Elderly people and driving

[Gordon R]

One body shop - well that settles the argument for the whole country.

[BrowningB525]

I work in a bodyshop which is usually full of vag and bmw cars

We without doubt repair a disproportionate number of audi a4 and bmw 3 series cars mostly frontal impact belonging to men 30-50 years old

I am always hearing about kids crashing all the time which is quite odd as if this was the case we'd be packed to the rafters with corsa's

We store cars as well so there goes all the kids cars are write offs argument

 

In fairness, when I was 17, none of my cars made it to the body shop. They went straight to the scrap yard.

[achosenman]

I work in a bodyshop which is usually full of vag and bmw cars

We without doubt repair a disproportionate number of audi a4 and bmw 3 series cars mostly frontal impact belonging to men 30-50 years old

I am always hearing about kids crashing all the time which is quite odd as if this was the case we'd be packed to the rafters with corsa's

We store cars as well so there goes all the kids cars are write offs argument

 

Or maybe you are seeing customers who can afford to have repairs made through the insurance company or private bank account.

[Vince Green]

The thing for me about all of this is the huge difference between an ordinary driving licence and the various types of commercial licence. My mate is a London taxi driver in his 60s and every so often he has to take a full medical (which he has to pay for himself) including the dreaded treadmill. It costs him about £800 and he absolutely hates it, he says they really put you through it.

 

The death toll is definitely higher in the under 25s but in old age co-ordination and reaction times tail off also eyesight deteriorates so a little check up now and again seems sensible to me

Edited October 16, 2015 by Vince Green

[jam1e]

I think this is how a lot of people on here assume 70 year olds are like.

 

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If they were, the roads would be a lot safer. And the traffic would probably flow better.....

[Zapp]

I work in a bodyshop which is usually full of vag

Any jobs going?

[wymberley]

Any jobs going?

in as much as you ask, probably not!

[walshie]

[Danger-Mouse]

 

:lol:

[955i]

I think this has turned into an older v younger debate.

 

The question is not how old you are but whether you are FIT to drive.

 

Younger drivers will go faster and may well be more likely to have accidents. but they have the correct vision, reflexes and ability to avoid these accidents, they just don't have the sense which is not something that can be tested for.

 

Reaction time, eyesight and general fitness to drive can be tested for so it makes sense that older drivers be subjected to more frequent test as time goes on as they are more likely to be losing these abilities.

 

It is not a case of young v old, it is a case of reducing road fatalities whatever the age!!

Edited October 16, 2015 by 955i

[CharlieT]

I think this has turned into an older v younger debate.

 

The question is not how old you are but whether you are FIT to drive.

 

Younger drivers will go faster and may well be more likely to have accidents. but they have the correct vision, reflexes and ability to avoid these accidents, they just don't have the sense which is not something that can be tested for.

 

Reaction time, eyesight and general fitness to drive can be tested for so it makes sense that older drivers be subjected to more frequent test as time goes on as they are more likely to be losing these abilities.

 

It is not a case of young v old, it is a case of reducing road fatalities whatever the age!!

 

But why should they be subjected to additional testing when statistics clearly demonstrate that they are no more likely to be involved in an accident than any other group over 25 years of age.

 

If you really want to reduce road accidents and as you say, common sense can't be tested for, then raising the driving age to 25 would make far better sense rather than penalising a group for no other reason than they are over retirement age.

[bostonmick]

so only older people have eyesight problems I suppose all those youngsters that have glasses and contacts are just making a fashion statement.i have in my lifetime been involved in three accidents neither of which were my fault two were cars going in the opposite direction but on my side of the road and the other was outside a relatives house when my car was parked on the grass verge,and guess what all were driven by under twenty five year olds.now I have no problem with taking a medical for driving but some of the new drivers need a scan to see if they actually have anything between those ears.a lot of our main roads were built when there was about a third of the cars on the road than there is today,also cars then most were not capable of more than about 80 mph.i have over the past few years pulled around a dozen cars out of my fields and the ditches that are around them.all have been young drivers with under two years experience and all had swerved to avoid something.the police however had a different reason.atb

Edited October 16, 2015 by bostonmick

[anser2]

Perhaps it would be better if everyone had to take a retake every 10 years and new drivers after their first year. I have had two accidents in 50 years driving. One was a young lad who jammed on his breaks when he saw a mate beside the road when the traffic was doing around 30 mph.I just manged to stop , but the guy following me in his 30s went into the back of me. The second was a new driver in his 20s who pulled out in front of me as I was doing around 50 on a straight A road. His father turned up and told me this ws his third write off and he only passed his test a month before hand.

[crosswaters]

Perhaps it would be better if everyone had to take a retake every 10 years and new drivers after their first year. I have had two accidents in 50 years driving. One was a young lad who jammed on his breaks when he saw a mate beside the road when the traffic was doing around 30 mph.I just manged to stop , but the guy following me in his 30s went into the back of me. The second was a new driver in his 20s who pulled out in front of me as I was doing around 50 on a straight A road. His father turned up and told me this ws his third write off and he only passed his test a month before hand.

