Safe Speed Forums

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/articl ... _1,00.html

Seems to be a lot of contradiction in this article, which again shows the governments fixation in things being done by numbers.
Perhaps politicians should be shot at 75
The Times October 25, 2005

Older drivers run into trouble at resort
By Simon de Bruxelles
After a spate of accidents, police in Devon are suggesting it might be time to take the bus

He recommends that older drivers consider enrolling for a Roadfit scheme, which allows participants to take part in a one-hour observed driving exercise to check their ability.

Fair enough , then this --
Some drivers are excellent at 70, while others can be poor at 30. Most serious car accidents are caused by younger drivers aged between 17 and 24.

Older people have accidents in complex traffic situations where several sources of information need to be considered at once and, in particular, at intersections, especially where they have to cross a stream of traffic and give way.

Makes you wonder if the complexity of some road schemes need to be accessed .

(EDIT - Rod Evans bit says it all - Too much of our money is being wasted on supposed road safety improvements that are actually making driving more dangerous.)
In this case are they trying to make the elders scapegoats.



PC Chris Lancaster, Torbay’s road safety officer, said that the retirement resort had more than its fair share of elderly drivers getting into scrapes.

He said: “There are other means than cars for elderly drivers to get about"

THEWN--

Age Concern England defended the skills of elderly drivers, some of whom have been motoring for 60 or 70 years without incident.

then the TRUTH

“Cars can be a lifeline for older people, particularly in rural areas.”





[/b]

This is really offensive "round objects"! My elderly partents (90 and 89) live in Torbay. The bus services in the areas where most of the retired people live are nearly non-existent (or at best so infrequent that elderly people couldn't take the waiting involved). The area is very hilly (so even short walks are a push) and taxis are very expensive (need to screw the holidaymakers don't you). Therefore the old people drive, and to be fair most of them are pretty good. God only knows how the hard-up elderly cope.

My Dad still drives at 90 years old, and I this year I found an excuse to follow him for a about five miles on a "local urban run". He made good progress, showed anticipation (backed up by local knowledge - he never drives anywhere unfamiliar anymore) and negotiated some really daft road layouts better than I could have done as someone unfamiliar to them. He is adamant that he will give up driving as soon as it starts to worry him. (He is a very intelligent and alert old chap, who shows good judgement at everything else, so I have no reason to doubt him). However he freely admits that when that happens their social life will end, fullstop.

To be fair to Torbay - the local hospital is marvelous for old people - and the care system is good too. Public transport for anyone but a holidaymaker is however, shite.

Prof Beard

Prof - that was the last comment (in sarcastic mode) “Cars can be a lifeline for older people, particularly in rural areas.”

The question should not be "why do the elderly have to drive" but why do the elderly NEEDto drive"

At present we have problems with the younger generation with "throwaways" .

Given government attitude to the elderly how long before we have a problem with the elderly??

I agree entirely - giving the ageing population (of voters) - one would have thought our politicians would "wake up a smell the roses".

(It was the comment from the PC about there being plenty of ways for old people to get about that really got up my nose BTW)

Prof Beard