Do you still drive? Age?

Pappy said:
At 82, I still drive and feel very confident doing so. Over the years I have put thousands of miles on various bread trucks and have taken many defensive driving courses. I don’t know how many more years I’ll feel this way, but when the time comes, I will step down and turn in my license.
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Everyone is different. I think those who really enjoy driving will hold out longer.

The two most dangerous drivers on the road are old drivers and young drivers. Old people's worst problem is slow reaction time, young people's is lack of caution.
 

@79 I enjoy driving. Flipping along the interstate at 80 mph to keep up with the traffic flow works for me. Town traffic the rear view mirror is a must. Stopping when the light turns yellow could be hazardous.
 
Age 77 and still driving...everything from interstates to our local twisting winding country roads. I just had my annual eye exam a couple of weeks ago, and all is good. I love to drive, and losing that ability would be a major downturn...and probably require our moving to a senior center in a city environment.
 

I just renewed my license last week, for another 5 years. I'll be 86 in a couple of weeks and except for not driving after dark (my choice), I still have no problems. I hop on the interstate most days as it 's only about 1/4 mile from our home and it's the fastest way to get anywhere.

I make the 100 mile trip to our son's home in Connecticut and the 200+ mile trips to the cottage in Maine a few times each year. I prefer expressway driving and the 65 -75 mph speeds are comfortable, although the portions of the trip through Boston and Providence RI can be daunting when the traffic's heavy but it was the same when I was younger.

Like exercise, I think that driving regularly is the key. My wife, who is 83, rarely drives and is much more intimidated by high speed traffic.

My only real complaint is backing out of spaces in parking lots. My car isn't equipped with a back-up camera and turning my head is difficult, at least doing it quickly. Have to be careful there. But as I recognized my troubles with night driving, if and when I sense my reflexes going, I'll get out from behind the wheel.
 
Ladybj said:
So far, I do.

Driving has never been one of my favorite things even when I was younger. I do not get on the interstate. If we have to go places and take the interstate, my hubby drives...thank goodness.

My hubby is a very good driver but I have a bit of anxiety when we are on the interstate. About 3 years ago, I was in 2 vehicle accidents within 2 years (not serious) which was not my fault (I was hit from behind both times). I use to get anxiety driving after the accidents but I'm much better now. I will not allow that to stop me from driving. I go where I need to go and come on home.

I am 59 - 60 in a week 11/23... :ROFLMAO: 🍾
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My wife and I are 73. Travelling anxiety has ruled out flying so we either drive or boat to distant places. Between us we drive about 50k miles per year. I drive most of that. Very happy to still be able to do it.
 
Pappy said:
At 82, I still drive and feel very confident doing so. Over the years I have put thousands of miles on various bread trucks and have taken many defensive driving courses. I don’t know how many more years I’ll feel this way, but when the time comes, I will step down and turn in my license.
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Remember them interviewing this UPS driver one time - he had driven like 3 mil + miles without ever having an accident. They ask him what he advised; what his secret was and he said "keeping insured clear distance between me and the other guy...tend to hang back a bit".
 
I got my DL at 24, right after my divorce, so I've been driving for 53 years. I've only had one accident, six months after getting the license, I broke the other guy's headlight. I was very shaken by the accident, at a traffic bottleneck going 3 miles an hour. Anyway, my biggest fear in driving is that of injuring or killing a human or animal. I've always had that fear but now that I'm older it has become an obsession. So, I'm pretty sure I'll give up driving when I have to renew at age 80 since older drivers start to react slower.
 
PVC said:
Everyone is different. I think those who really enjoy driving will hold out longer.

The two most dangerous drivers on the road are old drivers and young drivers. Old people's worst problem is slow reaction time, young people's is lack of caution.
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Think those drivers that text while driving, sitting with their dogs in their laps, applying mascara & lipstick, eating a sandwich with one hand while slurping their drinks with the other might trump the oldsters...lol.
 
DaveA said:
My only real complaint is backing out of spaces in parking lots. My car isn't equipped with a back-up camera and turning my head is difficult, at least doing it quickly. Have to be careful there. But as I recognized my troubles with night driving, if and when I sense my reflexes going, I'll get out from behind the wheel.
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Way back in time before backup cameras were in cars as a safety conscious supervisor I instructed the employees in my department to either back in or go to a space that you can park & pull out of. That ended backing accidents. Sure there were complaints at 1st. but when the complainers figured out that backing in was easier because they could use their side mirrors to back between the space lines. Pulling out meant no neck turning back & forth, peripheral vision took care of anything moving from either direction.
 
Liberty said:
Think those drivers that text while driving, sitting with their dogs in their laps, applying mascara & lipstick, eating a sandwich with one hand while slurping their drinks with the other might trump the oldsters...lol.
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You can add tailgating and running red lights to that list. I am a much better and safer driver than 99% of these young yayhoos I encounter out there on the road.
 
