Getting older and unable to drive

[uphere]

I think about getting older (especially since I just retired) - but because my memory gets worse as I age I tend to forget that I thought about it?

 

[Bird]

I think about getting older (especially since I just retired) - but because my memory gets worse as I age I tend to forget that I thought about it?

You tend to forget that you thought about what??????

 

[check 6]

Of course we do and if we live long enough we all will face similar situations. Moving from our homes to a "facility" of sorts. My largest dread is when I will no longer be able to fly and I think it about more often that I should. Some of us can do things longer and better than others, partly through better lifetime choices and living and the luck of the genetic draw.

I miss flying every day. I flew for over 45 years, 22 as an Air Force Fighter pilot and then I flew acrobatics until 5 years ago. They discovered macular degeneration in both eyes and while I can still pass a class 2 or 3 physical it was affecting my doing acro. Straight and level is not my thing so I sold the aircraft and now relieve stress in sports cars on road course tracks. When I can no longer drive ......... well I don't want to think about it

 

[KYDan]

I am flying as a light sport pilot now, I can still pass my Class I physical, but I built my 701 so I could continue to fly until the time comes. One day you will walk to your plane and you know it will be the last time, or you won't.

 

[uphere]

I forgot what we were talking about?

To get us back on track (I think) my mom had to get rid of her car this year - she is 90 and we finally made the decision for her (in a way) - for her safety but also everyone else! I was always astonished as to why her doctor(s) would not help us out to say she was not medically fit to drive (she has diabetes, heart problems to numerous to mention, deaf as a stone, etc.) - but she always passed the yearly written test which was a joke.

 

[Lloyd_E]

My dad's Drivers License was pulled when he was 75... lived to be 79. He was initially upset but after a few conversations he was satisfied - no happy - but satisfied. The conversation went like this: Dad we know you are capable but times there is lack of judgment... what if you accidentally hit some one in the neighbourhood and hurt or killed them... than what? It was a sobering thought - but it wasn't worth the chance. My grandparents never drove but owned vehicles. They lived in the country and when needed always had a neighbour or relative drive them. Of course their car was always available for others to use as repayment.
I don't really have an issue with a license being pulled if it means safer roads. Yes, there are capable people in their 80's, 90's but at times there are also dangerous drivers that should be removed from the roadways.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I think i will not take it lightly, the one of many check out steps. Limitations and all that jazz It is easier in czech since the public transportation system is very developed.
My parents - born 1933 - have a car and my dad drives but they are able to go amywhere via train bus metro and most od it is free for people 65+.

 

[vwnotrunning]

I can only hope I can approach this with as much honest self evaluation as my Grandmother did. She still had her license up until she passed away at 92. She did decide that she would ask someone or a relative to drive her most places she needed to go. She would insist they come over and then use her car to keep it operational and use her gas. She would still drive herself to church until she broke her hip. She realized that she had trouble driving at night several years earlier and would get someone to drive her home if she stayed out or would not be able to drive home way before it started to get dark.

I hope I can be even half as self-less as she was.

 

[two_bit_score]

My dad's Drivers License was pulled when he was 75... lived to be 79. He was initially upset but after a few conversations he was satisfied - no happy - but satisfied. The conversation went like this: Dad we know you are capable but times there is lack of judgment... what if you accidentally hit some one in the neighbourhood and hurt or killed them... than what? It was a sobering thought - but it wasn't worth the chance. My grandparents never drove but owned vehicles. They lived in the country and when needed always had a neighbour or relative drive them. Of course their car was always available for others to use as repayment.
I don't really have an issue with a license being pulled if it means safer roads. Yes, there are capable people in their 80's, 90's but at times there are also dangerous drivers that should be removed from the roadways.

You know. Funny thing about car accidents. Thats exactly what they are. Accidents caused by negligence or circumstances involving negligence. When an accident happens involving particular classes of people it's a normal tendency for most people to blame the drunk, the teenager, the elderly driver, etc. But in almost all those cases it was just an accident that could have happened to anyone who didn't think just right that split second. I've investigated or been involved in handling circumstances resulting from two normal people, both stone cold sober, not old or very young, not texting or talking on the phone, etc having an 'accident'. In those cases it's usually referred to by everyone as an 'accident'. But let it involve one of the particular classes mentioned and it becomes 'a wreck caused by the old guy/ teenager/ drunk' etc, etc.

 

[Redneck in training]

My wife's grandpa was driving to the last day of his life. He was the oldest from a group of friends he joined for lunch few times a week. Most of them didn't drive anymore. He drove them to another town for lunch, returned home and started preparing dinner, fell over and he was dead. What way to go. He was 92.
He lived simple life; he was small time farmer (80 ac) but rented the land for past 20 years or so. Every morning rain cold hot walked around the farm for exercise, and then drove to the town to meet his friends. Every weekend drove to see one of his daughters living in the area. That was his routine.
My wife's mother also drove to the end of her life. She died at 88.

I was skiing in Mont Sainte-Anne in Quebeck few years back. I saw a very old guy downhill skiing and asked who he was. I was told he was a local legend. He was 101 years old and didn't miss single day of skiing on the mountain since they opened.