Old people should not drive!

My brother and I own a business together, and today around noonish a very elderly woman (like 80s) crashed her car into the side of our store. Literally. She was trying to make a right turn and apparently, accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake, and slammed right into our store which was right on the corner. Luckily she was okay and nobody was hurt, but the whole wall and huge window were totaled. I spent the whole day dealing with that getting it all torn off so it can be fixed asap. Like I said, its amazing nobody was hurt cuz we had customers in the store but luckily nobody was near that wall.

Now I'm no ageist, I mean my grandmother is old, but seriously there should be some sort of upper age limit to driving privileges. For everyone's safety.

Bigtymin504 wrote:My brother and I own a business together, and today around noonish a very elderly woman (like 80s) crashed her car into the side of our store. Literally. She was trying to make a right turn and apparently, accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake, and slammed right into our store which was right on the corner. Luckily she was okay and nobody was hurt, but the whole wall and huge window were totaled. I spent the whole day dealing with that getting it all torn off so it can be fixed asap. Like I said, its amazing nobody was hurt cuz we had customers in the store but luckily nobody was near that wall.

Now I'm no ageist, I mean my grandmother is old, but seriously there should be some sort of upper age limit to driving privileges. For everyone's safety.

That sucks. I'm glad no one was hurt. And I have to agree. I recall one day, after getting my haircut, being held up in a parking lot because some elderly lady couldn't back her gas guzzling large white cadillac (may have been a buick---they all look the same to me) out. It would have been one thing if she couldn't get it out, but nooooo, she couldn't get it out period, despite repeatedly bumping every car around with her car (to this day I do not know how she did that. Witchcraft comes to mind). It was a sad sight because a crowd gathered and we just stood staring, after the first couple of people who tried to stop her were almost run over. The whole thing ended with her finally backing out and leaving and the police getting there late. It was a sight to behold. I don't mind them holding up the fast lane with their speed of slow driving but yeah, they're like drunk drivers half the time.

prescribeddrone wrote:

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:

Bigtymin504 wrote:My brother and I own a business together, and today around noonish a very elderly woman (like 80s) crashed her car into the side of our store. Literally. She was trying to make a right turn and apparently, accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake, and slammed right into our store which was right on the corner. Luckily she was okay and nobody was hurt, but the whole wall and huge window were totaled. I spent the whole day dealing with that getting it all torn off so it can be fixed asap. Like I said, its amazing nobody was hurt cuz we had customers in the store but luckily nobody was near that wall.

Now I'm no ageist, I mean my grandmother is old, but seriously there should be some sort of upper age limit to driving privileges. For everyone's safety.

That sucks. I'm glad no one was hurt. And I have to agree. I recall one day, after getting my haircut, being held up in a parking lot because some elderly lady couldn't back her gas guzzling large white cadillac (may have been a buick---they all look the same to me) out. It would have been one thing if she couldn't get it out, but nooooo, she couldn't get it out period, despite repeatedly bumping every car around with her car (to this day I do not know how she did that. Witchcraft comes to mind). It was a sad sight because a crowd gathered and we just stood staring, after the first couple of people who tried to stop her were almost run over. The whole thing ended with her finally backing out and leaving and the police getting there late. It was a sight to behold. I don't mind them holding up the fast lane with their speed of slow driving but yeah, they're like drunk drivers half the time.

Wow that's ridiculous. Oh and coincidentally this lady was driving a Buick.

Bigtymin504 wrote:

Dr. Wade Fucking McNasty wrote:

Bigtymin504 wrote:My brother and I own a business together, and today around noonish a very elderly woman (like 80s) crashed her car into the side of our store. Literally. She was trying to make a right turn and apparently, accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake, and slammed right into our store which was right on the corner. Luckily she was okay and nobody was hurt, but the whole wall and huge window were totaled. I spent the whole day dealing with that getting it all torn off so it can be fixed asap. Like I said, its amazing nobody was hurt cuz we had customers in the store but luckily nobody was near that wall.

Now I'm no ageist, I mean my grandmother is old, but seriously there should be some sort of upper age limit to driving privileges. For everyone's safety.

That sucks. I'm glad no one was hurt. And I have to agree. I recall one day, after getting my haircut, being held up in a parking lot because some elderly lady couldn't back her gas guzzling large white cadillac (may have been a buick---they all look the same to me) out. It would have been one thing if she couldn't get it out, but nooooo, she couldn't get it out period, despite repeatedly bumping every car around with her car (to this day I do not know how she did that. Witchcraft comes to mind). It was a sad sight because a crowd gathered and we just stood staring, after the first couple of people who tried to stop her were almost run over. The whole thing ended with her finally backing out and leaving and the police getting there late. It was a sight to behold. I don't mind them holding up the fast lane with their speed of slow driving but yeah, they're like drunk drivers half the time.

Wow that's ridiculous. Oh and coincidentally this lady was driving a Buick.

These old people and their big cars.

2 birds, one stone solution for bad, elderly drivers, and in two words:

Tymin...please tell me you have surveillance video...

Glad no one was hurt.

I think everybody should be re-tested for their licenses periodically, randomly & in secret (another car, following behind).

After 2 asshole cops gave me tickets for things I didn't do (I'll admit when I'm being a bad driver - I've deserved some of the tickets I've gotten, and I've deserved some of the tickets I've gotten out of), I resigned myself to never getting pulled over ever again for things I can help. So, I've been driving on cruise control set to whatever the Speed Limit signs say (amongst other things). I've noticed that 99.99999999% of all drivers fucking suck the hairiest, sweatiest, vinegariest balls that have ever existed (even friends & family).

