Old people drivers

ThisOleMiss · 09-29-2003, 09:46 PM

Is it just me, or are the old people out to get me? It all started last Thursday. I got volunteered to take my dad for his checkup at the VA hospital. He is 85 and after his last accident has been banned from driving in areas where people don't know him and don't get out of his way. I dropped him off at the entrance and went to park my car. I see this guy backing out of his space and stop. He backs into me. I backed up about ten feet to give him more room, and he backs into me AGAIN. Fortunatly he's going really really slow and doesn't even knock the bugs off my bumper. Old guy finally gets the idea he's hit someone and stops. He's got a handicapped sticker, has two hearing aids, and is obviously blind as a bat. His family should be ashamed of themselves for letting him out alone. Nothing harmed, just some frayed nerves.

So today, I'm downtown, or what passes for downtown in this little burg, stopped at a redlight, another car ahead of me, so there is no way I can get out of the way, and this lady who must be seventy if she's a day, backed out of a parking space, putting a hell of a dent in my rear passanger door. She's driving this huge dodge ram quad cab with a camper shell on the back and blacked out windows all around. Said she didn't see my little Hyundai. She didn't hear me honking my horn either, because she had all the windows rolled up and the air and stereo going full blast, oh, and lets not forget the five pound yip dog on the seat back yipping like crazy. Oh, and she has her insurance agent on her speed dial because I'm the second person she's hit and she's only had the truck about four months. Did I mention that there wasn't a scratch on her truck? Maybe I should get a tank.

Anyway, my thing is some old people shouldn't be driving. I know I'll get there one day myself, and I hope when that day comes I'll have sense enough to quit before I hurt someone or cause some major property damage. And, if you're gonna buy the biggest truck on the market, make sure you can drive the damn thing before you take it home. Or get some warning lights.

Maggie M...

SteveDallas · 09-30-2003, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThisOleMiss

Anyway, my thing is some old people shouldn't be driving. I know I'll get there one day myself, and I hope when that day comes I'll have sense enough to quit before I hurt someone or cause some major property damage.

I hope so too. My mother-in-law was very bad. Her attitude was, it was OK as long as she didn't go too fast. This would result in her going 25 in a 50 on a 5-lane highway. She had more than one fender-bender but managed to avoid blame somehow. The whole family was trying to get her to stop but she wouldn't--she went doctor shopping to find one that would say she was OK to drive.

I personally think there are a ton of incompetent idiots on the road of all ages. I would favor blanket re-testing of all drivers periodically.

tw · 09-30-2003, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SteveDallas
I would favor blanket re-testing of all drivers periodically.

And what would you test for?

Quote:

How many feet does it take to stop from 50 MPH?
150
200
250
all of the above

Would we test that they can still parallel park?

Demonstated is that many cars have such poor visibility that people are now routinely backing over other cars - and kids.

Any car that cannot see something 2 feet off the ground only five feet behind the car should have no reverse gear. That would be a more practical solution.

xoxoxoBruce · 09-30-2003, 05:35 PM

If you put a 12 ga shotgun shell in the steering column and wire it to the front bumper people would be a lot more careful.

09-30-2003, 05:38 PM

Yeah, but then you'd have assholes like me who get cut off, pass the person, and at the next stop light, back into them.

(And they're be worse assholes who would do it with no motivation whatsoever.)

Undertoad · 09-30-2003, 05:48 PM

How many feet does it take to stop from 50 MPH?

One...

Sometimes two if you drive a stick.

Sperlock · 09-30-2003, 06:28 PM

Just watch out for old men with hats or old ladies who can't see over the steering wheel; they tend to be the worst.

wolf · 09-30-2003, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dave
Yeah, but then you'd have assholes like me who get cut off, pass the person, and at the next stop light, back into them.

(And they're be worse assholes who would do it with no motivation whatsoever.)

So ... that's why you only recently got licensed to drive ...

wolf · 09-30-2003, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sperlock
Just watch out for old men with hats or old ladies who can't see over the steering wheel; they tend to be the worst.

You forgot "anybody driving a white car."

(before someone else chimes in here, RED cars get hit. WHITE car drivers are capable of incredible automotive stupidity and blissful ignorance of traffic laws, common sense, and surrounding events and traffic. The red car driver is the one being cut out of wreckage with the jaws of life, the white car driver moves onward at low speed wondering "did my cd just skip there, or what was that crunchy sound?")

hot_pastrami · 10-01-2003, 10:53 AM

My mum's mum, now aged 85, was getting pretty bad on the roads. All her kids urged her to stop driving, but she woulnd't listen. One day my mum went with her on a drive, and by the time they reached their destination, my mother had to peel her hands from the indentations on the dashboard she had been clutching in terror. The next day, granny called my mum's house and complained that the car wouldn't start... my pop had sabotaged the car at my mother's suggestion. So now granny needs to find a ride if she wants to go anywhere. Problem solved.

