Jim Reichard

I think Rob's question is more how about me-us vintagers rather than how do you feel about older drivers. As someone that is about a generation older than most of you I feel safe in saying that if you retain your health in general you should be able to drive well into your 80's. Why is that? Because the fact that you enjoy rowing the gears in most cases means you are a good driver or atleast a better than average driver.

In my opinion most of the bad old drivers were bad younger drivers. I am always amazed when I look over to see who it is that is holding up the flow of trafic only to see it a male in his 30's.

DrCloud

My mother-in-law is 91 and still drives (in the woods and hill country of the NW New Jersey subrubs), but not at night any more.

And, to me, that's a useful benchmark. If you pay attention, you'll probably notice that driving at night gets harder and harder (in terms of being able to see comfortably) as you age. I've already noticed this to a small degree.

When it gets to the point that you don't feel good about driving at night, that's the first message to listen to carefully. Then you just pay more attention about giving it up during the day.

But it will depend on where this is all happening. If I'm able to really retire to a house in the Rocky Mountains, I'll be able to drive longer than if I stay here, where the traffic is more dangerous because of density and speed and crazies.

But losing the independence is gonna be tough, that's for sure. HPH

dean

The first time I drive my car into a swimming pool I'm hanging up the keys.
It happens around here about once a week when some old fossil confuses the brake pedal with the gas pedal.

2Red2K

When the DMV tells me it's time to pry my fingers off the steering wheel, I think I'll get another motorcycle.

Matt_in_VA

As for me, this will be one of saddest days of my life. I hope that I have the wisdom to throw in the keys. My Mother has pleased me by attending the AARP program for Seniors and no longer drives at night. During a recent visit, we had the opportunity for Barbara to drive with her and for me to follow and observe, and during the day, she still drives very well.

As I have been a student of driving since about the age of twelve when I got interested in Motorsports, six years before the legal driving age in NYC. It will be a very hard decision to toss the keys in.

However, I feel very strongly about re-testing for every one. As a former General Aviation pilot, I have long favored that model for drivers licenses. One has to stay "current". Why should piloting a car be any different?

I have been trying to educate myself about Motorhomes in advance of our "exit strategy" when the time comes that I can retire. It is amazing too me that driving a 43' long Diesel Pusher motorhome that weighs in at as much as 55,000 pounds, towing a 10,000 pound trailer that could have a combine length of almost seventy feet, with air brakes does not require a CDL license in any state that I can find.

At SF05 I got into a conversation with Treedriver about this. He drives an 18 wheeler up and down the I-95 corrider for a living. He told me that he sees accidents all the time caused by people not taking the total length of their vehilcle into consideration when changing lanes.

Matt_in_VA

What kind of "Crotch Rocket"? Something like a Hayabusa? With a power to weight ration of 3.128 pounds per HP versus our S2000 at 11.708 pounds per HP?

http://www.pashnit.com/bikes/hayabusa.htm

2Red2K

That is too cool.

Probably way too cool for me. I was thinking of something more classic like a BSA or Indian or Ariel . After the effort and time to get them started you were too tired to ride. They were therefore, very safe.

RedY2KS2k

I still remember the day we got my dad's car keys. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it was necessary.

Matt_in_VA

I can imagine.

As seriously as I take driving, I am NOT looking forward to the day that I realize that I should no longer be driving.

ralper

My mother is 84. She's had a tough time since my father died 1 1/2 years ago. It's the first time she's been alone and without him for 66 years.

At the beginning of the summer she fell at my sister's house and broke her heel. For four months she was laid up.

Now, one of her biggest pleasures in life is to take her car and drive the mile and a half to the supermarket on her own, or the 2 1/2 miles to her friend's house to spend the afternoon with the "girls".

I don't think she goes much faster than 25 mph, and I'm not convinced that isn't too fast for her, but still its the only little bit of independence she has left after a lifetime of being (together with my father) a very independent person.

As my mother has aged, Liz and I have watched as my sister and myself have become the parents and my mother has become the child. Her trip to the supermarket and her friend's house is the last big thing that she can do for her self.

I agree that the elderly are not (as a group) safe on the road, and I agree that many of them should be prohibited from driving, but it saddens me to think its one of the few pleasures they have left.