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Old 09-07-2011, 07:25 PM
 
513 posts, read 577,246 times
Reputation: 759

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Please if not for others' safety, if not for your own safety, if just for the fact that fender benders add up and will really hit you in the pocketbook, please if you are too old to drive, please GET OFF THE ROAD. Have your children drive you around, hire a driver, take public transit, whatever you have to do.

Today I was in the parking lot at Walmart and some old fart with a hat in a minivan or SUV came barreling out of the handicapped space and nearly went into me. When I honked my horn to alert him that I was coming he didn't even flinch. Normally when someone is pulling out of a spot and they don't see you coming and you honk at them, they stop, or if they keep going they put their hand up as if to say "I'm sorry" or "Thank you", or even give you the finger. But this guy didn't even flinch. So not only can't he see, but he can't hear as well. Would you want someone who is deaf and blind operating a motor vehicle?

Please, if you can't see me coming towards you from 5 feet away and you can't hear me honking at you as you nearly broadside me, get off the road.

If you don't feel comfortable driving faster than 25 mph with your foot sitting on the break, you're too old to drive, get off the road.

If you can't see further ahead than the car in front of you, please get off the road.

If you can't negotiate a turn or a curve without coming to a complete stop, get off the road.

If you can't see above the steering wheel, please get off the road.

If you can't pull into a standard size parking space without reversing 5 times, get off the road please.

If when you get out of the car, you can barely stand up, let alone walk, get off the road.

If you don't know what day/month/year it is, get off the road please.
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Old 09-07-2011, 07:36 PM
 
Location: The Triad
34,091 posts, read 82,438,418 times
Reputation: 43642
Quote:
Originally Posted by BirchBarlow View Post

Today I was in the parking lot at Walmart and some old fart with a hat in a minivan or SUV came barreling out of the handicapped space and nearly went into me.
Apparently you aren't aware that 1030am to 1130am is "geezer hour".

That old guy was awake at 4am chomping at the bit to run down to Wally's and deserves some recognition for waiting until it was safest for him to be on the road...
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Old 09-07-2011, 09:02 PM
 
Location: Columbia, California
6,664 posts, read 30,498,023 times
Reputation: 5177
The DMV usually has a program for checking elderly drivers for skills. I will be calling in my father in the not too soon future.
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Old 09-07-2011, 09:42 PM
 
Location: Here
74 posts, read 565,286 times
Reputation: 110
Hopefully you will never have to experience what it is like in his shoes. I agree that dealing with elderly drivers can be quite frightful, but have some compassion. It is easy to offer advice on what they should do, but put yourself in his shoes for a minute. Most elderly people live on a very limited income, so hiring a driver is usually out of the question. Many children are so busy with taking care of their own problems that they do not always have time to take their elderly parents where they need to go. Many elderly are afraid of getting beaten and robbed if they take public transportation, not to mention the fact that many have a difficult time making it to the pick up point for public transportation. We are a "what can you do for me" society, so asking a neighbor to have compassion is generally not an option. Try sitting at home for a week trying to get a ride everywhere you need to go and see how easy it is not to drive yourself where you need to be. Yes, they contribute to a great deal of accidents and create a lot of road rage issues, but have some compassion on his situation. I hate seeing people like that on the road just as much as you do, but someday we will be the ones sitting in that seat.
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:38 PM
 
4,500 posts, read 12,268,604 times
Reputation: 2901
My Norwegian drivers license is valid until I'm 100 I can rock around on tractors, scooters, snowmobiles and cars until then, hehehe.

