Do you still drive? Age?

Since Hubby retired and we moved to Idaho,he just took over the driving.It bothered me after a while because when I did drive,I realized I was feeling a little out of practice,so I insisted on driving occasionally. And I still will get in the car and drive by myself to California if I feel the need to go and he doesn`t want to.

But Friday and Saturday nights I had the ultimate test.Daughter and family came to visit and since there were so many of them,they rented an AirBnB.It is in Boise,so 30ish minutes away.We have been doing all our holiday partying there because the house is huge.Well,both nights we had hard freezes,so by the time we left for home,the roads were slick with ice,In fact,hubby fell on the ice on our way to the car.Tore up his hand a little but was fine.Anyway,because he had had a whiskey shot (or 10)with the son in laws,I drove. Lost my brakes twice but got through it just fine.It helped that every driver on the road stayed at 20 mph and all left plenty of distance between cars when approaching stop signs. Felt pretty good for a lifelong California girl who`s never had to drive in that kind of weather!
 

Mrs. Robinson said:
Felt pretty good for a lifelong California girl who`s never had to drive in that kind of weather!
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Ha Ha....you just reminded me of an ex-Californian friend, 5 months to the day older than me, who died earlier this year:

He and his late wife relocated to Idaho, (near Lewiston), and after my late wife died I went to visit them. While I was there it snowed across the river at the higher elevations.

He wanted to get a closer look so we hopped in my truck and went over. After tooling around, we asked a guy in a gas station about a shortcut loop back.....he said there's a road up a little ways, but it's not yet been plowed.

I took a look, and someone had driven through.....I said OK it looks clear....his response "You call that clear?!!!!".......I replied "Oh yeah, you're from California!"

A little further along, (we're following in the previous driver's tracks), he asks if we should put the truck into four wheel drive....I said no need, it's pretty good......he points to the ditches on either side and says "But what about there?'

My reply..."But we're not going over there" :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
Still drive? Define "drive."

I've always been a terrified, white knuckle driver who dreads going anywhere other than the library, doctor, or grocery store, but, maybe thanks to that I've never had a ticket and will probably keep puttering along making the people behind me angry until I die.
 

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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Hello
I just joined and am unsure how to answer the main thread.

I drive, aged 65, but have lost a lot of confidence in recent years. I get frightened by aggressive traffic and I never go on motorways.
 
I'm 86 and I'm still driving - but mostly to the doctor's and the dentist. I still rode my motorcycles up until early 80's. I've always been very active . The pandemic and a hip injury threw a monkey wrench into that. I stay away from with even small crowds like gyms. Being active sharpened my reflexes, so I felt fairly comfortable driving/riding and I really liked it. My license is good another 4 years and at that time, I will not even try to renew. I'll hate not being able to go where I want - when want, but if I'm still around, I'll find a workable alternative..
 
I'll be 76 next month. My license was revoked when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a few years ago. Luckily, I didn't really need to drive much by then and I'd already sold my last car. Anyway, public transportation is excellent ... and free!
 
TeeJay said:
I'm 71 n' blithering fed up with driving! Coincidentally, they recently discovered I shouldn't be driving no more anyways, n' ergo, they suspended my license. Good riddance to it, I say I say! Just as well, cuz I prob'ly would've backed over some pedestrian in a parking lot by now! Seems to me, absolutely NOBODY watches where they're walking in them aforementioned parking lots these days, pushing their shopping carts with tunnel vision, looking either for where the hell they parked their car, or down at their iPhones!!
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Well if these morons would learn to get off their phones, learn to use turn signals, read signs, watch out for cars in parking lots, keep to speed limits, quit tailgating, quit passing in no passing lanes and stop making me stop when they wrap their butts around trees and power poles because of going too fast and I have to call 911 and stop to see if they are okay and render aid if they are not and wait for EMS, stop passing me in a freaking turn lane, quit running red lights, quit running stop signs and quit making me slam on brakes when they do this stupid crap, then maybe driving would be easier.

But ... no. I hate driving. 61 here.
 
My wife and I turn 73 this year. We both drive as we please. We both have had no tickets or accidents for the last 53 years together. We go on trips a couple times a year that require a day or two of driving. We also fly on some trips and do not drive while on these trips except to the airport when we begin a trip.

When driving on a trip, we limit ourselves to 6 hours a day driving with breaks every couple of hours. So far I feel totally comfortable driving. Until or unless something changes healthwise or confidence wise we will continue, but we realize that we are approaching a point in life where we will have to limit or stop driving. Maybe around 80, if we live that long...
 
