Elderly drivers >:(

As one the wrong side of 60, and driving 44 tonne artics I can assure anyone that has doubts about my driving ability that my skills are assesed on a very regular basis. In addition all HGV drivers have to take what's called 'periodic training', not to mention full medicals every 5 years from the age of 45. Car drivers on the other hand take one test, and thats it for life. Passing the test is the easy bit, it's how you build on those skills that counts. I've taken several tests over the years, car, PSV, HGV2, HGV1 and passed each test first time, the reason being that I've built upon the skills for each test in order to progress to the next level. What I'm saying is not to rest upon the proverbial laurals, and you will always maintain a good standard of driving.

I say, there are some rather ageist comments on this thread

AsThor said earlier vigilance! just given up me last motorcycle after 36 years on 2 wheels cus I was fed up of constantly avoiding f*** idiots pulling out in front me at junctions and roundabouts..of ALL ages.
Only because of constant awareness and clocking all around me that I survived this far. Got knocked off good an proper when I was 17 but thats the first and last accident..touch wood.
Still have to avoid ****s even in 2 tons of Landy, again both young and old, statistically new drivers and young uns are far worse than old farts...

divie said:

I am also classed as elderly having just reached 65. I have safely ridden motorcycles since aged 16 and still do. Riding a bike makes you much more spatial than any car only driver.
What ever I drive Landie, RAV4 or Ford Focus I drive as if I am on my bike and every other bugger on the road wants to maim me.
Yes I have had big shunts in cars when I was rallying, that got expensive so I started long distance trials with the MCC. Smooth and gentle makes progress.

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agree 100% mate

Nigel-S said:

As one the wrong side of 60, and driving 44 tonne artics I can assure anyone that has doubts about my driving ability that my skills are assesed on a very regular basis. In addition all HGV drivers have to take what's called 'periodic training', not to mention full medicals every 5 years from the age of 45. Car drivers on the other hand take one test, and thats it for life. Passing the test is the easy bit, it's how you build on those skills that counts. I've taken several tests over the years, car, PSV, HGV2, HGV1 and passed each test first time, the reason being that I've built upon the skills for each test in order to progress to the next level. What I'm saying is not to rest upon the proverbial laurals, and you will always maintain a good standard of driving.

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yep agree 100% with you too.

I hate it when people don't indicate or put on their light when it's pitch black I saw a guy on the m25 on his phone I beeped and I shouted get off the phone he didn't and I hate it when people who drive and are on there phones. Also when People don't dip there headlights or have there fog lights on and there is no fog!

Listen. There is only one way to drive and that is defensively. Fast or slow, that is the only way to survive on today's roads.
I am knocking on 69 and have been driving for more than 50 years. ( 30 of those in Land Rovers of one kind or another ) Sure... when I was young and trying to impress my mates I pushed my luck and had the odd accident, but survived to tell the tale:amen:
I still work as a landscape gardener and am probably fitter and more alert than I was at 20. I have a clean licence - not because I am slow and doddery, but because I am aware......So don't try and tell me I shouldn't be on the roads because of my age!

OK....Rant over

I took my 73 year old dad off my insurance as named driver last year ( lied and told him the new insurance wouldn't let me ) but told my mum the real reason - that i didn't feel my dads reactions were sharp enough and that whilst I couldn't prevent him from driving their c2, He wasn't going to hit anyone with a two and a half tonne brick

easye1 said:

agree 100% matey.

a younger driver feels as confident as the next man,
but until you get some 50 plus years of experiance under your belt,
you have just not quite been there,
done that yet.
I have only (touch wood twice)
had accidents that are or have not been my fault thus resulting in a 100% claim payout, 3 times,
twice when I was working full time cabbing (taxi`ing) averedging 300 miles a night of east londons streets for over 2 years every night !!
the other time was when a single line of stopped traffic was made,
or tried to be made into an overtaking lane by a west Indian lady in a hurry.
err wrong !!

In between, I raced, minirods, anglia 1200 rods, bangers, F3 stock cars for 14 years very succesfully = I know how to crash, or avoid crashes to win, and I did win a lot !!!!

now, @65 I take it more easily in a car, my landie, or my motor scooter,
BUT, drive defencively, i.e. treat each barsteward on the road as they are/will/might attack me with there motor vehicle, just like racing bangers in the death & destruction darby`s = last man running is the winner = its like that on the roads today, in inner citys, outer citys, and any major route...
Now, I know lots of you dont live in very built up areas, but drive into any busy town and you`ll see just what I mean.......
phew....

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Nigel-S said:

As one the wrong side of 60, and driving 44 tonne artics I can assure anyone that has doubts about my driving ability that my skills are assesed on a very regular basis. In addition all HGV drivers have to take what's called 'periodic training', not to mention full medicals every 5 years from the age of 45. Car drivers on the other hand take one test, and thats it for life. Passing the test is the easy bit, it's how you build on those skills that counts. I've taken several tests over the years, car, PSV, HGV2, HGV1 and passed each test first time, the reason being that I've built upon the skills for each test in order to progress to the next level. What I'm saying is not to rest upon the proverbial laurals, and you will always maintain a good standard of driving.

