A problem that would basically solve itself with decent public transport and local amenities
Convincing people that they shouldn’t be driving after a certain point is absolutely something we should do. But it’ll never happen unless we massively change loads of other things about our society that leaves many people isolated if they can’t drive, especially people who may not have the mobility to walk long distances.
My gran still drives at 96 and she absolutely shouldn’t. But also, if she stopped driving she would be completely isolated as there’s no other way for her to get anywhere. She lives on a suburban street, with the closest bus stop about a 15 min walk (for me, so probably significantly longer for her) and the nearest corner shop further. Other amenities are even further still. It’s hardly surprising she reacts badly to the suggestion she shouldn’t be driving any more.
BBC manages to write an entire article about how it can be ‘difficult’ to tell people that they’re not longer capable of driving safely, and how giving up driving can leave you ‘feeling very isolated, really not being able to fulfil their lives through the journeys that they’d once done’.
>Experts said older people should plan their retirement from driving and relatives should be having “difficult conversations” with loved ones.
They *do* mention how they found local bus services had shrunk by ~14% over 5 years.
But can’t *quite* bring itself to mention that car dependency is the root of the problem.
Cars are freedom! So long as you’re not too young to drive, too old to drive, too sick to drive, too disabled to drive, or to poor to drive. If you’re in any of those groups, your car-less-ness in a car-centric society makes you a prisoner.
People hate giving up their independence and feel that giving up driving is a sign they are slowing down and past it. We need to change how older people are perceived in society so that people feel less ashamed about ageing and having to adjust their lifestyle accordingly.
I would love some sort of OAP taxi subscription service available for these situations £100-200 a month could possibly be subsidised by the council for those without adequate pensions. Designed for over 75s
my grandad was still driving at 82 until about a month before he died. i hated every minute of it
I watched from my window the elderly neighbour from across the road struggle to slowly cross the street. He was waiting for 10 minutes and then it took him a long time to slowly hobble across the road. He then hopped in a van and drove off. I thought that was pretty funny. He should not be driving if he can barely walk!
You can split the reactions in this subreddit from people in London and people who need to drive to reasonably get anywhere
The high streets are boarded up, apart from vape shops, tattooists, ‘beauty’ salons, coffee shops, and Turkish barbers. Many pensioners don’t have smartphones or even the internet. They don’t trust online shopping or banking, and some won’t have a cash point card. They like to visit a branch. Supermarkets are often some distance on out-of-town retail parks. They’ve designed urban life around the car, so people will try and drive for as long as they can through necessity. Lastly, if I was an old lady, I wouldn’t feel safe on some buses. There’s far too many nutters and drunks on them.
You get a free bus pass when you hit 65, and you have all the time in the damn world if you’re retired. Take the fucking bus.
I guess automated cars will solve this problem within the next couple decades.
I never understood how a person who can barely walk with a stick is allowed to drive a Chelsea tractor.
Shouldn’t be in the hands of elderly drivers to decide, it should be down to retesting past retirement age, and if relevant, medical professionals to declare competency.
13 comments
A problem that would basically solve itself with decent public transport and local amenities
Convincing people that they shouldn’t be driving after a certain point is absolutely something we should do. But it’ll never happen unless we massively change loads of other things about our society that leaves many people isolated if they can’t drive, especially people who may not have the mobility to walk long distances.
My gran still drives at 96 and she absolutely shouldn’t. But also, if she stopped driving she would be completely isolated as there’s no other way for her to get anywhere. She lives on a suburban street, with the closest bus stop about a 15 min walk (for me, so probably significantly longer for her) and the nearest corner shop further. Other amenities are even further still. It’s hardly surprising she reacts badly to the suggestion she shouldn’t be driving any more.
BBC manages to write an entire article about how it can be ‘difficult’ to tell people that they’re not longer capable of driving safely, and how giving up driving can leave you ‘feeling very isolated, really not being able to fulfil their lives through the journeys that they’d once done’.
>Experts said older people should plan their retirement from driving and relatives should be having “difficult conversations” with loved ones.
They *do* mention how they found local bus services had shrunk by ~14% over 5 years.
But can’t *quite* bring itself to mention that car dependency is the root of the problem.
Cars are freedom! So long as you’re not too young to drive, too old to drive, too sick to drive, too disabled to drive, or to poor to drive. If you’re in any of those groups, your car-less-ness in a car-centric society makes you a prisoner.
People hate giving up their independence and feel that giving up driving is a sign they are slowing down and past it. We need to change how older people are perceived in society so that people feel less ashamed about ageing and having to adjust their lifestyle accordingly.
I would love some sort of OAP taxi subscription service available for these situations £100-200 a month could possibly be subsidised by the council for those without adequate pensions. Designed for over 75s
my grandad was still driving at 82 until about a month before he died. i hated every minute of it
I watched from my window the elderly neighbour from across the road struggle to slowly cross the street. He was waiting for 10 minutes and then it took him a long time to slowly hobble across the road. He then hopped in a van and drove off. I thought that was pretty funny. He should not be driving if he can barely walk!
You can split the reactions in this subreddit from people in London and people who need to drive to reasonably get anywhere
The high streets are boarded up, apart from vape shops, tattooists, ‘beauty’ salons, coffee shops, and Turkish barbers. Many pensioners don’t have smartphones or even the internet. They don’t trust online shopping or banking, and some won’t have a cash point card. They like to visit a branch. Supermarkets are often some distance on out-of-town retail parks. They’ve designed urban life around the car, so people will try and drive for as long as they can through necessity. Lastly, if I was an old lady, I wouldn’t feel safe on some buses. There’s far too many nutters and drunks on them.
You get a free bus pass when you hit 65, and you have all the time in the damn world if you’re retired. Take the fucking bus.
I guess automated cars will solve this problem within the next couple decades.
Friendly reminder that by restricting individual car traffic you make roads safer and more inclusive: [https://twitter.com/EmilyKerr36/status/1641472795317075971](https://twitter.com/EmilyKerr36/status/1641472795317075971)
I never understood how a person who can barely walk with a stick is allowed to drive a Chelsea tractor.
Shouldn’t be in the hands of elderly drivers to decide, it should be down to retesting past retirement age, and if relevant, medical professionals to declare competency.