I just read the post regaurding the left hand drivers...Which got me to thinking(I know thats not normally a good thing)..

How do yall feel about manditory driving test once you reach a certain age?, say 55 or 60?

My feeling about this are as follows... I believe there should be manditory drivers test once you reach the age of 50, and let me explain... There is manditory testing for kids to recieve their DL's to ensure they are safe drivers which in turn i belief as people get older i believe they need to be retested to ensure they are capable to keep up with traffic and not cause harm to themselfs or others.

Bein a truck drive I see hundreds of older people in their cars that can barely see over the steering wheel driving 45-50 mph on the interstate...that is unsafe for them as well as others, because we all know there are many people out there who have no comcept of speed and will come flying up on them not realizing they are traveling slow and then either rearend them or swerve out in the other lane and <<POOF>>> count the lights the parties is over....

Let me know what yall think...

 

I am 50 and I think it is a good idea!

 

Taz;

No choice here. As a professional driver, I'm subject to a full medical every five years, and when I reach the age of 65, I'll need a medical every two years, professional or not. I just rec'd a notice in the mail that this is under review and the time frame could well be shortened.

As far as the road testing goes, it's done on a random basis at licence renewal time. It's like jury duty, you never know when your number'll come up.

What really gets me going is the number of elderly persons driving, that can hardly walk when they get out of their vehicles. I wonder what type of a "reaction time" they have?

Rick

 

That is a hard question, but I have been almost driven off the road by far more blue hairs who didn't see me, than stupid young kids. I T Boned an old guy who was 90 because he didn't see me when he crossed a highway from his stop sign. I had the right of way and was on a 55mph thru road and didn't have enough time to stop or swerve. Right of way means nothing if you get killed. Lucky no one was killed.

So I would vote for automatic testing either yearly or at least before renewing a licence for people over about 60 or 70. If a person has multiple "Incidents" in a short time I would have a rigorous examination required before letting them drive again.

I rode in my wife's uncle's car once when he was 90. We were in the curb lane and coming on a parked car while moving at about 50. I had to yell out "Uncle Bill, there's a car parked at the curb" before he got the picture and moved back into a traffic lane. We also towed him out of the the ditch every time we had a new snow storm hit.

It is a shame to loose one's freedom of driving around but that is better than killing some one and there are alternatives to driving. Death has very few alternatives.

"I want to die in my sleep like my grandpa, not screaming, like his passengers".

Just my opinion and hope I follow my own advice when the time comes.

Jim Henderson

 

I think its a great idea too.....nothing against older people, but I know with my granddad, it was a pride thing. He had always driven to where he wanted to go and would have continued I'm sure till his dying day had my dad not taken his keys away. If for no other reason than to test reflexes and sight.

 

Quote:
Being a truck driver I see hundreds of older people in their cars that can barely see over the steering wheel driving 45-50 mph on the interstate...
that is unsafe for them as well as others, because we all know there are many people out there who have no comcept of speed and will come flying up on them not realizing they are traveling slow and then either rearend them or swerve out in the other lane and <>> count the lights the parties is over....



I have to disagree with some of this.

First off a professional driver would be able to differentiate the between a slow moving car & and a within the speed limit car without having to get into an emergency situation and drive around this car without any problem.


I find the biggest thing is that people want to drive the way THEY want to not according to the laws & rules of the road.

I don't have a problem with someone going 10 -15 under the posted speed limit.
I drive within the rules of the road.

I drive according to ther rules that were set forth when I passed my test and received my license to which I SIGNED.

This is supposed to be a commitment to the rules & laws of the highway.

I think they should test people in their early 20's every 2 years to make sure they Understand that this isn't a game.

I will take the driving of a 65 year old or the antics of a Young Adult that fits into this group of (I could care less about the rules of the road).

I do feel though that a test at 70 yrs would be adequate.
I know some awfully spry 60+'ers.

 

Quote:
Being a truck drive I see hundreds of older people in their cars that can barely see over the steering wheel driving 45-50 mph on the interstate...

That's funny because I see the same thing only with younger people who can barely see over the steering wheel (because they think it's cool to drive from the back seat) driving 45-50 in residential zones.

Maybe every driver needs to be re-tested every 5 years, not just the older drivers.

 

Hear, Hear!

Rick

 

I had an old lady make her turn right infront of me while I was going about 40 mph. She had to of seen me, she just didn't grasp how quickly I was coming at her, she was facing right at me. But I was close enough to her that as soon as i realised she was going to go I slammed on the brakes and the horn, and turned to the right to try and make it by her and she still kept goin she didn't stop. I basically ran over the front of her car and bent my truck's frame and suspension.

 

As a 60 Y/O I think it's a terrible idea, and unconstitutional to profile us like that. The cops can't ask an Arab for ID, can't search a black or Mexican mans car with 87 air fresheners on the rearview mirror and a broken rear window, get off my case.


The Doctors are giving Handicapped stickers for people so damn fat they can turn around to look and you selectively exclude them.

I don't like it. (In case you haven't figured that out)

I was in Bo Jangles and watched a fatso back into a man's truck. There were only three trucks in the place, her big van and my truck was the other. She couldn't turn around, just backed by mirrors and ears.

When the guy yelled, she opened the door and kicked the door open with her foot on the door panel, couldn't actually get out to look but managed to rotate a little and get her cellphone out.

Wish for whatever you want, because the very powerful older voters will tag this on you as well because profiling is against the law, to get to us, you'll have to get yourself too.

 

It's called a Gansta-cruise where the door post protects the head from bullets aimed at their heads.

 

The only problem that I've seen with the "older" drivers is the fact that they either drive down turning lanes, or stop in the middle of the road instead of using the turning lane. They have pulled out in front of me many times, but not just the "older" drivers.

About not seeing over the steering wheel: I think there should be a law or something against that. I've scooted down in my seat till I was about the same heigth as the guys who ride like that, and I couldn't see a single line on the road or anything. I didn't like it. Also, you may get into trouble if you see a car with no driver and assume that the car is not going to move.

 

Anyone hear about what happened in Santa Monica Today?

At least 10 dead from what appears to be a person had a heart attack while behind the wheel.l

 

If older drivers are so unsafe why do insurance companies consider them to be some of the safest drivers?

 

I want to die in my sleep like my grandpa did.....not yelling and screaming like his passengers.
ok,ok....that's just a joke.
I did however drive with my grandpa when he was 80 and there is no way he should have been allowed to still drive.
My dad had a stroke 10 years ago when he was 62 and since then his driving isnt as good as it used to be. He is still safe but slow. I'm sure he would pass a test. I also think it would be a good idea for him to take one though just to be sure. I also think that if he wasnt allowed to drive anymore he would almost rather die than give up the freedom he has.