The one that, no exaggeration, happens to me daily: I get stuck behind people doing 25 in a 50, then when I've passed them (if I get the chance) and the signs go down to 35, they tailgate me dangerously closely until they're able to speed around and fly off into the distance, like I'm sitting still. So, you'll go 25 under when it's fast, but then you'll go 25-30 over when it's supposed to be slower!? And these aren't old people. These are teenaged-to-middle-aged drivers.

Just because you faked it well enough for an instructor, doesn't mean you deserve to keep your license when all you know how to do now is endanger people's lives when you think you're not being watched by police.

As for on topic, but still along the same lines as my previous idea, once you hit a certain age, you should be re-tested -- yearly -- in the old fashion (instructor sitting next to you).

Silent K wrote:Tymin...please tell me you have surveillance video...

Glad no one was hurt.

Well we don't have surveillance video (which hurts us with shoplifters, especially during Mardi Gras) but it wasn't needed in this case. She slammed right into the building and was stuck there and had to be towed, plus we had crowds of witnesses. It wasn't a hit and run type thing thank God.

TENIME_art wrote:As for on topic, but still along the same lines as my previous idea, once you hit a certain age, you should be re-tested -- yearly -- in the old fashion (instructor sitting next to you).

I agree with this. The more I think about it, its not fair to take away driving privileges for all people above a certain age. Some elderly people are perfectly capable drivers and shouldn't have their golden years limited like that. A yearly driver's test after a certain age seems reasonable to me.

I fully agree with the license retesting, but not limited to the elderly. It is actually unfair for us to just assume that they are the worst drivers. There are shit-tons of bad drivers. I mean, teens here still have the highest fatality rate. I thought I was a pretty shit driver for the first month or two, but they were minor things, like parking and maybe a little lead-footed at times. I still drove safely. Watching everything going on, etc. But that just goes to show that everyone has to learn more than just parking-lot driving and then going to the DMV where a guy with a clipboard says you did well, and then gives you a slip to pay $20 to get your picture taken. Heh.

So I honestly think that tickets should more promptly play into retaking the driver's test. Hell, it'd increase government funding for the first couple years it is implemented, with assholes and elderly having to take the test and get their license, not back, just rebooted or unmarked on the computer...whatever.

TENIME_art wrote:I think everybody should be re-tested for their licenses periodically, randomly & in secret (another car, following behind).

After 2 asshole cops gave me tickets for things I didn't do (I'll admit when I'm being a bad driver - I've deserved some of the tickets I've gotten, and I've deserved some of the tickets I've gotten out of), I resigned myself to never getting pulled over ever again for things I can help. So, I've been driving on cruise control set to whatever the Speed Limit signs say (amongst other things). I've noticed that 99.99999999% of all drivers fucking suck the hairiest, sweatiest, vinegariest balls that have ever existed (even friends & family).

The one that, no exaggeration, happens to me daily: I get stuck behind people doing 25 in a 50, then when I've passed them (if I get the chance) and the signs go down to 35, they tailgate me dangerously closely until they're able to speed around and fly off into the distance, like I'm sitting still. So, you'll go 25 under when it's fast, but then you'll go 25-30 over when it's supposed to be slower!? And these aren't old people. These are teenaged-to-middle-aged drivers.

Just because you faked it well enough for an instructor, doesn't mean you deserve to keep your license when all you know how to do now is endanger people's lives when you think you're not being watched by police.

As for on topic, but still along the same lines as my previous idea, once you hit a certain age, you should be re-tested -- yearly -- in the old fashion (instructor sitting next to you).

I agree with the periodic retesting. They do this for many other professions (medicine especially), so I don't see why not.

I remember I was in Belgium and there was an old lady who was honking at pedestrians angrily when the pedestrian-crossing-light-thing was green. Then when everyone was out of the way, she hit the pedal and sped thru the streets. I think her light was still red, but I can't remember..

That was a close one Tymin, glad nobody was hurt. They really do need some kind of age limit. I know that some of my elderly family members can be a bit dangerous with a car sometimes. Or the re-testing. Whichever one works the best.

^I guess everyone's got an old drivers story.

I have always had the idea that when you file for retirement and begin to accept social security checks, you should have to be tested every year for you license.

Wouldn't hurt my feelings to get all the teens off the road as well. No license until you're 18 and full-coverage insurance until you're 21.

I wasn't just singling out the elderly:

TENIME_art wrote:I think everybody should be re-tested for their licenses periodically, randomly & in secret (another car, following behind).

Just because you faked it well enough for an instructor, doesn't mean you deserve to keep your license when all you know how to do now is endanger people's lives when you think you're not being watched by police.

Tom wrote:Wouldn't hurt my feelings to get all the teens off the road as well. No license until you're 18 and full-coverage insurance until you're 21.

Let's not forget women...

Heytherejeffro wrote:

Tom wrote:Wouldn't hurt my feelings to get all the teens off the road as well. No license until you're 18 and full-coverage insurance until you're 21.

Let's not forget women...

Better not let the wifey see that one...

^ My local news station !!!

Heytherejeffro wrote:Let's not forget women...

HEY! I'm a better driver than most people. My only weakness is that I have a little bit of a lead foot on the highway. The last accident I was in was 2 years ago and wasn't my fault. The one before that was in 2000.... still not my fault. An old lady pulled out into the side of my car.

Not ALL women are bad drivers!

I want to smack people that don't use a turn signal. Last I checked I'm not psychic. Between them and the folks that will drop in a lane 3 inches off your bumper. UGH.

I'm glad that no one was hurt, I hope you can get your shop fixed quickly.

I'm fully behind re-testing at random intervals and every year or so after you start claiming social security.

I think that tickets of any type should increase the likely hood of your random testing.

OH and more traffic lights need cameras. I watched a guy in a huge SUV the other day run a light that was REALLY red... he switched lanes to go around the people that were stopping for the light so he could run it. Where's a cop when you need one?