When is one too old to keep driving?

[gtr]

I think we have all seen some bad drivers. Some old, and some not so much. If there is a medical reason why someone should not be driving, the license is pulled. Too many tickets, incapable of seeing good enough. Lots of reasons. We all think we are good drivers until your told different. That day is coming for all of us.

[tri777]

I would have absolutly NO issues with Police hunting down
drivers hogging the left passing lane/etc and issuing automatic
mandatory 'Driver re-take tests' tickets..bad drivers SHOULD be
hunted down/effort put forth, not lumped into one farmed like cattle category of guilty..

This 'all drivers must take tests mandatory' is the lazy, unlaboured method
way out..like those that sit all day doing photo radar to me..dam cash herding cow mentality.

[Red Bullets]

People are too old to drive if they die peacefully in their sleep ....not like the four passengers they are driving to church.

[Commander B]

At what point do we start looking at the driving schools. My house is a favourite location for a parallel park. Wife's truck has a dent " nobody knows anything about it ". Track new driver accidents against these schools and it might tighten up the skills!!! In some cases I am sure it is a case of buying a license.


B.

[KegRiver]

TV show, Canada's worst driver.

Interesting that the elderly are not the predominant nominees.

I'm 62 this year, they took my class one several years ago saying my eyes are not good enough for that class of driving.

And starting from age fifty I've had to take a medical every year to keep my license, as a class three driver.

Soon I'll have to give up my license altogether, my choice, because I no longer feel confident behind the wheel and each year it gets worse.

It's not so much my driving ability at this time, rather it's the road rage I battle within. I hate being followed so close that I can not see the other drivers head light. I hate being passed on double solid lines, on hills where visibility is under 100 feet and I hate being blinded by those blue flame head lights.

For now I can and do cope with it all but I know the time is coming when those antics will stress my abilities beyond their limits. I know that when that happens I will become a serious hazard on the road.

The way I see it, there are far too many seriously hazardous drivers on the roads as it is now. I will not become one of them.

[mooseknuckle]

my neighbour is 94. drives everyday. not sure ifs good? but hes healthy er than me at 38. last summer he had a truck drop 14 cubic yards of gravel in the culdisac and filled in his old swimming pool by him self with a shovel and wheel barrow! amazing this old guy.

[Redfrog]

Concern My concern are those who are too stupid to drive. Or those who are 'white knuckled' and they are in the Walmart parking lot.

Or those who are afraid to travel the highways and byways alone at night, so they drive up your rearend in a hurry and sit there for the next 30 minutes just far enough back to keep their lights in your mirrors. They need to pass or back off. We ain't friends/

[bobtodrick]

Am 62.
Have more than a few years racing (Formula Ford) and rallying under my belt.
Consider myself to be a very good driver. Only accident I've had was in '73.
Yet I have I have no issue with having to take a road test every two years once I hit 65.
I see to many seniors who are hazards just because they've had bad habits ingrained with no one pointing out those bad habits.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by waterninja

x2

No offense.. but just because you have no demerits or accidents, doesn't mean you are a good driver. Just means your bad habits haven't caused an accident yet or you haven't been caught.

EVERYONE should be retested. Hard stop..

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Concern My concern are those who are too stupid to drive. Or those who are 'white knuckled' and they are in the Walmart parking lot.

Or those who are afraid to travel the highways and byways alone at night, so they drive up your rearend in a hurry and sit there for the next 30 minutes just far enough back to keep their lights in your mirrors. They need to pass or back off. We ain't friends/

This is what retesting can improve these drivers (or get them off the road). I fully believe we need a system as I previously mentioned, but also require mandatory classes (performance driving/defence driving/ emergency maneuvers/maintenance/etc. Basically take one class in the prior year to your license retest and be done. Too many people are paranoid of their vehicles and don't understand the capabilities (and I don't mean red neck straight line power).

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

This is what retesting can improve these drivers (or get them off the road). I fully believe we need a system as I previously mentioned, but also require mandatory classes (performance driving/defence driving/ emergency maneuvers/maintenance/etc. Basically take one class in the prior year to your license retest and be done. Too many people are paranoid of their vehicles and don't understand the capabilities (and I don't mean red neck straight line power).

x2
It's always amazed me that in a country with snow/ice on the roads 4 months of the year that we aren't required to show we can drive out of a skid before we're given a license.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

This is what retesting can improve these drivers (or get them off the road). I fully believe we need a system as I previously mentioned, but also require mandatory classes (performance driving/defence driving/ emergency maneuvers/maintenance/etc. Basically take one class in the prior year to your license retest and be done. Too many people are paranoid of their vehicles and don't understand the capabilities (and I don't mean red neck straight line power).

