Thoughts on old age drivers..

joshr96

Personally, I think there should be some sort of limit depending on the persons skill at a certain age.
Today, whilst out on a ride with a friend, we were at the crossing lights over a busy road.
We had pressed the button and waiting for the light to turn green and got talking. Admittedly, we lost our concentration because of this and didn't notice the light had turned green for a second or so. We were just about to cross then an old driver, must have been about 70, came flying past at probably 45 - 50 mph straight through the red light, hadn't even noticed us... Complete tunnel vision.

You could call the small conversation a blessing as had we crossed as soon as the lights went green, I wouldn't like to think what could have happened.

Bobbinogs

I find it amazing that in this age of health and safety gone mad that there is no retest at a certain age. I reckon it should be at 65, not because you are ga-ga but because the road laws will have changed so much in 50 years. I then reckon a retest again at 75, 85, etc.

Then again, I am sure we have all seen some unbelieveable driving from folks at any age, not least on the multitude of cop shows and most of those nutters don't even have a license (but are then banned to stop them driving, oh the irony).

NickintheLakes

But where do you stop?

Why just old people?

Why not young *wats whose balls rule their brains? (By far the highest risk category).

Or half asleep stressed out businessmen on long hauls.

***

I've been the last two but am not quite the first btw.

***

Every age needs different skills tests!

Monkeypump

Maybe a retest every 10 years (for all) would be a good idea.

byke68

Fork lift drivers get re-assesed every 3 years, so motorists should be re-assesed every 10 years or so or less if they are involved in an accident that is their fault.

CYCLESPORT1

70

MattC59

NickintheLakes wrote:

But where do you stop?

Why just old people?

Why not young *wats whose balls rule their brains? (By far the highest risk category).

Or half asleep stressed out businessmen on long hauls.

***

I've been the last two but am not quite the first btw.

***

Every age needs different skills tests!

Because if the last two cause an accident, then in certain cases they do have to re take a test to get their licence back. Whilst they mau be driving like tw*ts, they're generally cabable of driving safely if they put their mind to it.

In a lot (not all before someone gets on their high horse) of cases with old people, they're not fit to be behind the wheel. Some doddering old fool pulled out in front of me on the M4 today, and was so close that I had to brake and swerve sufficiently hard for the ABS to kick in. the old fool didn't even knw that I was there.

My father in law still drives dispite his eyesight failing. I'd place money on him failing a re test.

Dog Breath

I think the thing that is lost on the majority of people who have passed their test is that they have reached the MINIMUM standard to drive unsupervised on the roads. From then on, it should be a continual learning and improving regime, but sadly the reverse is true as most feel that once they have passed their test then that's it, they know it all and they can do what the hell they like. Irrespective of age, I think everyone should have a re-test every 5 years, I would go further and say that for careless driving offences, they should take a re-test before they are allowed back behind the wheel. It may focus some people's attention a bit more.

raymondo60

I'm a motorist as well as a cyclist, as I suspect many of us are. Personally I've come to think that the Driving Test, as we understand it, is now completely unsuited to preparing people for life on the road. Even on a simplistic level, it doesn't prepare for night-driving, or Motorway driving, for instance, or even due consideration for cyclists. Considering the issues we have with motorised transport in this country - traffic, pollution, accident statistics, road-rage, illegal/uninsured drivers to name a few - perhaps its about time we considered 'driving' as a 'privilege', rather than a 'right'. The age of motoring freedom is over; we all have to share the road resources we have, and the Driving Test should be much more detailed, inclusive and difficult, in my opinion. However, it's only right to say it, but that approach may also be applied to cyclists and other road users. For me, I see many many people out on the road, in and on all types of vehicles, who do not seem to appreciate how dangerous 'driving/cycling/riding/walking' really can be.

random man

Monkeypump wrote:

Maybe a retest every 10 years (for all) would be a good idea.

When I decided to train as a driving instructor I thought I was a decent driver - I soon found out how little I knew and have thought ever since that drivers should have a review every few years to keep them up to date and sort out bad habits. Age does not really come into it.

