Too old to drive

[Teacher Terry]

I have never really liked driving but it’s nice not to have to rely on others. Also what if Frank gets sick and isn’t able to drive you around. Then you both have to rely on Uber and that gets expensive. Sometimes I want to go to 4 different stores when I am looking for something and wouldn’t want to be paying for that. I order online for many things but still also like to go to the store when looking for somethings.

 

[Time2]

Just a point, when you factor in the cost of a car, the insurance, maintenance and fuel, Uber isn't as expensive as it might same, if offset against those.
But ya, I want a car, not necessarily 3, but the wife wants them all, so there is that.

 

[Koolau]

No cars leaving or entering. Reminds me of an old song about the Boston subway... Also expresses my feelings about roundabouts!

Ah, yes. Kingston Trio" M. T. A."

 

[Teacher Terry]

Just a point, when you factor in the cost of a car, the insurance, maintenance and fuel, Uber isn't as expensive as it might same, if offset against those.
But ya, I want a car, not necessarily 3, but the wife wants them all, so there is that.

My car only costs me 150/month which includes all my expenses. I can’t Uber to all those places for that amount.

 

[W2R]

My car only costs me 150/month which includes all my expenses. I can’t Uber to all those places for that amount.

I wonder if maybe that's a regional thing. I don't know anybody with car insurance under $150/month, here, good credit or not. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason is that insurance companies have to pay out more in claims here, than elsewhere.

 

[W2R]

Ah, yes. Kingston Trio" M. T. A."

LOVE that song!

 

[Koolau]

I wonder if maybe that's a regional thing. I don't know anybody with car insurance under $150/month, here, good credit or not. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason is that insurance companies have to pay out more in claims here, than elsewhere.

Wow, I thought our insurance was expensive in the Islands. I think we pay about $60/month. Heh, heh, just don't ask about how much it costs to park!

 

[Time2]

My car only costs me 150/month which includes all my expenses. I can’t Uber to all those places for that amount.

You sound like us, I paid $11,000 for a truck 23 years ago, that is down to $40 a month for the purchase price.

We had a Lexus we bought for $4,000 had it for 11 years and sold it for $2,900. That cost was $100 a year.
We did get a deal on the Lexus, the guy was trading it in, he sold it to us for trade in price.

 

[frances]

My mom was 86 when she needed her DL renewed last.
She was legally blind and shouldn't have been driving and hadn't been for several years anyway because she hit a curb and did $2k in damage to the suspension on her car so she stopped voluntarily (no police or anything so good on that). Once I explained to her how had she hit someone else and they discovered she was legally blind yet still driving they could have taken everything she owned she decided it was time to stop.
Anyway, when her license was expiring in May, 2017 we went to the DMV (here in Georgia) in a close but somewhat rural county. She was knitting while we waited and hung some reading glasses on her shirt. She could knit by feel as she had been knitting since she was a teen.
When her time came up she went and struck up a conversation with the clerk. I didn't go to the counter with her. She somehow avoided the eye test. When it came time to pay they wanted a credit card run through the card reader. Mom couldn't see to do it, so she fumbled around, said to the clerk, "I just don't know how to use these things", yelled for me to come over, and I jumped up and ran the card.
She got a Driver's License ANYWAY!
The joke became that she had her license, she could legally drive.
Funny, but not. She knew not to after her little accident.

I guess the point of my story here is some clerks are sticklers, some are, as in the case of my mom, EXTREMELY lax. Just the luck of the draw I guess.

 

[Katsmeow]

When I last renewed my drivers license it was after I had cataract surgery. My combined vision is 20/20 but I have monovision so my left eye is much lower. But, Texas tested me with an eye chart. They literally had me walk past the eye chart (very close to it). They then asked me to do a line with my right eye (20/20 eye) so it was easy. Then, they asked me to do the SAME line with my left eye (monovision eye). Of course I remembered the 4 letters on the line so no problem. I could actually see them but they were blurry.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I looked up Nevada requirements and at age 70 you can either go in person for the eye exam or have both your eye doctor and regular doctor say you are fit to drive by filling out a form.

 

[JoeWras]

My father lived in one of those rural flyover states and when he came to the Boston area to visit (in his 70s), I noticed he wasn't using his side mirrors for turns and lane changes. I forget if he was using turn signals when he should have; it's been too long.

Point is: if you live in a rural, low population area, you may be able to drive "ok" with a reduced skill set, but you may likely have problems in a competitive urban environment, on top of dealing with unfamiliar roads...

I was in my prime and had recently driven in downtown in Chicago (easy), San Francisco (easy) and Miami (difficult).

Then I went to Boston. Forget it! It is another world there. I nearly crapped my pants. If your dad even survived Boston, that was quite an accomplishment.

 

[Koolau]

I was in my prime and had recently driven in downtown in Chicago (easy), San Francisco (easy) and Miami (difficult).

Then I went to Boston. Forget it! It is another world there. I nearly crapped my pants. If your dad even survived Boston, that was quite an accomplishment.

Boston. I agree. Much worse than SF or CHI. Never driven in Miami. I even did okay in DC.

 

[MRG]

I was in my prime and had recently driven in downtown in Chicago (easy), San Francisco (easy) and Miami (difficult).

Then I went to Boston. Forget it! It is another world there. I nearly crapped my pants. If your dad even survived Boston, that was quite an accomplishment.

