Are you still driving? When will you stop?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
That post I did about that erratic driver got me thinking. The thought that kept recurring was "what if that driver was me, in a few years, when I've gotten to the point that I really shouldn't be driving, but aren't willing to admit that?" Do you folks ever think of that, of having your keys taken away by a well meaning relative, or deciding on your own that you need to just put them down and not pick them back up?

Right now I'm nowhere near that point, and fingers crossed I either never will be, OR I'll decide on my own that I just shouldn't drive any more. It would sure limit my independence enormously, and I hate that idea.

I drive everywhere...for my work, to go see Ron, for dance, to parties and get togethers, and for the errands that just never stop! Just over the course of this last weekend, I drove to and from my dance studio, then to the store, to another store, one more stop and then back home, to a birthday party for one of my "adopted" grandchildren, from there to Ron's, left Ron's and stopped for gas, swung by Starbucks, then home. When I finally retire in a few years that will make my life less hectic, but even then, I know me, and I'm a doer and will never be content to just sit at home.

I don't like driving at night when it's raining. On the other hand, I've NEVER liked driving then, even when I was young, so I don't think that's particularly a factor of aging. But other than that, I'm completely fine to drive right now. But how long is that going to last?

Have any of you stopped driving because you no longer felt safe, or because a relative took your keys away, or you're too infirm, or whatever other circumstance might have prevented you? How do you deal with it?
 

Everybody is under the impression that a 92 year old, in good health, can be a great driver. NO 92 year old is a good driver. You start to loose dexterity, muscle control, vision, hearing, beginning at age 40. If you're still driving at 80, you don't have "good genes", you've been damn lucky. While some statistics say older drivers are involved in fewer accidents than younger rivers. That is because older drivers drive markedly less than younger drivers. When the standard is accidents per miles driven, older drivers have many more accidents per mile driven than younger drivers. You wouldn't let a six year old drive a car; well why would you allow someone to threaten the lives of others when they are too damned old to drive. The reason I'm so against doddering older drivers is that I was one of them. I'm 72, on a bunch of meds, including opioids; also I have nerve damage. I was a hazard on the road, but I thought I was a great driver. We all think we're great drivers. Not being able to drive, sucks, I know. The need to keep on driving well past our physical ability to drive is what keeps us impaired drivers on the road.
 
I like being self sufficient so I will continue to drive until I no longer feel it's safe to do so.....or until the cops tell me I'm too old to drive and pull my license. :)

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i am 85 and still drive---i mostly go out on a sunday when there isnt much traffic---i do a lot of my ordering on line --i dont drive on the other side of town like i use to -they have put in a lot of new roads and it gets confusing--i have to have my licence renewed next year so i will be 86 then ---so we will see how it goes
 
At 65 I am still on the road. I do limit my driving at night though as I am finding it more difficult. I would like to say I will know when it is time to stop. But I think I may have about 10 years left in me but we will see. With all the ride services out there it would be easy
 
My neighbor was in his 80's with the beginning of Alzheimer's. His daughter took his van keys away...really made him mad at her (he came and complained to us about her). Said he knew he shouldn't be driving anymore but still wanted to sit in his van and listen to the radio.
She gave him back the keys...and he did just sit in the van, listening to the radio. She put him into a Assisted Living Facility around 5 months later...no van, but kept his dog.

side note: The ALF brought a bunch of the residents to the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa (where they have gambling) and left him and another guy by mistake for about 4 hours...they had a great time with no supervision!
 
I LOVE driving and it will be a sad day when I can’t drive any more BUT having said that , ....
I witness my father who is 89, is seriously crippled, can hardly walk, has horrible vision, drinks and doesn’t take his meds so I respect the fact that some people should have their licence pulled. I hope his is soon.
 
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Many of my friends have gradually cut back on driving. Some of my neighbors have cut the driving out completely. I think most of us gradually set up our own restrictions on our driving. I've found that lately
I really don't enjoy driving (outside of my immediate community) at night, so I do as little of it as possible. In my community, there is a speed limit of 30 mph, so that's pretty safe. During the day, I'm fine
driving anywhere, but I do tend to avoid one of the highways that is a nightmare to drive on, with constant merging lanes, etc. I wouldn't set an arbitrary limit on driving, saying "At such-and-such age I will
stop driving." We really can't predict our physical condition, reaction time, etc. that far into the future.
 
I'm 73 and lately I've been feeling uncomfortable driving in areas I don't know and also in heavy traffic. I usually just drive around town and to the grocery store. My hubby is 80 and still is quite a good driver.
I think part of my problem is that as time went on my hubby took over more of the driving and I got out of practice.
The longest trips we take now is to visit my daughter just outside of Washington DC and I sure don't want to drive around that area.
 
I hope to continue driving as long as I'm able and am not a road hazard. I like driving but no longer do so at night nor when it snows. I know my limits.
 
I'm in my mid 60s and still driving, plan to keep on driving until I feel that physical restrictions no longer make it safe.
 
