2 old 2 drive

im sure everyone in here has witnessed somebody in a car do somthing so completely wreckless you have to stop and see who it is; then you peek in and see the usual old grey haired man or lady driving. now i have nothing against old people- i always respect my elders but i think they should be evaluated when they reach a certain age to make sure it will be safe for them to drive on the road. Just last week i was at the mall and i saw this old woman backing up to leave. there were people behind her but she kept backing. she acually hit them (but she was only going like 2 mph). in another situation an elderly man was driving down the wrong side of the road! and there are alot more but my point is when youre driving down the road your life is in everyone on the road's hands and if they are'nt in top condition to drive safely they indanger you and themselves. thats just my opinion, voice yours.

This is a familiar rant. However, I submit that all people should be retested every eight years. I've seen a lot of bad drivers on the road - old, young and someplace in between.

This is a familiar rant. However, I submit that all people should be retested every eight years. I've seen a lot of bad drivers on the road - old, young and someplace in between.
:iamwithst

i believe the tests should be more difficult in the first place. retesting as early as age 60 may be necessary for some.

And they should have to re-take the eye exam also :iceslolan

or a sufficient medical exam should be required to adequately test eye sight, reflexes and such. if they don't pass, their license gets revoked.

Personally I feel the age you should have to retake the test is 45. My dad is 45 and ive noticed a significant decrease in his driving skills. I feel that at 60 the licences should automatically be suspened until a drivers test is taken

I agree... 60 sounds about right to start making people retake their driving test.
-Jimmy

They should start requiring periodic driving tests for drivers once they reach at least 60, no later.

Yogs's idea is a pretty good one also.

My father is 60 and still drives OK. The only problem I can see is he drives a little slow, but that might just be me. :D Slow cars for slow thinkers. ;)

Sure there are still some good drives who are older, to me, from the older drivers I know, 45 is around the age you start getting careless, forgetting shoulder checks, changing lane without signaling a few times so perhaps take the test just as a quick refresher, most of my on the job certifications have to be renwed every 3 years so ii feel you should have to have a little refresher once you start making the odd mistake. Most of the major traffic hazards i have seen are older (60 +) people who probably think they know what they are doing, though after time they have forgotten the rules. This is when it starts getting dangerous so these people should be tested, if they fail then there was a reason they failed, if they pass then they are road worthy and it cost you what 30 minutes at the most.

I've seen bad drivers of all ages on the road. Mandatory periodic retesting as Yogs suggested would be a good idea. For example, every 5-10 years when you get you license renewed, you would take a road test as well. $20 every 5-10 years for a road test wouldn't break the bank. Of course the licensing centre would be a lot busier, but then they could just hire more people. I just solved driver safety and unemployment in one fell swoop. I should be Prime Minister.

This thread is about old drivers after all, so I won't disappoint by not bringing forth a story. Imagine a narrow rectangular parking lot jammed inbetween two buildings; there is a row of stalls on the right and a very narrow manuvering lane along the left. I was parked in the stall second from the end, after which there is a large brick wall.

I am about to back out of the stall when an old lady drives up behind me looking for a spot. Discovering there are no available spots for parking, and that she has reached the end of the lot, she decides to turn around. Then she noticed I was trying to back out and decided to take my spot when I left. Here is where we run into a problem. I can't back out because she is directly behind me. Finally becoming aware to the logistical problems involved in this parking operation, the lady decides to move out of my way. However, instead of simply backing up towards the exit, she decides to manuver to my left, which resulted in her being in a parallel parking position with the car directly beside me to my left. So now I can back up, but I can't do the required quarter turn to get myself out of the lot, unless I felt like turning the other direction and reversing out of the lot and onto the street. Due to the horrible design of the parking lot, and the fact another car had pulled into the lot and was effectivly blocking the exit, this was not a viable option. Determined to leave, despite the old woman's imprudent efforts, I backed out of the stall and managed to turn a few degrees towards my goal while avoiding a collision. Satisfied with her plan, the old woman then proceeded to drive into the stall I had recently vacated, while I was still directly infront of the stall. Despite the frustration borderlining on blind rage I was feeling at the time, I managed to accomplish a perfect 16 point turn which, on recent reflection, I feel should be a mandatory manuver on driving tests.

Pfft.
Should young drivers be PROPERLY tested before being granted a licence? They are more likely to kill themselves on the road than over 60s (I believe that is reflected in statistics). Or more pertinently, should AF members have to pass an English test before being allowed to post?

For sure some senior citizens shouldn't be driving but I'd have to say the same about every young hoon in my neighbourhood.

P.S. Sean, who you trying to fool with that sig? Definitely nobody who has heard of a status bar. Besides, it's been done before. In fact the joke may be on you because, the logout button isn't working properly, or has it been fixed?