 

hahaha,

goodun

[Gordon R]

I come back to my point about additional restrictions. Just how many members on here would like to take a test before a shooting licence was granted. How about annual medicals, compulsory insurance, annual eyesight tests, psychological profiling, Doctors' permission etc. Perhaps an actual shooting test to see whether shooters could actually shoot to an Olympic standard. Any drop in standard - cancel the licence.

 

I can't quite get my head round the double standards. Complete and utter garbage.

 

It doesn't take much to start a witch hunt. I wonder just how many members would give up their vehicle to save a life. Not a single one. Hypocrites almost to a man.

Edited October 17, 2015 by Gordon R

[grrclark]

I come back to my point about additional restrictions. Just how many members on here would like to take a test before a shooting licence was granted. How about annual medicals, compulsory insurance, annual eyesight tests, psychological profiling, Doctors' permission etc. Perhaps an actual shooting test to see whether shooters could actually shoot to an Olympic standard. Any drop in standard - cancel the licence.

 

I can't quite get my head round the double standards. Complete and utter garbage.

 

It doesn't take much to start a witch hunt. I wonder just how many members would give up their vehicle to save a life. Not a single one. Hypocrites to almost to a man.

Yep, willingly campaigning to give up freedoms and liberties. We have become a sorry nation full of hand wringers and wet lettuces.

[Harnser]

I don't know what all the fuss is about . Mrs Harnser and me are both in our seventies . She doesn't see to well and I don't hear to well ,but between us we manage to drive all over the place . Mind you we do keep our speed down to about 80 miles an hour . Never had more than 3 knocks in any week .

 

Harnser

[CharlieT]

Yep, willingly campaigning to give up freedoms and liberties. We have become a sorry nation full of hand wringers and wet lettuces.

 

Regretably this is indicative of todays narcissistic society, it makes me weep !

[grrclark]

I don't know what all the fuss is about . Mrs Harnser and me are both in our seventies . She doesn't see to well and I don't hear to well ,but between us we manage to drive all over the place . Mind you we do keep our speed down to about 80 miles an hour . Never had more than 3 knocks in any week .

 

Harnser

So long as it's just the 3 then that's ok

 

 

 

Regretably this is indicative of todays narcissistic society, it makes me weep !

 

Likewise

[Grandalf]

I don't know what all the fuss is about . Mrs Harnser and me are both in our seventies . She doesn't see to well and I don't hear to well ,but between us we manage to drive all over the place . Mind you we do keep our speed down to about 80 miles an hour . Never had more than 3 knocks in any week .

 

Harnser

 

We also find it keeps the costs down by sharing glasses and hearing aids. (The driver has the glasses).

[bostonmick]

I would ask if as some advocate you had to take a retest every few years what would happen to those who failed that earned their living by driving.And if you never had your cars would you be able to hang onto your jobs.It's simple really you take and pass one test you drive in accordance to the rules of the road everyone safe and well.The day will come to all of us when we have to give up driving but it won't be because someone gets hacked off because we drive a little slower than they would like.

[loriusgarrulus]

We also find it keeps the costs down by sharing glasses and hearing aids. (The driver has the glasses).

I am greedy I keep the hearing aids and glasses all to myself, especially when I am driving.

 

Only accident I have had recently was when a young woman pulled out of a side street without looking right, straight into the front edge of the Landrover front bumper.

I polished the scuff mark off the Defenders front bumper.

By the look of it the little Ford she was driving would need new front bumper and panels. These modern cars are fragile aren't they.

[flyshooter]

I don't know what all the fuss is about . Mrs Harnser and me are both in our seventies . She doesn't see to well and I don't hear to well ,but between us we manage to drive all over the place . Mind you we do keep our speed down to about 80 miles an hour . Never had more than 3 knocks in any week .

 

Harnser

You could reduce the knocks per week by leaving the caravan at home

[pimpkiller]

I am greedy I keep the hearing aids and glasses all to myself, especially when I am driving.

 

Only accident I have had recently was when a young woman pulled out of a side street without looking right, straight into the front edge of the Landrover front bumper.

I polished the scuff mark off the Defenders front bumper.

By the look of it the little Ford she was driving would need new front bumper and panels. These modern cars are fragile aren't they.

They're supposed to be for driver and pedestrian protection. Hit a ped in a landy and the result will be just a smear

[secretagentmole]

Davyo - don't let facts cloud the issue.

 

This thread is about bashing elderly drivers and whatever valid points anyone makes, someone will return with a cautionary tale about the day a pensioner had the nerve to do 30mph in a 30 area.

What slow down you mean? Round here most pensioners are one speed wonders 35-40mph no matter what the indicated speed limit is!