DRIVE BRICK Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 I think you may be right there. Although i stick by my stereotype of the m&s shopper, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I'm not sure drivers in their 50s are so bad, but there are some old people (70+) that clearly aren't safe to drive any more. I think regular testing should be introduced, everyone should have to retake their test every 10 years. Shorter intervals for older drivers. Older drivers do have to reapply for their licence after certain age already I believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anywebsite Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 How exactly do you know that drivers have dementia and are still driving in order to ascertain that they are on same road as you? The only person I know who has been diagnosed with dementia had his licence revoked. If you don't personally know of this then don't assume. A not very close relative of mine was driving with Parkinson's. I'm sure he's not the only person to have ever done it. It also seems to be the only explanation for a lot of the things I see & have to avoid while driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRIVE BRICK Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 a not very close relative of mine was driving with parkinson's. I'm sure he's not the only person to have ever done it. i expect that a lot of older drivers are driving with all the age related problems, and dont know they have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 A not very close relative of mine was driving with Parkinson's. I'm sure he's not the only person to have ever done it. Parkinsons does not affect your mental state but can give you the shakes, depends how severe it was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anywebsite Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Older drivers do have to reapply for their licence after certain age already I believe Yes, but the never need to do another driving test, they just get a form stamped by a doctor every few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Exactly...is it inability?, fear?, laziness? Sometimes it's a blind insistence that "the inside lane is for lorries." I've actually heard people say so. We came across a spectacular example of "middle lane driver" on our way down south yesterday. We were in the middle lane temporarily to allow people from the service station to rejoin - it didn't help, because the car in question pulled onto the motorway at 20mph and moved immediately into the middle lane despite the inside lane being clear for half a mile. We were lucky there was nothing in the outside lane at the time so we were able to avoid it. I kept my eye on the car for the next few miles, and not only did it never move from the middle lane, the driver clearly had only one driving policy, which was "speed up until you reach the car ahead of you and then follow it." The speed varied from 40mph to 85mph every time the car ahead of it pulled out of the middle lane to leave a gap! (For the record, the wife was driving so me watching another car intently did not cause a problem.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Parkinsons does not affect your mental state but can give you the shakes, depends how severe it was Fair comment. In the advanced stages of Parkinson's you wouldn't be able to even turn the key to start the engine, let alone drive. In the very early stages, it would not impair your driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denlin Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Sometimes it's a blind insistence that "the inside lane is for lorries." I've actually heard people say so. We came across a spectacular example of "middle lane driver" on our way down south yesterday. We were in the middle lane temporarily to allow people from the service station to rejoin - it didn't help, because the car in question pulled onto the motorway at 20mph and moved immediately into the middle lane despite the inside lane being clear for half a mile. We were lucky there was nothing in the outside lane at the time so we were able to avoid it. I kept my eye on the car for the next few miles, and not only did it never move from the middle lane, the driver clearly had only one driving policy, which was "speed up until you reach the car ahead of you and then follow it." The speed varied from 40mph to 85mph every time the car ahead of it pulled out of the middle lane to leave a gap! (For the record, the wife was driving so me watching another car intently did not cause a problem.) You could have reported it and how exactly did you keep an eye on it if you had overtaken it and he reduced his speed to 40? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anywebsite Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Parkinsons does not affect your mental state but can give you the shakes, depends how severe it was He was over 80 & a bit senile too. Driving until a few weeks before he died. He could still walk a few paces, slowly, with a stick. Co-ordination had gone, it was more than just shakes. It was only just physically possible for him to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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