.... for over 70s re Driving Licences.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/over-70-driving-curfew-under-new-licence-plans-150535145.html

I gather this is just a proposed plan BUT I am over 70 and currently living miles from pretty much ANYWHERE, including the biggest hospital.   I tend not to do night time driving much these days unless in an emergency and on roads I know well BUT I am a diabetic (type 2) and have cataracts which may need treatment in another 2 years.  However, I have to think I am still able to make a decision about whether or not to continue renewing my Licence every 3 years.

What do you ouit there feel about this!!!   Police State?   I used to think not but I'm not so sure....................

I heard it being discussed on the radio.
Certainly needs a lot more thought .
As u say there could be many people like yourself who would be effectively stuck but could well be safe drivers .
Hopefully if change is needed then a lot of thought will be needed so people are safe to drive and that people dont become isolated. Public transport is not the answere even round me tbh and I live on the outskirts of town
We have had enough of the effects of isolation recently without not being able to drive

I was shocked that after 70 you only need a letter from Doctor to say your medically fit to drive (including eye tedt).

There is no competence to drive test!!

I strongly believe that there should be a basic competency test, reaction and observation etc.

Unfortunately there are many older drivers who continue driving when they no longer should.

The Duke of.Edinburgh and my father prime examples.

Fortunately my 86 year old Dad has been without a car since July, as due to Covid he is abroad in his holiday home, and unable to return.

They sold their house in May, but haven't bought another yet.

I really hope by the time they come back, he will accept he should not drive.

The only thing likely to do so.is the huge cost of Insurance, he was quoted £3000.

His wife is my age, has a licence (passed first attempt) but hasn't driven since she passed 12 years ago, due to him critiscising.

Unfortunately they were saying that the biggest problem is ladies who can drive but don't until they lose their husbands and then start again later in life  after a big gap

3k wow that's an awful lot of money. Maybe a taxi would be cheaper when u work out costs of running cars .
My father in law stopped driving when he was in his 50. He just didn't like it after seeing a couple of accidents. Claims he was quids in just getting taxis when needed

I can imagine that is a problem.
I’m not a confident driver particularly, but have driven regularly since I passed my test. However since the cancer and the operation in my leg I’ve not driven for almost a year. I’m unable to used a manual car as my leg doesn’t work too well on the clutch, but I drove the automatic big car recently. It was really rather nice to be behind the wheel again. I won’t be driving too far as yet as I get uncomfortable easily and find it difficult to shift my position whilst driving, so only short journeys at the moment.

I don't agree with the idea of a curfew, but I do think that everyone should have refresher driving assessments now and again. Maybe 15 years after you pass, and then every 10 years till 60, then every 5 years, every 2 years from 70. Not a long test, a quick 15/20 minute assessment.

I'm a professional driver and we do something like that in our work, stops you developing too many bad habits, keeps you current and refreshed on the law and hopefully picks up on any potential problems before they actually become problems.

Agree with that chamsung . I did something similar with the advanced driving people a couple of years ago .certainly makes u think and confirmed yes I can drive thank goodness

Well they have loaned the Car to my sister, so hopefully he will accept that it's too expensive for him to run a car now.

It would have been better for an official to tell him to stop, as he would just get angry when we told him his driving had seriously deteriorated.

We had the greatest of difficulty persuading both my dad and my FIL to stop driving. Both were becoming a liability on the load especially FIL who was never the best of drivers.
Dad eventually realised that his driving days were over when he was attempting to drive his automatic into the garage and accidentally  put his foot on the accelerator instead of the brake. The car shot into the garage and demolished the end wall. As the garage was an integral one, he kept on going into the stairs and almost the kitchen. When I arrived the police, a fire engine, an ambulance, the gas board and someone from the council checking the house wasn’t going to fall down were crowding around him.

I know brainless been there its really difficult. Often even when I doctor advises it it is still left to the drivers conscience as to what they do .
As.much as it may be sensible not to drive its what it represents. Not just your mobility but its saying mentally and physically things arnt good and u are becoming frail .
Very hard for people to accept

> I strongly believe that there should be a basic competency test, reaction and observation etc.<br />

I agree with this. Also I think with certain medical conditions these need to be checked up in relation to driving like diabetes. I know of someone who drove for their work who had a number of accidents due to being on low blood sugars and was found slumped in a carpark, an ambulance was called.

