To worry about cycling in an area with an older demographic?

[Mumcouchtotri]

I've moved to an area in the south west with an old demographic and I really hate to say it but some of the driving is unsafe. You can be doing nsl and someone turns onto athe road causing you to slam on the breaks and do an emergency stop. Or you can be cycling and overtaken by someone that almost scrapes your handlebars. I used to cycle all the time in bristol but here it just seems unsafe for me, let alone the children.

I've read some reports that come to the conclusion that reactions in older drivers are as bad as drink drivers.

Aibu to think that something should be done to make the roads safer and that many people on the road are a danger to themselves and others?

I'm thinking about getting a camera to report some of the unsafe drivers to the police. Is there any point in doing this?

[sentia]

My dh has always said that drivers over 70 should be called into the dvla annually and tossed a tennis ball.
I'd fail that test and I'm not yet 40 . But I've always been rubbish at ball sports, I'm not sure it correlates to reaction time.

I would be interested to see the cost/benefit analysis for mandatory periodic testing of certain groups of high risk drivers based on insurance claims data. The testing wouldn't be cheap obviously, but there are definitely groups of drivers who would benefit from additional checks and appropriate driving restrictions depending on their results (70 drivers etc).

[CockacidalManiac]

My dh has always said that drivers over 70 should be called into the dvla annually and tossed a tennis ball. You need damn fast reflexes if a child were to step out in front of your car.

That's not a bad idea

[exexpat]

The rules for renewing your driving licence over age 70 are ridiculous, IMO. There should be some kind of in-person medical fitness/reaction time assessment, and if possible a scaled-down driving test if any major medical issues are flagged up.

My parents are both nearly 80. My father has not driven for nearly 15 years following an illness which left him partially paralysed. He can now walk again, but has limited strength and mobility in his legs. He has also had strokes, heart attacks, a pacemaker, diabetes etc. He is mentally alert but his physical strength and reactions are nowhere near adequate to drive, not to mention being totally out of practice, but he recently insisted on renewing his driving licence 'just in case' and had no problem doing so. Crazy. He would be a danger on the roads. Luckily, he has no intention of actually driving, as far as I know, but no one could legally stop him if he decided to.

My mother is the same age, has different but equally severe health issues, gets anxious and easily flustered, and last drove about a year ago, but she also has a current, recently renewed driving licence.

My parents live in an area with no public transport, and get by with me and others doing shopping and driving them to appointments, and they can afford taxis when no one else is available, but if they had fewer people to help or less money, I can see that they might be tempted to drive short distances to shops, doctors etc.

It really should not be up to them to decide if they are fit to drive, and it should not take a potentially fatal accident to stop other people in similar states of health from driving.

[HalloToJasonIsaacs]

I think the aging population of people who would be devastated to give up their licences is going to be one the major pushes behind the adoption of autonomous vehicles, and it can't come a day too soon for me.

[Atenco]

I agree that elderly people should have to resit the test every so often, but more importantly "Campaign for better busses"

[ispymincepie]

My dh has always said that drivers over 70 should be called into the dvla annually and tossed a tennis ball. You need damn fast reflexes if a child were to step out in front of your car.

[MissElizaBennettsBaubles]

My DH had to drive into a ditch to avoid a head-on crash with an elderly female driver who was on his side of the (national speed limit) road, attempting to overtake a truck. His car was a write-off and he suffered v. bad whiplash and a shoulder injury which still hasn't healed 4yrs later. She was prosecuted and fined. Thankfully I think she surrendered her licence.

My friend's husband was killed by an elderly French man driving a camper van on the wrong side of the road.

My FIL (78) still drives despite having v slow reactions. I hate to think what would happen if a child ran out in front of his car.

Am not against older drivers - I know there are many excellent safe ones - but I do think that they should have mandatory eyesight/reactions tests. A car in the wrong hands is a deadly weapon.

[LogicallyLost]

oooo love this topic, comes up every once in a while with our group in RL.

personally i think that everyone should have to have physicals every couple of years to continue to drive once they reach retirement age. the idea that you can self certify is IMO insane.

[Nanny0gg]

I'd like to see the stats which show the age-ranges of people who have had accidents with cyclists.

Aibu to think that something should be done to make the roads safer

Yep. Ban cyclists.

and that many people on the road are a danger to themselves and others?

Yep. Often cyclists.

[Spudlet]

Terrible drivers come in all age ranges. However, aging can bring slower reactions and problems with sight and hearing, which coupled with much busier roads, can lead older drivers into bother. I have had some interesting cycling experiences with older drivers... But just as many with younger drivers too, tbh. The best thing to do is to learn how to cycle assertively, assume drivers will do something daft and plan accordingly, and make yourself as visible as possible with extra lights and high-viz / reflective clothing.

Where I live (rural area) there is a dial-a-ride service which, afaik, goes door to door. We need more of these! Older people should not be forced out of their homes for no other reason than a lack of transport options. We also need more cycle paths - decent ones, not glass-strewn potholed nightmares that are more dangerous than the road (scowls at local council) and, if you ask me, assumed liability (I would happily take out third party insurance as a cyclist in return for this).

