• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

To drive or not to drive

Mark Dalton

New member
I see people parking in handicapped spots all the time that should NOT be driving. Not long ago I was walking down the sidewalk and came upon this elderly woman sitting in her car. She stopped me and asked me to help her out of her vehicle and then assist her into the store she wanted to go into. She had literally been sitting in her car waiting for someone to come along because she was unable to stand or walk without help. I recall thinking, why in the world is this woman still driving? Should she really be behind the wheel of a 3000 lb hunk of metal? I think not.:NoNo: Not sure what the law is regarding this but dayum!:nonod:
 
The fact that she had to ask you to help her should answer your question. She apparently has no one else that can take her places. My father-in-law is 87 and still drives, but he knows his limits. He's very careful and only drives during the day at non-peak times, and then only to Publix and back. When you take that away from them, many of them give up and die.
 
The fact that she had to ask you to help her should answer your question. She apparently has no one else that can take her places. My father-in-law is 87 and still drives, but he knows his limits. He's very careful and only drives during the day at non-peak times, and then only to Publix and back. When you take that away from them, many of them give up and die.

I have to agree .Not all elderly should be driving but sometimes have little choice .My mother gave up her license at 90 but she couldn't drive all that well at 30 .My dad died with the keys in his pocket .
 
I understand being independent and not wanting to give up the freedom to drive. I went through very much the same thing with my mom. But I think there's a larger issue to consider here, and that is, public safety. Not long ago, an elderly gentleman turned off of a busy street and right through the wall of one of our stores. He apparently thought he was turning onto another street. Thank god no one was next to the wall at the time. Many of the elderly drivers are easily confused and their reaction times are nowhere near what they once were and they may not be able to react fast enough in an emergency situation. If it's a matter of noone being available to drive them, there are ways around that as well. Taxis, busses, and in our county, there's a no charge public transport available. They'll pick you up at your house, take you where you need to go and bring you back.
 
Last Sunday morning around 5:30am an 18 year old man was killed in Mandarin when he clipped a curb and over-corrected, sending his car into a power pole, driver's side first. DRT. Just sayin'. Those are the people I would rather keep off the streets. Unfortunately for him, he took care of that problem himself.
 
Good arguement for yearly testing for 65 and over...

I thought I made a better argument for testing everyone. I was on a 4 lane divided road with a median this week and a school bus was in the oncoming lanes and its lights came on indicating that it was getting ready to stop for kids on the other side of the median. I passed a 30-something guy who stopped in the far right lane of our flow of traffic because he didn't know the rules related to school buses and traffic. Stupid has no age barrier. I'll take my chances with the little old lady doing 30 in a 50 over the knucklehead 20-something doing 50 in a 30.
 
Good arguement for yearly testing for 65 and over...

I resent that :eek: I can still drive better than the kid texting or the guy reading a newspaper .
If your going to do it to us elders lets do it to everyone YEARLY.Oh, illegals are exempt as usual .:rolleyes:
 
...She apparently has no one else that can take her places. My father-in-law is 87 and still drives, but he knows his limits. He's very careful and only drives during the day at non-peak times, and then only to Publix and back...

Sounds just like my dad until the day he died:(

....My dad died with the keys in his pocket .
My dad too bro...93 and kickin' ass!
Was going to head to the store when he had his TIA. Thank God he hadn't gotten behind the wheel yet.

...Not long ago, an elderly gentleman turned off of a busy street and right through the wall of one of our stores. He apparently thought he was turning onto another street.


Hell Mark! I was downtown the other day, hadn't been there for a month or two, and turned the wrong way down a one way street:eek:SOB! They'd changed the traffic pattern on me! (for real!)
...Many of the elderly drivers are easily confused and their reaction times are nowhere near what they once were and they may not be able to react fast enough in an emergency situation.

True, but most of them drive slower to compensate. Excelt the ones that buy VETTES!:lmao:
...If it's a matter of no one being available to drive them, there are ways around that as well. Taxis, busses, and in our county, there's a no charge public transport available. They'll pick you up at your house, take you where you need to go and bring you back.

Good points my friend. The problem is, these services aren't available everywhere thier needed:( And in some cases, even the low cost options can't be afforded by those on a fixed income:( It's a bad situation that truly needs to be fixed:yesnod:

Good arguement for yearly testing for 65 and over...

