Should drivers over 70 hand in their keys ?

[Mesa]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

They insist in driving 15-20 k under the speed limit? Your source of information is?

Hitting the accelerator and landing in a spot not meant for a vehicle is not unique to elderly drivers. Younger drivers figure in these incidents also.

My source?? Frequent mileage up and down Raymond Terrace road stuck behind someone usually elderly doing 80k in the 100 zone.

Might not be unique, but plenty of them do it.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by BluFGXR6

My source?? Frequent mileage up and down Raymond Terrace road stuck behind someone usually elderly doing 80k in the 100 zone.

Might not be unique, but plenty of them do it.

Funny how you say that but unfortunately I get young & old doing the same thing!!!

[opto]

When do we get to judge whether to euthanase humans at say 75 years old also ? Everyday we seem to take away peoples privileges. Granted, there are those people out there who have lost the immediate decision making and coordination skills, these are individuals, you don't condemn a whole segment of society for a loss of skill due to age.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by BluFGXR6

My source?? Frequent mileage up and down Raymond Terrace road stuck behind someone usually elderly doing 80k in the 100 zone.

Might not be unique, but plenty of them do it.

[Andrew S]

Originally Posted by BluFGXR6

My source?? Frequent mileage up and down Raymond Terrace road stuck behind someone usually elderly doing 80k in the 100 zone.

Might not be unique, but plenty of them do it.

Exactly what do you call elderly?
I just looked at your profile and you're no spring chicken......

[mercury39]

I'm 76 years old, but I would challenge the average driver to a few laps on the 1/4 mile speedway track.

[tut0r]

Originally Posted by opto

When do we get to judge whether to euthanase humans at say 75 years old also ? Everyday we seem to take away peoples privileges. Granted, there are those people out there who have lost the immediate decision making and coordination skills, these are individuals, you don't condemn a whole segment of society for a loss of skill due to age.

I feel the biggest thing here is, driving should be considered a privilege not a right. Just because you pass your license test it in no way makes you a good driver, think of driving like being in school, you're always learning....Difference is you have tests frequently in school to gauge whether you pass or not and progress to the next year level, basically if your ready to go up or not.

I think with licenses it should be the same if not similar as no matter how good a driver you are at the end of the day if someone is on their phone and not paying attention you're going to end up with a lot of butthurt from them.....literal butt hurt if they hit you from behind...

On another note can we have speed cameras on the fwy on ramps? For those who don't do 100 by a certain point get fined? I was stuck behind some bimbo doing 65km on a ******* 200 - 300metre on ramp.... 200 - 300 metres!!!!!!

Hell my cat can get to 100km quicker when i've caught him on the bench faster than that douchwardo...

[HULK_I6T]

No old people shouldnt have to hand their keys in at all.

one thing they are is mature and drive within their limits, some dont drive at night, some drive slower than the speed limit, rarely do they sit in peak traffic on the way to work, whatever it takes.. they dont cause accidents so why should they have to hand in their keys?

its the p platers who should have to hand in their keys, they drive way beyond their skills and put themselves and others in danger. They are by far the most dangerous drivers on the road and cause the most accidents..

for the government to impose measures to stop p platers driving v8s ir turbo/supercharged cars is proof they just cant resist driving like turkeys.

old people arent restricted from driving these cars and you dont see them slamming them intiotrees etc..

you cant teach maturity... no matter how many times you tell a 17-18 year old egg head they think they know better

[LTDHO]

This is a tough topic. Those concerned get very defensive as they don't want to loose their independence. Which I understand.

IMO over 65 needs to be retested. If they are as good as driver as they think, they will not have a problem passing. Same goes for those going for P plate to full.

On a slightly different topic, I saw so many bad learner drivers over the weekend.

