elderly drivers

I had a car written off by an elderly woman crashing into me.

I was coming out of a minor road into a major road on green at the traffic lights, when the elderly woman on the major road was driving through a red light and smashed into my driver’s side as I was turning right.

After the impact hit me inwards, the force jolting back the other way meant I twatted my head against the open widow frame and was in a right state. Like I’d been twatted over the head with a metal bar.

It was an unaware mistake by the driver, she wasn’t speeding or anything. I felt sorry for her more than anything. I wonder if the answer is to have drivers over a certain age have to have a passenger with them or whether we should bring in compulsory driving tests every ten years or something?

It wasn’t as bad as some wanker in a Subaru Impreza who crashed into the back of me once doing 60 on a 40 road. That **** could have killed me and I wanted to rip his head off after it, thankfully there were people there to calm me down. The twat still claimed it wasn’t his fault afterwards.
 
Scottyboi said:
What is this thread about? Make one about young drivers if you want.
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The thread is about elderly drivers and based upon the first post if they should be on the roads. The only way to determine if they should or shouldn’t is by comparison to the wider community of motorists. You do that by looking at statistics which show if they really do pose a substantially higher risk. The data shows that they do pose a higher risk which is of a similar level to that posed by young drivers.
If you don’t use the data then it’s subject to experience bias and/or confirmation bias.
 
Not sure of regs in UK but as an older person in Spain (in my 80s) I reapply every 5 years.
DVLA equivelant in our local city then give me a medical at their offices including eye tests.
This is followed by a computer test of my steering skills and a computer test of my reaction and timing skills.
They photograph me again then send results to their main offices and eventually my further 5 year licence arrives in the post.
During this waiting period a solicitor verifies the process issuing a temporary signed and stamped A4 sheet which serves as a driving licence.
Edit
Forgot to mention that this the procedure for Spanish Driving licenses, since Brexit a UK driving licence has to be changed to Spanish within a short period of time otherwise a Spanish full road test must occur.
 
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Hints of denial from some of the FOCs on here.....

My oldies have just bought a new car. They are 76/77 yo. They do seem aware that driving days are numbered. They bought this car on the basis its the last one. And they already avoid driving at night.

One of my neighbours has only just given up in his mid 90s (no one knows how old he actually is lol). I was behind him in his car last summer and he kind of feels his way along bumping into the curb. Frightening to watch.
 
Kompany Car said:
The thread is about elderly drivers and based upon the first post if they should be on the roads. The only way to determine if they should or shouldn’t is by comparison to the wider community of motorists. You do that by looking at statistics which show if they really do pose a substantially higher risk. The data shows that they do pose a higher risk which is of a similar level to that posed by young drivers.
If you don’t use the data then it’s subject to experience bias and/or confirmation bias.
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A higher risk per mile they drive.

That’s an interesting statistical device. However, it hides the fact that you’ve much less chance of being hit by an FOC than by a younger driver.
 
sir baconface said:
A higher risk per mile they drive.

That’s an interesting statistical device. However, it hides the fact that you’ve much less chance of being hit by an FOC than by a younger driver.
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Fun fact.

In the gov website they have data on the severity of crashes per age of driver.

You are more likely to be killed if hit by an older driver than a you get hit by a younger driver.
 
bluethrunthru said:
saw my Dad today - he is not in the best of shape thanks to diabetes but he has just bought a new Audi Q2 ????

Brother in Law persuaded his dad to pack in at 92 after two accidents in a year - the second was going straight over a roundabout and through the fence and beer garden and hitting the Lancashire Fold pub in Middleton causing damage

We had an old guy over the way from us a few years ago who has passed now but his condition meant that he couldn't really look over his shoulder and he almost went on to the opposite neighbours lawn when reversing off his drive - but someone could have been on that pavement

So question is - do we rely on Doctors to report to the DVLA - which they really don't - to stop people driving. Should we rely on drivers self reporting or should we rely on re-testing elderly drivers given there is a backlog of tests?
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Doctors DO report to dvla. Took my mates licence off him after he had a funny turn. This meant he could not work as usual.
 
Bluesince1979 said:
Its horrible when they have to admit its time. Had it with my nanna, she was coming home with a new bump every time she went out. And the row that followed was like the ones above. Its taking away there freedom.

Her doctor in many ways was a complete prick and and him encouraging her to drive for as long as possible , whilst only having her word that she was still safe, was just another example.

I do a lot of driving with work and its a good few times a week that i look at an elderly driver and think “fuck me he shouldn't be in that car”.

Yes of course there are bad drivers of all ages and young lads speeding around in their suped up piles of shite are equally as cuntish, but they grow out of that
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Or hit a tree...
 
Gaudion M said:
Fun fact.

In the gov website they have data on the severity of crashes per age of driver.

You are more likely to be killed if hit by an older driver than a you get hit by a younger driver.
Click to expand...
With the improvement of software and metrics in cars, one of the most stark things is the amount of 'the car just went forward' claims by elderly automatic drivers that can be found factually (rather than logically) to be down to: 'you pressed the accelerator, not the brake'
 
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