I thought I made a better argument for testing everyone. I was on a 4 lane divided road with a median this week and a school bus was in the oncoming lanes and its lights came on indicating that it was getting ready to stop for kids on the other side of the median. I passed a 30-something guy who stopped in the far right lane of our flow of traffic because he didn't know the rules related to school buses and traffic. Stupid has no age barrier. I'll take my chances with the little old lady doing 30 in a 50 over the knucklehead 20-something doing 50 in a 30.

I resent that :eek: I can still drive better than the kid texting or the guy reading a newspaper .
If your going to do it to us elders lets do it to everyone YEARLY.Oh, illegals are exempt as usual .:rolleyes:

The above three post are excellent!!:thumbsup:

Until a few years ago, I regularly taught both the defensive drivers course (ticket course) and the New drivers course (for teens).

This subject was broached on many occasion in both classes.

The fact is, although the state "could" adopt said testing and even restrict ones ability to drive after a certain age (it's a priviledge, not a right), they won't.:NoNo:

With the number of over 60 drivers we have in Florida alone, it would be political suicide to even suggest it:lmao:
Testing is the same way.

To suggest age or gender biased testing, invites a political chit storm and has the potential of resulting in years long and very expensive court battles.:thumbsup:

Instead, what groups like AAA, AARP and other senior organizations (AAA's not a seniors org BTW-but they are a safety org), have done, is to begin thier own programs to train and educate senior drivers:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Both sides, young and old, have thier issues as well.

We could say that based upon statistics, no one under or over a certain age would be allowed to purchase certain HP cars due to thier advanced handleing and performance characteristics....that'd go over well:lmao::lmao:
 
Good post shadow .AARP is doing a great program .I also take defensive driving every couple years ,it helps on the auto insurance and I learn something every time .
 
I also take defensive driving every couple years ,it helps on the auto insurance and I learn something every time .

I have to go to defensive driving every 3-4 years!!:lmao::lmao::lmao:
My last Biggie Infraction falls off in Dec 5/2010!:thumbsup:

:D
 
All good points guys. :thumbsup: Let me make myself clear though. I am NOT saying that elderly people should not be allowed to drive, nor people over a certain age. We have elderly coming into our store every day that are sharper than I am (that's not saying much though;)). But I do believe that age, mixed with declining mental or physical abilities is a bad combo.

In the case of the gentleman who drove through the wall, he was a local, had lived here most of his life. He was simply "confused".

I don't know what, if any, solution there may be and I'm certainly not advocating any kind of a witch hunt.:NoNo:. These were simply isolated instances I onserved and commented on. I hope I didn't offend anyone or their relatives.

BTW, I realize "all the time" in my original post was a poor choice of words.:banghead:
 
Last edited:
These were simply isolated instances I onserved and commented on. I hope I didn't offend anyone or their relatives.

No offense taken Mark. You brought up a good subject for discussion.
After reading these comments I am thinking of taking a defensive driving course.
Lou
 
We're all good. Just good friendly discussion. I joke constantly about people of different ages and I jokingly sterotype certain people by the vehicle they drive. For example, I always give Volvo drivers a wide berth on the road. They often seem to think, because they drive a 'safe car' they can be oblivious to the rest of the cars on the road. (I'm also still holding a grudge against the guy in the Volvo that back out (BACKED OUT!) of a gas pump area at a mini-mark and torn the right side of my C5 up. I'm also scared of people on the Interstate in their Dodge Caravans or Chrysler Minivans. They are usually doing about 25 mph over the speed limit with their bag of oranges in the back window, 2.5 kids with mouse ears on. The most aggressive drivers seem to be those in those little ragtop Jeeps (Not sure what they're called). Usually a 25 year old with a wife-beater t-shirt on, tailgating and zigging and zagging in and out of traffic.
Hope I haven't left anybody out. I try to be an equal opportunity offender. :rolleyes:
 
No offense taken Mark. You brought up a good subject for discussion.
After reading these comments I am thinking of taking a defensive driving course.
Lou

Absolutely my friend!:thumbsup:
There's no problems here. All good points. Every age and gender has it's problems. I almost think some sort of remedial testing for everyone should be mandatory...at least skills wise, every 4-5 years.....WTF do I know?:lmao:

...For example, I always give Volvo drivers a wide berth on the road. They often seem to think, because they drive a 'safe car' they can be oblivious to the rest of the cars on the road.

Oh ****! You've met my wife:eek::rofl1:

...Hope I haven't left anybody out. I try to be an equal opportunity offender. :rolleyes:

Nope, you seem to be doing just fine....carry on:thumbsup::D
 
Back
Top