Finishing age to Drive

[Old Cruser]

It seems there are quite a lot of 90/100 yr old still driving.
I think this is far too old especially for todays roads where quick thinking and alertness is really crucial.
It seems GP's are quite happy to keep giving the ok for older drivers to continue without requesting eye tests etc.

As the only driver I have told both hubby and daughter that once in my 70's (if not before) I intend to retire from driving, I just don't think we are as alert and quick in movements as we get older.
What do others think about this

[Scimitar]

Its a fine line to tread I guess. I certainly wouldn't say that there should be a legal age (say 75 just as an example) whereby you've had it as drivings concerned. It depends on the individual driver largely, their capabilities, awareness & confidence, and your will to continue.
I don't think it should be evaluated as such (although I am as a Bus/Coach driver - medical every 5 yrs if your over 50 which is understandable).
However, at the risk of repeating myself (yes I've said this before), a good read of the Highway Code now and again I would recommend. I was just as guilty - I passed my car test in 1977, & didn't re-visit the Highway Code (properly) until I had to re-take both theory & driving test to enable me to drive a bus back in 2005. My instructor at the time would ask "what was the last road sign we have just passed?" I'd reply incorrectly, so he'd make me park the bus, and walk back to the road sign. i also remember being made to carry rear view mirrors around with me all day whilst training, just to get it into your head that we need to use them more.
Basically its all down to competence & confidence IMHO.
Don't forget the young drivers as well. A recently retired mate of mine treated himself to a new Subaru. Sat at traffic lights he gets a boy racer next to him revving his engine wanting a "drag race"
However my mate (ex copper I should add) has spotted the unmarked police car behind the boy racer, so lets him go (he would have done anyway), and the cops pull aforesaid boy racer for breaking the 30mph speed limit.
Pet hate - INDICATORS they are there for a reason, how hard can it be, please use them & give the rest of us some sort of clue
Rant over for now.... no doubt to be continued

[Old Cruser]

I agree with all your comments scimitar and yes the boy racers can be just as dangerous as an elderly person.
Would you think then that everyone should be made to have regulsar refreshers as well as eye tests and maybe a test drive with an instructor to see how they perform behind the wheel?

[Fly]

Like Scimitar, I too drive on a professional level, not like you all didn't know that 
I respect the elder customer that gets in my taxi and says, 'I sold the car, I don't think I'm up to driving nowadays'.

Our_Lass will agree with me on this comment 
Mags drove the first 2 1/2 hours back from Cornwall this morning.
The majority of cars she got slowed down by, lane hogging, etc, were on a 75% middle aged to elderly women, to 25% old men.
I got slowed down for miles on the A42 behind a big 4x4 type thing. Driven by a woman on the phone.
Totally oblivious to the tailback of traffic behind her 

I don't usually generalise about who is the worst category of drivers, I have now 

[handy]

My father in law as drove all his life and still had a bus licence last time I saw him and he is 80 still driving coaches now part time used to drive London  buses ,think he as to have a yearly medical now not sure .
I think a cut off point should be 70/75 with the option of a yearly refresher test with the option of your license taken off you if not up to a safe driving standard.

[Scimitar]

A relative of mine is on the point of giving up the car - he's in his seventies, hearing aids both ears, (arguably can't hear emergency service sirens), can't drive at night due to eyesight problems -fine in the daylight.Yet during his working life, he had a fast motorbike as a 20 something, and spent most of his later life working for a utility company driving all over Derbyshire - he probably knows more shortcuts to various locations in our county than FLY.
Yet we've noticed he labours the engine by putting it in to a higher gear than he needs to, because he can't hear the engine note - e.g. he'll stick it in 4th gear uphill when 3rd would be best.
He has however got the equivalent of Hyacinth Bouquet for a passenger!!
He has had a couple of minor incidents shall we say recently, but they like to get out and about whilst they still can, & I don't blame them.
My Dads in his 80's (ex - bus driver too), and he's still towing a caravan around with his Nissan Quashqai, probably holding the rest of the world up (bus drivers speciality)
They'll give up eventually - and then get on the bus at 09.30 exactly with a free pass and moan because I'm 2 minutes late, or the bus it too hot/cold, or can you drop me off at my door (no - for insurance reasons), and keep wandering up to your bus stop when you should have left 3 minutes ago, get on your bus, and then start firkling (I like that word) around in each & every pocket for their pass.STOP IT - I'M RANTING AGAIN. Must calm down
You take my points about the majority of my "sane" post though

[Pete]

Pretty much agree with Handy, except I would tend to say 65/70 - even though that is dangerously close to my age - LOL

In my fathers last few years we practically had to sell the car from under him after a few near misses - I know, I was with him. But he did not realise how bad he had become.

[Scimitar]

My father in law as drove all his life and still had a bus licence last time I saw him and he is 80 still driving coaches now part time used to drive London  buses ,think he as to have a yearly medical now not sure .
I think a cut off point should be 70/75 with the option of a yearly refresher test with the option of your license taken off you if not up to a safe driving standard.

Absolutely, you can still drive a bus/coach at that age subject to an annual medical - a lot of current student runs to Chesterfield college are done by retired drivers who just turn up to do two runs a day. Why not - I hope I'm still fit enough to do it when I get to that age (here's the Gemeni in me), however I hope financially I'm affluent enough not to have to do it !