-gets-20-months/23242.html

Should have got 120 months IMO but that's by the by

There is a difference between driving slowly and braking heavily for no reason.

mcfisco

ILW wrote: »

How can a slow driver cause somebody else to have an accident?

Apparently it happens 143 times a year

"With the Department for Transport revealing that 143 accidents a year are caused directly by slow drivers, maybe it is time to consider this threat seriously and do something about it"

http://www.cars.co.uk/articles/cameras-to-penalise-slow-drivers.html

Strider590

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ipm/2008/09/some_statistics_on_elderly_dri.shtml

polomints

alastairq wrote: »

Nothing 'wrong' with slow drivers..or slow vehicles. ...

I seem to remember my driving instructor use to say to me during my lessons
"What speed are you doing"
"25"
"What's the speed limit here"
"30"
"Is it safe to do so"
"Yes"
"Then you should be doing 30"

He always reinforced that you should be doing the speed limit as long as it's safe to so, going slower only holds up the highways, causes traffic, and make people irritate.
He's now an examiner. He told me that once someone failed their test from failing to speed up after going through a national speed limit sign.
The recent events in Kent was an example of people driving the limit or faster when it wasn't safe to do so.

londonTiger

99% of these complaint on neighbours on public interest grounds ususally stem from another dispute like parking in a bay close to their house or some other grievance.

Which leads me to question people's motives when they try to make a complain on someone to the authorities.

I bet a lot of ex partners complain to HMRC about their ex spouses tax affairs, benefits etc.

Didn'#t that MPs wife blow the whistle on her taking points on behalf of her partner just to get her own back?

She incriminated herself and has got a criminal record too.

alastairq

He always reinforced that you should be doing the speed limit as long as it's safe to so, going slower only holds up the highways, causes traffic, and make people irritate.

Your instructor's objective is to teach you to pass the test. One of the aspects of your driving competence that is looked at, is whether you can adjust your speed to suit the varying road & traffic conditions.

If you cannot demonstrate this ability, you will garner either driving faults, or serious faults....and fail [to meet the required standard of competence].

Thus, one can fail one's test for being 'cautious'....if you like.

The driving test is an assessment of competence.

And as such, the candidate may be expected to drive in a manner that demonstrates that competence.

It is not an absolute blueprint for one's driving in the future..what one does will depend largely on what one wishes to do.Thus, whilst achieving the speed limit for a test is required if safe, there is no subsequent requirement to do so..providing one doesn't create an undue delay, of course.

If I recall correctly, the minimum speed in London [for a bus] which cannot be 'obstruction' is about 12 mph! [City of London rules....IIRC]

People often get confused by what is required for a driving test.....understanding why one was taught these things is helpful.

alastairq

Strider590 wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ipm/2008/09/some_statistics_on_elderly_dri.shtml

what needs to be discovered is, how many over-80's folk actually regularly [or, irregularly] drive?

JUst because one hasn't surrendered one's licence, does not mean one drives.

However, the insurers know the risks, and act accordingly.

What is not also mentioned is, how many 'near-misses' are recorded [for any age group]....or whether the accidents mentioned merely caused material damage to property, or also involved personal injury?

Age is useful..it allows us to categorise.

[Age also bought me my current banger..courtesy of an elderly lady ramming my old one full tilt whilst it was parked]......but in my observational experience I note that age is no precursor to doing unfathomable things on the roads.

angel00079

I think that we are too quick to judge older people as bad drivers. Yes, there are some that really shouldn't be on the road but plenty who are good drivers.

On the issue of speed if the majority of people decided that they wanted to drive around at 15mph surely that is selfish and would cause havoc.

polomints

alastairq wrote: »

...

People often get confused by what is required for a driving test.....understanding why one was taught these things is helpful.

I wonder if we could apply that laser logic for anything else you need a license or pass a test for.

arcon5

Yesterday I was doing about 59 in a 60, a chap who looked to be in his twenties overtook me before a blind bend. I slowed down to create space in case a car came round the bend. Incidentally it was only about 200 yards from a spot about you e chap died on about 6 weeks ago.

Last week I was in lane 2 going straight on at a round about (as is permited - dual carraigeway both sides). I join the round about and then a motorbike nips up my left side with a right hand indicator on and cuts across the front of my bonnet.

Driving home at night about 4 weeks ago I was a passenger, my partner was driving and she had somebody so dangerously close to her rear it was unreal (in all my time of driving I've had a share of tail haters but this was somebody different). She left a 30 zone to a 60 zone and started speeding up but just not quick enough for the other car who started pipping and overtook pulling back in too close forcing her to brake.

On my way to work at 6 ish (am) I was travelling behind a slow vehicle. Doing about 40 in the 60 the whole way.



Of these incidents, which do you think posed the most harm to me and my family?

People moan about slow drivers and old drivers causing hazards and should be reassessed - but based on my experience older people certainly aren't the ones consistently nearly causing serious accidents. I drive 40k miles per year so certainly we alot