One of the effects of aging seems to be similar to alcohol's judgement impairing. Just as a drunk feels that they are fine to drive, so does a foagie. I think that's also why old people are easliy duped into cons... it's not just that they are too trusting, and naive about such crimes, but also that their ability to be reasonable is crippled.

Maybe there should be laws on the books for "Driving under the influence of Age," or DWO... "Driving while Old."

SteveDallas · 10-01-2003, 11:20 AM

You know, I've often wondered about that... will I be that cantaknerous when I'm 80? Why should I honestly expect that I WOULDN'T be? (If you play in amateur orchestras as much as I have, you've heard a lot of players who really aren't very good but who think they're quite fabulous. I've left standing orders with my wife to confiscate my clarinet if I reach the point where my playing does more harm to a group than good. I'll obviously never again match my peak when I was in music school and practicing 6 hours a day, but I still have some standards.)

ladysycamore · 10-15-2003, 06:17 PM

Gotta admit I get impatient when driving behind someone who is old. They are out mostly during the day, and that would include my almost 70 year old father. Syc and I have the occasional conversation about the elderly driving. Understood that many should NOT be on the roads. However, as far as I know, my dad hasn't had any moving violations/accidents...he just drives amazing slow now! Heh, so now others are like me when they are behind him I suppose.

However, I'm not looking forward to the day they tell my Dad to hang up his driving gloves. I'll feel bad for him, because then that'll mean that his freedom is pretty much gone to hell. He'll be stuck at home with my mother (wink to Syc! LOL).
:p

breakingnews · 10-15-2003, 07:09 PM

I'm pretty sure this has been done in the past, but a friend of mine's family pulled a fast one on their 80-some-year-old grandpa.

He drove to a store or restaurant, and while he was inside, they went to his house, got his spare keys and "stole" the car. The best part is that they set up everything with the cops beforehand, so when their grandfather called, they said they'd look for the car and sent him on his way.

Pretty ingenius.

darclauz · 10-15-2003, 10:11 PM

my grandfather, whose sole purpose behind the wheel was to straddle the white line with his caddy...thereby keeping the car well on the road... fell at the bowling alley (where he was bowling at nearly his average road speed) and had to be rushed to the ER.

when they admitted him for the night, my grandmother made hay while the sun was shining....and gave his caddy away.

zippyt · 10-15-2003, 11:21 PM

I drive approx 3-5000 miles a month for work thru mostly farm country . Want to get REAL pissed off ?? Try getting stuck behind some 90 yr old fart driveing a harvester that blocks the whole (2 lane) road at 10 mph

09-29-2003, 09:46 PM	#1
ThisOleMiss Resident President Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Very, very, rural Mississippi Posts: 83	Old people drivers Is it just me, or are the old people out to get me? It all started last Thursday. I got volunteered to take my dad for his checkup at the VA hospital. He is 85 and after his last accident has been banned from driving in areas where people don't know him and don't get out of his way. I dropped him off at the entrance and went to park my car. I see this guy backing out of his space and stop. He backs into me. I backed up about ten feet to give him more room, and he backs into me AGAIN. Fortunatly he's going really really slow and doesn't even knock the bugs off my bumper. Old guy finally gets the idea he's hit someone and stops. He's got a handicapped sticker, has two hearing aids, and is obviously blind as a bat. His family should be ashamed of themselves for letting him out alone. Nothing harmed, just some frayed nerves. So today, I'm downtown, or what passes for downtown in this little burg, stopped at a redlight, another car ahead of me, so there is no way I can get out of the way, and this lady who must be seventy if she's a day, backed out of a parking space, putting a hell of a dent in my rear passanger door. She's driving this huge dodge ram quad cab with a camper shell on the back and blacked out windows all around. Said she didn't see my little Hyundai. She didn't hear me honking my horn either, because she had all the windows rolled up and the air and stereo going full blast, oh, and lets not forget the five pound yip dog on the seat back yipping like crazy. Oh, and she has her insurance agent on her speed dial because I'm the second person she's hit and she's only had the truck about four months. Did I mention that there wasn't a scratch on her truck? Maybe I should get a tank. Anyway, my thing is some old people shouldn't be driving. I know I'll get there one day myself, and I hope when that day comes I'll have sense enough to quit before I hurt someone or cause some major property damage. And, if you're gonna buy the biggest truck on the market, make sure you can drive the damn thing before you take it home. Or get some warning lights. Maggie M... __________________ Why kill them when you can make them live and suffer?

