# Older Drivers



## JustBonee

Myself, I don't plan to fight the system when they say no more.  I have a license renewal coming up in a year,  and curious to find out my fate with that ..I'll be 70 ... eyesight is my problem now. 

What are your views on senior citizens driving,  and when is it time to call it quits.   There are so many stories in the news about an elderly person driving into a lake, or building,  or driving onto an airport runway (don't know how that can happen but I've heard it), etc. .. and the many reports about hitting the gas not the brake.  
How will you know when to call it a day, if someone isn't there to take the keys away?  
It's probably a tough dilemma for most.  


http://www.helpguide.org/elder/senior_citizen_driving.htm


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## Bee

I have just had my car scrapped and as I cannot afford another car or the running costs, I have called it a day myself., although other than the costs there is no need for me to give up driving yet.


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## Diwundrin

I've heard some hair raising stories too about those who shouldn't have still been driving.  
It's getting physically harder for me to drive even reasonably short distances now, so I'm moving to where I won't need a car when the time comes.  
I sure need one here, no other transport available and no prospect of there being any soon so better to get out while I can.  

My eyes and reaction times are still okay, but my back isn't,  so better sure than sorry.  I don't want to take out a family in another car  just to prove something to myself,  as someone I once knew did.


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## rkunsaw

I think there are more young people that shouldn't be driving than old people. Anyway It's not a matter of age, it's a matter of ability, both physical and mental.

A friend decided on her own last year to quit driving. She gave her car to a daughter. She was only 95 at the time. Now at 96 she still misses having her own car but she has relatives nearby who take her places.

Living out of tow, a car is necessary for most of us. If we get to the point we can no longer drive, we'll have to move to town I suppose.


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## Bee

I live on the edge of town but I am fortunate that I have a very good bus route either way, plus I have a free bus pass which if I wanted could take me just about all over England.


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## TICA

I agree that is ability not age that should determine who can drive and who can't.  I think it might be a good idea to have everyone renew their license every 5 years by taking a new driver's test.   

I have an uncle who gave up his car when he was worried he wouldn't be able to react quickly enough and I have a lot of respect for that decision.  My father's legs were giving out on him when he got older (almost 80) and try as we may, he would not give up his license.  Scared me to death to think he might take out another car or pedestrian.  He never did, but it was certainly a possibility.


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## Warrigal

My mum and one of her sisters handed in their licences aged 65 and 67 when they had an accident at an intersection and their car rolled over. Auntie had a cracked hip amd mum probably had a broken rib but refused to get it checked. She was too busy fussing over her sister.

Their youngest sister had to have hers taken from her in her late eighties. She had dementia and used to forget when she had parked the car at times. She has numerous minor accidents and on one occasion demolished the shop front of a bakery when attempting rear to kerb parking. Because of the dementia she didn't remember any of this and believed that she was a good driver to the last.

My plan is to review our situation every five years. We are both 70 now and in five years we will take stock again and decide whether we will continue to drive or not. I think we will drop down to one car in the next 5 years and sometime after that we will decide to give up driving altogether. It all depends on health. Both of us have early cataracts which will eventually rule out night driving until we have lens replacements.


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## Ozarkgal

My father in law was a fiercely independent little old Italian. When he was 80 he had to give up driving after causing a wreck. He was very hard of hearing, and his eyesight wasn't good either. Otherwise, he was in amazing condition and would walk several miles to the store to buy a dozen eggs if the notion struck him, even though he lived across the street from his youngest son, and another of his son's wife adored him and spent a lot of time with him.  All four of his sons lived within 20 minutes of him and anyone of us would taken him wherever he wanted to go.

 At the tender age of 90, he decided he didn't want to ask anyone for a ride, so he walked to the nearest used car lot, bought a car and paid cash. He had no drivers license at this point, so the salesman drove him home in his new purchase, parked it in the driveway and skedaddled. 

The car stayed in the driveway and never moved again until it was sold a few weeks later.  One of my sisters-in-law called the Motor Vehicle Division and warned him he was coming and under no uncertain terms were they to allow him to take a driving test.  He couldn't pass the eye exam anyway, but somehow he got wind of my sis-in-law calling and was very ticked off about it until the day he died.


