neil3728 Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Not sure if this is already on here, Reported in the paper of another crash caused by an elderly driver driving the wrong way on duel carriageway. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3272201/Elderly-woman-dies-car-crash-leaves-driver-injured.html One thing about all these, iv'e never understood how they get on the wrong carriageway in the first place its not all that easy to do. After having a close call myself with an elderly driver a couple of years ago, something needs to change. Yes we have an aging population but it's about time a retest is brought in to stop this happening again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromwell7 Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 It's a real shame when the elderly start becoming a hazard to themselves and other road users, they need independence and I imagine it could be very embarrassing for them to surrender their licence after so long. On the other hand when I used to have a bike old men in Japanese microwaves were my nemesis, Honda Jazz, Nissan notes etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wascal Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I'd still rather get in a car with a pensioner than a teenager ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabbers Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 not a retest,maybe a type of refresher course mandatory, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I think a mandatory eyesight test would solve a lot of problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clanchief Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 My old fella drove up till he was 93, nowt wrong with his driving, he revved the hell out of it as he couldn't hear the engine. You are required to renew your license every ten years, up till 90 years old, after that its every three years. When he was 90 I took some of his photos, god knows what age he was in them for the renewal, as a really old guy looks like a really old guy in a photo. Some times he was a bit like a ghost train driver when he was younger though, not so in later life. Have you ever been in a car with an off duty cop,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,its like they are driving a get away car. Chiefy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 My mother definitely shouldn't be driving, we have even had a word with her doctor. Nothing happened, as far as I know the doctor hasn't even spoken to her about it. She is more or less OK going to Tesco etc but the 70 mile journey to my brother's on motorways and fast A roads, no way! Filtering into fast moving traffic from a slip road and changing lanes at busy intersections is just beyond her timing and coordination these days. They could limit people to local journeys in the day time once they reach a certain age. My mum gets a form to fill in every now and again but she doesn't have a medical and I don't know what she says on the form Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) There is some merit in the retest suggestion. However, it needs to be applied to all ages. . I would be interested in just how it would work. Retest at 60, 70, 80, 90. Every five years, every year? How about a retest for new drivers? How about a retest for anyone having 6 points on their licence? In reality, it won't happen I believe that more deaths are caused by people using a phone whilst driving, than by very elderly drivers. That would be my starting place - a ban for all caught doing this. I don't see many elderly speeding drivers, nor have I seen one on the phone. Edited October 14, 2015 by Gordon R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 More accidents are caused by young male drivers than any other group . Ask the insurance company's. They know we're the risk lies . That's why the charge them a fortune for insurance .and rightly so . Last year a youth reversed out of a parking space into my wife's car as she was driving by . He said that he had only passed his driving test two days earlier . My wife said to him just wait until you want to renew your insurance you are going to be in for a shock . £2000 damage to my wife's car and it was only two weeks old with less than 150 miles on the clock . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) Was reading about another the other day when the oap and a passenger in a van both died after the oap drove the wrong way down a motorway Edited October 14, 2015 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Was reading about another the other day when the lap and a passenger in a van both died after the oap drove the wrong way down a motorway What? the Sami's are a driving threat too? or is it only to reindeer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Probably! round this part of the world there are a significant number of people driving on all sorts of foreign driving licences and I don't mean EU licences either. What? the Sami's are a driving threat too? or is it only to reindeer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 It is a topic in the headlines at the moment, with the rather predictable call for tests for the elderly. People never think their solutions through. They are normally just a knee jerk reaction. Driving the wrong way down the motorway might have signalled the onset of dementia. It would be a brave soul who could foretell (accurately) at what age the onset might occur. As Harnser has rightly pointed out - the insurance companies know where the greatest risk lies. Game, set and match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I always find it funny that old people still consider themselves good drivers.....normally because they are completely oblivious to the trail of destruction behind them as I cant remember the last time I saw one looking in the mirror. I think a good test should be the police pulling over any older people doing less than 56mph on a dual carriageway, imo if they are not confident enough to keep up with a lorry weighing 40ton on a straight flat road then they are not confident enough to drive there buzz box anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 There has to be some kind of re-test when drivers reach a certain age. In his mid eighties, my grandad was an absolute menace on the road. How he didn't kill himself or someone else i just don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil3728 Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Yes young people have a lot of crashes I myself was one of them. A lot of