Ideas to stop an old driver

SCP440 · 23rd November 2017, 07:07

My Mothers husband is in his late 70's and should have stopped driving a few years ago, the problem is he does not agree. He thinks it is fine to pull our in front of cars, drive at 30mph on a clear A road and spend 15 mins parking the car and it still looks like he has abandoned it. Sitting in the car with as a passenger I do fear for my life. I had to put two front tyres on it recently as he had curbed them so badly they had bulges and the tracking was a yard out.

I will get the car soon for its annual service and MOT, what can I do without it be obvious that I have sabotaged the car. My MOT guy will fail the car no problem but he could take it somewhere else and then there will be repercussions.

The car is a Suzuki SX4. My thoughts are water in the oil and oil in the water to fake a head gasket or possible cracked head. Oil in the petrol so it smokes and does fail the MOT on hydrocarbons.

I don't really want to be to drastic but the car is only worth £1500 to £2000, my worry is he will kill somebody. I had thought about sand in the oil but that just seems wrong.

Thanks in advance.

Georgies Dad · 23rd November 2017, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCP440

My Mothers husband is in his late 70's and should have stopped driving a few years ago, the problem is he does not agree. He thinks it is fine to pull our in front of cars, drive at 30mph on a clear A road and spend 15 mins parking the car and it still looks like he has abandoned it. Sitting in the car with as a passenger I do fear for my life. I had to put two front tyres on it recently as he had curbed them so badly they had bulges and the tracking was a yard out.

I will get the car soon for its annual service and MOT, what can I do without it be obvious that I have sabotaged the car. My MOT guy will fail the car no problem but he could take it somewhere else and then there will be repercussions.

The car is a Suzuki SX4. My thoughts are water in the oil and oil in the water to fake a head gasket or possible cracked head. Oil in the petrol so it smokes and does fail the MOT on hydrocarbons.

I don't really want to be to drastic but the car is only worth £1500 to £2000, my worry is he will kill somebody. I had thought about sand in the oil but that just seems wrong.

Thanks in advance.

Have a quiet word with his Doctor,to see if he is fit to drive,it could be something as simple as his medication of eyesight

Snetty · 23rd November 2017, 07:17

Eventually stopped my mother from driving after a few too many scrapes, by explaining the consequences of another scrape involving a child. However I am still blamed for taking her independence away.
It is a problem and imho a regular medical or quick driving assessment should be mandatory after a certain age.

ratchet · 23rd November 2017, 07:24

If you sabotage his car he'll probably buy another.

The only thing you can do is to report him to the DVLA, but that is likely to fail if his doctor doesn't agree with you.

Nick Greg · 23rd November 2017, 07:29

Very difficult situation. Thankfully both of my uncles had a light bulb moment one day and simply gave me the keys!

RPWC · 23rd November 2017, 07:31

Don’t sabotage the car, that is criminal damage. Best going through the official channels. What does your mother think? I take it he isn’t your step father by the way you opened your post? If so then it needs to come from a person closer, ie your mother, get her to speak to him or the doctor.

AndyN01 · 23rd November 2017, 07:33

Definitely +1 for an eyesight check.

He may have some problems which mean he can't see too well which is what makes him drive so "slowly" and is unable to park.

The GP for a "health check" is a good idea also.

This type of situation is always extremely difficult.

I do know of someone who simply took the car keys away but the fall out was very unpleasant.

Sorry I can't come up with some nice easy solution (apart from my soapbox of mandatory retesting which puts the decision in the hands of the "examiner" but that isn't going to help now).

Good Luck.

Andy.

.

planenut · 23rd November 2017, 08:52

Hmm, awkward, I've given this a lot of thought, I've checked on the legalities, and checked the DVLA site ............................er, good luck.

Darcydog · 23rd November 2017, 09:04

I’m dead against sabotaging the car in any way! If he takes the damaged car out and has an accident either due to the damage or even if the damage is found as a consequence of any investigation - then the brown smelly stuff would hit a fan facing in your direction.