09-30-2003, 05:35 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	If you put a 12 ga shotgun shell in the steering column and wire it to the front bumper people would be a lot more careful. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

09-30-2003, 06:28 PM	#7
Sperlock Elite Elitist Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 322	Just watch out for old men with hats or old ladies who can't see over the steering wheel; they tend to be the worst. __________________ Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground. - Anonymous http://informationthreshold.blogspot.com, http://spiritualthreshold.blogspot.com

10-01-2003, 10:53 AM	#10
hot_pastrami I am meaty Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,119	My mum's mum, now aged 85, was getting pretty bad on the roads. All her kids urged her to stop driving, but she woulnd't listen. One day my mum went with her on a drive, and by the time they reached their destination, my mother had to peel her hands from the indentations on the dashboard she had been clutching in terror. The next day, granny called my mum's house and complained that the car wouldn't start... my pop had sabotaged the car at my mother's suggestion. So now granny needs to find a ride if she wants to go anywhere. Problem solved. One of the effects of aging seems to be similar to alcohol's judgement impairing. Just as a drunk feels that they are fine to drive, so does a foagie. I think that's also why old people are easliy duped into cons... it's not just that they are too trusting, and naive about such crimes, but also that their ability to be reasonable is crippled. Maybe there should be laws on the books for "Driving under the influence of Age," or DWO... "Driving while Old." __________________ Hot Pastrami!

10-15-2003, 06:17 PM	#12
ladysycamore "I may not always be perfect, but I'm always me." Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: In Sycamore's boxers Posts: 1,341	old folk driving Gotta admit I get impatient when driving behind someone who is old. They are out mostly during the day, and that would include my almost 70 year old father. Syc and I have the occasional conversation about the elderly driving. Understood that many should NOT be on the roads. However, as far as I know, my dad hasn't had any moving violations/accidents...he just drives amazing slow now! Heh, so now others are like me when they are behind him I suppose. However, I'm not looking forward to the day they tell my Dad to hang up his driving gloves. I'll feel bad for him, because then that'll mean that his freedom is pretty much gone to hell. He'll be stuck at home with my mother (wink to Syc! LOL). :p __________________ "Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are some moments when it must be taken." ~Tagline from the movie "Amistad"~ "The Akan concept of Sankofa: In order to move forward we first have to take a step back. In other words, before we can be prepared for the future, we must comprehend the past." From "We Did It, They Hid It"

09-30-2003, 05:38 PM	#5
dave Guest Posts: n/a	Yeah, but then you'd have assholes like me who get cut off, pass the person, and at the next stop light, back into them. (And they're be worse assholes who would do it with no motivation whatsoever.)

09-30-2003, 05:48 PM	#6
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	How many feet does it take to stop from 50 MPH? One... Sometimes two if you drive a stick.

10-01-2003, 11:20 AM	#11
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	You know, I've often wondered about that... will I be that cantaknerous when I'm 80? Why should I honestly expect that I WOULDN'T be? (If you play in amateur orchestras as much as I have, you've heard a lot of players who really aren't very good but who think they're quite fabulous. I've left standing orders with my wife to confiscate my clarinet if I reach the point where my playing does more harm to a group than good. I'll obviously never again match my peak when I was in music school and practicing 6 hours a day, but I still have some standards.)

10-15-2003, 07:09 PM	#13
breakingnews Q_Q Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: somewhere in between Posts: 995	I'm pretty sure this has been done in the past, but a friend of mine's family pulled a fast one on their 80-some-year-old grandpa. He drove to a store or restaurant, and while he was inside, they went to his house, got his spare keys and "stole" the car. The best part is that they set up everything with the cops beforehand, so when their grandfather called, they said they'd look for the car and sent him on his way. Pretty ingenius.

10-15-2003, 10:11 PM	#14
darclauz Breathing into a paper bag Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 334	my grandfather, whose sole purpose behind the wheel was to straddle the white line with his caddy...thereby keeping the car well on the road... fell at the bowling alley (where he was bowling at nearly his average road speed) and had to be rushed to the ER. when they admitted him for the night, my grandmother made hay while the sun was shining....and gave his caddy away. __________________ Taking up smoking to lose weight.

10-15-2003, 11:21 PM	#15
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	I drive approx 3-5000 miles a month for work thru mostly farm country . Want to get REAL pissed off ?? Try getting stuck behind some 90 yr old fart driveing a harvester that blocks the whole (2 lane) road at 10 mph __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

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