• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

Drivers over 70 beware

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
I would say it’s one of the more sensible ideas they have had, it stands to reason as we get older we lose some cognitive ability to some degree or another, having a driving licence should be a privilege not a right and I for one will give mine up when the time comes
 
Imo this is a good idea but it depends on what criteria they use and how its applied to individuals.
 
it is one thing applying it to law but policing is the problem there isn't the capacity out there. as an ex driver now stopped for health reasons i have seen some very poor driving practices amongst the young never mind the old.
 
Very valid point Mikey, I’m a bit of a petrol head myself but im Fortunately in Germany so I can get in the autobahn now and then and get it out of my system lol
 
I find it unfortunate if they make these decisions entirely based on age.
I only have a small sample of "elderly" people I know well but they differ hugely.
My parents, in their early 80s, are much more mentally and physically fit than my in-laws in their mid 70s.
It would be a shame to limit the ability for my parents to go on adventures which maintains their curiosity and mental well-being. Whereas, I have been nervous when my father in law has driven me on roads he is familiar with.
 
Might be benefical for those with " night blindness"
Otherwise a pointless piece of legislation if it comes into force
Presumabley less traffic on road when dark generally so less chance of collision, and what if a spouse etc is taken ill and needs transporting to a medical facility at night, or the individaul still works and it is winter?
 
Depends on degree of poor health, some restrictions are needed to keep roads safe.
 
Yes but unless specific visual probs or a medical condition which gets worse after dark I am not sure will keep roads safer. In most cases either people safe to drive or not- or maybe safer in quieter roads- which might not be during daylight hours
 
There’s a list of things that can affect anyone’s driving beyond vision issues in Germany if a Doctor says no driving they mean it, last year I broke my leg the surgeon said no driving even though I was more than fit to drive, 3 months with no license, I had an Ocular Migraine the year before, it was over in 10 seconds = 3 months no driving, they don’t inform anyone like the driving licence department in your area but I you are stopped for something the police will check your medical records and if they find any restrictions placed by a Doctor your going to get hit with big and painful fines or worse. I love driving and want to drive for as long as I can I have a high performance Audi RS6 but if I’m told it’s a no no because something makes me unsafe to be on the road I will stop driving, as for a sick loved one, that’s why we have ambulances so not taking the chance to hurt or worse that loved one or hurting or worse killing an innocent bystander seems more sensible
 
Well we've had situations in the past several times when Pete had Prostate Cancer and also when he was admitted with COPD when I was awaiting my second cataract op and I've been to afternoon visiting cos I was pretty OK driving in broad daylight but had been avoiding dusk and any darker for a few weeks so you walk into the Ward at 3.30 and the sister greets me by name and says 'If you can hang on after visiting, we're going to discharge your husband once we've done his Obs' - OK, no prob 'Great - to be honest we could really do with the bed because Mr M & Mr J have a full list tomorrow and otherwise we'll have to cancel someone at the last minute' OK, use blackmail then cos you know damn well Pete was cancelled 3 times last week and this time if you hadn't operated on him the hospital would have failed to meet a Target and you don't like that do you?

And it was 11 30 pm when they discharged him. It was about 9pm the second time

I should have told em to knot themselves and gone home but the guilt trip got to me.
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top