Everytime you get your lisence renewed, you take test.
Parking, driving, eyes,ect..
you fail, buy bus pass or bike.
I have been cut off (almost hit) mistaken for a lane ect by lots of drivers young and old. Keep it fair.

might seem a little to strict, but i think every time you go to renew your lisence you should have to retake the test. they should make the test harder too...especially for people in SUV's...make them do the manuverability test in one of those

it doesnt take an old person to be a bad driver...


i think that they shouldnt be allowed to mail in their drivers liscense renewall forms. if you are trying to get it renewed, at least drive to the damn place!

My uncle in florida went and got is renewed at the DMV in his town, it was a couple days after he fell off a ladder, broke his collar bone, wrist(both) his arm, and one of his ankles. in his picture, you can see the casts on him.. now there is a situation where they should say "no can do"

but all state governments care about is their money, all the insurance people care about is there money, etc etc..

BAn? No.


Retest? God yes. That goes for everyone.

Sure there are still some good drives who are older, to me, from the older drivers I know, 45 is around the age you start getting careless, forgetting shoulder checks, changing lane without signaling a few times ...
Really, at 45 years old. Funny but I see alot of young drivers doing the same exact thing and some also in between. I agree with Sean that if you are renewing your license every 4 years that they should make you retake the road test also. It might be a burden to some, but it would reduce do some degree the reckless drivers out there in all age groups.

Pfft.
Should young drivers be PROPERLY tested before being granted a licence? They are more likely to kill themselves on the road than over 60s (I believe that is reflected in statistics). Or more pertinently, should AF members have to pass an English test before being allowed to post?Have you seen some of the postings lately in AF. Maybe we should. :banghead:

they should make the test harder too...especially for people in SUV's...make them do the manuverability test in one of those:wtf: How did the suv folks get dragged into this?

I do believe this "old people should be retested" stuff was brought up before in numerous other threads and one member pointed it out that even if they tried to make older folks redo the test only, that the AARP would have a field day with it in the courts.

TS out

Really, at 45 years old. Funny but I see alot of young drivers doing the same exact thing and some also in between. I agree with Sean that if you are renewing your license every 4 years that they should make you retake the road test also. It might be a burden to some, but it would reduce do some degree the reckless drivers out there in all age groups.

Im just saying that i have noticed at around the age of 45 people tend to think they know everything about driving so they start to make a few mistakes. Im not saying that the age should be lowered to 45, im saying that at 45 you should take the test just to check your skills and maybe a quick kick in the ass so you remember all the rules of the road. I think at 60 the test should be manditory. Im not the best driver, and ill admit ive made my fair share of mistakes too, but when i know ive made one I look it up to learn from my mistake, i see alot of older people who make them and dont care cause they think they are right.

Fair point ghostguy but that kind of attitude is independant of age. Sadly it is just how a certain percentage of the population think.

:wtf: How did the suv folks get dragged into this?


lol...sorry. after several near-death experiences involving SUV's i say something bad about em whenever i get the chance

P.S. Sean, who you trying to fool with that sig? Definitely nobody who has heard of a status bar. Besides, it's been done before. In fact the joke may be on you because, the logout button isn't working properly, or has it been fixed?

A good effort champ. I'm not going to be tricked that easily. :icon16:

I think there should be a mandatory drivers education course for every new driver.

People can get a license too easily these days. A driver's education course is not mandatory here.

In Ontario, it goes like this:
1- You read a small book about the basics of driving, you pay a fee and write a test. You are granted a learners' permit.
2- You pay a larger fee and take a basic road test. You are granted a probationary license.
3- You pay yet another large fee and take another road test, but this time, partly on the highway. (ooooohhh) You are granted a full license.

Is it just me, or does this just seem like a way to charge more fees? There is no actual learning process.... it's more like a "if you're not a complete retard, we'll let you loose on the roadways" type of deal. Doesn't that instill confidence? :rolleyes: What happened to teaching? If people don't learn how to drive properly in the first place, how are we to ensure competent road-goers in the future? The people that they are learning from are the ones that are now getting older, and are more forgetful of proper road rules... or someone who already has bad driving habits. (as most of us do) I am not immune to being a dick behind the wheel from time to time. (see sig)

We should have in place, a mandatory drivers ed course that covers everything from A to Z... from getting into the drivers' seat, to emergency car control. Make them learn the right way from the beginning. Get rid of all that multi-level-fee-paying-crap, and put in place a competent teach-me-to-drive-properly type of deal, and we'll see how the roads improve.

As for re-testing, that should be done also. (how often, I'm not sure) People have a tendency to pick up poor driving habits as years go by. If it causes a person like me to lose my license.... so be it. When I learn to drive like a civilized human being again, I'll get my license back.

I'm done, :2cents: - Bry.