+1
I frequently traveled to Boston, and a coworker there would frequently pick us up. I didn't pay much attention to his driving there as it was the norm. When he came to KC, we went to major lengths to make sure he wasn't driving. Wasn't for him so much, but his driving in KC was a traffic violation. Folks would have thought he was upset when he was driving normal.

 

[eytonxav]

Years ago when cars had front bench seats, you had to beware of the boston drivers who would sit in the middle of the front bench while driving the car. Has anyone seen that in their past

 

[Out of Steam]

Boston. I agree. Much worse than SF or CHI. Never driven in Miami. I even did okay in DC.

Except for the traffic circles, driving in DC is not nearly as difficult as Boston or New York. Though traffic in the area can be worse than either city.

 

[MC Rider]

I don't like traffic circles, people get confused in them. Including me.

You may get too old to drive, but you're never too old to Rock and Roll!

 

[Lsbcal]

The OP was about something other then driving in Washington DC and big cities. Serious thread drift here.

Perhaps we should get back on topic.

 

[dknighd]

I won't be driving any more.

You seem comfortable with that decision. Good for you.


It is a hard decision to make! I dread the day one of us will have to give up driving. Both our moms probably kept driving longer than they should have. It was not eye sight. It was slowly degrading motor skills and awareness of surroundings. I'm not sure there is an easy test for that.



My eyes are borderline. I visit an ophthalmologist before renewing my license. An ophthalmologist assessment is much more accurate than the DMV! So far the ophthalmologist has said it is OK for me to drive without glasses. But then I buy a pair anyway. I do not need glasses to drive in familiar locations. I can see a ball, or child just fine. I do need them to read street signs from a distance. So then I either put them on or rely on GPS. I can't wear them all the time, I'm long sighted in one eye and shortsighted in the other. Wearing them for too long gives me headaches.



There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that my reaction times are not as good as they used to be. As near as I can tell they seem to be better than most drivers. If I live long enough I might have to give up driving one day. I judge my father to be OK to drive. I dread the day we have to tell him to quit driving. Likely he will realize it before we do.


I think there might be two clues for when it is time to give it up.
1) The car owner offers to let you drive.
2) You wish the car owner had offered to let you drive.

 

[harllee]

The OP was about something other then driving in Washington DC and big cities. Serious thread drift here.

Perhaps we should get back on topic.

I think the OP is in New Orleans so big city driving is relevant. She would probably fee more comfortable driving in a rural area or a small town.

 

[Koolau]

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that my reaction times are not as good as they used to be. As near as I can tell they seem to be better than most drivers.

I was concerned about reaction times and I've slowed down considerably. But recently, a pickup ran the light I was sitting at as the light turned green for me. I had hesitated before starting, so it was a blatant "run" on the part of the truck. I slammed on the brakes and prevented an accident. I realized my reaction time was pretty good for an old guy. Eye sight is corrected to 20:20. I think I'll keep my DL for a bit longer. YMMV

 

[dknighd]

Ah, yes. Kingston Trio" M. T. A."

Brilliant! I think public transport should be free to the public I think it should be subsidized by people who have enough money to own their own car. I would use public transport more often if I did not have to give then $1-2 bucks for every ride.

You'd have to come up with a policy that did not let people live on the transit . . .

 

[dknighd]

I wonder if maybe that's a regional thing. I don't know anybody with car insurance under $150/month, here, good credit or not. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason is that insurance companies have to pay out more in claims here, than elsewhere.

We operate 2 cars for about $150/month. If you exclude the cost of actually buying the cars, and having them depreciate. Which is probably the highest expense. About $100 for insurance, $10 for maintenance, $40 for fuel.

 

[Koolau]

Brilliant! I think public transport should be free to the public I think it should be subsidized by people who have enough money to own their own car. I would use public transport more often if I did not have to give then $1-2 bucks for every ride.

You'd have to come up with a policy that did not let people live on the transit . . .

I've mentioned "THE BUS" many times here in these pages. It's the city/county bus system that serves the entire Island. I think a ride is now up to $3 for full fare. There are lots of discounted ways to ride as well. Monthly passes, elderly passes, etc.

You mentioned subsidizing rides by those who own cars. Just so you will know. That $3 fare is about half the cost of every ride, so the rides are already subsidized heavily.

Living on the transit system has become a real problem to most big cities. There is no "stomach" for "throwing" the homeless off the system. I don't know how you deal with that, but I agree that it needs to be dealt with.

Our city claims to have a bed for every homeless person who DESIRES one. The available bed has just a few requirements such as no weapons, no alcohol, no drugs. Large numbers of our people who live on the street (or on the transit) are not willing to meet these requirements. It's a problem that needs to be dealt with but everyone has a different idea, so nothing gets done. I already pay a lot to keep my car. Why should I pay even more for a problem that no one will even try to fix?

 

[dknighd]

@koolau Off topic. I'm convinced some people like to be homeless. Or pretend to be. I've thought about it occasionally. But have decided I prefer having a home, and a car in the driveway. I'm not an expert but my guess is some of the homeless people do it on purpose. They like it. It does have a certain appeal.


I've decided what makes me happy is a house, and a car in the driveway. I've been lucky to have that as an option. Some people might not have been so lucky.