[Trevor 57]

Should drivers under 25 hand in their keys, it is my nearly 40 years experience as a general motorists, a professional driver, 13 years as an advanced driver trainer and as a volunteer road rescue person that says they probably should, accident statistics support my point

I don't believe that people under 25 have the mental ability or experience to deal with the complexities of driving in these modern times. Tests have proved that the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, added to that that people aged between 15 and 25 are at the time in their lives when they are most likely to take the biggest risks

[Madaya]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

And that's the difference, he's 88, knows his limits, and drives accordingly. Your average 18 yr old thinks he's invincible and can do anything.

And my DSC knows my limits. We've had a bit of rain over here and just for a test (country, no houses or folk) pressed hard in 1st or 2nd while turning, unbelievable!

I just went around the corner

Bit of a flicker from the DSC light.

No doubt the LSD was picking it's points too. Good to see my Co Pilot was awake.

[Mesa]

Originally Posted by Andrew S

Exactly what do you call elderly?
I just looked at your profile and you're no spring chicken......

Yep nearly 50. What's your point? Still got 25 years before I have to worry about the same topic.

Elderly? I would put over 75 as elderly. But that's my opinion. Some might say 65. My kids think over 40....

Seems to have touched a nerve with some of the elderly members here to be that age and have your ablilites behind the wheel questioned.

[HULK_I6T]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

Should drivers under 25 hand in their keys, it is my nearly 40 years experience as a general motorists, a professional driver, 13 years as an advanced driver trainer and as a volunteer road rescue person that says they probably should, accident statistics support my point

I don't believe that people under 25 have the mental ability or experience to deal with the complexities of driving in these modern times. Tests have proved that the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, added to that that people aged between 15 and 25 are at the time in their lives when they are most likely to take the biggest risks

Absolutely true. you cant teach maturity.

Just look around and you will see P-Platers do dumb things in cars.

[Andrew S]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

I'd worry if series 1 au brakes, regardless of rotor and pad upgrade, were better than the majority of other cars on the road.

Please tell me why AU1 brakes are inferior?
If we disregard rotor and pads what are the problems?
I don't see too many issues on Ford forums regarding this subject.......

[BENT_8]

I cant believe this is still going .

You cant just take away some ones licence due to age.

Mandatory on road testing every few years supported by a certificate of fitness is the only fair solution.

I think putting it solely in the hands of a GP is ridiculous too as they have a vested interest in keeping their patient happy...

This could be quite a growth industry.

[tut0r]

as said, testing every 5 - 10 years from the day you get your license till the day you just don't care about driving, better driver education everyone should sit a mandatory advanced driver course, whether you like cars or not, knowing what to do when you lose control MIGHT save a few more lives, now can you really put a price on the education of our drivers when we have constant crashes that MAY of been avoided with better driver education?

[Trevor 57]

Based on my experience as a an advanced driver trainer, EVERYONE should undergo mandatory re-testing when they re-new their licences (yes, including me)

[HULK_I6T]

trevor57, we cant all be retested, imagine the que at the motor registry. Its like saying every school graduate should be retested to ensure they remember algebra.

The fact of the matter is that not everyone is a great driver, BUT most as they mature drive within their limits.. Like swimming, if your not a strong swimmer you dont dive into the ocean unassisted. They smarten up.

But the immature drivers (P Platers) drive too aggresively and way outside their skill set. They might be good drivers some of them but they just push the boundaries way too far.

[GasoLane]

A lot of (perhaps younger) posters here forget that those who are over 50 (like me who is well over ) grew up when........

There was no general speed limit in most States.
We drove 'muscle cars' with drum brakes...some had disks on the front axles.
There was no Radar or speed cameras.
There was no Random Breath Testing.

So, those who are still around are either very good, very lucky or both.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

trevor57, we cant all be retested, imagine the que at the motor registry. Its like saying every school graduate should be retested to ensure they remember algebra.

Why would there be lines at motor reg?
Resitting a theory test is a waste of time, on road testing, by a properly regulated private industry, is what needs to be done.
My son is currently studying to sit his L's. His study consists of getting the online test wrong until he manages to get it right, then he thinks he will apply that theory to the actual test.
Passing a theory test does not = competent driver.

