Pete Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 My father voluntarily quit driving in his late eighties. But we had to take HIS father's license, keys, and car away from him in his nineties. He became a danger to himself and others, and couldn't drive anywhere without getting lost. He was not happy with us. He would always say, "But I've been driving since I was 13!" Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) My dad quit driving at night in his late 80's. He quit driving completely at 94 and said he didn't feel as confident as he used to be and didn't want to hurt anyone. Actually, he didn't drive too badly, a lot better than some of the idiots on the road, but for him he knew it was time. He gave me his car just to make sure. I gladly drove him everywhere. Edited September 28, 2020 by RobertKB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 On 9/28/2020 at 8:56 AM, RobertKB said: . . . He quit driving completely at 94 and said he didn't feel as confident as he used to be . . . I'm just 65 and I sure don't feel as confident. Not at all! Mainly it's the eyes, but arthritis doesn't help. I used to ride motorcycles almost 140 MPH and I won't go over 70 anymore. Even in the truck. In fact, since retirement I haven't felt the need to rush anywhere fast. Been there, survived it, got the t-shirt, and now I can poke along in the slow lane, without remorse or regret, in my dottage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Ulu said: in my dottage. what kind of fern' car is that...? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old CWO Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 (edited) To combat this and not be "ageist" perhaps states could require everyone to periodically retake both the written and practical driving exam. Let's face it, there are a fairly high number of not old people who are dangerous drivers as well. It is true that as we age our cognitive abilities decline. Certainly at different rates for different folks, but it happens. Better to have a dispassionate way to gently find out perhaps you shouldn't be driving anymore. I have moved to different states eight times since the age of 16; you know how many times I have demonstrated driving competence to get a new or renewed license since then? None. Not sure that's such a great idea. I mean if we are forced into paying for bloated motor vehicle departments, is it too much to ask that they have some method of checking driver competency while picking our pockets? Motorhomes and large towables would probably benefit from a special category that require additional operator requirements similar to a motorcycle. Edited September 30, 2020 by Old CWO grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linus6948 Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 (edited) One of the hardest things I ever had to do was take my 92 year old father`s car keys away. He lived in Queens NY and all the traffic lights got equipped with cameras and special unmanned suvs would be parked and clock your speed and take pictures as you speed by. After he racked up 4 red light camera tickets and 3 robot car speeding tickets in a matter of months it was time. He always drove fast and the amber traffic light meant nail the gas pedal for him to beat the red light and the camera always won. Still it was hard to take those keys away from my old man, but it would have been harder to answer to some mother of a child he ran over while speeding and running lights as to why I hadn`t done it sooner. Edited September 30, 2020 by linus6948 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted September 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 25 minutes ago, Old CWO said: Motorhomes and large towables would probably benefit from a special category that require additional operator requirements similar to a motorcycle. I have to agree with this. I know there is a certain level where a special license is required ... but a 30' motor home should fit under some sort of testing & qualifications. I think they set motorhomes in classes, class A, Class B, Class C. Where a Class C is a volkswagon van with a pop top and a kitchen & bed. No special requirement for a class c, but a 30' class A I think it would not be unreasonable to take a test. My uncle was 81, I was the lucky person to take a ride with him on his last drive. I had not seen him for some few years while I talked to him regularly on the phone. I lived out of state. So while visiting he gave me a ride ... Technically he was legally blind. It was like riding with mister Magoo. He was chatting and he did stop at the stop signs and then pull out in front of oncoming traffic, then wandered back and forth between lanes ... horns blasting everywhere. He admitted to himself he should not drive, and never drove again. It is a issue that we all will face if we live long enough. We will all have different reasons why we stop driving. I hope we all have the common sense to call it when the time comes, not argue with others and wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 Here in NY we need to have a special endorsement on our license to operate a motorcycle, operate for pay or to carry passengers. Each endorsement requires a specific road test on the type of vehicle being requested. In the case of the MC, you needed a special Lerner's permit and an accompanying MC licensed operator with you to ride on your permit before the endorsement was issued following your road test. Any thing bigger than a van sized vehicle should be treated the same as a motor cycle. And don't even get me started on people towing, fifth wheels, goosenecks, and big boats on trailers. Hell you need a commercial license, and a wide load permit to deliver a 10 by 10 storage shed, but any knuckle head can hook up his diesel 3/4 ton pickup to his 24 ft pontoon boat and go merrily down the road. Who is in charge of this stuff?