To think that too many people are in denial that they should not drive?

There is a severe shortage of driving test slots in the UK at the mo, partly because of weird system issues that result in half the slots being hoovered up by bots and then resold at scalp prices. If we are going to test people regularly, or even just once when they reach at a certain age, it's going to be important to increase slots and testing facilities, and also create booking systems where people have to input personal details such as a national insurance number to stop scalping.

One way around this would be some sort of public funded taxi or carpool service for the elderly and disabled in these areas.

Given that councils are already being bankrupted by things like SEN transport, the odds that there is going to be money for this kind of thing is zero.

People need to show common sense about where to grow old. Growing old in the countryside is a bad idea unless you have a good social network willing to help you out for free, or are wealthy enough to afford lots of taxis, Ubers and hired drivers. I know two very wealthy guys in their 70s who live rurally - if/when they lose the ability to drive, they'll just hire a live-in help who can drive, most likely.

Because this thread happens to be about the OP's father who falls into the "elderly" category. If you want to start a thread about boy racers, I'll happily support passenger bans for young drivers and graduated driving licences.

I think a lot of areas do have this @OverheardInLidl . My parents live quite rurally and there is a mini bus that comes and takes people to various places and it was the same when I lived in Surrey, the little Hoppa bus I would see all the time.
I do agree with a poster up thread though - planning for the future before you need to us very sensible. My in laws have done this very well whereas my parents are completely head in the sand about aging (despite being 78) because at the moment they are in full health and have a busier social life than I do. My dad still drives a sports car at track days!

The trouble is, in many rural amd semi rural areas the roads aren't designed for buses and other large vehicles, they were literally designed for horses and carts. It would take a lot of extensive roadworks to widen the roads to make them suitable for buses, which would cause a myriad of issues environmentally, as there tends to be a lot of wildlife in such areas and doing these works would harm it. And many of the "locals" would (quite understandably) object to it.
One way around this would be some sort of public funded taxi or carpool service for the elderly and disabled in these areas.

My FIL just voluntarily gave up driving. He only used to drive to be able to take MIL to Dr appts and things but he said he just didn’t feel that his reactions were as quick as they needed to be. They’ve found that the hospital where MIL has to go for regular treatment for her eyes will come and pick them up and bring them home, he sold his car for £10k and between buses and taxis he says he feels very free now without the pressure of it hanging over him.

An older friend of mine keeps getting told not to drive by her bossy daughter - I have been driven by both mother and daughter and feel much safer with the mother - the daughter gets distracted by what other drivers are doing and shouts at them

During the eye test, the optician looks out for cataracts which are common in the over 60s and cause issues for drivers, especially at night

They do, but the NHS won't fix them until they've got really bad and the waiting list can be months. Costs about £3000 PER EYE to do privately.

Excellent post. I'd add people on medication that affects their driving - sometimes they don't even realise until someone else tells them.

People who are simply bad at it because they lack the aptitude, patience and focus to do something so potentially dangerous they shouldn't pass their test in those circumstances but somehow they do!

Yes, the answer in the very first post!

Until we have decent public transport and/or driverless cars, it will continue.

With the new hazard perception tests that would weed out a fair few folk

I think the hazard perception tests are really odd. You eg see a tractor in a field and think "that's going to come out in front of me" but if you press the button then, it's too early, you can only press it when it actually happens. And there's another one where a group of pedestrians are on the pavement further up the road - it's obvious they are a hazard and could step out in front of you, but again, you only press it when it happens. I can't really see how it teaches hazard awareness as it rewards late reactions.

Driverless cars may help slightly, but what happens when there's a signal failure or some other malfunction? The other issue is they may make people even more complacent, as they feel the "machine does it for them".

It’s not fit for purpose. My late grandfather used to have to fill in a form to renew his licence every few years I recall. The problem was it was literally a box that the driver ticked to say ‘I confirm I’m safe to drive’ or something similar! No eyesight or cognitive check involved or anything. Ridiculous.

My dad is driving at 75 (he's just done Manchester to Cornwall) but he is generally fit, active and well and has regular eye tests

My dad refused to give up driving, backed up by my mum. We knew he was becoming a danger behind the wheel so my son reported him
to the DVLA. Thankfully he stopped driving before he seriously hurt or worse killed someone!

My brother in law was clearly suffering from dementia but still driving and ended up putting a motorcyclist in hospital. That was his driving days over.

Think you might just have to tell him you're going to override the DVLA and report him to the police for dangerous driving unless he rescinds his licence. Sounds harsh but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

I do indeed. Teens who've got their licence the day before filling their cars with other teens and taking off on any road in any condition, multiple distractions, zero experience. People who've had a few too many a few hours earlier but think a McDonald's breakfast will soak it up. People up all night with their child who can hardly keep their eyes open but do the school run. People just off night flights who can't stay awake but didn't want to pay for a taxi. People who insist on huge cars they can't park. People who lack the self control and anger management not to become enraged at other drivers and in their fury lack concentration. People who are simply bad at it because they lack the aptitude, patience and focus to do something so potentially dangerous. Loads of people. Not sure why you're singling out older ones.

Also, a big, big difference, younger drivers will get better, older drivers, experiencing decline, will get worse. My 89 year old MIL hit her fence post recently. She has been driving for 50 years, she should NEVER have an accident like this and has always been able to reverse perfectly. It's worrying. Had one of my very new and learner driver teens done it, it would be a learning opportunity and something they had to improve and make sure it never happens again.

The comment was made that older people get free bus services and should use them, although honestly the taxis are pretty shite too because of all the school run business they do. Yes when I can no longer drive I will have to move.

I had this with my dad. Got to the point I took his car and parked it on my drive, told him it was in the garage for a service, weeks passed with him asking for it and me telling him they were waiting on a part! He eventually stopped asking . Desperate times call for desperate measures ! He had a form of dementia and needed taking off the road for the safety of everybody

My own DF gave up driving when he turned 70. He was fully mentally competent, but he was a Type 2 diabetic and he knew he was getting older and his eyesight was not what it used to be, so he made the responsible and selfless decision to stop driving. He also thought that it was terribly selfish how more people his age just couldn't bring themselves to do the same.

I mentioned this on the other thread, but people need to exercise common sense when it comes to retirement locations and aging-in-place.

Growing old in a rural area or the outskirts of town is OK if you have a good support network (I'm thinking about farming families etc) who will be able to give you lifts and help you with shopping and appointments.

If you don't have these things, you need to retire somewhere with trams, buses, subway or similar things.

Councils are literally going bankrupt right now - they are not going to be able to bus people all over the place to every village and semi-rural location on the outskirts of cities. There is no real way of making public transport fiscally viable when distances are large and populations are very low-density.

Do they not have taxis where you live?

One benefit of the covid lock down was my FIL shielding and not driving. He never went back to it.

I witnessed an elderly man reverse into an MRI trailer in a hospital car park. Claimed his foot slipped but he kept his foot on the pedal after he hit. At least tens of thousands of damage but better than killing a person.

So you won't report them just because you're scared of losing your inheritance?? I see selfishness runs in the family then🙄