Eyesight is a massive one especially in the hours of darkness. I'm not convinced a simple eye test is right, a driving test at night needs to be completed and testing the driver what they can read in in dark and see.

I would be really livid if I was limited to driving in a 20-30 mile radius.  I've been driving for over 50 years and I've never had a man to drive me around. 

I drove hundreds of miles all over the UK when I was showing my animals.  So for 35 odd years I got out a map of the UK and planned my route - no satnav then.  And I used to show every weekend of the year except 2 (no shows over Christmas time.)  So I clocked up many miles, driving on all sorts of roads, including motorways.  Shows being anywhere from York to Truro.  I would often show my animals on both Saturday and Sunday, in different parts of the country.

Until lock down I used to drive over 60 miles down to my static, staying for 3 weeks in every month.  I want to continue doing so.  If I'm not an experienced driver, I don't know who is.  And I would be devastated to lose my holiday home.

I would be furious to have to give up our static which is about 180 miles away

I'm in my 70s and have to drive approximately 10 miles to go to Tesco or Sainsburys.  Very little in our village and buses only one an hour and then only to a little market town with little more to offer than our own village, other than a whole bunch of charity shops.  If I couldn't drive it would be a disaster for me.  As someone has already said, I very rarely drive after dark because I hate it and don't feel safe driving along unlit country roads.  I also no longer drive in snow and ice.  One thing I know for sure is I am a whole lot safer driving than the hundreds of young boy racers who speed around breaking every possible speed limit.

It's interesting to read the different reaction to this latest - clearly based on who is what age    And it makes me think just wait until you are over 70 and faced with a compulsory curfew, if this goes ahead. 

When my husband had a major bleed stroke, it was clear he wasn't going to be able to continue to drive.  In fact I told him I wasn't getting in the car with him behind the wheel.  I know it hurt but he did give up his Licence and hasn't driven since.  That left me to do all the driving which was basically ok because I enjoy driving (other than now, as said, at night, or rather, twilight).   Ice and snow don't hold fear for me, having driven through the worst of Canadian winters.   It's just what others are doing that bothers me!

I don't remember needing a Doctor's letter for the DVLA when I passed 70, just a self confirmation that I was ok to continue to drive, which has to be done every 3 years.    I did think that a GP could alert the DVLA if he felt a patient shouldn't be driving - and ditto with the eye test .... the optomistrist letting the GPs know about the results of a test.

I suppose there are those on the roads who are far from ok - we see this all the time down here in a 'retirement' area.  But I don't want this privilege taken away from me unless I'm too do-allie to know I shouldn't be driving.  At that point, we will need to move to be closer to essentials like a main hospital which we currently are not.

A thought from my son.  Look at the age of those who would have to vote on any changes ? Most are probably over 70 or approaching not to mention second homes they want to centre to get to .
If changes are made very much hoping they will be sensible ones which won't leave older people high and dry .

What do you ouit there feel about this!!!   Police State?   I used to think not but I'm not so sure....................

70 is young to me, I'm well passed 70 and been driving brilliantly.

Maybe now that I've had my Covid Jab, one of the side effects is going to be, that I will become a ZOMBIE when I drive in the dark

I am buying a driverless car.

As a non-driver with no horse in this race, so to speak, I think it would be a good idea to test everyone regularly no matter what their age. Seems silly to assume that everyone over 70 is incompetent when you see bad drivers of every age.

And honestly I don’t trust people to self-assess. Most of the bad drivers I know have no idea his bad they are! (No judgements on any of you, of course). If you’re a safe driver then taking a test shouldn’t be a problem.

It is just to make money.  It is not enough to make us now pay for the television license.  I can remember free national health glasses and now we have to buy private. Dental treatment is worse.  A few years back it was suggested we pay £10 to visit a doctor.

