Too old to drive?

roverbarmy · 12th December 2019, 09:14

I know that it's a sticky point but I was nearly taken out by an elderly lady driver on the wrong side of the road yesterday. The windows were completely steamed up and if I hadn't stopped and flashed my headlights, she would have hit my car. She missed by about two inches!!! We had a "conversation" and she had no idea how to clear the inside of the car windows. I adjusted the controls for her and she immediately started twirling the dials again! I feel bad but reported her driving to the police. I had my one year old grandson in the car and she could have done us a lot of damage. My kids have been told to take the keys off me when they need to!

FLYING BANANA · 12th December 2019, 09:51

My late father in law called it a day at the age of 90. Kept reversing out of his drive and into either the side of a Mercedes or into the garden wall opposite. The insurance company suggested it might be an idea to give up.

trikey · 12th December 2019, 10:31

Don’t feel bad Mike, you’ve done the right thing, imagine how bad you would feel if she wipes out a family due to her driving.

roverbarmy · 12th December 2019, 10:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikey

Don’t feel bad Mike, you’ve done the right thing, imagine how bad you would feel if she wipes out a family due to her driving.

I have the video from my webcam but do not want to post it online. I've watched it again this morning. If I hadn't been driving steady (Captain slow reborn!) she would have just driven into us. As it was, I kept flashing my lights and she didn't stop, just gently steered past the front end of my car, oblivious!

RoverP480 · 12th December 2019, 11:49

Might I add that age is not really the issue but competence to drive. Competence can be affected by many medical issues be one young or old , although many are more likely to appear in the elderly . I would treat it like any other incident , don't let the age influence you reporting to police.

roverbarmy · 12th December 2019, 11:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoverP480

Might I add that age is not really the issue but competence to drive. Competence can be affected by many medical issues be one young or old , although many are more likely to appear in the elderly . I would treat it like any other incident , don't let the age influence you reporting to police.

Agreed. Competence is the most important.

roverbarmy · 12th December 2019, 15:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikey

Don’t feel bad Mike, you’ve done the right thing, imagine how bad you would feel if she wipes out a family due to her driving.

I forgot to say that this was near you whilst at my son's. Keep an eye out for the lady in the little Chevrolet near the industrial estate

!

Heddy · 12th December 2019, 16:36

Sadly, an 84 yr old lady driver hit and killed a pedestrian (another lady of the same age) in a church car park in town a few days ago.

roverbarmy · 12th December 2019, 18:18

I often wait for my good lady, whilst she does shopping etc., in car parks and see drivers who never turn their heads when reversing out of bays. They are, more often than not, elderly. I am almost 70 but will give up my car when the time comes. My elderly father had several "scrapes" before he had a major stroke, which stopped him driving. It didn't stop him trying to get to the car keys! On investigation, we were told that he had suffered several minor strokes prior to the main stroke. The doctor told us that various areas of his brain and body would have been affected by these "mini" strokes, which could appear as minor headaches or falls and / or dizzy spells, visual disturbances etc., of which he had several prior to the problem becoming very obvious.

macafee2 · 12th December 2019, 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by roverbarmy

I know that it's a sticky point but I was nearly taken out by an elderly lady driver on the wrong side of the road yesterday. The windows were completely steamed up and if I hadn't stopped and flashed my headlights, she would have hit my car. She missed by about two inches!!! We had a "conversation" and she had no idea how to clear the inside of the car windows. I adjusted the controls for her and she immediately started twirling the dials again! I feel bad but reported her driving to the police. I had my one year old grandson in the car and she could have done us a lot of damage. My kids have been told to take the keys off me when they need to!

what do the statistics say about accidents and age?
A bad driver is a bad driver, the woman should not be banned due to age but if necessary due to incompetence.

post the dash cam footage on you tube, others do

you can report to DVLA but do not expect them to do much, in fact, I'd say reporting to DVLA is as useful as an ashtray on a motorcycle

macafee2

12th December 2019, 09:14	#1
roverbarmy This is my second home Roverless + 1.7D Sportage Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: East Norfolk Posts: 7,050 Thanks: 729 Thanked 2,021 Times in 1,449 Posts	Too old to drive? I know that it's a sticky point but I was nearly taken out by an elderly lady driver on the wrong side of the road yesterday. The windows were completely steamed up and if I hadn't stopped and flashed my headlights, she would have hit my car. She missed by about two inches!!! We had a "conversation" and she had no idea how to clear the inside of the car windows. I adjusted the controls for her and she immediately started twirling the dials again! I feel bad but reported her driving to the police. I had my one year old grandson in the car and she could have done us a lot of damage. My kids have been told to take the keys off me when they need to! __________________ Oil in my veins!

12th December 2019, 09:51	#2
FLYING BANANA Moderator/Club Shop MG ZT 1.8t+. No.3 of 4 in Sunspot Yellow & Ford Fiesta in Black. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Rattler Farm Posts: 22,560 Thanks: 9,270 Thanked 15,645 Times in 6,806 Posts	My late father in law called it a day at the age of 90. Kept reversing out of his drive and into either the side of a Mercedes or into the garden wall opposite. The insurance company suggested it might be an idea to give up. __________________ 233,431. That’s our second meet done, no.3 next weekend. onen hag oll

12th December 2019, 10:31	#3
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,766 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	Don’t feel bad Mike, you’ve done the right thing, imagine how bad you would feel if she wipes out a family due to her driving. __________________ Lest we forget..

12th December 2019, 18:18	#9
roverbarmy This is my second home Roverless + 1.7D Sportage Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: East Norfolk Posts: 7,050 Thanks: 729 Thanked 2,021 Times in 1,449 Posts	I often wait for my good lady, whilst she does shopping etc., in car parks and see drivers who never turn their heads when reversing out of bays. They are, more often than not, elderly. I am almost 70 but will give up my car when the time comes. My elderly father had several "scrapes" before he had a major stroke, which stopped him driving. It didn't stop him trying to get to the car keys! On investigation, we were told that he had suffered several minor strokes prior to the main stroke. The doctor told us that various areas of his brain and body would have been affected by these "mini" strokes, which could appear as minor headaches or falls and / or dizzy spells, visual disturbances etc., of which he had several prior to the problem becoming very obvious. __________________ Oil in my veins!

12th December 2019, 11:49	#5
RoverP480 Gets stuck in None at the moment Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Hereford Posts: 501 Thanks: 1 Thanked 165 Times in 146 Posts	Might I add that age is not really the issue but competence to drive. Competence can be affected by many medical issues be one young or old , although many are more likely to appear in the elderly . I would treat it like any other incident , don't let the age influence you reporting to police.

12th December 2019, 16:36	#8
Heddy This is my second home None Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: None Posts: 5,556 Thanks: 465 Thanked 1,161 Times in 924 Posts	Sadly, an 84 yr old lady driver hit and killed a pedestrian (another lady of the same age) in a church car park in town a few days ago.