Too bad the TX one needs to be renewed every 6 years.
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Old 09-07-2011, 10:47 PM
 
3,318 posts, read 5,523,209 times
Reputation: 9681
Quote:
Originally Posted by tumbleweed118 View Post
Hopefully you will never have to experience what it is like in his shoes. I agree that dealing with elderly drivers can be quite frightful, but have some compassion. It is easy to offer advice on what they should do, but put yourself in his shoes for a minute. Most elderly people live on a very limited income, so hiring a driver is usually out of the question. Many children are so busy with taking care of their own problems that they do not always have time to take their elderly parents where they need to go. Many elderly are afraid of getting beaten and robbed if they take public transportation, not to mention the fact that many have a difficult time making it to the pick up point for public transportation. We are a "what can you do for me" society, so asking a neighbor to have compassion is generally not an option. Try sitting at home for a week trying to get a ride everywhere you need to go and see how easy it is not to drive yourself where you need to be. Yes, they contribute to a great deal of accidents and create a lot of road rage issues, but have some compassion on his situation. I hate seeing people like that on the road just as much as you do, but someday we will be the ones sitting in that seat.
Beautifully said! We all need to be a little more compassionate and this is a good reminder to me to be more patient and more forgiving!
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Old 09-07-2011, 11:08 PM
 
Location: Poway, CA
2,698 posts, read 12,111,912 times
Reputation: 2246
I've always thought that, just as they're a minimum age, there should be a maximum as well. Same logic applies, just in reverse. At minimum, there should be an age at which it's mandated to take some sort of periodic behind-the-wheel driver's test.

And compassion for the elderly? Sorry, when it comes to unsafe driving, I have ZERO compassion for ANYONE who cannot safely operate a vehicle. No exceptions.

Mike
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Old 09-07-2011, 11:26 PM
 
Location: Prescott Valley,az summer/east valley Az winter
2,061 posts, read 4,118,254 times
Reputation: 8190
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteboyslo View Post
I've always thought that, just as they're a minimum age, there should be a maximum as well. Same logic applies, just in reverse. At minimum, there should be an age at which it's mandated to take some sort of periodic behind-the-wheel driver's test.

And compassion for the elderly? Sorry, when it comes to unsafe driving, I have ZERO compassion for ANYONE who cannot safely operate a vehicle. No exceptions.

Mike
gotta agree~ we really need to get all the criminals off the road! One way of doing this is to post police snipers on the overpasses with orders to shoot everyone that excedes the speed limit~ by as much as 1/10 of an MPH . Those criminals are not only lawbreakers but are teaching their children that being lawbreakers is accepted behavior.

By the way, most elderly drivers have excellent driving records, and this society gives most people no other options besides driving.

unsafe drivers are a real problem on the road, but I've seen many more younger drivers that were lots more of a hazzard on the road than the seniors
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Old 09-07-2011, 11:40 PM
 
Location: Ohio
3,437 posts, read 6,052,362 times
Reputation: 2700
What about the 15-25 year olds that have their face in their phone and/or the stereo turned up so loud there could be an explosion and they wouldn't hear it?

What about the young females that are more interested in their looks than what is around them?

What about the middle aged speed demons that missed the day in math when distance/speed = time was covered. This one requires thought.

What about those of any age or gender that simply can not drive in a safe manner? Are they deaf, blind, or have no depth perception?
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Old 09-08-2011, 12:44 AM
 
Location: Poway, CA
2,698 posts, read 12,111,912 times
Reputation: 2246
So having lots of other demographics you can point to that drive poorly make it OK?

Yeah, in general, people suck at driving (except you, of course. It's always the other guy). But senior citizens are downright scary and dangerous. I won't sit here and list all the reasons. We all drive, we all have seen 'em, we know.

Society clearly sees a need to use age as a means to determine which of us qualify for the privilege of driving (since there is a minimum), so I don't get the uproar of suggesting that, at some point, you're just too damn old. I'm not saying there should be a magical age where you should have to stop altogether. If you can prove that you meet the ridiculously low standards of a DMV driving test (just like we all did at a certain age), then keep the license. But if you can't, you have no business being on the road.

And I'll go one step further as to suggest that EVERYONE be required to re-test periodically REGARDLESS of age. And, while we're at it, maybe the standards should be raised so that basically anyone with a pulse can get a license, but these are separate issues.

Mike
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