MattC59

I'm an excellent driver.

raymondo60

MattC59 wrote:

I'm an excellent driver.

Kieran_Burns

Christ - I'm a BRILLIANT driver!

NEVER had and accident... SEEN thousands, never had one.

rick_chasey

Pretty common across Europe to re-test drivers when they reach a certain age.

I don't see why they don't make it compulsory every 10 years anyway.

Rigged

Raymondo60 wrote:

I'm a motorist as well as a cyclist, as I suspect many of us are. Personally I've come to think that the Driving Test, as we understand it, is now completely unsuited to preparing people for life on the road. Even on a simplistic level, it doesn't prepare for night-driving, or Motorway driving, for instance, or even due consideration for cyclists. Considering the issues we have with motorised transport in this country - traffic, pollution, accident statistics, road-rage, illegal/uninsured drivers to name a few - perhaps its about time we considered 'driving' as a 'privilege', rather than a 'right'. The age of motoring freedom is over; we all have to share the road resources we have, and the Driving Test should be much more detailed, inclusive and difficult, in my opinion. However, it's only right to say it, but that approach may also be applied to cyclists and other road users. For me, I see many many people out on the road, in and on all types of vehicles, who do not seem to appreciate how dangerous 'driving/cycling/riding/walking' really can be.

In making it harder would you support that every driver should have to retake their test to meet the new standard?

I'm not against a harder test but it'd be utterly useless in improving the standard of drivers on the road for decades to come if only new drivers have to pass the test rather than all those on the road having met the standard.

big_p

i watch my next door neighbour rocket backwards at an un controled speed out of his drive way and stop mere millimeters from smashing into a brand new fiesta every day, i'm sure he does it on feel alone, because, as far as i can tell, he's not looking in his mirrors and he sure as hell is'nt looking over his shoulder.

god bless old bob next door, he's so deaf that i can hear his hearing aid's squeeling through our wall's all the time, he has prostate cancer and is well into his eightys.

i'm sure hi car is his last bit of independence, but i have to get up and leave the room when i see him going out, i just cant bare to watch.

Peddle Up!

Can I put in a pitch for advanced driving qualifications like RoADA?

A great way to revise and improve on your skill set at a very reasonable cost (most tuition/observation is by volunteers). It's helped me to anticipate potentially dangerous situations in the car and on the bike, and has save me and others from harm on at least two occasions. Even better you don't have to drive like an old granny all the time.

Retests are every three years so you get detailed feedback from a police-trained instructor on how you are doing, and graded accordingly.

Strongly recommended.

Wheelspinner

I've no issue with oldies out on the roads. I am far more often involved in near-miss things with the under-30 crowd driving/texting/eating/smoking or just plain not paying attention. They drive way faster than the oldies, often in crap cars that are of questionable road-worthiness, with bad brakes and bald tyres.

Give me a dodderer in an immaculate beige Volvo 242 and a grey hat any time. I can probably out-drag them from the lights on my bike anyway.

jgsi

I'm just a bit shocked that most want yet another layer of bureaucracy, another hoop to jump through, another levy on trying to eke an existence in this country of ours.. we are one of the most regulated countries in the world, we even try to adhere to EU regulations when others blatently don't...
will it save lives..?
probably not .. if you are honest about it.
people just have to take a little responsibility onto themselves, but thats cloud cuckoo land so bring on the laws eh?

Good on you Op for owning up to having a lapse in concentration.. can happen at any age can't it?
(early morning rants, can't beat 'em)

GiantMike

There should be an annual test to allow certain people to post on the Internet.

jgsi

GiantMike wrote:

There should be an annual test to allow certain people to post on the Internet.

being 'old' I have conveniently just forgotten what I posted

GiantMike

JGSI wrote:

GiantMike wrote:

There should be an annual test to allow certain people to post on the Internet.

being 'old' I have conveniently just forgotten what I posted

That wasn't aimed at you.

"I SAID THAT WASN'T AIMED AT YOU. THAT QUIP, IT WASN'T AIMED AT YOU."

