Too old to drive?

"GreenN_Gold" (GreenN_Gold) 02/26/2016 at 16:41 • Filed to: None

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I got flagged down by an old lady in the parking garage. After pointing at my own chest, like “Me? Are you pointing at me?” I walked over to see what she wanted. She said, “How do these spots work?” referring to the parking spots. (Is that a real question?) Noticing see was squeezed in a bit on her passenger side I said, “What do you mean, is the spot too narrow?”

She says, “I don’t want to scratch this car, and I don’t want to scratch my BMW.” (Yes, she brand-name dropped BMW.) She asked me to back her out, which I obliged, but the thing is, it was not that narrow. In fact, the angle she parked at required no steering input, just had to use reverse, straight out, that’s it.

Then she thanked me and I walked away, and then I proceeded to see her miss the exit for the parking garage. Drove right past it.

She might be too old to drive.

Goggles Pizzano > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 16:47

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Eyesight, hearing and physical health are just part of the problem for older drivers. Much more difficult to test are confidence and mental health.

My citroen won't start > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 16:47

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There is no such thing

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 16:52

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So I had to go to the Secretary of State (Michigan’s version of the DMZ) for something about a year or two ago, i think a new license plate or something. So I’m waiting to get my time at the counter (of course) and a woman gets called up. She’s here to review her license. Clearly 90ish

Her son who is probably 60 himself, walks up to the counter and says she’ll be right here. She slowly stands up with her walker and proceeds to take 15 minutes or so to walk to the counter. It was 15-20 feet away. Thats about a foot a minute.

She gets to the counter and fails the eye exam. Of course. Woman says she needs to get a doctors note to be able to drive. Then she gets pissed and complains about how she needs her license so she can drive around! Her son is backing this up too! So the girl behind the counter says, well you’ve got a week left on your license, use it to go get a dr’s note.

She slowly got out to her car (a few curse words and an eternity later) and drove off.

Now if she walks at 1 foot per minute, how in the HELL is she going to stop short when someone walks in front of her car? She can’t move fast enough for that.

GreenN_Gold > My citroen won't start 02/26/2016 at 17:01

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Reminds me of a joke:

“When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandpa. Not screaming in terror like his passengers.”

GreenN_Gold > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/26/2016 at 17:04

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Some elderly hold on to their license out of pride (like my grandma, who stopped driving years before she passed, but was quick to remind everyone, “I still have a license! I can drive if I want to!”) but the lady in your story meant business.

Svend > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 17:12

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An oldie, but a goodie.

Klaus Schmoll > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 17:28

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This is a topic that concerns me. I once sat in a parking garage waiting for an old lady to pull in next to me so that I could reverse out of my spot. She bent my mirror forwards, smiled at me and left. It was an older car, and these mirrors are designed for that so it was no use confrontung her. But what’s next?

In Germany, there are no mandatory health checks or anything. People pass their (not so easy) driving test at a crisp 18 and then keep their license until they die, or some relatives convince them otherwise.

I’ll give my close relatives another decade or even more until this becomes an issue. My mom will probably give it up when she feels uncomfortable on her own, my dad on a good day might even be open to it when the time comes, but with my stepdad it will be a case of “from my cold dead hands”.

With our current legislation (and of course, you won’t win elections by touching this subject) some close relative will have to snitch on him to force a medical examination. This will probably be AFTER some big incident whatsoever.

Do they have health checks in the US?

GreenN_Gold > Klaus Schmoll 02/26/2016 at 17:36

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Nope, just an eye exam.

Chariotoflove > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 17:36

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I totally forgot that one. I must start using it!

GreenN_Gold > Chariotoflove 02/26/2016 at 17:44

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It’s a good one, and people usually have to let it sink in for a second.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 17:49

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Yeah, she drove home. The son came in a different car!

JustJim > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 17:55

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Might just be the low light conditions in the garage, or she has glaucoma and has a blind spot in her right periphery. Too old? Maybe. Too blind? Probably.

Berang > Klaus Schmoll 02/26/2016 at 17:59

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Depends on the state. In some states you have to go in and pass a written test every few years, or if you forget to renew your license on time, do the whole test. In some states you just renew your license forever.

