Driving at Age 97

[gauss]

DM failed a vision screening test at her drivers license renewal a year ago. We had to go to her eye doctor to do the full blown evaluation. She passed this part with flying colors.

This year, out of the blue she received a form that she needed to submit concerning the same issue. This year's form had sections on medication taken and questions about if anybody helped you fill out the form. She truthfully filled out the form, disclosed her medications to include Aricept (ie dementia medication) and passed the eye doctor vision test again. The State said that she is good to go. I suspect that due to her history with this and the medications that she is taken that they will be watching her like a hawk in the upcoming years.

-gauss

 

[donothing]

Reminds me of an elderly uncle I had whose vision had gotten really bad. One day, as he was getting in his car and driving off I told my father "I'm surprised he can still get a license with his vision so bad" My father said "Oh, he hasn't had a license in years"

 

[Retiree_Having_Fun]

In my part of the sunshine state the many illegal aliens are actually pretty safe drivers. One of them advised they do not want to get pulled over by law enforcement so they follow the rules of the road.

Many are responsible for hit and runs when they do get into an accident - no insurance either. My car was crashed into as it was parked on the street. Cops caught the guy down the street when hit hit something else. Was almost 3 times the legal limit. No $$$ from him - had to claim on my own insurance which has since increased. This is anecdotal but cops told me it happens in many hit and run cases. I will take a sober older driver over a drunk driver any day.

 

[Amethyst]

One thing we keep in mind when driving is that in the event of an incident, the police and everyone else will be looking to blame the gray-haired wrinkled driver, whether or not he or she is really at fault.

 

[Nick12]

Many are responsible for hit and runs when they do get into an accident - no insurance either. My car was crashed into as it was parked on the street. Cops caught the guy down the street when hit hit something else. Was almost 3 times the legal limit. No $$$ from him - had to claim on my own insurance which has since increased. This is anecdotal but cops told me it happens in many hit and run cases. I will take a sober older driver over a drunk driver any day.

Unfortunately their are drivers here in Florida that drive with no car insurance. There is no way DMV offices can enforce and it only makes logical sense to get car insurance. Hit and run is very common in Florida the state where it seems drivers make up their own road rules. Arrive alive!

 

[Walt34]

One thing we keep in mind when driving is that in the event of an incident, the police and everyone else will be looking to blame the gray-haired wrinkled driver, whether or not he or she is really at fault.

That was not my experience at all in 18 years on the road as a patrol officer. Usually it was the young whippersnapper who caused it. Only once did I fill out the form for "Request for driver reexamination" to MVA, and that only because the driver said she "may have blacked out" just before a collision.

Then again, I've never worked or spent much time in Florida so that may well be an entirely different environment.

 

[gayl]

Took the distributor cap off dad's car. He called the mechanic out to look as at it but we explained our dilemma and he told dad "broke for good."

I hate driving, prefer Bart to SF or walking here. Kids drive if we're together & I'm in my 60s

 

[TromboneAl]

Took the distributor cap off dad's car. He called the mechanic out to look as at it but we explained our dilemma and he told dad "broke for good."

Keep your fingers crossed that you don't see a brand-new Beemer in his driveway tomorrow!

 

[Moemg]

When My Mom stopped driving in her late 80's she kept her car just to look at it .

 

[HillCountry]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47186875

So the prince stopped driving.

 

[TromboneAl]

The queen removed his distributor cap (that's her in the photo).

 

[Ronstar]

MIL (soon to be 90) said yesterday that she doesn’t want to take another drivers test. Kind of a shock to us that she wants to give up her license. The main reason is that our hometown DMV no longer does road testing - she’d have to take the road test in a different town. And she hasn’t driven outside of our town / surrounding rural areas in more than 30 years. She refuses to drive outside of her comfort zone. Probably a good thing - DW and I will not have to take the keys from her when she’s too old to drive.

 

[Scrapr]

I wonder if the Prince's kids or Grandkids had "the talk" with him. Probably left it up to Megan Markle. Newcomers rite of passage. LOL

MIL (88)is thinking about giving up her license in June. I don't think she wants to retest. I'm not even for sure if she has to retest. Only time she drives is once a week to the grocery & a hair appointment. If she has to go to the credit union she has one of the kids drive. We thought about Uber. I'm not sure she could do a smart phone though.