elderly people will be okay to drive, I'd rather not get in the car with my farther in law as he really struggles to concentrate for long enough if he is driving on the motorway. I'm not sure what the correct answer is. I had an elderly lady crash into my car while it was parked outside my office, drove along the path and almost hit a could of people. The fact that she could hardly walk was a massive concern to the police when they arrived but apart from report her to the DVLA there was little they could do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil3728 Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 I always find it funny that old people still consider themselves good drivers.....normally because they are completely oblivious to the trail of destruction behind them as I cant remember the last time I saw one looking in the mirror. I think a good test should be the police pulling over any older people doing less than 56mph on a dual carriageway, imo if they are not confident enough to keep up with a lorry weighing 40ton on a straight flat road then they are not confident enough to drive there buzz box anywhere. The number of older people I see on my daily drive to work doing 40 - 45 in the 60 zone is ridiculous, only trumpted by the fact they don't slow for the 30 zone and just carry on at the one same speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 The number of older people I see on my daily drive to work doing 40 - 45 in the 60 zone is ridiculous Exceeded by the number of younger drivers doing 80plus, in a sixty zone. One age group is breaking the law, although many seem reluctant to face reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Was reading about another the other day when the lap and a passenger in a van both died after the oap drove the wrong way down a motorway I got stuck in the backlash of this. 6 1/4 hours to go one junction of the M1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil3728 Posted October 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 That may be true but again there are penalties for doing that speed, when was the last time you ever heard about anyone been pulled for driving 20miles below the speed limit. Both are equally dangerous.in some instances the slower speed is more so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 The number of older people I see on my daily drive to work doing 40 - 45 in the 60 zone is ridiculous, only trumpted by the fact they don't slow for the 30 zone and just carry on at the one same speed. You seem to have missed the point of speed restrictions . They all indicate the maximum speed allowed on that stretch of road . Not the minimum speed allowed . Chill,out and arrive safely . Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipper Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 There is some merit in the retest suggestion. However, it needs to be applied to all ages. . I would be interested in just how it would work. Retest at 60, 70, 80, 90. Every five years, every year? How about a retest for new drivers? How about a retest for anyone having 6 points on their licence? In reality, it won't happen I believe that more deaths are caused by people using a phone whilst driving, than by very elderly drivers. That would be my starting place - a ban for all caught doing this. I don't see many elderly speeding drivers, nor have I seen one on the phone. I have to agree one of the biggest causes of accidents is mobile phones.After a accident that's the first thing the police check.My daughters in the police things like lights indicators they get a warning . Zero tolerance with phones. Like to see a servey on this forum to see who owns up to this .Dipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 when was the last time you ever heard about anyone been pulled for driving 20miles below the speed limit. Both are equally dangerous.in some instances the slower speed is more so. I did say that some are out of touch with reality. Both are not equally dangerous. Don't take my word for it, it is covered by the law of the land. Harnser - agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger-Mouse Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Don't take my word for it, it is covered by the law of the land. Yes it is. Although there is no minimum speed limit on the majority of UK roads, you can still be fined for driving too slow if it is seen that you are a hazard to other road users. There is no specific penalty for driving too slowly and as such, penalties may be as little as a verbal warning by a police officer along with a lecture of the dangers of driving too slow and in more serious cases, a motorist may find themselves in court charged with driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users (penalty code CD30). The more serious penalty CD30 comes with penalty points on a motorists licence, anywhere from 3 to 9 along with a fine. Penalty points stay on a motorists licence for four years from the date of the offence and are likely to seriously impact the cost of car insurance. The amount of penalty points set between 3 and 9 and a fine of anything up to a maximum of £5,000 are determined by the seriousness of the incident and the decision of the court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 14, 2015 Report Share Posted October 14, 2015 Yes it is. Although there is no minimum speed limit on the majority of UK roads, you can still be fined for driving too slow if it is seen that you are a hazard to other road users. There is no specific penalty for driving too slowly and as such, penalties may be as little as a verbal warning by a police officer along with a lecture of the dangers of driving too slow and in more serious cases, a motorist may find themselves in court charged with driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users (penalty code CD30). The more serious penalty CD30 comes with penalty points on a motorists licence, anywhere from 3 to 9 along with a fine. Penalty points stay on a motorists licence for four years from the date of the offence and are likely to seriously impact the cost of car insurance. The amount of penalty points set between 3 and 9 and a fine of anything up to a maximum of £5,000 are determined by the seriousness of the incident and the decision of the court. I think they should look a little deeper into the underlying reasons why these people are driving so slow as a medical issue rather than treat it as a motoring offence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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