The kind of people who do 40mph on a NSL road also tend to do 40 through villages regardless of the speed limit, sometimes they speed up as the road is lit and then can see better. They are oblivious to other road users, road signs and pedestrians. They also tend to touch the brakes as soon as the road deviates from arrow straight and also drift around making it difficult to overtake safely

I would say there is a tendency for these people to be of advancing years but not all of them are.

Someone in a tractor knows they can only do 25-30mph and in my experience normally pull over when they have chance and let people past.

When they get overtaken by caravans and mobile homes these people should realise that they may be causing an obstruction, but sadly they seem to think the opposite.

I know someone with this mentality (who failed to notice for about 5 years that a junction they drove across daily had been changed) who admits they don't bother looking for the speed limit and instead guesses (strangely always around 40mph) and finds signs confusing. I have tried to discuss the subject and they don't see anything wrong with their driving style.

The kind of people who do 40mph on a NSL road also tend to do 40 through villages regardless of the speed limit, sometimes they speed up as the road is lit and then can see better. They are oblivious to other road users, road signs and pedestrians. They also tend to touch the brakes as soon as the road deviates from arrow straight and also drift around making it difficult to overtake safely

I would say there is a tendency for these people to be of advancing years but not all of them are.

Someone in a tractor knows they can only do 25-30mph and in my experience normally pull over when they have chance and let people past.

Also, tractors generally have big amber flashing lights drawing attention to their low speed.

When they get overtaken by caravans and mobile homes these people should realise that they may be causing an obstruction, but sadly they seem to think the opposite.

I know someone with this mentality (who failed to notice for about 5 years that a junction they drove across daily had been changed) who admits they don't bother looking for the speed limit and instead guesses (strangely always around 40mph) and finds signs confusing. I have tried to discuss the subject and they don't see anything wrong with their driving style.

This type of person usually sees anyone overtaking as a dangerous idiot, regardless of the road conditions that they ignore.

The kind of people who do 40mph on a NSL road also tend to do 40 through villages regardless of the speed limit, sometimes they speed up as the road is lit and then can see better. They are oblivious to other road users, road signs and pedestrians. They also tend to touch the brakes as soon as the road deviates from arrow straight and also drift around making it difficult to overtake safely

I would say there is a tendency for these people to be of advancing years but not all of them are.

Someone in a tractor knows they can only do 25-30mph and in my experience normally pull over when they have chance and let people past.

When they get overtaken by caravans and mobile homes these people should realise that they may be causing an obstruction, but sadly they seem to think the opposite.

I know someone with this mentality (who failed to notice for about 5 years that a junction they drove across daily had been changed) who admits they don't bother looking for the speed limit and instead guesses (strangely always around 40mph) and finds signs confusing. I have tried to discuss the subject and they don't see anything wrong with their driving style.

Would this be a member of the fairer sex? I get called a male cheavanist pig every time I dare criticise SHMBO's driving (which is everytime she drives with me in the car, which is 1 of the reasons I try and limit this as much as possible for the sake of my blood pressure and sanity).

Unfortunatly anyone taking a pride in both their car and driving seems to be in an ever decreasing minority- we'll be able to claim discrimination soon!

I had a blue badge to use for both my parents - it would have been impossible to take them out without it as my mother was in a wheel chair (stroke victim) and my step father could only walk a short distance (maybe 50 feet on a good day) due to Parkinson's.

I think some people should sit back a read what they have posted here - with luck they may never have the need or one but for those that do they are a lifeline.

The blue badge has now been handed back in as my step father died recently and it is impossible now to get my mother into the car.

I always parked with care and almost always in a designated disabled bay - when they were not full of able bodied drivers

Would this be a member of the fairer sex? I get called a male cheavanist pig every time I dare criticise SHMBO's driving (which is everytime she drives with me in the car, which is 1 of the reasons I try and limit this as much as possible for the sake of my blood pressure and sanity).

Unfortunatly anyone taking a pride in both their car and driving seems to be in an ever decreasing minority- we'll be able to claim discrimination soon!

In the particular example yes, but I would say from experience there is a 50:50 split. My grandad was a nightmare in the end, but only because he had two cataracts and couldn't actually see anything (he neglected to mention this until one day he commented how he couldn't read the signs on the motorway, at which point my dad took his keys off him).