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## MercyL

Boo's Mom said:


> Myself, I don't plan to fight the system when they say no more.  I have a license renewal coming up in a year,  and curious to find out my fate with that ..I'll be 70 ... eyesight is my problem now.
> 
> What are your views on senior citizens driving,  and when is it time to call it quits.   There are so many stories in the news about an elderly person driving into a lake, or building,  or driving onto an airport runway (don't know how that can happen but I've heard it), etc. .. and the many reports about hitting the gas not the brake.
> How will you know when to call it a day, if someone isn't there to take the keys away?
> It's probably a tough dilemma for most.
> 
> 
> http://www.helpguide.org/elder/senior_citizen_driving.htm



If government issued I.D.'s are required for exercising one's right to vote, I'll be fighting to keep my driver's license. I bet we'll see a slew of older drivers objecting to losing their right to participate in government at the personal level all because they can't keep a driver's license.

The driver's license is the key to unlock rights that many died for, so southern states better get ready for a lot of older drivers staying behind the wheel!


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## Pappy

Having driven a van type truck, bread truck, over 20 years, I haven't given it much thought. Reaction time is still pretty good and we were required to take a defensive driving course very two years. Still handle the 1200 mile drive twice a year to FL and back pretty good. I will know when the time is right. As soon as my health starts to go south, it will be time. &#55357;&#56828;&#55357;&#56981;&#55357;&#56981;&#55357;&#56981;&#55357;&#56981;


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## Warrigal

In NSW we are able to get a photo ID card similar in appearance to a driver's licence by applying at the RTA. I think it is free.


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## Ozarkgal

*MercyL*:





> The driver's license is the key to unlock rights that many died for, so southern states better get ready for a lot of older drivers staying behind the wheel!



I believe every state has a state issued identification card, that looks much like a driver's license and is issued at the local driver's licensing agencies.  I don't understand why you indicate that southern states would have more older drivers behind the wheel.


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## That Guy

Read in the news, yesterday, about guy in his 70s crashing into an after-school study center.  He said it was an accident and the car got away from him.  Seems to happen a lot.  I used to love driving when I was younger and now am sick and tired of the traffic and aggressiveness.  I could go for a chauffeur . . .


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## GDAD

I am 73, I handed in my *heavy vehicular licence* at 70 & now just have a car licence.
I would have no hessitation to hnd in my car licence, if required.
*I still have a full medical every year*, as  was required with the heavy vehicular licence.
I would hate to be the cause of someone else losing their life.... Sydney Australia.


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## JustBonee

That Guy said:


> ..  I used to love driving when I was younger and now am sick and tired of the traffic and aggressiveness.  I could go for a chauffeur . . .



That's funny ... can't count the number of times I've said that too..


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## That Guy

Boo's Mom said:


> That's funny ... can't count the number of times I've said that too..



Welcome aboard.  Climb on in.  Home, Jeeves.


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## Old Hipster

I think when you don't have enough stength to push down on the gas peddle anymore it's time to stop driving.

Or in the case of my old gramps many years ago now, when you start taking out mail boxes and then think it's funny, it's time to turn in the keys to the truck.


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## That Guy




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## Jillaroo

_*That'll be me in a few years*_


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## That Guy

Not to worry, folks.  They're promising us robot cars that drive themselves in a few years.  Scary!


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## SifuPhil

Like That Guy I grew sick and tired of the idiots on the road, so voluntarily gave up my license. Since I also liked my luxury / sport cars it's proven to be a huge cost-savings as well.

As for having a chauffeur ... I'm not there yet so it's just my two left feet.


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## TICA

I'd be lost without my license.  I live outside of the city where the bus comes twice a day, but it's about a half hour walk to the bus stop.   The "plan" is to move further out of the city and there certainly isn't any bus or taxi service.   When I'm old enough that I can't drive, I'll be too old to live in the boonies so it will all sort itself out naturally.     If I had some kind of medical problem that prevented me from being able to drive, I'd give it up but until that happens, I'll be on the road.


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## Ozarkgal

[h=1]105-year-old woman renews driver’s license[/h]http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/105-old-woman-renews-drivers-license-230525336.html

This sweet little old California lady just renewed her driver's license and some anonymous donor gave her a new car, since her 1998 van was about worn out.  Doesn't state this in the article, but I saw it on the news.

In addition, she still does the same volunteer work she's been doing for 40 years.  I saw her interviewed, and I have a really hard time believing she's actually that old.


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## Happyflowerlady

I have loved driving for many years, and it used to be I thought nothing of making the run across Washington State to visit family on " the other side of the mountains" , as we called it back then. After I moved to Missouri, then I still made a few runs back home to visit family, but it was a lot longer trip, so not so easy to get away from home for that long.

I worked for Combined Insurance Company, and they sent us on routes, so I often put on 1000 miles in a weeks driving.
I guess it was just that vagabond spirit in me, but I was always a wanderer.  I still might be, but I don't like driving as much any more. 
Now, I only go where I need to go, and I really have to think about whether I truly need to go there. I have pretty much even stopped the Thrift Store and yard sale runs, once one of my favorite pastimes.