Oh, Algebra never killed anyone.

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

The fact of the matter is that not everyone is a great driver, BUT most as they mature drive within their limits.. Like swimming, if your not a strong swimmer you dont dive into the ocean unassisted. They smarten up.

If your not a competent swimmer you don't dive in at all.
Perhaps we shouldn't all be drivers...

Or come up with a plan to get those with a licence and without a clue either educated or off the roads completely.

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

But the immature drivers (P Platers) drive too aggresively and way outside their skill set. They might be good drivers some of them but they just push the boundaries way too far.

Driver education from a younger age, by 16 most kids have a do as I like attitude, why wouldn't they transfer that mindset to driving.

[noflac52]

Ok so I think, according to the thread responses that we should ban under 25s because of lack of brain development, 40 to 64 year olds because they figure in a lot of accidents, over 70s because they are all just kind of useless behind the wheel ( I wonder how good they were when they were 69 and 364 days old?) and lets throw in unfit people because they will have low stamina levels and this will affect their concentration, morbidly obese people because they are restricted in their movements and can lose control easy in a hazardous situation and smokers because a bit of hot ash on your leg will cause you to lose concentration big time while you look down to brush it off.

This leaves us a reasonably small group between 26 and 40 and another small group between 65 and seventy.

WOW! wouldn't the traffic be great!

[blueoval]

I have no problem with mandatory 5yr retesting for all license holders. I think that is a good idea just as long as they re-educate all that they aren't the ONLY road users on the road.

I think Loud Pipes summed it up the biggest road issues well on the first page of this thread:

From my international driving experience by far the two biggest problems I see in Australia is the failure to properly teach new driver’s car control and the most important one of all, driver courtesy and patience.

The State Governments are overly preoccupied with speed related road violations where instead they should channel more effort and issue infringements for discourteous driving such as right hand lane hogs, poor merge and roundabout skills and the like.

It would take time but to put resources into better training of new drivers and re-educating the old will have a positive and lasting effect for all future road users.

'Discourteous driving' is the biggest unwritten crime on the roads today. Get that right and you may find death tolls, infringement fines and the like start to disappear. Unfortunately, the time of self importance is ruler and until that attitude changes, discourteous driving will continue to be made manifest.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

trevor57, we cant all be retested, imagine the que at the motor registry. Its like saying every school graduate should be retested to ensure they remember algebra.

In Victoria they have out-sourced heavy vehicle and motorcycle testing, why can't they outsource re-testing, not initial testing, but re-testing.

As I said I have worked as an advanced driver trainer and you would be amazed at the skill level I have seen, by far the vast majority on the lower level of skills and knowledge

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

Like swimming, if your not a strong swimmer you dont dive into the ocean unassisted. They smarten up.

or they die

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by noflac52

Ok so I think, according to the thread responses that we should ban under 25s because of lack of brain development, 40 to 64 year olds because they figure in a lot of accidents, over 70s because they are all just kind of useless behind the wheel ( I wonder how good they were when they were 69 and 364 days old?) and lets throw in unfit people because they will have low stamina levels and this will affect their concentration, morbidly obese people because they are restricted in their movements and can lose control easy in a hazardous situation and smokers because a bit of hot ash on your leg will cause you to lose concentration big time while you look down to brush it off.

This leaves us a reasonably small group between 26 and 40 and another small group between 65 and seventy.

WOW! wouldn't the traffic be great!

it would probably be where it should be

[Franco Cozzo]

The whole system is a joke from Ls to full license.

I did 200 hours of driving on country highways on my Ls, did my license test in Sunbury, the hardest part about driving there is one busy roundabout lol.

Driving instructor said they would give me one of 6 routes in Sunbury for my test, so I just went driving around those routes with him often and learning the set procedures of what to do so I wouldn't lose any points in the test.