I wish I could agree with you. Problem is, they passed the test once.

Anyone can be on their best behavior when big brother is watching.

The problem is not lack of testing, it's lack of traffic law enforcement.

Thank you Mr. Chretien for making our roads the playground of idiots.

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I wish I could agree with you. Problem is, they passed the test once.

Anyone can be on their best behavior when big brother is watching.

The problem is not lack of testing, it's lack of traffic law enforcement.

Thank you Mr. Chretien for making our roads the playground of idiots.

I agree, but even if there's one thing the driver was reminded of or taught, it would help. There are MANY drivers now, who if you were to actually questions them, could probably get an "I don't know" or wrong, as an answer to more than one question (which has been shown many times on this forum).

That's the beauty of retesting, the money generated from the retesting would be used for more enforcement.

The reality of it is, LEO's are busy, and usually with "more important" things, doing the retesting would ensure more money is available for more traffic enforcement.

Yeah, I know.. with the gov't the way it is, they'll spend the money elsewhere, but ideally it would be right back into enforcement.

I agree with you about enforcement, it's just coming up with the funds to do that.

[parfleche]

Be very careful what you wish for fellows ! ALL of you will get to that age regardless of how efficient you think you are!
There is NO age that are not guilty of bad driving at some point in life.
Perhaps everyone should slow down and be a bit more cautious, thoughtful , and considerate while driving.
NO ONE can know what the driver ahead of you or behind you is thinking of or even knows you are near them .
I drove heavy rigs , passenger bus, etc for 37.5 years as a job.
I am always learning ! and I always catch myself doing dumb stuff.
Consider this while driving : your chances of a safe driver:
Is the driver impaired?
Is the driver psychotic
Is he arguing?
Is he on the phone?
Is he texting?
Is he looking ahead?
Is his vehicle in shape?
Is he having lunch?
Is he angry at something ?
road rage
That being said , WHAT are your chances of meeting a safe driver for every ten you meet on the road?
As far as a test every five years or two after a certain age ? I think perhaps they should be tested randomly after getting their license ! By this time most people think they have it cased!
Sound draconian? perhaps? Driving is a privilege.
BUT what price do you put on safety and a life ?
It could be yours!

[fishtank]

Half of edmonton cab drivers shouldn't be licensed

[JB_AOL]

Originally Posted by fishtank

Half of edmonton cab drivers shouldn't be licensed

(and probably aren't)..

Just like certain truck drivers who "share" a licence.. sigh..

[dodger]

I am going to drive as long as I can!! If they take my licence away I am going to get one of those 3 wheeled carts and add a 20' pole with a Canadian flag on it. I will drive it in parking lots till the day they have to pry my cold dead hands off the handle bar basket.

Dodger

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by JB_AOL

I agree, but even if there's one thing the driver was reminded of or taught, it would help. There are MANY drivers now, who if you were to actually questions them, could probably get an "I don't know" or wrong, as an answer to more than one question (which has been shown many times on this forum).

That's the beauty of retesting, the money generated from the retesting would be used for more enforcement.

The reality of it is, LEO's are busy, and usually with "more important" things, doing the retesting would ensure more money is available for more traffic enforcement.

Yeah, I know.. with the gov't the way it is, they'll spend the money elsewhere, but ideally it would be right back into enforcement.

I agree with you about enforcement, it's just coming up with the funds to do that.

Honestly, I don't think I could pass the test today.

A couple of years ago I was given the task of helping a new hire get his class three.
I'm a careful driver and have even won safe driving awards from companies I've worked for.
I have something over three million of driving behind me. I've driven most of Canada and a good portion of the USA.
I have two tickets on my record and one minor MVA on my record from forty five years of driving, much of it as a professional class one driver.

I actually thought it would be a walk in the park teaching this new guy.


Sure I know how to drive. I even know who to take any truck apart and put it back together again so that it works as well or better then it did.

I know all the signs and what they mean, I even know how far from the edge of the pavement they should be, but I don't know the exact metric measurement for how far back I am supposed to stop.

I find that the passing years have robbed me of my capacity to remember pointless trivia. Worse still, a good many things have changed.

Back in the day, there was a minimum distance at which one had to dim when meeting oncoming traffic, apparently that no longer applies.

There was a time when the lines in the middle of the highway meant something. It seems they are now just decorations to entertain bored drivers.

Back in the day there were maximum speed limits posted. Today it seems that those have become minimum speed limits.