I suppose, eventually, I will have to quit altogether;but at least for now, I live out where there is not a lot of traffic, and I plan my driving at times when I can get there and home before rush hour. 
And I just saw that they are even building a new Walmart out close to here, so I will be able to do almost everything in one place once that opens up.


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## rkunsaw

I couldn't possibly get by without an auto out where I live. Even in town there is no bus or taxi service.

Some of our children are nearly 2,000 miles away so we still make cross country trips most years.I enjoy driving and seeing the country.


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## That Guy

SifuPhil said:


> ... so it's just my two left feet.


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## SifuPhil

That Guy said:


>



LOL! They're on for an hour tonight, from 7-8pm  -  I've got my buttered popcorn ready! 

Campy is good.


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## SeaBreeze

We've done a lot of driving over the years on our camping trips, hubby mostly drives though...great way to see the country.  I'll be driving until I have a medical issue that interferes with my safety.  But I want that decision to be mine. I also believe it's not the age of the driver, it's their ability and attitude, hot heads are never good on the roads.  

When I saw the young girl on Oprah being filmed driving with her knees so she could text, while going 70+ miles an hour, it was scary.  She said she like to go faster, as it was easier to steer.  When cellphones first came out, and they talked about banning them in cars, I was against it.  I don't like excessive regulations...but, since I've seen so many people texting while driving now, swerving over the lines, missing changing light signals, stopping two car lengths back at red lights, then jerking forward when they realize they should go, etc...I'm thinking they should do away with them while driving.

If old people need to drive slower, I accept that, as long as they are near or at the speed limit.  Of course, on the highways, they need to drive the limit and stay in the right lane if possible.  If they are fearful of highway driving, then their routes should be limited to streets only. :drive:


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## That Guy

SifuPhil said:


> Campy is good.


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## JustBonee

rkunsaw said:


> Some of our children are nearly 2,000 miles away so we still make cross country trips most years.I enjoy driving and seeing the country.



Good for you Larry,  as long as you enjoy  your trips.

I know a woman, in her 60's,  who makes cross country trips alone every year, and just loves her time on the road. She is just out for the adventure .. no family visiting. 
I couldn't imagine doing that anymore, as it wouldn't be fun to me  .. guess we all march to a beat of a different drum.


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## Katybug

Bee said:


> I live on the edge of town but I am fortunate that I have a very good bus route either way, plus I have a free bus pass which if I wanted could take me just about all over England.



You are lucky, Bee.  We have good public transportation here, but not sure whether or not it's free. 

With driver's license renewal, I've had up to 10 years before renewing.....no longer!  Now it's automatically 5 years max if you're over 65.  And that's probably a good thing, tho I don't know how they could determine much of anything in the renewal....just renewed mine in July & no test of any kind.  Perhaps it's just in speaking with you.  So if you're coherent & make any sense whatsoever in communicating, guess they just give you another 5 year pass. (wink!)


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## JustBonee

Katybug said:


> You are lucky, Bee.  We have good public transportation here, but not sure whether or not it's free.
> 
> With driver's license renewal, I've had up to 10 years before renewing.....no longer!  Now it's automatically 5 years max if you're over 65.  And that's probably a good thing, tho I don't know how they could determine much of anything in the renewal....just renewed mine in July & no test of any kind.  Perhaps it's just in speaking with you.  So if you're coherent & make any sense whatsoever in communicating, guess they just give you another 5 year pass. (wink!)



That's good Katy! .. No eye exam testing? .. I go for my renewal next year and I'm thinking they may tell me to get some glasses .. I don't wear glasses or contacts at present.  Thinking my luck might be running out with that aspect of it.. dunno.  Like my daughter said to me .. "just go get glasses!" ...:doh: ... a thought I guess ..


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## Katybug

Boo's Mom said:


> That's good Katy! .. No eye exam testing? .. I go for my renewal next year and I'm thinking they may tell me to get some glasses .. I don't wear glasses or contacts at present.  Thinking my luck might be running out with that aspect of it.. dunno.  Like my daughter said to me .. "just go get glasses!" ...:doh: ... a thought I guess ..



*My bad!  Yes, there was eye testing, but I was referring to a written or driving test that may show any form of dementia.*


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## Jackie22

I just recently went with my 93 year old mother to renew her driver's' license....was expecting a fuss....everything went well and she's still driving....limited driving, short trips close to home.


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## That Guy




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## nan

I think so long as you still have good health, you should be able to keep your licence, I think a lot of the youth the way they drive today should be tested yearly,they dont seem to have the respect for other drivers on the road like the older driver does.


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## That Guy




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