When should old drivers get their licences taken away

[Feasty]

We've all been there, driving/riding along the road and getting fed up with the slow, stupid driver ahead to then discover that driver is an OAP struggling to keep up.

But then maybe many of us have been on the other end, knowing or having an elderly person in the family wanting to maintain their independence. Buses are too difficult to manage, taxi's are too expensive, but they can still keep their independence by driving to get out and about and enjoy different scenery.

So when you've got an elderly relative who, whenever you visit them, seems to have a new scrape or something else missing from the outside of their car.
They refuse to believe they are unsafe and need to stop driving.
They can't be that safe on the road, and the worry is are they going to hurt someone one day? We see examples in the news regularly, there was the recent death of an OAP who drove into a canal.

But could you be the one to take away their independence by talking to the police? And even doing it anonymously, they get stopped driving and their life deteriorates because of you.

It's a tough call, what would you do?

I also think more stringent testing needs to take place as we get older. Maybe not a full driving test, but maybe once we reach 70-75 a basic skills test is required with a follow up test after 5 or 10 years based on the result.
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[CrypticCrud]

How do you tell someone who’s been driving buses for 50+ years not to drive any more? It’s got to be a big gut wrench.

Some background..

incident 1. The old girl went out in the car and couldn’t remember the way back but did make it back

Incident 2. Stood outside for at least 10 minutes wondering why the car was screaming at her & then gave up… she couldn’t remember how to turn the lights off.


There’s an old girl (78) down the way and she’s stuck me on her insurance so I can drive her around. She still refuses to give her licence up but I try and make myself available to take her shopping & the like. I even take her when I go to my friends and family to stop her getting bored at home. It kinda puts a crimp on your private life but if it’s another unsafe driver off the road then it’s worth it.
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CBT - Aug24, Theory - Jun25, Mod 1 - Jul25, Mod 2 - Sep25
Kawasaki Z125 > Honda Z125 > GSX-R600 Y

[A100man]

Happened to me recently.

Mother, then 85 crashed her car 'I was dazzled', so we got her another on the provisio she only drove at day-time. But as you say regular new scrapes appeared..

.. her eyesight was getting worse

then she broke her hip, and due to not following doctors orders dislocated it - twice! Much morphine and GA during the operations (I think) fucked her memory.
.. we bought a mobility scooter last year (then 87) 'If you think I'm going to drive that thing you can bloody well bugger off'

In the end this year she suffered a stroke and no has almost no mobilty on one side, so the decision didn't have to be made.. In truth she should never have had her car back after the crash but as you say it was her lifeline - even though she could've afforded taxis..

The Gov't does really need to step in and put some proper rules and reg in place. as far as I know you can currently self-declare yourself fit and get licence continuity.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[stinkwheel]

My thought was to have a scheme for a volountary assessment with a driving instructor after a certain age linked to hefty, score dependant insurance discounts.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[panrider_uk]

[panrider_uk]

Probably after the age of 70, drivers should have to re-take a driving test of some sort.

Going by the standards of driving you see on the roads, maybe everyone should have to do a re-test every 10 years.

Not sure the government would be overly keen on removing lots of road tax paying drivers off the road though.
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Current bikes: Honda ST1100 Pan European. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel

[A100man]

[CrypticCrud]

[Ste]

[Pete.]

[CrypticCrud]

[Pete.]

[CrypticCrud]

[A100man]

[Ste]

[Evil Hans]

We (me and siblings) were quite worried about my mum driving into her late 80s, and were discussing ways of bringing up the subject with her.

Then I got a call from my brother to say that the fire brigade were currently extricating the car from the trees next to Tesco's car park after she'd hit the wrong pedal and gone for a bit of a wild ride. Fortunately, she didn't hit anyone.

She didn't drive after that, so we never had to have the conversation. Probably should have acted sooner though.
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Triumph Sprint ST 1050. And it's Red.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[to v or not to v]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

I think the assumption that doddery driving is a reason to take a person’s freedom away when they need it more than ever is a shame. There are plenty of younger drivers whose competence is questionable and we could justify banning them using the same considerations, but we don’t.

[Ayrton]

Should need to do some kind of driving test every few years once you turn 80 imo. It sucks that people will lose some freedom but that's not enough of an excuse to let them drive a vehicle that they aren't competent enough to control.

[recman]

I started playing golf with an 83 year old bloke about 6 months ago. He picks me up on his way to the course in his Lexus. He's a very competent driver, certainly one I'd rather have drive me around than one or two members of other societal demographics that's for sure.
I wouldn't dream of even hinting at him to hang up his string-backed gloves.

[BanditsHigh]

If you feel that someone is unfit to continue driving then tell them, whether or not they heed your concerns is up to them!

I'll stop riding if I feel I'm getting dangerous (well more than usual) ... I already find it hard to see clearly at night, especially if it's raining at the same time, so I tend not to go out!

This sobbing over 'it takes away their freedom' is fine, until that is someone who shouldn't be driving kills someone close to you!

[Easy-X]

My mum says she doesn't fancy driving in the dark any more, totally unprompted so that saves me a "conversation". I've slowly worked my way into driving for her, e.g. an appointment at a hospital she'd never find. I'm going with the softly-softly approach.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[BanditsHigh]

[Kawasaki Jimbo]