Poll

Personally, I think they should retake there test at 65.. What do you think..? - Maximum 2 answer's-

Retake 50
1 (2.9%)
Retake 55
3 (8.6%)
Retake 60
10 (28.6%)
Retake 65
15 (42.9%)
Just renew there theory
3 (8.6%)
Dont renew
3 (8.6%)

Total Members Voted: 28

Author Topic: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?  (Read 4803 times)

Offline RandomJord

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #30 on: 04 January 2012, 21:14 »
How is it a pain in the arse? If everyone just flows, everyone gets there.

Where is the problem? (me getting old and responsible i suppose!)
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Offline stevesdub

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #31 on: 04 January 2012, 23:11 »
if you think the standard of driving here is poor, visit australia..the aussies cant drive for toffee..i visit family n freinds every other year and it never ceases to amaze...show them a roundabout and they are screwed..even my friend who is in wa police and a pom agrees.. :rolleyes:

Offline bored_Welsh_lad

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #32 on: 05 January 2012, 03:52 »
My take on it is this, there are good and bad in all ages, all personalities is all areas of the country. Day in day out I see people hogging the middle lane, or cutting across 2-3 lanes on a roundabout, I don't think they understand that you can actually go all the way around a round about if you miss your exit and try again..

I would say the bigger issue here is the way in which people are educated. Re-testing of people is not viable. It would cost too much and force people off the road which I don't think is right. A lot of OAP's are single and a car is their way of getting their shopping home, it gives them that bit of freedom they require to still act as a human in society.

My grandfather is very aware that he cannot react the way he used to, he is also aware of the volume of traffic on the road. His car is now used to take him to the local shops and to drop my grandmother to the hair-dressers. Thats it.. He will not venture into Swansea let alone on the motorway because he knows he is not up to it..

I think that police should be set target areas to work on, day in day out on the motorway I see some horrific stuff, to the point of people using hard shoulders and undertaking.. I think that in theory the motorway is the simplest method of driving, your in the inside lane, your check mirrors, signal, move out, overtake, mirrors, back in... All the traffic is going in the same direction and this method allows you to build up a picture of what is going on all around you, keeping you more aware of what is going on. I cannot understand on an empty road, in the middle of the night, why anyone would think the middle lane is the lane of options.. Even more so when you hit roads like the M42/A42 where they continue in the outside lane..

I think if basic motorway education was given then the whole traffic network would function far better as people would not be held up by those hogging middle and outside lanes, normally at slower that national speed limit...

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Offline jamie_pyrite

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #33 on: 05 January 2012, 04:46 »
I agree on how useful the IAM is. When I did the course, it was only £60 for as many lessons as it took including your test too! It was a young driver initiative they were doing at the time. It taught me how to read the road better and be planning my drive as far ahead as possible, rather than just as far as the car in front. My Dad did the course a few years before me and he agrees it improves your driving. There are a few points to the course that I disagree with though.. (Such as always hugging the outside of a corner, for maximum visibility. Considering other motorists, this'll only result in you losing your wing mirror!)

I think at 65 a re-test would be a good idea, then every 5 years after that. It'd only be a very basic test, just a 10 minute drive about to check the driver isn't completely dangerous. I've noticed with my Dad that his reactions have slowed down a bit in the last few years (he's approaching 60). He's a fantastic driver, but I notice he hesitates for longer and takes more time to process what he's seeing (such as approaching a roundabout, etc.)


Offline JC

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #34 on: 05 January 2012, 05:52 »
lets be fair, some 17, 18 and 19 year olds are a LOT worse than old grandma and grandpa  :grin: and what they do is delibrate,

try overtaking 3 cars just starting to queue at a red light and jumping said red light , overtaking someone in a 30 zone already doing 40, and not stopping at a zebra crossing.

same car - honda jazz , same driver - spotty youth.  :rolleyes:

Offline R32UK

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #35 on: 05 January 2012, 08:01 »
solution?? make the driving test much harder.

case closed  :cool:

Offline Hartside

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #36 on: 05 January 2012, 08:11 »
There a good drivers of all ages and there are bad drivers of all ages. Just be careful what you wish for as one day (hopefully) you will be that OAP yourself. One thing that has changed is the pace that we drive at, which can be intimidating for some older people. On top of that the aggression shown by people in their driving style has increased as well, to forcing their way through traffic, to going off on a radgie when someone makes a simple mistake. These are normally the people who will crow on all day about their driving skills. That behaviour is again intimidating for older people. My dad (75) has never been a great driver, but he is saying now that he doesn't like driving anymore because everyone drives with no margin for error and feels there is always someone trying to push him on all the time. Yes, you do slow down as you get older, but come one you need to cut some slack, you will get there some day also. We need to show a little more tolerance at time to some older drivers, however much of an annoying tw@t they are

As for track training, this is getting to be a badge of honour. My mate goes on all the time about what a great driver he is as he's "track trained" He's quite frankly shiite. On the road, he puts the fear of god in me as he enters blind corners far too fast, brakes at the last possible moment in every situation and fails to perceive imminent hazards. Roads are not tracks, they are far more dangerous and require the utmost respect. but I do think there is a case for simple retesting and hazard awareness tests, only for everyone, every 5 years or so
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Offline Guy

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #37 on: 05 January 2012, 09:17 »
my gran stopped driving at about 91 when her sight completely failed... up until then she was pottering about in her mini but wouldn't go further then she knew as she couldn't read the signposts!!  :grin:*





* in reality this isn't funny.. we tried on numerous occasions to stop her.

Offline Guy

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #38 on: 05 January 2012, 09:22 »
just had a thought though...

if you had ONLY 75+ year olds on the roads for a year

and the next year had ONLY -25 year olds on the road for the following year

hypothetically of course, it would be interesting to compare the statistics

which age group would have the most fatal accidents
which age group would have the most high speed crashes
which age group would drive down a dual carriageway the wrong way most
which age group would have the most car park scrapes
which age group would have the most drink drive incidents (interesting one that)

overall with which age group would the roads be safer?

Offline mk3.owner

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Re: Opinion's on OAP driver's.?
« Reply #39 on: 05 January 2012, 09:34 »
just had a thought though...

if you had ONLY 75+ year olds on the roads for a year

and the next year had ONLY -25 year olds on the road for the following year

hypothetically of course, it would be interesting to compare the statistics

which age group would have the most fatal accidents
which age group would have the most high speed crashes
which age group would drive down a dual carriageway the wrong way most
which age group would have the most car park scrapes
which age group would have the most drink drive incidents (interesting one that)

overall with which age group would the roads be safer?

Id love for that to happen.