mccombie_5 Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 Ahh man booster thats nasty, at least you saw it and caught him, theyve all been out in force today there was one towing a caravan with a Freelander, two lane sliproad, he took the left lane, my dad took the right, just as the front of our car got past the back of his caravan he started to move over scary horn/lights/finger moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted May 27, 2006 Report Share Posted May 27, 2006 I love the way everyone pops out to have a dig at old drivers when this sort of thread is started. How many times do you think this sort of thing happens? Of those, how many do you think involve older drivers? I bet they're far outnumbered by drivers under 65, indeed probably under 50. There's a reason why older drivers get cheaper car insurance, you know! A bad driver, is a bad driver in my book. Irrespective of age, sex, race or religion. Report the incident to the Police and the Insurance company. If they decide to investigate and it turns out there's some reason the driver shouldn't be in the road, they can act. But saying it only happened because he was old is pure ignorance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster Posted May 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Just got up. Looked out the window and saw the ding. Still not happy but worse things happen at sea as they say. Will post pics of the repair after it been done (and during if I do decide to go and watch it being done ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Fair point sponge. I don't have anything against older drivers per se. But I do seriously dislike bad drivers. Actually, now I'm an old git myself, I find myself tutting and shaking my head (Daily Mail stylée ) at young drivers far more often than old drivers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOSE Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] A bad driver, is a bad driver in my book. Irrespective of age, sex, race or religion. [/ QUOTE ] Can I just ask what RELIGION has to do with the way in which a person drives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Nothing, I suspect that's the point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theduisbergkid Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] A bad driver, is a bad driver in my book. Irrespective of age, sex, race or religion. [/ QUOTE ] Can I just ask what RELIGION has to do with the way in which a person drives? [/ QUOTE ] I dunno, those bloody Buddhists, pottering about on the M6 on their sacred cows, holding us all up .... (awaits backlash) ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOSE Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Just be grateful we dont have an Amish community!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 dude - sorry to see the damge to your car, hope it gets sorted quickly [ QUOTE ] I love the way everyone pops out to have a dig at old drivers when this sort of thread is started. [/ QUOTE ] kind of like this thread here ? Sponge - I still don't understand why you can't just accept the point that there are a lot of old people who are a complete liability on the roads and that drivers over the age of x should be retested to check their still ok to drive? Like I said in my thread and someone else said here - it could easily have been a kid on a bike he didn't see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Exactly. Of course there are a lot of old people perfectly compatent to drive, no ones suggesting stopping them. But there are many many over (say) 70 that simply are not. A young person may well have an error of judgement, drive too fast, whatever, but a lot of oldies simply cannot drive in a safe manner. At all. Ever. Trust me on this, where I live is Gods Waiting Room. And it is genuinely scary to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 That sucks. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Of course there are a lot of old people perfectly compatent to drive, no ones suggesting stopping them. But there are many many over (say) 70 that simply are not. [/ QUOTE ] My father is 75, i really don't think that he has the reactions to drive safely. He only drives around our town perhaps twice a week, but even that is too much if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotw Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Funnily enough theres an article about this on the Times website today: Linky Seems once people hit 65 the risks increase greatly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] How many times do you think this sort of thing happens? Of those, how many do you think involve older drivers? I bet they're far outnumbered by drivers under 65, indeed probably under 50. [/ QUOTE ] taken from the Times link Scott posted [ QUOTE ] Elderly drivers have slightly more crashes per mile than middle-aged drivers and tend to be more frail and less likely to recover from injuries. They are also more likely to be in cars hit from the side at high speed at junctions. [/ QUOTE ] perhaps because they didn't see the other car ? [ QUOTE ] The association studied thousands of insurance claims and found that elderly drivers tended to have poorer judgment when pulling out at junctions and roundabouts, and were more likely to have crashes involving several vehicles. [/ QUOTE ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppetboy Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] My father is 75, i really don't think that he has the reactions to drive safely. He only drives around our town perhaps twice a week, but even that is too much if you ask me. [/ QUOTE ] I've always had great respect for my dad's driving, careful, considerate and someone I always felt safe with... but in the last few years his reactions have become slower and when I'm "co-pilot" I always keep my eyes peeled - and he's only just turned 60. He's fit and healthy but having seen the change in him I agree that come 65/70 people should have to undergo an assessment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccombie_5 Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 Okay, my grandad is 74 now. Hes been driving since he was old enough (was there an age limit in the stone age?). He worked for an italian car dealership, and drove all sorts of exotica, he also participated in rallying as a hobby. He had a twin cam lotus engined car bored out to 1700 or 1800cc (I cant remember), he rallied for a long time and then finall gave up in the early 80s and consigned himself to a Datsun, then his succession of Metros and the odd big estate. He still works at an auto-electrician's workshop and tests the cars after they've had repairs done. Now, back in the day he was a brilliant driver, all the way up to about 1995-6 ish he was, then his eyesight started going, in 1999 he had a heart attack and needed a triple bypass, and not long after that he contracted cancer of the prostate. He's weak, but proud. He wont come off the roads, he knows his driving isnt what it was, and it can be quite scary, hes had a couple of mild bumps in recent years. I thinik my grandad shouldn't be allowed to drive anymore, event hough it's his livelihood (Sp?), he'd asl o have nothing to do with his time, he still enjoys driving. He is also a foothold within the family, everyone looks to my grandad for help and he loves it. I still dont think he should drive. Other people have already told him they'll drive anywhere he wants to be taken but he wont listen. This is why a retest is needed, because he'd fail. He isnt dangerous but he is a liability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 My dad was always a terrible driver. He's 63 this week (must remembr a card! ), and if anything he's getting better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 I remember when we had to tell my gran she had to stop driving, we hadn't realised her Arthritis had got so bad she had to lift her feet onto the pedals before setting off..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] He isnt dangerous but he is a liability. [/ QUOTE ] Isn't that the same thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccombie_5 Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] He isnt dangerous but he is a liability. [/ QUOTE ] Isn't that the same thing? [/ QUOTE ] The way I see it, dangerous would be to cause an accident, say by slamming on the breaks on the A1, however he is more likely to have another accident of some description, for example clipping the corner of someones car at a junction. His dual carraigeway drivng is actually very good, its the local driving that worries me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulator Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 There's only one problem which I can see which is the charge for this retest. It is likely to be steep and the elderly 'good drivers' may not be able to afford it and so, would have to stop driving as they cannot pay for the retest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] There's only one problem which I can see which is the charge for this retest. It is likely to be steep and the elderly 'good drivers' may not be able to afford it and so, would have to stop driving as they cannot pay for the retest. [/ QUOTE ] How much is a 'proper' driving test these days? If they can afford to own/fuel/tax and insure a car I'm sure £30-40 is within reach for the majority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulator Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] There's only one problem which I can see which is the charge for this retest. It is likely to be steep and the elderly 'good drivers' may not be able to afford it and so, would have to stop driving as they cannot pay for the retest. [/ QUOTE ] How much is a 'proper' driving test these days? If they can afford to own/fuel/tax and insure a car I'm sure £30-40 is within reach for the majority [/ QUOTE ] hmmm ... suppose so when you look at it like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccombie_5 Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 When the majority drive cars that cost them pennies to keep on the road it could actually be quite pricey for them.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 [ QUOTE ] When the majority drive cars that cost them pennies to keep on the road it could actually be quite pricey for them.. [/ QUOTE ] dude - all cars are expensive to own and run - you'll find that out yourself one day the price for a retest even if its the same price as a full driving test is still going to be less than a tank of fuel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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