+1
After having cataracts removed from both eyes, my vision improved so much that I am able to watch TV in bed w/o my glasses, and I don’t need glasses for computer work. I do wear them for driving, and for very close work (bills, checkbook, etc), but I can do a lot of things without glasses following cataract surgery.
When they come for me they’ll have to pry my cold dead hands off the steering wheel. Really maybe its time we stop stereotyping and pitting one group against another-young/old etc. There is no end to the restrictions that could be put on someone under the umbrella of “safety”.
All problem drivers should be dealt with, no matter their age.
As people age their reflexes, vision, strength and other motor skills deteriorate. That’s a fact. Deny it if you want to, but those are the facts.
And with many people this deterioration is so gradual the older person still thinks they have the driving skills when they were 20. There comes an age where a large percentage of that population has such deteriorated driving skills that they should no longer be driving. For my Dad it was 70. My mother-in-law it was 80. For my uncle he was almost 90.
Since that age varies it’s a good idea to have mandatory testing to determine if they still have the skills to drive. Wish they had that in NY when we finally took my Dad’s drivers license away. I had to be the bad guy. But he was a danger to himself and others.
My brother called the cops more then once on his father-in-law for driving drunk. That didn’t go well with the rest of the family. One reason he’s divorced now. I would have done the same thing.
Most people I know who lost their licenses thought they were more then capable of driving. And they weren’t even close. It’s like the guy/girl who says they can drive safely while texting or after having 5-10 beers. You’re not get over it and stop risking everyone else on the road.
2 Likes
Amen to that!!
I have one nearly useless right eye, My restriction was to have a left side rear view mirror, until I moved to FL and they did not want to grant me a license because they were declaring me legally blind. Eventually they gave in after I said well if I get pulled over and asked why I have FL plates and a ND license I will have to say because FL would not grant me a license, after some internal conversations I was granted a licence. No particular point except things can vary state to state.
Last summer we took a road trip and attended my 50th High School Class Reunion. It was the first reunion I attended. How Bizarre! It was like walking into the Cantina Band Scene from Star Wars!
People definitely age differently! Many looked really old. Others acted old and “moved old”. In fact, some are no longer with us.
I know, I know, I looked in a mirror, Ha, Ha, but I received what I considered compliments on my “youthful” persona. There were a few of us “young” folks there.
It doesn’t happen by chance for me. I work at it by exercising my body and my mind. I ride bikes, work out, play golf, do mind games, etcetera. I do things because they’re hard, not easy (I have JFK’s “Moon” speech hanging up.).
When I drive my Grand Prix I’m like a Rock N’ Roll old guy with my volume up and my Rolling Stones _Sticky Fingers _ and Beach Boys Good Vibrations CD vibrating and blasting away. It keeps me alert!
I always purposely notice what’s happening all around me, whether I’m driving or pushing a shopping cart. I monitor and react! I go with the flow and keep out of people’s way. I hate when old people (or anybody) block grocery store isles and roads, oblivious to others.
Like @bing, I’m in this for a long hall (haven’t even started my Social Security, yet), but I’ll do my part to stay young and safe. I could see maybe at 90 or 100 years old, letting my much younger wife drive, maybe. In my case, I’ll know when I’m a hazard.
CSA
2 Likes
Every year you wait to start social security is a guaranteed 6% return on investment, assuming you are in good health and expect to live well into your 80s.
I’m looking for a new car, and I am attracted to the electronic safety devices. I don’t think I need them now, but in 10 years (mid70s), they might extend my driving life. I will, of course, have a mid-60s hottie girl wife to drive.
Actually, I was realizing a 6.25% return on investment for the first four years. Now it’s 8% annually plus COLA for 4 years.
It is a great deal. Hey, that’s not bad for somebody who was told that Math is not their strong suit, eh?
CSA
To each his own but as Bruce Williams used to say “It’s better to take a fast nickel than a slow dime”. The reality is though with the birth rate and labor participation rate, we are all going to need to take a hair cut if this system is to survive the next generation. You don’t have to be good at math to figure that out.
Back to cars. I took a drive down to the post office and was having trouble seeing out of my right eye. When I got home, I cleaned my sunglasses and wow I can see again. some times its the simple stuff.
Until one reaches 70.
[quote]The Santa Fe Police Department and a witness said an
81-year-old woman hit a pillar in front of Jambo Café, then rapidly
backed her Subaru Forester into two parked cars, then shifted and
"surged ahead" 25 feet into the restaurant at the College Plaza
Shopping Center near Cerrillos Road and St. Michael’s Drive.
[/quote]
Santa Fe restaurant wrecked
@meanjoe75fan - Rally drivers and many other race car drivers left foot brake because it helps keep engine power up, especially on a turbo charged engine where there can be turbo lag if you take your foot off of the gas. Left foot braking also helps set the nose of the car into turns while under power allowing more positive vehicle dynamics and control. It has SQUAT to do with faster reflexes. Since many racers learned to drive this way they are more comfortable with left foot braking. They are not any faster at it than right foot brakers. Just the facts man.
So…then it wasn’t a drive-through?
It is now.
1 Like
That is true. There is no benefit to delaying benefits beyond age 70.
Many people take S.S. benefits starting at age 62. If they wait until their full retirement age (mine is 66) they realize a 6.25% annual return on investment for those years (for me it’s 4 years). Then wait until age 70 it’s 8% increase annually!
Also, people receive any annual COLA (cost of living allowances) toward their future benefits during the whole period, from age 62!
Since I don’t need the money now, but I’m more likely to when I’m older (especially if inflation takes off), I decided to delay. It will mean several hundred dollars per month more when I’m more likely to need it.
How does that relate to driving while old? I would be able to buy a new car every few years with the added benefit.
CSA
Here is the thing, you can be a poor driver at any age.
If, as a society we are truly interested in road safety, we need to retest after the initial license. (not just “renew” every four years for Seniors, instead of six–what does that solve?)
Why not do it on a periodic schedule that is easy to remember: ten-year anniversaries from your very first license?
Thus, start at age 16 for example. Then, at age 26 you get another written, vision (BTW, a REAL vision test, by a licensed optometrist!), and road test.
Same at ages 36, 46, 56, 66, 76, 86, 96, 106, etc. , or 10 year anniversaries of whatever age you started. If you fail, you have 30 days to study up, get retrained, get new eyeglasses so you might pass the tests again.
People can be a menace on the road at any age: drinking/drug problems, arrogance, inexperience, simple lack of knowledge.
Expensive, you say? Factor the cost of hospital bills, rehab, police, ambulance, fire, road workers, etc. Not to mention deaths. What is THAT cost?
Within a generation or two, the culture behind the wheel would change, and people would stop thinking they could drive * just fine after a few drinks…* and other poor presumptions.
If we are truly serious about road safety…and not just grandstanding.
Did you NOT read my comments?
I said some of the older drivers I know are much better drivers than the younger ones
So that would be in agreement with YOUR comment
Who’s grandstanding . . . ?!
Drop some names, instead of just beating around the bush 
We are serious about being reasonable, not eliminating all risk whatsoever in life. That’s what I meant when I said “safety” can be used to justify almost anything if you take it to extremes. Such as lawn mowers, driving above 15 mph, eating certain foods, drinking, smoking, garage clutter, you name it. Anything can be justified using safety and injury prevention as a lead in.