Why is it that whenever you have an under 25 driver killed the media goes nuts and wants greater restrictions, but when the same thing happens with elderly drivers there isnt a murmur?
I know that young people are risky drivers and I know they are in more than their share of accidents. I still remember the risks I took, the accident I did have, a few near misses I had. I dont deny that there are issues there. Perhaps some more can come from driver training but the majority is brain development human nature. The teen drivers that make it to mid 20's (yay for me) will eventually mature and become better drivers.
At the other end of life though, brains break down. Sorry to break the news to elderly people, but it happens. Some people will lose it completely and early. Others a little and late. I'm probably on my way there now if its any correlation to grey hair. Every single week there are elderly drivers who get confused about the pedals or the gears or just plain daft things. They are often selecting the wrong gear and panic by flooring the accelerator. A lot of the time this just means they hit a carpark wall. Unfortunately a lot of the time this means they end up on the footpath hitting pedestrians and driving through shop front windows.
5 minutes from my house at Bombo last week an elderly driver somehow got herself onto a freeway off ramp. Drove straight past the big frikken WRONG WAY GO BACK sign and proceeded to drive down the freeway in the wrong direction oblivious to it all. Just like that joke. http://www.ebaumsworld.com/jokes/read/209213
Several cars managed to miss her, fortunately (for them) it was a 4WD that didnt so only the old lady was killed, not the innocent people. Poor buggars are only in hospital with the trauma to haunt them.
I put it to you that an old male slow driver doing 55 in a cream coloured XF ute in the right hand lane in an 80 zone (this morning) is equally as dangerous as a young guy in a fully sik 200kw stereo hilux doing 100 kmh.
Why are there no cries to restrict and test older drivers more? Sorry to those a little closer to the age bracket. Not saying you should hang the keys up permanently, just that you need to be tested more. Exactly the same as people are crying out for more teen testing.
Hmmm I'm just 61, I agree with you, that makes me a traitor? Nope, but I do think that some sort of test of your mental capacity and reflexes should be mandatory for ALL drivers, how that could be achieved I have no idea. I also believe that if you don't use it you loose it, I am absolutely sure that my driving reflexes diminished after I gave up club level motor sport after I got married and had to find the dollars for the mortgage, so does that mean that we should all do a prescribed time stint on a track as an anual requirement to maintain our licence, my neighbour who brags that she has never had an accident is enough to scare the majority of drivers off the road, she drives maybe 2 very short trips per week, the much older bloke across the road is in his car so much I think the drivers seat will need to be surgicaly removed from his arse and he is a very competant driver..
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!
I personally think ALL drivers shoud have to sit a written and practical test every 5 years. The rules change frequently and they are usually not advertised very well so a lot of drivers think the current rules are the same as when they were first licensed. We all get in to bad habits as well so it would be a good wakeup call to find out what you are doing wrong.
The majority of policy makers and legislators would be in the older age bracket >25 and remember their youthful exuberance on the road. These same people are ageing and maybe don't want to have driving restrictions later in life.
Yogie wrote:I personally think ALL drivers shoud have to sit a written and practical test every 5 years. The rules change frequently and they are usually not advertised very well so a lot of drivers think the current rules are the same as when they were first licensed. We all get in to bad habits as well so it would be a good wakeup call to find out what you are doing wrong.
Yogie
yeah , what the fark are those white triangle things painted on the side of the road in school zones for 🤪
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲
Add the fact that 60 years ago you had to nothing more than rock up at the cop shop to get your license and round abouts weren't even invented.
I know an old bloke that has never had an accident, but somehow there have been 4 pile ups around him!!! All cause by him. I particullary love it when a old fart stops in the middle of the road to let some one in from a side street. OMG
I work in insurance, i have literally seen 50 houses where nan and pops have driven through it, wrong pedal sindrome.
oh by the way, the stupid triangles are called dragons teeth but F$%K knows what they mean.
oh yeah also the over 25 stickers on the back window??
pffft as if anyone under 25 would be caught dead cruising in grannys over sexed lawnmower daihatsu with the sheepskin covered steering wheel 🙄
fractal geometry; the inner most limits of mind altering abuse
Yogie wrote:I personally think ALL drivers shoud have to sit a written and practical test every 5 years. The rules change frequently and they are usually not advertised very well so a lot of drivers think the current rules are the same as when they were first licensed. We all get in to bad habits as well so it would be a good wakeup call to find out what you are doing wrong.
Yogie
Spot on! As a rep on the road previously, I saw many jaw dropping manouevers by folk of all ages, colours and creeds.
We really need to get out of the mentality of driving being a birthright and understand that a licence is a massive privilege that should be earned every 5 years.
1959 Mercedes Benz 190
1963 Chevrolet Corvair
1969 BMW 2002 Auto
1973 Mercedes Benz 230.6
I was 2 cars behind someone turned right out of our mcdonalds onto a divided road about 2 years ago. (dont know which burger nor age or sex of driver). They drove up and stopped at the the traffic lights about 50 metres up the road just sitting there while oncoming traffic approached.
I wouldnt be against testing of all drivers. What are the chances of paying for the test out of the current rego fee?
Not even 60 years ago birdman. I got my drivers licence 25 years ago in NZ simply by driving around the block and passing the theory test. Dunno what my instructor taught me that reverse parking crap for. I did have to reverse around a corner though. Have never done a test here. My mate who came from a country town in the southern highlands didnt even go for a drive. The cop knew his old man. His underage brother got sent home from the pub by the same cop because he shouldnt be driving by himself on his L's!
