No I don't think that's fair at all. A lot of us become less stupid when we are older, because stupidity and youth go together and you can learn from your mistakes (if you're not too stupid). However, I am inclined to believe you when you say that once an arsehole, always an arsehole (I paraphrase). But even this isn't strictly true. I like stories by ex-cons who have gone straight, like John McVicar, or Jimmy Boyle. There is redemption for some people.
My point was that when you see an old person doing something very stupid, that may not be because they are old. More likely they have been equally stupid all their lives.
Last week I pulled up behind some old girl on the A3 and she was so close to a road works she had to reverse, shame she never looked in her mirrors just whacked it into gear and came shooting back, maybe in 1945 there was less traffic.....lol Gave her the horn (no jokes please) and some shouting (not to her directly) and the old bird stopped... No harm done so I moved on my way...lol Poor old bird.. I've seen 17 year old blonds do worse....lol
It's not just old people I went shopping the other day and I pulled into the car park next to a car realised it was disabled and continued to reverse backwards into a proper space. As I stopped the young lad next to the disabled space reverse back into me luckily slowly and I tooted at him. He got out in a panic and I told him to move back into his space and would check for any damage He hadn't long passed his test had a big car had seen me assumed I had parked watched the lady that had come in after me and just reversed back watching her!! I reassured him my car was ok but that he should always double check BEHIND him before moving as that could have been a child never mind my car. He was really apologetic but nervous New drivers can be as bad as old people
I think your missing two key groups to poke, white van man on his mobile phone and Mr Lorry Driver who has more blow outs than Pirelli. I've been rear ended by a teenager and had friends make face prints in the side of white vans, but lorries for me always seem to be popping up in the headlines.
There has to be a little lee-way given, not everyone can be as perfect as me. Generally new drivers don't get in your way like old people do. So I've hatched a plan to solve the problem: Kill everyone over 70; that way there is less congestion, pensions are less of a nightmare, and there'll be such a stockpile of immaculate old bangers that classic cars will suddenly become affordable again!
and then we'd all be dead already Although I've slated my dad earlier in the post, its not just a case of OAPs being dangerous, its a case of anybody driving without due care and attention, be they old, young, male or female. I like the idea of mandatory re-tests every 10years, will make the roads a much safer place
The idea of mandatory re-testing fills me with dread. If you drive for a living and happen to have a bad day on the day of your re-test...Well, you can imagine the kind of problems it could cause. Perhaps a driving assessment would be a better idea, with the assessor being able to order further training where necessary, medical checks (eyesight, etc), and if needed to revoke licenses. I do strongly believe that the elderly should be assessed regularly, but that could also be extended to anyone guilty of poor driving, be it convicted of careless or dangerous driving, or involved in accidents where poor driving is seen to be a cause. At the end of the day, though, we're dealing with humans here, and humans are fallible. Personally, I'd look at training new drivers to a much higher standard than is currently required in order to improve driving standards in the long term.
Also, electric shock therapy for people who drive/ride in overtaking lanes when they're not overtaking
OAPs are a menace. I know my father is, and he's 88 next month. His brain can no longer process all the information fast enough. But my folks live in a village with crappy public transport. So what are you going to do for food and the like? The gov't has staked it's transport policy on the car and private transport, when there is an ageing population. The problem of how the old get about safely has just been ignored.
They'll have scrapped that by the time I get to the age to have one. They will say it costs the gov't £x bn a year and it can't afford it in a time of austerity (which will now last till the end of time). In fact, they already bring this into the conversation, frequently, on Newsnight. It's a bit academic for me as I don't like in the UK...
