Upper age limit for drivers.

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Samray
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Upper age limit for drivers.

#1 Post by Samray » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:00 pm

There are 1.5 million drivers over the age of 75 in Britain, including almost 35,000 aged over 90. While older people are known generally for their caution on the road, figures show that almost 11,000 car accidents last year involved drivers in the 70-plus bracket.
Can't help wondering how the ratio works out for car accidents last year involved drivers in the under 20 bracket.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... ers122.xml

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Samray
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#2 Post by Samray » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:04 pm

oh .... and don't forget we have a Prime Sinister with no driving licence. :smt002

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#3 Post by Kwackerz » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:06 pm

He doesnt drive? Egads! How the Hell can he sleep at night?
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Samray
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#4 Post by Samray » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:13 pm

He closes his one eye ?
Sort of Nelson touch I spose.

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#5 Post by D-Rider » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:16 pm

More madness (particularly as were all heading in that direction).

So the coroner had presided over an inquest of a one-eyed old fart who'd caused an accident.
Maybe the one-eye may be a clue for an activity that relies reasonably heavily on 3D vision (in fact the missing one-eye is probably more important than the one that remained).

Bad taste warning:
George Pyman, 92, a motorist with one eye who died after pulling into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
...... I wonder whether the unfortunate motorist was a certain Simple Simon .....

Back to the subject:
Surely it has to be a case by case thing.

Although now sadly departed, Len Vale-Onslow was still riding his motorbike at the age of 102 ..... and if I'm up to it, I want to be doing the same!

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#6 Post by Kwackerz » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:54 pm

I dunno. Given the genuine fact that motoring has changed, even in my short driving career, I could see how we need closer control of who is driving on our roads. We tighten up the lower ages with threats of licence losing, etc, etc for failing to abide by the law, yet we dont really get around to addressing the issues of when age does become an issue. Maybe there should be an upper limit.
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#7 Post by D-Rider » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:11 pm

Kwackerz wrote:I dunno. Given the genuine fact that motoring has changed, even in my short driving career, I could see how we need closer control of who is driving on our roads. We tighten up the lower ages with threats of licence losing, etc, etc for failing to abide by the law, yet we dont really get around to addressing the issues of when age does become an issue. Maybe there should be an upper limit.
I don't have a problem with "tightening up" but I really don't think an upper age limit is the answer. People loose their competence and faculties at different ages - so set the limit low and you rule out a lot of people who are quite capable and need their mobility to get to do the other things of which they are still capable. Set the limit high and you allow too many incompetent drivers (or maintain the status quo). Wherever you set it you will include some who should be excluded and vice versa. If we need to do something, we need to better assess an individual's competence irrespective of age.

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#8 Post by Samray » Wed Jul 25, 2007 4:22 am

I don't even think "tightening up" is necessary, the regulations are currently in place but not enforced.
Speed cameras are not too good at doing that :smt002 , until they drive the wrong way up a motorway.

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#9 Post by BikerGran » Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:06 pm

As for raising the lower age limit foir driving - I don't think that will change the statistics, it will just put them up a year! Surely on e of the main reasons for young drivers having accidents is lack of driving experience?





It's much easier to make a splash with a new law than to enforce existing ones - gets more publicity and therefore more votes.
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#10 Post by lazarus » Fri Jul 27, 2007 8:37 am

My sons car was given 10K worth of damage in a parking space by an old lady of 80 odd who l;ost cotrol. She didnt have a license not having bothered to go through the procedure that applies age 70. My guess is that she couldnt afford to do so - where is the transport that will allow old people to give up driving?

If you cant walk very far. there's no public transport, the streets arent safe, what do you do? Stay at home and starve?

Its a worry. Dont know how you feel BG but I'm well aware that I am not as safe a driver as I was and I can easily imagine not being safe on the roads in 10 or 15 years. Post my first and last accident, I cant walk far. There are no busses here. So the above is potentially a description of me in a few years.

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