Seriously. I could not pass the test. I can no longer remember the old measurements, much less the new Trudough measurements. I know what they look like, I know what they feel like, I know why they are what they are and why it's wise to abide by them but I don't know the exact metric equivalent to the millimeter.

[oldjeda]

Several times we caught my father-in law, who is legally blind, driving in the city with my mother-in law (who is legally deaf and drinks like a fish) riding shotgun yelling instructions to him. Instructions like "turn right" "red light" "kids on a crosswalk".

Family took the keys away and they went out and leased a new car.......

Oh ya, now they have decided to swap seats.

[parfleche]

What you do as a privilege today may not last forever!
So driving requires concentration and courtesy ,
For some reason a person behind the wheel of a vehicle suddenly becomes aggressive ! Every one is invading their space!
Although you may find yourself in very close proximity to strangers at the mall or store , especially at holiday times , NO ONE appears to take you to task , Why is that? I believe it may be you could be held accountable! Funny thing that!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by oldjeda

Several times we caught my father-in law, who is legally blind, driving in the city with my mother-in law (who is legally deaf and drinks like a fish) riding shotgun yelling instructions to him. Instructions like "turn right" "red light" "kids on a crosswalk".

Family took the keys away and they went out and leased a new car.......

Oh ya, now they have decided to swap seats.

I knew an old guy like that. He was a terror when we were flagging, thankfully he has given up driving.

Thing is, they took his license long before he actually gave up driving.
Even the fines did not deter him. He said the fines were cheaper then license and insurance.

I think they should have thrown him in jail for a week, maybe that would have convinced him. But it never happened.

[58thecat]

This should also be "when is one too young to keep driving" based on the younguns driving distracted, high rates of speed etc...
More enforcement, stiffer fines, penalties immediately handed out, whether your 16 or 90....or jail time and community service.

[Reeves1]

Originally Posted by dodger

I am going to drive as long as I can!! If they take my licence away I am going to get one of those 3 wheeled carts and add a 20' pole with a Canadian flag on it. I will drive it in parking lots till the day they have to pry my cold dead hands off the handle bar basket.

Dodger

LMAO !

Old gal in Westlock was on one , on the street. Cop pulled her over & had to use the siren to get her attention

[Newellknik]

When you have to give up driving due to age or impairment.
My friend who only had one eye ,lost his vision due to a glaucoma
Surgery gone wrong . No car no problem ,bought himself an electric
Bicycle . I said isn't that kind of dangerous on the road ....he said
I only ride on the sidewalk so I'm ok . Most old people who lose their
Licence ,drive anyway . I'm not looking forward to giving up .
Calgary and the surrounding area have some how gathered all of
The worst drivers in the country . I drove across western Canada
Professionally for 40 years ,accident free . I have seen it all.

[artie]

After my mom turned 85 and had two strokes and was staring dementia I took her to the doctor and suggested she had her license taken away. The doctor did a test and came in and told her she could no longer drive. The doctor then told her that her son had told her to do it. So now I will always be the bad son who had her drivers license taken away. But I can sleep at night knowing she won't cause an accident. I just hope when the time comes that there is someone to take my drivers license away.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by dodger

I am going to drive as long as I can!! If they take my licence away I am going to get one of those 3 wheeled carts and add a 20' pole with a Canadian flag on it. I will drive it in parking lots till the day they have to pry my cold dead hands off the handle bar basket.

Dodger

Cue the 'Best scooter battery?' thread, followed up with 'How to hot-rod your scooter', and the ever popular 'What's the largest boat I can tow with my scooter and do I get an express lane at the boat launch?'.

[dmac]

Doctors are required to act when they are aware that their patients condition presented a danger when behind the wheel.
Sisters husband had his licence pulled at 55 due to a condition which caused seizures. Also aware of another who had her license pulled on doctors recommendation due alcoholism.

[LeroyvdH]

They pulled the FIL licence 2 years ago.. The Dr. in the hospital that did it said '' You still drive''... It's all about keeping your patience happy and coming back $$$$.. Only good thing he told me they never took is pilots licence

[lmtada]

I personally know of a African Immigrant who drives in -35c, Edmonton winters. No Winter Coat/boots/gloves/winter apparel. I suggested to him the consequences of vehicle issue, road issue could mean death. He stated he has his cell phone, so no issues. This is from highly educated man!

[JimPS]

Sometime after you've been driving like this for a few years:



But before something like this becomes your main ride:

Seriously though,driving ability is not always a function of age - there are a lot of drivers in all demographics who shouldn't be on the road either.

Mandatory testing and re-testing across all demographics should be mandatory. Cognitive impairment as well as debilitating disease and medical conditions should, and do, give doctors the prerogative and the onus to yank the license.