Crap like this ticks me off!

[vujade]

An 86 year old man in California crashed into a farmers market and killed 8 people. And as usuall the driver walks away without a scratch.

His excuse, 'I hit the gas pedal instead of the break'

How come here in the US there isnt more testing of peoples driving skills as they get older?

Isnt there a time in ones life, when driving becomes a dangerous experience for everyone involved?

I mean, testing a persons eyesight is all fine & dandy, but what about testing their reflexes too? I am not saying that we should take away old folks lisences, but at some point (age), they should start retesting them every few years for their driving skills in addition to their eyesight.

I will get off my soapbox now

[zen]

i've been preaching the same thing since a similar incident in Miami when i was about 11. no politician wants to pick that ball up though. it would be his last term. that is the one and only reason i can think of. of course, when we get old, those laws should apply to us.

[vujade]

I dont have a problem with that.
If I am competant to drive, I will pass the test.
If I am not I will fail.
Such is life.

Why should it be any different for the elderly?

[Ron Roberts]

I have seen so many older drivers wandering over the line, not turning their signal lights off, navigating by watching the telephone wires because they can't see over the dash, I make it a policy, if they have gray hair and are driving too slow, I give them plenty of room. Young and old alike should have the written and driving test every 8 years or so. I went to driving school for a ticket I got once. I paid attention and actually learned alot. We could all use a refresher once in a while. There is so much traffic here in the CA Bay area, I would like to take a racing class to be better able to deal with emergency manuvers. You can't just swerve out of the way anymore.

Ron

[jhelgesen]

I know how dangerous it is, I live in a retirement comunity here in NC. Have to watch out constantly for blue hairs in Lincolns and Caddy's, late for a tee time.

I actually saw an old man sleeping on his steering wheel while his wife read the paper, sitting at a green light.

Let them have a golf cart and thats it.

[bren]

same deal here in the UK.. to get a license you take a test at 17 and you dont have to renew it ever again unless you get a ban due to a conviction. oh and you're never taught how to drive on the thousands of miles of Uk motorways either.. its not part of the test!?!

I'm 27 and ive already picked up a few bad habits in my first decade of driving.. my dads been driving another 25 years longer than that and his standard is getting awful.. IMO it should become law to take a retest when you retire. but as said above.. what politician is going to want to publically propose something like that?!

"If voting could really change things, it would be illegal."

[zen]

love that quote. i am planning on taking a driver's ed course for maneuvers and track to sharpen my skills. my kids will most certainly be taking one of these courses regardless of cost. high school driver's ed doesn't quite get you there and they will never listen to dad, no matter how cool i think i am.

[Shad Laws]

Hello-

An 86 year old man in California crashed into a farmers market and killed 8 people. And as usuall the driver walks away without a scratch.

His excuse, 'I hit the gas pedal instead of the break'

Hey, lay off this guy. He said he was "really very sorry." Isn't that enough?

Sheesh. He killed 9 people because he was incompetant. They can't figure out if it was "manslaughter of some kind." Of COURSE it was manslaughter! If this was a 20-year-old kid who was driving at 3am, too tired to be at the wheel, he'd be fried. They'd teach him a lesson and make an example. But, because he's a fragile old man, we're being nice???

IMHO, that's prejudice. Or, specifically, "Agism." Old people complain about agism _against_ them all the time, but it is a two-way street!

It's BULL:toilet:

Okay, I'll stop now and pass the soapbox over to the next poster...

Take care,

[vujade]

Im sorry but after 65, people should have to take their driving test every 6 years in addition to taking the eye test.

There is no way some of these people would be allowed on the road if they did test them.

I deal with old people all the time here in Florida and man does it suck sometimes when it comes to driving

I was just recently talking with my brother and some friends about the exact same thing. We came up with the a similar solution: after 65, mandatory driver's test every 3-5 years to keep your license. It is truly rediculous to watch an elderly person drive who shouldn't be. 10 mph UNDER the speed limit, swirving like a drunk, etc., etc.. But hey, they are just harmless old people, right?? If I ever have any political power... that's how I'll use it.

[Iworkatwendys]

Hello,

Here is something strange, my license expires on March 26th, 2007. What do I have to do to get a new one, absolutely nothing except go pick it up. I think regardless of age it should be mandatory to get tested every 5 years. As bren said we pick up bad habits and if they make us dangerous drivers then revoke out license.

Another thing that strikes me as odd is that I had to take a motorcycle safety course to get my motorcycle endorsement but to get my driver's license I just had to prove to some unhappy government employee that I can drive around neighborhood.

It's pretty ridiculous. People should pray to the gods that I never get into politics because there would be some hell to pay! They should upgrade public transportation and make you have to work for a license. Driving Is a privilege not a right

Originally posted by vujade
His excuse, 'I hit the gas pedal instead of the brake'

Audi 5000 flashback!

[petevw]

Originally posted by Shad Laws
If this was a 20-year-old kid who was driving at 3am, too tired to be at the wheel, he'd be fried.

if this was in TORONTO it would be a STREET RACING incident, directly pointed at being the fault of the 2Fast 2Furious movie.

the very next day anyone under 25 would be pulled over and harrassed......OH WAIT, that happen now anyways.

pete