Driving Miss Daisy: Society needs to help seniors who should stop driving

[nfitz]

Bottom line is that I deeply resent being discarded at the age of 75 just because I am 75. I am not happy being told to get off your road even though my tax money continues to pay for it.

Why take it personally? We'll all be 75 (well, I certainly plan to be!) and in the same boat.

I've almost been hit as a pedestrian by older drivers, who clearly shouldn't be driving. Perhaps an hard limit isn't the solution ... but something should be done. What's your suggestion?

 

[The Mad Navigator]

Let's be extra cautious and make that arbitrary age limit 45 or maybe 35. Lots of bad drivers in those age groups just take a look around, think of the savings available in less traffic congestion and more ridership for transit. These former drivers won't mind being "stored" in silos because, unlike you, they have no life or need to really go anywhere but a grocery store or library do they?

Hey, you should run for council!

Here's a radical thought. How about a rigorous on the road test for all drivers every 10 years or so, it could winnow out some those assholes who cut you off or tailgate you every day.

Nah, we wouldn't want to upset immigrant taxi drivers. They rather enjoy breaking the laws of the road every 5 minutes....

As you have probably guessed I am one of those dreaded seniors but not the one who can't find the turn signals or lollygaggs along at 20 below the speed limit in the left lane. I am also not the one whose music is turned up so loud that the car behind them is in danger af losing their windshield, nor am I the one who unbolted the front seats so he can drive from the back looking kind of like he is in a bob sled which is his fantasy I guess considering the speed he seems to need --- wait a minute that's not a senior is it.

Hate to say it, but the rest of the driving seniors who are endangering guys like me and everyone else in this city, aren't helping your cause.

 

[spider]

Hate to say it, but the rest of the driving seniors who are endangering guys like me and everyone else in this city, aren't helping your cause.

My cause is simply to be judged capable of driving on my ability to do so - not my age. Drivers are like referees, you only notice the bad ones. I am sure there are lots of senior drivers out there that you have never noticed for this reason, please cut the demographic some slack.

 

[The Mad Navigator]

Fair enough.

I will ease off the gas on the demographics. However, I am willing to practice what I preach and I know when to hang up the keys when I'm done. Hopefully the province can find some solution to this. Last thing I need is my father in jail because he's too stubborn to give up driving as he'd think it's a right and not a privilege.

 

[nfitz]

My cause is simply to be judged capable of driving on my ability to do so - not my age.

I ask again; what's your solution to the problem? Should we retest all drivers annually?

 

[afransen]

People aren't rational or honest with themselves. Something like 80% of drivers think they are better than average.

 

[bleeepbluuup]

I sincerely doubt it's seniors wreaking the most havoc on the streets. Insurance is most expensive when you're young, isn't it?

 

[spider]

My suggested solution, cut and paste from message #13

Here's a radical thought. How about a rigorous on the road test for all drivers every 10 years or so, it could winnow out some those assholes who cut you off or tailgate you every day.

 

[nfitz]

My suggested solution, cut and paste from message #13

I'm not sure how it would help; most of these drivers know they shouldn't do that ... and will simply drive carefully when being tested.

At the same time, ten years is a long time to catch degrading driving quality in someone with medical issues.

I'm not sure what the solution is. Mandatory testing? Licence limitations? Strict enforcement of doctors failing to report medical conditions? Perhaps giving police the power to order a driving test if they observe unsafe driving? But who wants to live in a police state?

 

[afransen]

Want to make the roads safer? Photoradar and/or GPS monitoring for traffic law infractions. Privacy/shmivacy: you don't have to drive.

 

[spider]

I'm not sure how it would help; most of these drivers know they shouldn't do that ... and will simply drive carefully when being tested.

The knock most often laid on senior drivers is competence related not recklessness. The driver being re-tested can mask the latter but is unlikely to be able to summon up lost competence for the purpose of a test.

At the same time, ten years is a long time to catch degrading driving quality in someone with medical issues.

Will you please get off the "Medical" horse, it is not an age specific beast. I do not take drugs or medications of any kind where as my neighbour, in his 40's, is on several prescription drugs some of which bear the familiar warning regarding driving and machinery.

 

[nfitz]

The knock most often laid on senior drivers is competence related not recklessness. The driver being re-tested can mask the latter but is unlikely to be able to summon up lost competence for the purpose of a test.

Fair enough; but is 10-years frequent enough? And you said that this "could winnow out some those assholes who cut you off or tailgate you every day"; yet those folks generally do this not out of competence but out of impatience.

Will you please get off the "Medical" horse, it is not an age specific beast. I do not take drugs or medications of any kind where as my neighbour, in his 40's, is on several prescription drugs some of which bear the familiar warning regarding driving and machinery.

By medical, I was mostly meaning the slowing reaction times and shortened attention spans that come with age ... I wasn't think of prescription drugs, etc .... that should already be covered because anyone who can prescribe that stuff has to notify MTO if driving is an issue.

 

[Admiral Beez]

The elderly in the 905 will be worse off than the elderly in the 416. The sprawl of the 905 usually means either one needs to have a automobile, or be able to have relatives, friends, or organizations chauffeur them around for errands. In the 416, they can walk or use a stroller to do their errands if the destination is close by, or use public transit to get to destinations further apart. .

This works if you're downtown, but the 416 is so much larger than that. There isn't some magical line at the 416/905 border.

 

[kettal]

This works if you're downtown, but the 416 is so much larger than that. There isn't some magical line at the 416/905 border.

The TTC service area has vastly better transit than any of the 905 municipalities.

 

[W. K. Lis]

My 90 year father used the TTC subway and streetcars to get around, until he couldn't step up on to the 4 steps of the streetcar. When I get to his age, at least the low-floor streetcars and more subway elevators will be in service. And the wait time will be better than the 905 service.