Also if you move to another state some states will make you take a driving test, others you just hand over your old ID, and they make a new on.

GreenN_Gold > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 02/26/2016 at 18:01

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Can you blame him! ; )

GreenN_Gold > JustJim 02/26/2016 at 18:03

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I guess she knows her limitations. But the exit she missed is very bright. That’s where the sun pours into the garage.

shop-teacher > Klaus Schmoll 02/26/2016 at 18:04

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It varies from state to state. In my state after a certain age (85? 90?) you have to take the drivers exam every year. Which is nice and all, but it’s a pretty easy exam.

Urambo Tauro > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 18:05

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Age is nothing. Ability is everything.

shop-teacher > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 18:08

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It was a huge and long battle to get my grand parents to stop driving. This is why I’m glad autonomous cars are coming. When I’m too old to drive, I’ll just have my robocar drive my old ass around.

GreenN_Gold > Urambo Tauro 02/26/2016 at 18:30

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And knowing is half the battle.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > GreenN_Gold 02/26/2016 at 19:13

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LOL nope

ranwhenparked > Klaus Schmoll 02/26/2016 at 20:27

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No, once you pass your test, you have your license for life. The only catch is that if you are diagnosed with a medical condition that can be considered to severely impair your driving abilities, in that case, your doctor could potentially start the procedure to have your license suspended/revoked/or restricted. Just being old and having normal old age impairments (reduced reaction time, less upper body strength, diminished reflexes, mild cognitive decline) can make you a less safe driver, but it doesn’t count as a medical condition.

ranwhenparked > My citroen won't start 02/26/2016 at 20:33

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The Queen isn’t exactly your normal 89 year old. She’s the Head of State of 16 countries, leader of an international organization of 53 countries, and the head of a major Christian church. She is still sharp as a tack and keeps a fuller and more demanding daily schedule than the typical Fortune 500 CEO, and practically runs circles around politicians half her age.

A lot of people say not retiring is one of the keys to good health, but, on the other hand, it might be that the elderly people that are able to keep working are simply the ones lucky enough to have stayed healthy in the first place. Not sure. But there is some correlation between keeping an active schedule and maintaining mental and physical capacity. You slow down, you tend to decline.

Nauraushaun > Urambo Tauro 02/27/2016 at 07:00

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Agreed. There seems to be an argument that old people still need to get places. But so do children, we don’t let them drive.

If you’re not able to drive, you shouldn’t be allowed to drive. It should be that simple.

Urambo Tauro > Nauraushaun 02/27/2016 at 12:29

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It’s been said before (but perhaps not enough) that regular driver re-testing should become mandatory once you reach retirement age. I’d like to see this become an annual requirement, but once every two years would be a good start.

And why not open that up for young drivers as well? I’ve seen ten-year-old farmhands that could easily make the switch from tractor to car if they could just hit a growth spurt to reach the pedals.

But perhaps regular re-testing should also include the rest of us. There are too many drivers who relax their efforts immediately after obtaining their license...

Nauraushaun > Urambo Tauro 02/27/2016 at 20:36

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Once every 5 or 10 years would be a good start, much better than never.

I think there’s a maturity aspect. Despite being capable, many young people should not be behind the wheel of a big powerful car.

In Australia you can’t drive unassisted until you’re 18, even that is too young for some.

Urambo Tauro > Nauraushaun 02/27/2016 at 20:43

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Good point. Now that you mention it, insurance companies do seem to favor the age of 25. I remember reading something scientific that backed that up, but I can’t recall where. It had something to do with the way the brain matures...

Nauraushaun > Urambo Tauro 02/27/2016 at 23:37

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I think it’s a hard thing to set a hard rule for. Some people mature a lot earlier than others.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > GreenN_Gold 03/01/2016 at 00:21

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my parents and grandfather convinced my grandmother to give my sister her car when she went off to college. They were able to get her to stop driving. shed’d always complain how much she used to drive and still wants to. fast forward 8 years and my mother takes her to the dmv, assuming she’ll fail the vision. somehow she passed. that only proved the test is shit. and baby boomers haven’t even hit full peak yet.