The first time I really went into traffic was after I got my license and was driving into Melbourne for work, I was driving customers cars between South Melbourne and Essendon without really any idea on how traffic works, just following what everyone else was doing lol.

No driver training in high school, just driving instructors if you wanted to and VicRoads setting minimum 120 hours in your log book.

My apprentice did about 10 hours of driving with his old man, used to go driving around everywhere by himself on his Ls at night, he just forged the rest of the hours and he got his license a few months ago.

Start teaching kids ASAP in schools, maybe in year 10 when they're 15/16 so they have the basics.

[HULK_I6T]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

In Victoria they have out-sourced heavy vehicle and motorcycle testing, why can't they outsource re-testing, not initial testing, but re-testing.

As I said I have worked as an advanced driver trainer and you would be amazed at the skill level I have seen, by far the vast majority on the lower level of skills and knowledge



or they die

Do you realise how many drivers are on our roads?

It would be a nightmare to have to retest everyone periodically. Who bares the cost of it? Employers? You taking a annual leave day every year to get a driver retest? A debacle.

Maybe the older folk as they lose their relexes etc but everyone?

[castellan]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

Should drivers under 25 hand in their keys, it is my nearly 40 years experience as a general motorists, a professional driver, 13 years as an advanced driver trainer and as a volunteer road rescue person that says they probably should, accident statistics support my point

I don't believe that people under 25 have the mental ability or experience to deal with the complexities of driving in these modern times. Tests have proved that the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, added to that that people aged between 15 and 25 are at the time in their lives when they are most likely to take the biggest risks

Under 25 ? not true of all.
Statistics are one thing but it don't make it a fact that all are as such, even one at 17 could be switched on why beyond many others.

Most people are ignorant of what to do at the point of something going wrong on the road to avoid the problem.

I say to many people, about the crucial point when you have to deal with a situation and they just don't get it, like as if someone try's to punch you walking down the street I will be ready in a instant to deal with that full on.

I have my car set up to deal with such and know it's ability's I spend extra on good tyres that grip, not like the jewbags who are looking for max mileage or cheapness like most ding bats. but when talking to the dingbats they think I am mad, and they are not pre-paired at all for such a situation.

Ding bats crash, then say they could not avoid the situation, idiots !
I could call that pre meditated ignorance in my book.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

Do you realise how many drivers are on our roads?

It would be a nightmare to have to retest everyone periodically. Who bares the cost of it? Employers? You taking a annual leave day every year to get a driver retest? A debacle.

Maybe the older folk as they lose their relexes etc but everyone?

Trevor mentioned when the licence is up for renewal , meaning every 3 or 10 year’s depending when your licence membership run’s out.

Not every year.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by HULK_I6T

Do you realise how many drivers are on our roads?

It would be a nightmare to have to retest everyone periodically. Who bares the cost of it? Employers? You taking a annual leave day every year to get a driver retest? A debacle.

Maybe the older folk as they lose their relexes etc but everyone?

Open up VicRoads on weekends and put more people on.

[2011G6E]

Jeez...I've seen people of 18 who should hand in their keys...

Too much emphasis on getting as many people as possible licensed and out on the roads. Not strict enough driver training, it should be a long, hard, and expensive process to get a license...something to discourage people who simply should admit they shouldn't be driving.
How many people do you know almost proudly state they took eight or ten goes at getting their licence? I know a couple, and they're, to be blunt, hopeless uninvolved drivers who see it as a purely automatic process that requires little, if any, concentration and thought. Get in, start it, stick it in drive, press the pedal and go...and that's all you have to worry about.

I've said before that us train drivers have to virtually "resit our license" completely every couple of years...and if you don't pass, you're off the tracks until you can prove you're competent again.
We often wonder what the roads would look like if they held car and truck drivers to the same standards as they do us train drivers in this regard...we don't know, but I bet they'd be a lot emptier...