# Perhaps it's time

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889>\
**Category:** Safety\
**Created:** [January 18, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889 "2019-01-18T13:56:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/1 "2019-01-18T13:56:24Z")

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… for Prince Philip to relinquish his car keys. I think that, at the age of 97, he should no longer be driving himself:

> **[Prince Philip's car 'careered' across road](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46918039)**
>
> The royal was shaken after being freed from his Land Rover, an eyewitness to Thursday's crash says.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/2 "2019-01-18T13:58:55Z")

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Agreed! 10 characters…

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 2:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/3 "2019-01-18T14:07:45Z")

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Well yeah. I’m pretty sure he can afford to hire a driver.

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**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/4 "2019-01-18T17:33:26Z")

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That’s not the problem. The problem is he’s a stubborn old man and no one wants to confront him. Sound familiar?

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/5 "2019-01-18T19:42:28Z")

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Well, I guess that HRH could send him to The Tower of London if he proves to be intransigent on this issue.  
😉

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/6 "2019-01-18T21:12:51Z")

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I think he should just stop driving Land Rovers. Interesting though that the rate of accidents for older folks are two per 1000 but for younger ones nine per 1000 (or something like that). In his “defence” those roads are really screwy over there with cars buzzing all around and the confusion of driving on the wrong side of the road.

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**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/7 "2019-01-18T21:15:58Z")

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Agree! The queen will likely assert her authority (as guardian of the nation’s safety) and take his keys away. In his younger days he was a wild driver and disregarded all speed limits.

I was nearly killed by a senior who gave me a ride and drove straight into a truck while making a left turn across oncoming traffic. He was grounded immediately!

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/8 "2019-01-18T21:29:10Z")

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> [@bing](#):
>
> the confusion of driving on the wrong side of the road.

Why would a British citizen be confused by driving on the same side of the road that they have always driven on?

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**Author:** ![Marnet](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/marnet/32/41_2.png) [@Marnet](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Marnet)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/9 "2019-01-19T02:31:59Z")

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Online BBC news reports that Prince Phillip stated to police he was “dazzled” by sunlight. Also that the local council already has plans to improve that section of road which is considered dangerous, has a high accident rate, and has been the subject of numerous complaints by local drivers. Police state a full investigation will be conducted with no favoritism and that both drivers, the prince and the other driver, were breath tested on the scene with both drivers registering zero evidence of alcohol.

All that said, hopefully the old gentleman will have his driving abilities evaluated.

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/10 "2019-01-19T02:47:47Z")

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> [@VDCdriver](#):
>
> Why would a British citizen be confused by driving on the same side of the road that they have always driven on?

Oh, just saying it’s a very confusing place to drive no matter how old you are or how long you’ve been driving there.

At 88, my dad had to take his driver’s test again. It took him a couple times but he passed. The hardest part was backing from the street into an alley about ten feet wide with snow banks on each side. At that age joints don’t work as well and backing can be a challenge. At least they didn’t require backing with a trailer.

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**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/11 "2019-01-19T03:56:23Z")

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Cataracts could do that but probably by now he has had them operated on.  
Was he sleepy?

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**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 4:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/12 "2019-01-19T04:09:58Z")

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A longtime friend of my wife is 99 years old, still lives in her own apartment and drives a 30 mile round trip to her daughter’s house to fix meals for her. She doesn’t wear glasses for reading or driving and can still read the fine print in her bible. Genetics is highly variable. Never having smoked is helpful too.

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**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 4:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/13 "2019-01-19T04:21:23Z")

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Phillip did all the things we’re not supposed to do in his life, and he’s had great medical care and no worries about money. Now he gets dazzled by winter sunshine, and screws up. He needs to be subjected to a driving test and he needs to have a vision test. Do you suppose anyone in the British DMV has the courage to flunk him?

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**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 4:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/14 "2019-01-19T04:28:16Z")

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Is afflunza still a defense?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Marnet](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/marnet/32/41_2.png) [@Marnet](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Marnet)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 8:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/15 "2019-01-20T08:45:00Z")

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I’m still trying to figure out how a Kia sedan sent that Land Rover tank into a tumbling rollover that smashed out the windshield and sunroof. Reportedly, neither car was speeding. Apparently, he pulled out and got t-boned.

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/16 "2019-01-20T13:53:52Z")

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> [@galant](#):
>
> Cataracts

If the Prince had cataracts, the health care system would have replaced them before they interfered with his driving.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 1:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/17 "2019-01-20T13:59:20Z")

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A dirty wind shield may as well be cataracts when you are driving into the sun.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/18 "2019-01-20T17:29:29Z")

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Remember, it is the British system 🙂

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/19 "2019-01-20T18:34:43Z")

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> [@galant](#):
>
> Remember, it is the British system

What do you know about the health system in the U.K.?

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**Author:** ![cwatkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@cwatkin](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cwatkin)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889/20 "2019-01-20T19:11:06Z")

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I just saw another article about this. It stated that he was seen driving a brand new car wearing no seatbelt. I guess someone took pictures and submitted them to the police. He was given a talking to, whatever that means.

I guess others are upset that he has moved on from the accident and gotten a new car so quickly.

Anyway, this is definitely a problem. I am not sure about the percentage of older drivers on the road who shouldn’t be but I definitely see notable examples quite frequently as I am out driving around doing service work.

I used to jog and bike ride along public roads but have given that up after a few near misses with bad drivers.  
Things seem to have only gotten worse with people glued to their smartphones and just overall getting more brain dead these days.

I was talking to the owner of the local bike shop about this and it seems everyone has made note of more bad drivers. A few have been hit and injuries have ranged from minor to fatal. One guy was talking about how someone just about ran him over and that he was able to get out of the way. He had time to react and gave a nice hard kick to the rear quarter panel of the car and made quite a large dent based on his description. The people in the car were completely unaware this had happened. Obviously they shouldn’t have been driving.

[Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/perhaps-its-time/132889.md?page=2)