There is no one-size-fits-all age for stopping driving. My wife stopped about 5 years ago because of the meds she has to take. When I was working I drove about 40,000 miles a year, now I drive about 4,000 miles per year. We go to the supermarket, the pharmacy and some other stores, occasionally eat out and once in a while go to the beach. It would be horrible to do those trips without our car. I will be 85 next week. We had a neighbor some years ago who was 92, she gave dance lessons and drove herself where she needed to go.
 
If you've read the previous posts, most tell that they can't drive at night. People have Alzhimer's, on opiods, limited vision, afraid of heavy traffic, uncomfortable driving, can't drive "long' distances, out of practice, crippled, can't walk, doesn't drive on the wrong side of the road-anymore, and waiting for the cops to take her off the road. And MOST say they are still driving. When THEY feel they are a danger they will quit. But it's damn hard to quit. You loose a huge chunk of freedom. We should have an age, where you prove you aren't a hazard on the road.
Think of it in these terms. You can drive when you're 16. Yet, there are 15 year old, who can handle driving quite easily: so we let 15 year old drive, if they believe they can drive. Yet, there are 14 year olds, who........ Yet there are 13 year olds, who...... Yet there are 12 year olds...... Yet, there are 11 year olds. What is the difference when we say, there are 80 year olds, who can handle a car, so we'll let all 80 year olds drive, if THEY believe they can.. There are 81 year olds that can handle a car, so......... There are 97 year old, who supposedly can drive, so............. There are a few 103 year olds...We are not good at judging how well we drive, when we gradually age and driving means so much ti us.

BTW. I thought I was a good driver. I was taking my time, etc. I was going be vigilant. Not let anything happen. But when I heard my neighbor yelling at her husband to call the cops because I was on the road. It was only then that I realized she was right. I was going to kill myself or someone else.
 
Yes, it's the "gradually age" part that presents a problems. Most of us don't suddenly wake up one morning and realize we are now too old to drive. It happens in teeny little steps, over a long
period. And being too old to drive on a rapid highway doesn't necessarily mean too old to drive to the local grocery store. It's a hard decision to make.
 
It's funny, because I drive everywhere all the time and I HATE to drive. I am so happy when someone else (usually Ron) takes the wheel and I get to be a passenger. I've often said if I never have to drive again I'd be so happy!!!

But in reality, I want the CHOICE. I'd love for Ron to just drive me around from here on out, but I ALSO want to be able to just hop in my car if I don't want to wait for him to drive me. And that's what chafes with me more than anything, to no longer be able to have the choice, to have that choice taken away from me.

I've told my kids that if I get to the point where I become a danger on the road, I want them to take my keys away from me, no matter how much I rant and get pissy, just DO IT. I hope that I'll recognize the signs and turn my keys in on my own, because again, I'd rather make that choice myself than have it made FOR me. But I also know that I want to be accountable to someone, and I trust my kids to do that for me.
 
My only restriction on myself is that I won’t drive at night unless I’m very familiar with the area.

I’ll drive on highways etc but I do get a little nervous if it’s one like the I-5 in Los Angeles or driving to San Francisco when it’s 5 lanes one way with crazy traffic....I’ve done it but don’t think I’d do it again.

Also driving in San Francisco is nerve racking...all the hills and no left turns or U turns anywhere. If you miss a street you can drive around for awhile.

Im also very bad with directions even with gps, etc.

The 3 hour drive to my daughter’s is a mixture of heavy traffic on 99 and boring put you to sleep traffic on 152.

Im going tomorrow and they’re calling for wind and rain...UGH.
 
Yeah, I believe it's absurd to judge your own abilities to drive. I'm sure all of those over 75 who have had terrible accidents, where they were at fault, that resulted in fatalities and/or serious injuries. were sure that they were competent drivers. I'm in favor of yearly driving tests for everyone over 75. The thought of someone 85, or older, driving along on the highway, gives me no peace of mind.
 
Someday we'll all have our vehicles equipped with one of those little plug-in devices that will notify our insurance company, the state and our next of kin just how well we are doing behind the wheel.

The device observes your driving habits, will notice the safe choices you're making on the road and reward you for them. Some specific behaviors observed by RightTrack include braking, acceleration, nighttime driving, and how many miles you drive

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Decided not to drive anymore while still recovering from broken ankle surgery....gonna let my older son do most of my errands and chauffeur me to doctor appointments in the future....I may change my mind; a woman's privilege, lol...
 
Aunt Bea said:
Someday we'll all have our vehicles equipped with one of those little plug-in devices that will notify our insurance company, the state and our next of kin just how well we are doing behind the wheel.

The device observes your driving habits, will notice the safe choices you're making on the road and reward you for them. Some specific behaviors observed by RightTrack include braking, acceleration, nighttime driving, and how many miles you drive

.​
images
Click to expand...

sounds good


might be a tad late, however

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