Best to report it to his Dr. But do it so there is a record of your concern. Too easy for a Surgery to smile sweetly at you and do nothing. But if you insist that you consider the driver to be dangerous - and it is on record - then the onus falls on them.

macafee2 · 23rd November 2017, 10:14

Try DVLA.
Try police.
vandalism is not the right way.
Inform his insurance company every time he hits something, even if its the curb and damages a tyre. They may hike his premium so he may decided not to drive or refuse to insure him

macafee2

23rd November 2017, 07:07	#1
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	Ideas to stop an old driver My Mothers husband is in his late 70's and should have stopped driving a few years ago, the problem is he does not agree. He thinks it is fine to pull our in front of cars, drive at 30mph on a clear A road and spend 15 mins parking the car and it still looks like he has abandoned it. Sitting in the car with as a passenger I do fear for my life. I had to put two front tyres on it recently as he had curbed them so badly they had bulges and the tracking was a yard out. I will get the car soon for its annual service and MOT, what can I do without it be obvious that I have sabotaged the car. My MOT guy will fail the car no problem but he could take it somewhere else and then there will be repercussions. The car is a Suzuki SX4. My thoughts are water in the oil and oil in the water to fake a head gasket or possible cracked head. Oil in the petrol so it smokes and does fail the MOT on hydrocarbons. I don't really want to be to drastic but the car is only worth £1500 to £2000, my worry is he will kill somebody. I had thought about sand in the oil but that just seems wrong. Thanks in advance.

23rd November 2017, 07:31	#6
RPWC This is my second home 75 model car Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 20,177 Thanks: 4,008 Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts	Don’t sabotage the car, that is criminal damage. Best going through the official channels. What does your mother think? I take it he isn’t your step father by the way you opened your post? If so then it needs to come from a person closer, ie your mother, get her to speak to him or the doctor. __________________ Cheers. Rich…

23rd November 2017, 07:33	#7
AndyN01 This is my second home Toyota RAV4 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tamworth Posts: 3,070 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,579 Times in 968 Posts	Definitely +1 for an eyesight check. He may have some problems which mean he can't see too well which is what makes him drive so "slowly" and is unable to park. The GP for a "health check" is a good idea also. This type of situation is always extremely difficult. I do know of someone who simply took the car keys away but the fall out was very unpleasant. Sorry I can't come up with some nice easy solution (apart from my soapbox of mandatory retesting which puts the decision in the hands of the "examiner" but that isn't going to help now). Good Luck. Andy. . __________________ Andy. http://www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk/

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23rd November 2017, 07:17	#3
Snetty Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ingoldisthorpe Posts: 1,114 Thanks: 731 Thanked 415 Times in 274 Posts	Eventually stopped my mother from driving after a few too many scrapes, by explaining the consequences of another scrape involving a child. However I am still blamed for taking her independence away. It is a problem and imho a regular medical or quick driving assessment should be mandatory after a certain age.

23rd November 2017, 07:24	#4
ratchet Posted a thing or two ZT-T + CTDI Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Gone walkabout Posts: 1,185 Thanks: 179 Thanked 361 Times in 289 Posts	If you sabotage his car he'll probably buy another. The only thing you can do is to report him to the DVLA, but that is likely to fail if his doctor doesn't agree with you.

23rd November 2017, 07:29	#5
Nick Greg Posted a thing or two Honda Insight Hybrid Join Date: May 2015 Location: Brighouse Posts: 1,157 Thanks: 691 Thanked 424 Times in 280 Posts	Very difficult situation. Thankfully both of my uncles had a light bulb moment one day and simply gave me the keys!

23rd November 2017, 08:52	#8
planenut Regional Secretary Rover 1.8T Tourer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Heathrow Posts: 6,948 Thanks: 1,551 Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts	Hmm, awkward, I've given this a lot of thought, I've checked on the legalities, and checked the DVLA site ............................er, good luck.

23rd November 2017, 09:04	#9
Darcydog This is my second home Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 5,428 Thanks: 3,123 Thanked 3,170 Times in 2,096 Posts	I’m dead against sabotaging the car in any way! If he takes the damaged car out and has an accident either due to the damage or even if the damage is found as a consequence of any investigation - then the brown smelly stuff would hit a fan facing in your direction. Best to report it to his Dr. But do it so there is a record of your concern. Too easy for a Surgery to smile sweetly at you and do nothing. But if you insist that you consider the driver to be dangerous - and it is on record - then the onus falls on them.

23rd November 2017, 10:14	#10
macafee2 This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon & Tourer Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Lincoln Posts: 14,912 Thanks: 1,630 Thanked 3,032 Times in 2,181 Posts	Try DVLA. Try police. vandalism is not the right way. Inform his insurance company every time he hits something, even if its the curb and damages a tyre. They may hike his premium so he may decided not to drive or refuse to insure him macafee2