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted September 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 I agree totally @greg g I remember A retarded gentleman that I really thought should not drive. He was retarded and worked for the good will for $1.68 a hour, collected social security and had a recycle route. He would drive around and pickup old news papers and scrap metals in his spare time. At one time, he was forced into re-taking his drivers test because of accumulated driving citations. I admit some of us thought it was for the best, it was time to take him off the road ... He would drive down the road at 15 mph in a 40 mph road and not very stable at that. He showed up for his driving test in a 1978 pinto, there was no front bumper and the turn signals were hanging by the wires and pointing at the ground. There were so many air holes in the floor it was ridiculous, the horn was a wire that ... the car was full of trash ... We thought this will be the end of it, he will now start taking the bus. Less then 5 minutes they returned and passed his driving test. Honestly the car was illegal and not qualify for a road test. When I was 16, my mother went blind from diabetes and through many trials she ended up working at the good will, She met big Al and they became a team. You can imagine why I & my sisters not want him to drive my mother riding with him. We absolutely could not believe when they passed him with that old pinto. This is personal opinions from people not following the rules and regulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 9 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said: what kind of fern' car is that...? Not so rare as you must imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 Seems to me there was an octogenarian in Iowa who drove his lawn mower more than 100mikes to visit a brother. I wonder if he had a license? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 8 hours ago, Ulu said: Not so rare as you must imagine. well, you got one too many T's in that spelling I am thinking.....changes the game quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hiebert Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 7 hours ago, pflaming said: Seems to me there was an octogenarian in Iowa who drove his lawn mower more than 100mikes to visit a brother. I wonder if he had a license? I remember that story. He did not, but I don't remember why. His brother couldn't drive anything at all. That's why he took the lawn mower. He used roads that allowed farm equipment, which in Iowa includes lawn mowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 if I recall we had a famous country singer who knowing he was drunk drove his lawn mower instead of the car/truck...got a drunk driving ticket just the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted October 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 pretty common to see riding mowers running around the town here, usually to go cut a friends yard for them ... If you buy a pallet of roofing shingles from the lumber yard, they deliver it to your house with the fork lift. I need to put in a 2nd gate so I can get my riding mower from front to back yard ... mean time I just drive down the alley and around the block Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said: well, you got one too many T's in that spelling I am thinking.....changes the game quickly. Well I spell a word anyway I want, and you are quite welcome to understand it anyway that you want. Big ? Edited October 1, 2020 by Ulu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulu Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 What you see above is what happens if I am dictating to my phone and I say “big smiley face”. It gives me the regular smiley face and writes the word big in front of it. Regular old? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 did you check both spelling definitions.....? the urban puts a not so good twist to your word.....? 29 minutes ago, Ulu said: Well I spell a word anyway I want, and you are quite welcome to understand it anyway that you want. Big ? On 9/30/2020 at 12:46 PM, Ulu said: I'm just 65 and I sure don't feel as confident. Not at all! Mainly it's the eyes, but arthritis doesn't help. I used to ride motorcycles almost 140 MPH and I won't go over 70 anymore. Even in the truck. In fact, since retirement I haven't felt the need to rush anywhere fast. Been there, survived it, got the t-shirt, and now I can poke along in the slow lane, without remorse or regret, in my dottage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 I’ve been following this thread. My observation and polite advice based upon the accounts in the thread and personal experience is this.is this. Look closely at your family, the fruit does not fall far from the tree, your family history while not definitive IS very revealing. When I passed 80,my energy level reduced by half in six months. Look at tour history and finish all your projects five or more earlier so you can really relax in the waning years. I am caught with two nearly finished vehicles which before age 80 I could easily finish in a couple of days. JMHO, fwiw. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 Sometimes I'll be telling my wife about some experience I recently had. It starts with "there was this old couple..." Lately I've been stopping after I get that far because I realize that the "old couple" look like they are my age. Pete 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 we had an addled older gentleman at Lowes yesterday....if not addled, he was the most rude and selfish person I have seen in a while...he should have been escorted by an abled mind and body...sad part is he was driving...coming in the exit...blocking the entrance not once but twice....goes to the head of the line for service in total disregard for waiting customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooljunkie Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 17 hours ago, pflaming said: I’ve been following this thread. My observation and polite advice based upon the accounts in the thread and personal experience is this.is this. Look closely at your family, the fruit does not fall far from the tree, your family history while not definitive IS very revealing. When I passed 80,my energy level reduced by half in six months. Look at tour history and finish all your projects five or more earlier so you can really relax in the waning years. I am caught with two nearly finished vehicles which before age 80 I could easily finish in a couple of days. JMHO, fwiw. Im 56, my brother is 63. Hes lived the longest of the men in my family for a few generations. dad passed at 53. Way i see it i’m on borrowed time. I will do what i do until i can’t. Until then, the projects will keep going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.