I had a blue badge to use for both my parents - it would have been impossible to take them out without it as my mother was in a wheel chair (stroke victim) and my step father could only walk a short distance (maybe 50 feet on a good day) due to Parkinson's.

I think some people should sit back a read what they have posted here - with luck they may never have the need or one but for those that do they are a lifeline.

The blue badge has now been handed back in as my step father died recently and it is impossible now to get my mother into the car.

I always parked with care and almost always in a designated disabled bay - when they were not full of able bodied drivers

Sadly the stupid minority tar the reputation of the majority.

Generally I would say stupidity is non discriminatory but when someone spies a stupidly parked car with a blue badge in it, it is rather obvious.

In the particular example yes, but I would say from experience there is a 50:50 split. My grandad was a nightmare in the end, but only because he had two cataracts and couldn't actually see anything (he neglected to mention this until one day he commented how he couldn't read the signs on the motorway, at which point my dad took his keys off him).

My father-in-law was still driving while loosing his marbles and the MIL gave him instructions from the passenger seat, much like the rest of the time. I too went out with him and assessed his driving as he didn't think he was bad. We surrendered his license after that. Best thing that could have happened. Trouble is the sysytem relies on self assessment for the elderly, which is bonkers

My father-in-law was still driving while loosing his marbles and the MIL gave him instructions from the passenger seat, much like the rest of the time. I too went out with him and assessed his driving as he didn't think he was bad. We surrendered his license after that. Best thing that could have happened. Trouble is the sysytem relies on self assessment for the elderly, which is bonkers

My step father handed in his own licence - at the time my mother was mad as she saw it as the end of their Independence - a year later he confided in me that he had double vision and when he saw two roads he decided that was it! Within another year his Parkinson's had been diagnosed. Up until the end his driving had been good as he had driven me many times

Also, tractors generally have big amber flashing lights drawing attention to their low speed.

This type of person usually sees anyone overtaking as a dangerous idiot, regardless of the road conditions that they ignore.

Tractors must by law have an amber beacon on a duel carriageway

Trouble is the sysytem relies on self assessment for the elderly, which is bonkers

Definitely agree with this, but certainly feel for those faced with the decision of whether to hang up their keys or not - it's not a decision I am looking forward to having to make (in quite a few years I might add ;-)) and much as I'd like to be, I couldn't say I would be able to be 100% objective...

Chris

Having been through this with both my dad and FIL, and the same issue now looming with my mum, I can understand where they are coming from. Its the last bastion on independence. Give up the keys and they are totally reliant on other people - at least certainly in rural areas where public transport is non existent. My dad fail quickly once he could no longer drive and became dependant on others for everything - he went downhill rapidly after that

Having been through this with both my dad and FIL, and the same issue now looming with my mum, I can understand where they are coming from. Its the last bastion on independence. Give up the keys and they are totally reliant on other people - at least certainly in rural areas where public transport is non existent. My dad fail quickly once he could no longer drive and became dependant on others for everything - he went downhill rapidly after that

It's a very difficult decision to take for anyone, one that has no way back from either as far as driving again is concerned, so for those that rely on a car for their independance with no alternatives availoable must find it doubly hard to give up even if they think they should. Personally although it can be annoying as long as older drivers can remain safe I'm all for them keeping their independance and TBH we don't have any right to take it off them just because they choose to drive below the speed limit the rest of us will just have to grin and bear it or take our IAM to improve our own skills, it's once they become a liability behind the wheel that things should change, somehing that should be assessed by a professional IMO.

cheers

Ade

I remember my Dad being determine to drive again after his first stoke - he could only walk with the help of a zimmer!. Eventually his doctor agreed to send for a driving assessment (all done on a simulator). At this dad gave the poor girl doing the assessment a real barracking because she didn't allow for the fact that he could work the clutch with his stick!!!

He never did drive again and became an even grumpier old man!

Lol at tonights top gear **** take of old people driving!

The worst problem I find with them when driving towards them in one of the tractors or JCB handler (rural Dorset roads) is that they just stop, no attempt to get over to the edge or **** all. So you end up having to scrape along the hedge to get past them. God forbid they try and reverse back in to a layby, they either snake it all over the road or end up so far up the bank they almost turn the bloody car over.

Agree with everything on this thread lol!