[insancerre]

I live in an area with a high number of elderly drivers
Some of the driving is shocking. Its quite an affluent area as well, so all the cars seem to be quite powerful, which would explain why so many people have their garden walls demolished by elderly drivers who lose control of their big, powerful cars

[Mumcouchtotri]

Agree with pp that the short journeys in daylight once of twice a week is why these dangerous drivers are hidden in statistics. They might also be unaware of the damage theyvhave done.

[user1471439240]

A medical should be mandatory following any accident involving injury to a person or damage to persons property.
Irrespective of age or sex.
It should involve alcohol, drugs including prescription, eye sight including was the person wearing glasses to correct vision at the time.
It needs carried out quickly following any accident.
The cost need not be prohibitive when insured for.
It is not so difficult.

[princessconsuelabannahammock]

This isn't an agesist thread. There are loads of awful drivers where I live, the town has expanded rapidly and the roads are awful - badly planned, chocked with parked cars, holiday makers and badly maintained.

There are lots of white van men whizzing about, lots of parked cars and people walking to the local primary schools.

I am not talking about retired age drivers but the very old ones like my 86 year old grandmother and her 93 year old boyfriend. They both consider themselves excellent drivers but my grand eyesight is failing and her bf keeps getting tested for memory problems.
We have an excellent bus service which is free with a bus pass. Admittedly the rural areas it's abysmal.
I can see the limitations with a bus service, walking to bus stops and carrying shopping. I don't know the answer but I do fear being on my bike and in car parks when there are a lot of elderly drivers about. We tend to drive to the start of cycle paths and I keep off the main roads if I have my son with me.

[phillipp]

I do think we would have to retake the test when we are older. I also think that all drivers should have to have a regular eye test.

I disagree that people should have to move in their later hearts. Public transport should be better.

I also disagree that your are has bed driving purely because people are older.

I love In a large village between 2 cities. Lots of new build houses. Our estate doesn't any have 'older' people on it. The driving on here is fucking horrendous and causes no end of problems.

Yesterday a car came over one of the speed bumps so bad the wheels left the floor. We live on a corner and people come flying round it. In five years we have had 7 accidents outside the side house, because people have come round the corner to fast and hit someone coming the other way. And there are near misses every week.

If the demographic change in your area, you will probably find that the quality of driving doesn't improve at all.

Some people, regardless of age, are shit and/or selfish drivers.

[sh700]

YANBU. I don't think this this thread is ageist either. Elderly drivers often have poorer eyesight and slower reactions. They often drive less often, for shorter distances and only during the day. This keeps their accident rate down when they look at statistics.
www.hampshire.police.uk/internet/news-and-appeals/2015/september/240915-older-drivers-awareness-week

[TwigletsMakeMeViolent]

Actually, you're probably safer. Something like 75pc of road death are caused by men aged 18-25.

[allsfairinlove]

Another ageist thread...

[Bloodybridget]

I don't see how a medical test would prove fitness to drive, apart from adequate eyesight. Do you mean a driving test, Mumcouchtotri? And saying people should switch to public transport - would everyone here who's been driving all their adult life be quite happy to just give it up? Especially when you're old, find it harder to walk, cope with all weathers, carry stuff?

Of course people who can't drive safely shouldn't be driving, but just think about the implications of that for an old person - it's a huge loss of independence. The drivers I see racing, weaving aggressively through traffic, and talking on phones aren't old.

[Chikara]

I agree it can be the case but the public transport is fundamental to this. My mother has never driven and used to go everywhere by bus. One bus an hour - if you are lucky. The car is king.

I drive her!

Campaign for better busses.

[intheknickersoftime]

I agreed with everything you said until the part about people should have to move out of their community if there's no buses. Not possible for everyone is it?

[Mumcouchtotri]

Glad to hear lots of support here.

I would solve it by having a medical test when they receive their bus pass, re tested every 5 years. I understand its hard to give up the car, but part of retirement planning should be to move somewhere with good public transport. Thats what my parents did, and I plan to do the same.

[princessconsuelabannahammock]

My gran won't accept her eyesight is failing and insists on driving. Her optician suggested she should hand in her licence, she threatened to sue him. She has no corners on her car. It wasn't bad enough for him to legally report her.

In my area we have a large elderly population (and quite a few boy racers - bad driving isn't limited to the old) and it's a real concern. I feel for people losing their independence but I worry about their skills and reactions. We live in a touristy area so it gets very busy at times and have lots of people driving here for the first time, this can mean the roads are busy and drivers sometimes act in an unpredictable manner I.e suddenly realising they need to turn.

We have a large number of blue badge holders and that clogs up the roads - although I totally understand how important their need for easy parking is.

We are lucky enough to have a great local bus service but it's pricey.

I don't know what the answer is but I certainly feel that there are some people who are still driving that maybe shouldn't be.

[John4703]

Loads of opinions, including mine, here forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?p=1044033#p1044033

As an older driver, I'm 69, I think drivers should have to have a medical and pass a test at 70. I will be having a medical next year and resitting my minibus driving test as it has to be taken every three years and requires a medical at my age.

[ispymincepie]

I reported my elderly neighbour to the dvla today after witnessing some shocking driving.