79 and license renewed for 5 years without a written and/or driving test!!

I decided to minimize driving on MY TERMS - previously: once/week to grocery store; the other day to the produce market.

In the last year, I stopped driving to visit my daughter & grands (30 miles but 1 hour driving); signed up for grocery delivery once/month in preparation for the day when I give up driving completely. As you can surmise I AM A CONTROL FREAK and I like decisions to be on MY TERMS.
 
I am quickly loosing the ability to drive because of back pain. Next month I see a spine surgeon to discuss options for ongoing pain in lower lumbar. I don't want to take narcotics, and cortisone shots don't work on me.
 
I am 85 and still enjoy driving. It's a good thing because walking has become a problem. I stopped driving at night 3 or 4 years ago. Recently I was helping a neighbor move out of rehab and dusk settled in before we were done. I found that rush hour traffic surprisingly both lighted and led the way home.
 
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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I love driving. Have licence since 1983. Problems... Haven't had a car since 2011. Can't afford even a secondhand one just now but in future hoping for a scooter with double seat lol!

I'll use my Father's age trick for fun (never revealing age...) I'll be 9 years old next month. You've got to add two numbers together to get answer. Good luck!
 
At 87 I am still driving frequently. At the end of this year, I have to renew my driving license for another 5 years. I have a younger wife and kids who could drive me around, but that would deprive me of my independence. We still go on vacations where I drive rental cars, 3 years ago even in Germany and Austria. I hope to be able to drive till 100 (and that's not a joke!)
 
72 and still drive. I avoid driving at night and in bad weather when possible. Today’s tech helps older drivers. Blind side warning, back up cameras with braking for objects, cross traffic warning, crash avoidance, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, it all makes my driving a lot easier. I stay away from full size cars, a sub compact SUV gives me better vision of the road and a pleasure to park. I drove to Orlando and back last year (9 hours each way) for our vacation. It was the first long trip in many years, I wasn’t tired and just stopped every few hours for a break. The Waze app was really helpful, I wouldn’t travel without utilizing it.

I drove 60k a year as a sales rep when I was working.
 
hollydolly said:
I love driving... I will drive everywhere, and believe me it's a whole different ball game driving in the uk jam packed narrow roads, where it can take 3 hours to drive 20 miles depending on the direction we're going...and further to that we drive stick shift cars..

I also drive on the continent too, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Greece and the Greek Islands, , Germany...almost all drive on the wrong side of the road from us..and of course all signs in foreign languages, but I love to drive and I'm not scared of it . I'm in my early 60's...

The only recent problem I have is a displaced knee-cap , which has left some lasting pain, which has prevented me from driving my usual weekend long distances, due to the constant clutch changes on our high volumed traffic roads.. ..which leaves me in a lot of pain when I arrive at my destination, but I still love driving as much as I can..
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No automatics in England? 20 miles in 3 hours...That calls for some kind of patience. Bless your heart when it comes to yaws driving there.
 
I still drive, at 69. Not certain how long I will continue. My thought process now is that baring something unforseen, I will stop before 80. By then my car will be on its last leg (or tire) and I will not want to invest in a new one at that age. There are several options here to get medical rides, or rides to grocery
 
I also still drive and I'm 84. I live in a rural area and no heavy traffic for several miles. I don't drive on interstate or the busiest areas in town. My trips are Walmart, dr., library, bank, restaurants, beauty salon, church. My car is a big, old 2002 Mercury Marquis; it runs good and I don't want to buy another at this age. I'm thankful I can still drive. Always try to adhere to speed limit and wait my turn at the 4-way stops. I have friends who give me a ride also. My son and I live in the same house, but he works and isn't always available.
 
I'll hit 90 before the end of the year. Haven't driven at night for a few years now. I use the Interstate 3 or 4 times a week when doing errands. The on/off ramps are about 1/2 mile from my home. Prefer it to local streets with bikers, walkers kids, animals etc.
Accidents can happen but older folks aren't automatically at fault and if you can't keep up with the 60 - 70 mph needed for the Interstates you are better to ignore them. When I find myself getting uneasy I'll call it quits. I've already given up long, out of town drives because they're too tiring and then I would worry about my reflexes.

And age should be mentioned to make our comments worthwhile.
 
I'm 80 in December. Still love driving but don't like driving after dark. I have slight Cataracts, but don't need to have them done yet. In Sydney we have to have every year, after turning 75, an eye test certificate to show we are still okay to drive and a health check certificate from our Doctor. I did all the driving in my house when Hubby was alive, as my husband used to drive like Mr.McGoo, knew where he was going but total destruction behind him.
 

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