"IT WAS A GENERAL COMMENT. I SAID IT WAS A GENERAL COMMENT."

singleton

I think we should have regular retests for everyone in the country. A driving license is not a right and some people ought to have their take away.

Re-tests every 10 years up to the age of 50, then every 5 years up to 65, then every 1 or 2 years form there.

Mr_Cellophane

My father was approaching 50 when he passed his test - after many, many attempts. He is now back on the road after breaking his hip 6 months ago. He is 90.
Never had an accident that has been his fault (although his insurance company has never agreed with this).
If we know he is coming round we move our cars off the road.

disgruntledgoat

I think everybody should be retested every few years regardless of age. If you worked with any other form of machinery capable of killing or injuring yourself and others, you'd have to prove you were capable of using it competently and safely more than once in your life.

rick_chasey

disgruntledgoat wrote:

I think everybody should be retested every few years regardless of age. If you worked with any other form of machinery capable of killing or injuring yourself and others, you'd have to prove you were capable of using it competently and safely more than once in your life.

Yup.

Every 10 years seems reasonable.

ddraver

Rick Chasey wrote:

disgruntledgoat wrote:

I think everybody should be retested every few years regardless of age. If you worked with any other form of machinery capable of killing or injuring yourself and others, you'd have to prove you were capable of using it competently and safely more than once in your life.

Yup.

Every 10 years seems reasonable.

Agreed here too - I would nt mind, actually it would probably do me good to have someone point out if laws have changed, what I'm doing wrong etc....

MattC59

Age isn't necessarily the issue, although the issue is often a result of age.

The issue is whether someone is physically capable of driving safely and with in the law. My father is 65 and is perfectly capable, both physically and mentally of driving safely. My father in law, is 70-odd and as previously mentioned, his eyesight is failing and his reactions are slowing. Personally I don't think he should be on the road.

The problem with expecting people to take on a little responsibility themselves, as JGSI suggested, is that people won't. I suspect that there are a lot of old people out there who if tested would fail their test, however, they wouldn't take on the responsibility themselves and hand in their licence, simply because they the lose some of their independence.

So the simple answer is to bring in testing at a certain age. Yes it's unfortunate if someone has their licence revoked because they are no longer fit to drive (which is no different to a number of medical conditions), but it's better than someone getting killed. A retest doesn't mean everyone over the age, be it 70 or what ever, loses their licence, it just means that those not physically capable of driving safely would.

Perhaps a mandatory medical, tailored to the requirements of driving safely would suffice ?

I followed another old bu66er down the slip road onto the M4 over the weekend, at 20mph !!! They calmly continued on, no signal, no adjustment of their driving according to the traffic already on the motorway, just plodded along and joined the traffic at about 20mph. Which ever way you look at it, that's bl00dy dangerous, and what ever the reason, if the old bu66er wasn't happy driving at more than 20mph, then perhaps they shouldn't have a licence, sertainly they shouldn't be on the motorway !

disgruntledgoat

Anecdote isn't the same as evidence, but I was trying to change lanes on a busy A Road through Glasgow yesterday and got stuck behind an elderly lady driving at 5mph, indicating to pull out and just never doing it.

I eventually jumped past her and had a look back after 20s or so to see she was doing exactly the same!

As I said, however, I think there are drivers who are just as dangerous aged, 17, 30, 42, 55 etc etc. and everybody who wants to use the road should be subject to some sort of ongoing assessment.

GiantMike

MattC59 wrote:

if the old bu66er wasn't happy driving at more than 20mph, then perhaps they shouldn't have a licence, sertainly they shouldn't be on the motorway !

But if they did have a re-test would it include a motorway segment?

MattC59

GiantMike wrote:

MattC59 wrote:

if the old bu66er wasn't happy driving at more than 20mph, then perhaps they shouldn't have a licence, sertainly they shouldn't be on the motorway !

But if they did have a re-test would it include a motorway segment?

Perhaps not, but it's the same as joining a dual carraigeway from a slip road. Driving tests don't include motorway work as learners aren't allowed on a motorway, but an age related retest is assuming htat they have already passed a driving test and it's checking that they are still capable of driving in the places that they currently drive in.