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Us old fookers can see it happening before it happens. Got to drive watching 6 cars in front of you to be safe, And when you are in a cab over Semi you are looking a 1/2 mile ahead, and always looking for a way out just in case

My Nan's a preety awesome driver at 75 doesn't go slow or potter around either.

Although I did have to parallel park a friends car at a doo the other night because SHE couldn't has been driving for 3 years ... I did it first try in the first time id driven her car ...


There are good drivers and then there's the **** ones

i dont mind old drivers unless they are the 40mph every where and arent aware of anyone else on the road kind in which case they should be banned

jamesmartin said:

i dont mind old drivers unless they are the 40mph every where and arent aware of anyone else on the road kind in which case they should be banned

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People who drive 15 MPH below the speed limit for no reason or brake constantly do my nut in

Always remember that if it weren't for us Old Gimmers, you young pups wouldn't be here!

I have to agree that it's not just old people. Any one who drives in london will agree with me there is a certain strata of drivers who seem to think that stopping anywhere, illegal u-turns, u-turns that become 56 point turns, constantly in the wrong lane, think they can either force their way in or just sit their like a prick with their indicator on, never mind they've just queue jumped a dozen or so cars, someone ALWAYS lets them in because they have a nice car rather than a beaten up old banger that isn't theirs anyway and so on.















and before you accuse me of being racist, I'm talking about black cab drivers (drivers of black cabs, not cab drivers that are black) and bus drivers....whatever did you think I meant ?

I'm not being ageist I think all drivers should have some kind of retest or what ever at certain ages. I have only been driving 3yrs and I know I am a very inexperienced driver and have a lot to improve on, I also know that already in that short amount of time I have become a little complacent when driving

tina2709 said:

I'm not being ageist I think all drivers should have some kind of retest or what ever at certain ages. I have only been driving 3yrs and I know I am a very inexperienced driver and have a lot to improve on, I also know that already in that short amount of time I have become a little complacent when driving

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Agreed. There should at least be a regular eyesight test. I came across someone through work, an elderly lady, who literally couldn't see something on the floor, but drove home. Next time I saw her , her family had made her give up driving. She thought it was OK because she only drove "locally". There's a primary school round the corner!

My wife had an accident when driving our Defender, when an elderly lady drove round a corner and down the wrong side of the road, because there were cars parked on her side. The front wing & hub were damaged, but fortunately no-one hurt. My wife swears the woman's glasses were hanging on the chain round her neck.

My dad's 79, and has his eyes tested twice a year. His night vision isn't as good as it was, so he gave up driving at night, and he has said he will give up altogether as soon as his sight isn't up to it.

lr-90 said:

...and I shouted get off the phone he didn't

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I'm waiting for the right time when I'm on my motorcycle, pull alongside the cage driver busy on his or her phone, then clutch in and start revving the nads off the TDM850; thanks to a 2-into-1 Devil stainless exhaust system, it is a tad loud and they won't be able to hear anything on their phone ound: :amen:

There was a debate last week about what should be done to help younger drivers gain more experience of different driving conditions; no doubt that will run and run.

On the subject of older drivers, and yes, I'm one too, at just short of 66 (but I'm still 16 in my head) there needs to be a national debate about when to hang up the keys.

At the moment drivers must self assess their abilities to drive every three years from the age of 70, so at least the DVLA are asking "Are you still able to drive safely?" and it should be at that time that we older drivers should answer honestly. Obviously it would be of benefit if that declaration of fitness to drive could be supported by a declaration by an optician and/or a GP as to the driver's physical fitness.

One of the additional problems with self assessment isn't the actual fitness to drive, but the ability to drive and many older drivers will say "I'll know when it's time to stop", unfortunately that isn't always the case. There is also the case when some older drivers do hang up the keys when there's really no need for them to at the time.

The older driver's ability to drive can be assessed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and also at many Mobility Centres in England; I don't yet know about centres in Wales and Scotland. By all accounts, it's not another driving test, just a friendly assessment of the driver's ability to handle his or her own vehicle and the prevailing traffic conditions. The assessor can then just make recommendations.

So, when the 70 year old driver is faced with the DVLA declaration form, maybe there should be sections for both the doctor and the assessor to have their say too. Yes, I realise that there would be financial considerations to this suggestion.

Rica, an independent research charity has published a useful guide for older drivers which can be downloaded from:

http://www.racfoundation.org/assets/rac_foundation/content/downloadables/older_drivers_guide_final_web_ready_report.pdf

wattfield said:

Agreed. There should at least be a regular eyesight test. I came across someone through work, an elderly lady, who literally couldn't see something on the floor, but drove home. Next time I saw her , her family had made her give up driving. She thought it was OK because she only drove "locally". There's a primary school round the corner!

My wife had an accident when driving our Defender, when an elderly lady drove round a corner and down the wrong side of the road, because there were cars parked on her side. The front wing & hub were damaged, but fortunately no-one hurt. My wife swears the woman's glasses were hanging on the chain round her neck.

My dad's 79, and has his eyes tested twice a year. His night vision isn't as good as it was, so he gave up driving at night, and he has said he will give up altogether as soon as his sight isn't up to it.

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We got eye tests every 3 years here when you renew your license and every 12 years a new written test. And docs here have to notify driver license people if you have a medical condition preventing you from driving, or become unfit to drive