@Knight I am horrible at backing up in a parking space. My hubby is a pro. I know if I put my mind to it I can do it. One place we moved from, I finally learned how to park in the drive way. Now we have a two car garage and I have not attempted to back up in the driveway. I am sure I can do it, if I really tried. I have been in a few tight spots where vehicles were very close to my vehicle on each side and I had to back out of a parking space.. I did very well. I consider myself a very good driver.
 
Ladybj said:
That's me all he way.. I keep a good clear distance.
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I don't give a damn how good your reflexes are, the absolute minimum safe following distance is a a full two seconds behind the car in front of you. I always keep at least that distance. Yet I see idiots right on the bumper of the car in front them all the time.

What really pisses me off is when I'm driving on the interstate and I leave a safe following distance between me and the vehicle in front of me and some asshole slides into that space as if I left it open for him.

That's one of the times I fantasize about committing murder. :mad:
 
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Trade said:
What really pisses me off is when I'm driving on the interstate and I leave a safe following distance between me and the vehicle in front of me and some asshole slides into that space as if I left it open for him.
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Self-driving cars are much better behaved, they always follow at a safe distance. But, alas, I'll be dead before all cars are self-driving. 😭

By the way, I hate tailgaters a lot more than I hate people throwing trash and cigarette butts out of their windows, and I hate THOSE with a passion.
 
Ladybj said:
@Knight I have been in a few tight spots where vehicles were very close to my vehicle on each side and I had to back out of a parking space.. I did very well. I consider myself a very good driver.
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One neat trick about backing up safely is to drive in completely straight and back up without moving the wheel. Of course, you still have to worry about walkers and cars who don't stop even when they see you're backing up.

I don't know if it was a joke or if it really happened. One lady went back to her car and found another car parked inches away from her driver's side door. She left a note on his windshield, "I hope you're NEVER pregnant and some ass*hole parks the way you do".
 
Trade said:
I don't give a damn how good your reflexes are, the absolute minimum safe following distance is a a full two seconds behind the car in front of you. I always keep at least that distance. Yet I see idiots right on the bumper of the car in front them all the time.

What really pisses me off is when I'm driving on the interstate and I leave a safe following distance between me and the vehicle in front of me and some asshole slides into that space as if I left it open for him.

That's one of the times I fantasize about committing murder. :mad:
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I hate that to when I am driving inner city.. I leave space between me and the vehicle in front of me and some.. what you said..lol slides in from of me... I HATE THAT... arrgghhhh!!!!!!!
 
PVC said:
One neat trick about backing up safely is to drive in completely straight and back up without moving the wheel. Of course, you still have to worry about walkers and cars who don't stop even when they see you're backing up.

I don't know if it was a joke or if it really happened. One lady went back to her car and found another car parked inches away from her driver's side door. She left a note on his windshield, "I hope you're NEVER pregnant and some ass*hole parks the way you do".
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I think I turn my wheel too much when backing up :( But I will take your suggestion and give it a try. I need to practice because I like when hubby use my vehicle from time to time and he backs in. So much easier driving off..
 
Ladybj said:
I think I turn my wheel too much when backing up :( But I will take your suggestion and give it a try. I need to practice because I like when hubby use my vehicle from time to time and he backs in. So much easier driving off..
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We ate at a strip center Asian place we like a couple months ago. When we came out, someone had dented the driver's side front fender. No note, nothing. When we'd parked, there had been a big older white SUV parked there. There was now white paint our our cherry red Caddy CTS Coupe! Obviously, he or she had turned the wheel sharply and hit our car while attempting to "back out " of the space. Often it seems more big SUVs and Pick up truck drivers can't seem to learn how to drive these boats nowdays. So, off to the body shop to get it fixed. Don't you just love people that rude and uncaring?!
 
Liberty said:
We ate at a strip center Asian place we like a couple months ago. When we came out, someone had dented the driver's side front fender. No note, nothing. When we'd parked, there had been a big older white SUV parked there. There was now white paint our our cherry red Caddy CTS Coupe! Obviously, he or she had turned the wheel sharply and hit our car while attempting to "back out " of the space. Often it seems more big SUVs and Pick up truck drivers can't seem to learn how to drive these boats nowdays. So, off to the body shop to get it fixed. Don't you just love people that rude and uncaring?!
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That is AWFUL!!! I am extremely careful when backing out of a parking space - don't want to scratch anyone's vehicle nor my own. I have an SUV which I love.. its midsize, not too big. I can back out very well.
 
I am 65. I still drive, though I avoid driving after dark when I can. I do not mind it. I figure I will stop when I feel I am no longer safe. I prefer driving in non winter weather. Hate the ice.
 
When my parents bought the house I'm living in now, there was a relly old woman that lived next door. She was in her 90s and still drove. Then she started driving up on people's front porches. Eventually, after several of these incidents, her license was revoked and she had to hire someone to drive her around.
 


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