Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I n Frederick MD, a lady crashed her SUV into a dental clinic - she later claimed because she confused gas pedal with brake. Too many people give this excuse. It happens I know but why do you have to press brake or gas so hard is beyond me.
That's a reason, not an excuse. An excuse would be "The sun was in my eyes, so I couldn't see the pedals" or some similar nonsense that deflects the blame.
That's a reason, not an excuse. An excuse would be "The sun was in my eyes, so I couldn't see the pedals" or some similar nonsense that deflects the blame.
Do you think they take the "entire" blame by saying so and change the driving habits for future? If they had power to reason they would have figured out long ago that it's not OK to press the pedal all the way when coming out of a parking lot.
I used to cut grass for this old lady down the street that lived by herself. 96 years old, and still drives herself to all of her doctors appointments and everything.
Interesting that she and the pastor was cited. I wasn't aware one needed a driver's license on private property... maybe not the case in FL?
Almost every states statues treat a publicly accesable parking lot the same as a public roadway. Some states have specifics that the lot has to be a certain size to be treated as such.. ie sq footage or parking spaces. Here in CT it is 12 parking spaces. Every state is different though.
Perhaps, but most 79-year-olds are probably better drivers than most 16-year-olds. It's easy to say old people shouldn't drive until you or your parents get old. Taking away their licenses is like crippling them. They suddenly have to depend on someone else to do their shopping, run errands, visit friends or family, go to the doctor's office, church and a host of other things. In a large city most can use public transportation, but in small cities, suburbs, towns, etc., there often is no public transportation to use. It's a delicate issue and unfair to just set an upper limit on age for driver's licenses. Many older people do fine with their driving well into their 80s, others don't. My dad drove his cars and a 20-ton truck until a back surgery paralyzed him at 85. My mom had to quit in her late 70s.
I'm sorry, but this is a hypocritical attitude. If it had been some guy who had a couple of beers after work you would probably be calling for their head. Old drivers are often far MORE impaired than drunk drivers, and they're driving during peak hours. There was a woman in her late 80s that ran down a group of people on motorcycles outside of Valley City, ND a few years. The DMV took away her license after she failed post accident exam, she kept driving anyway. After getting caught the third time the judge was going to jail her. She never went to jail for the accident or even showed any remorse. She simply said "The sun was in my eyes". Just because someone is old doesn't mean they're exempt from the law or should be treated special. If you are a dangerous driver you should be off of the road.
Last edited by Velvet Jones; 04-22-2013 at 05:04 PM..
... Taking away someone's license is not crippling THEM, it's stopping them from crippling OTHERS from accidents like this.
Then you'll understand if your license is taken away tomorrow. You might have an accident and cripple someone if it isn't.
Quote:
In this particular case, she had lost her license for a reason. Obviously, that reason was justified. If an elderly person still has control of their faculties so they can drive, great. But that was not the case here.
She lost her license for medical reasons. We don't know what medical reasons. It might have been cataracts that were repaired, a bad knee or hip that was replaced. It's not stated in the story why she lost her license.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Velvet Jones
I'm sorry, but this is a hypocritical attitude. If it had been some guy who had a couple of beers after work you would probably be calling for their head. Old drivers are often far MORE impaired than drunk drivers, and they're driving during peak hours. There was a woman in her late 80s that ran down a group of people on motorcycles outside of Valley City, ND a few years. The DMV took away her license after she failed post accident exam, she kept driving anyway. After getting caught the third time the judge was going to jail her. She never went to jail for the accident or even showed any remorse. She simply said "The sun was in my eyes". Just because someone is old doesn't mean they're exempt from the law or should be treated special. If you are a dangerous driver you should be off of the road.
Not hypocritical at all. Did I say old people who can't drive safely should be able to keep their licenses? No. I said there shouldn't be an upper age limit. Personally, I think it would be wise to make everyone pass a driving (plus written and eye) test to renew their licenses every few years. It's required of pilots. Even private pilots must pass a bi-annual flight review and renew their medicals every two years. Why not vehicle drivers? It's even more important as we age, but it wouldn't hurt anyone.
Bad drivers aren't limited to specific ages. I think (not positive) if you checked with automotive insurance company rates, you'd probably find that insurance companies (the ones who study risks) put young males under the age of 25 are the highest risk. I imagine risk increases late in life too, but I can't say how much.
Perhaps, but most 79-year-olds are probably better drivers than most 16-year-olds.
Thats not saying much. The 79 year old most likely has about 60 years of driving experience. The 16 year old has zero driving experience. So you are saying that a driver with 60 years of experience is probably a better driver then one who has no experience, at all. Whoopty do.
Anyways when was the last time you heard of a 16 year old driving through the front door of a target store? Senior drivers suck, and the worst part is. That despite their lack of driving skills, the insurance companies love them. Despite the obvious risks of senior drivers, they pay a fraction of the rates that a teen driver pays.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Senior drivers suck, and the worst part is. That despite their lack of driving skills, the insurance companies love them. Despite the obvious risks of senior drivers, they pay a fraction of the rates that a teen driver pays.