Yogie wrote:I personally think ALL drivers shoud have to sit a written and practical test every 5 years. The rules change frequently and they are usually not advertised very well so a lot of drivers think the current rules are the same as when they were first licensed. We all get in to bad habits as well so it would be a good wakeup call to find out what you are doing wrong.
Yogie
That is the most sensible, constructive comment so far.
Age is only one factor involved. You can be a 'bad' driver at any age, and also be a 'good' driver at any age.
Other things starting with 'A' are more important, such as ability and attitude.
I have been driving at GEAR (Golden Era Auto Racing) Club track days at Wakefield Park for the last 6 years. The average age of the drivers is around 70 - some in their 80s. Since GEAR days started, 11 years ago, no-one has hit any-one else! The V8 Supercar boys can't say that.🤪
Cheers, Greg
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
The thing I hate the most is when you are on the on ramp merging, some ass doesn't giveway and blocks you from getting onto
the freeway. I had that happen 3 times in one week and I only drove 4 time that week and 3 of which were on the freeway. So thats 100% of the time that week this happen.
One of them was a teen guy on his p's and the other 2 times it was late 20's and a mid ages women 😂😬
or or... this one is good. person is merging onto the freeway and is doing 110, then once onto the freeway slows right down to 80 🤪👎
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE
vlad01 wrote:The thing I hate the most is when you are on the on ramp merging, some ass doesn't giveway and blocks you from getting onto
the freeway. I had that happen 3 times in one week and I only drove 4 time that week and 3 of which were on the freeway. So thats 100% of the time that week this happen.
One of them was a teen guy on his p's and the other 2 times it was late 20's and a mid ages women 😂😬
u have to give way..not them...use ur mirrors and shoulder check...plan earlier..come off the accelerator slightly if needed...easy
The difference I see between senior and younger drivers.
The older driver does bad things on the road and that's usually a mistake, a young person does bad things on the road and its usually a deliberate act.
Reminds me of the old C&W song, "oh lord its hard to be humble, when your perfect in every way"
vlad01 wrote:The thing I hate the most is when you are on the on ramp merging, some ass doesn't giveway and blocks you from getting onto
the freeway. I had that happen 3 times in one week and I only drove 4 time that week and 3 of which were on the freeway. So thats 100% of the time that week this happen.
One of them was a teen guy on his p's and the other 2 times it was late 20's and a mid ages women 😂😬
u have to give way..not them...use ur mirrors and shoulder check...plan earlier..come off the accelerator slightly if needed...easy
The roads near my place doesn't have much of a shoulder.
Its taught here in vic that you must clear the way for on ramp cars, moving to the right lane is the common thing to do. Everyone I know knows that rule. Might be different in other states?
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE
vlad01 wrote:The thing I hate the most is when you are on the on ramp merging, some ass doesn't giveway and blocks you from getting onto
the freeway. I had that happen 3 times in one week and I only drove 4 time that week and 3 of which were on the freeway. So thats 100% of the time that week this happen.
One of them was a teen guy on his p's and the other 2 times it was late 20's and a mid ages women 😂😬
u have to give way..not them...use ur mirrors and shoulder check...plan earlier..come off the accelerator slightly if needed...easy
The roads near my place doesn't have much of a shoulder.
Its taught here in vic that you must clear the way for on ramp cars, moving to the right lane is the common thing to do. Everyone I know knows that rule. Might be different in other states?
I dont think its the rule in NSW but surely common courtesy should prevail. If I can, I do.
HappyDaze wrote:I have been driving at GEAR (Golden Era Auto Racing) Club track days at Wakefield Park for the last 6 years. The average age of the drivers is around 70 - some in their 80s. Since GEAR days started, 11 years ago, no-one has hit any-one else! The V8 Supercar boys can't say that.🤪
Cheers, Greg
Your mates at GEAR might have a few more bingles if they had to drive at 10/10ths because their career and livelihoods depended on it.
I accidently turned right on a red arrow this morning 🤓
Seems that if amazeer gets his way, I'll have to go for another test soon.
This may be a good thing, as my ability to do anything other than sit in my rocker and dribble seems to be getting stronger by the day. 😵
Nah, frequent testing is a good idea, but it should apply to all ages - not just the old farts like me. A government sponsored "Advance Driving Course" would be nice too.
Have a great Christmas, oh, and a safe Dubbing New Year too.
Old Timer
P.S. Been driving for 37 years, had to pass both a written, oral and practical test. Never had an accident either! Been booked for speeding a couple of times though.
air is cool, but air-cooled is cooler! 1967 Aussie Built Type 1 1915 Deluxe
I have been getting a lift home from a new guy at work a few times over the past few weeks. He drives a big square jacked up 4WD with big bullbar on the front. I have to grit my teeth so hard when I am in the car with him. He drives about 5cm from other cars bums, and when they don't move instantly he beeps them, flashes his lights, swerves side to side at the back of them, and basically drives very aggressively. I need the lift home, so I say nothing.
If you ever get the chance to drive on a German autobahn, then you will see what real driving is. You give way to anyone travelling faster or merging. The faster you drive, the clearer your lane is.
Pity you're not in NSW. Nobody else wants to be in the Labor Party so I thought I might give it a shot at premier. Us gold licence holders need only go every 5 years.