> It is just to make money.  It is not enough to make us now pay for the television license.  I can remember free national health glasses and now we have to buy private. Dental treatment is worse.  A few years back it was suggested we pay £10 to visit a doctor.

It's pay, pay and pay.   Every year we receive our State Pension information for the upcoming year.   Usually amounting to a few extra pounds.  Then follows all the other bills, each with 'a few extra pounds' meaning the State Pension increase is totally swallowed up.

I appreciate that self-assessing (re a renewed Driving Licence) might be risky but to just assume that the over 70s are ALL dangerous behind the wheel, is insulting.   DISCRIMINATION!!!   I passed my test first time (UK) when I was old enough to drive on the roads.  I managed to fail my first out in Canada (said because I was driving too fast!!).   I took one lesson to see where I was - the Instructor fell about laughing when I told him why I was failed - he asked if the cops had stopped me.  Er no.   I told my husband to take it easy when he had his Ontario test the following day.   He passed, but was told he was driving too slowly

I currently hold a clean Licence (much as, speeding again I did pick up a fine for doing 37 in a 30 which used to be a 40 zone, and to avoid my points, I took a Speeding Course which cost £80 when the fine was £100.)

I'm investigating the possibility of moving close to more facilities so I can sell my car!!!   That's next to impossible (availability of suitable accommodation just now). 

Just hoping this isn't going to happen.

I am hoping the self driving cars take off. 
I don't drive- had lessons and am just too terrified- instructor wanted me to take test but I packed it in as it was clear I would never be confident .
It is very very limiting- can forget going to dog shows etc as all in middle of no where on Sundays so no chance of getting there by public transport.  But I do live in busy city where pretty much anything I want can be delivered.  Its just a shame all leisure events are based round needing a car.
I would just love a self drive car- pop in the post code- sit back and it delivers you,

I had to learn to drive as I prefer to live in the country rather then towns. We were ok when we lived in the Yorkshire Dales as the bus service was good despite living high up in a Dale, also a small town was a miles walk or bike ride away. Great little town, had senior school, doctors, dentist, vets plus a good range of shops. Fast forward to when we moved back down south it was the exact opposite, rarely see a bus, no shops (did have a farm shop for a while but that’s now closed), senior school and nearest town 10 miles away. So I knuckled down, conquered my nerves and got on with it. Passed first time and have now driven for 30 years with no offences or accidents.

https://www.drivingmobility.org.uk/news/driving-mobility-statement-response-to-press-coverage-graduated-driver-licence-schemes-for-drivers-over-70/

> I think it would be a good idea to test everyone regularly no matter what their age. Seems silly to assume that everyone over 70 is incompetent when you see bad drivers of every age.<br /><br />And honestly I don’t trust people to self-assess. Most of the bad drivers I know have no idea his bad they are! (No judgements on any of you, of course). If you’re a safe driver then taking a test shouldn’t be a problem.

Spot on Silverleaf

My biggest regret is being unable to drive due to being registered blind with just 20% sight.

Thanks for that link FF.   What they have to say is very interesting and there are two centres well within reach, for me.

Was a time when I considered taking an Advanced Drivers test, but never got round to it.   I have been on a police skid pan - when working in a Bank, they had various social outings and this was one.   After using their cars, we were able to take our own on it - great stuff for putting oil on the underside of one of our then Midgets!!     I was quite the petrol-head when 'before Basset' with first an AH Sprite and then two different MG Midgets before the arrival of Harvey after which we got sensible.

I never understood why my sister never learnt to drive - I started when my dad let me loose on Radlett airfield (post Victor!).  That was good as by the time I was old enough to drive on public roads, I didn't have to worry about my feet/gears.

ps   I DO NOT want to get into a driver-less car thank you.

You certainly were mambas . I still think we have a way to before changes are made and its unlikely to be a blanket ban just because y have a health condition. Maybe more regular and proper health tests .
I would say dont panic mr mannering !
Oops maybe I am older than I admit

I think a better idea would be for anyone involved in an accident should lose their license permanently if they caused it.

> I think a better idea would be for anyone involved in an accident should lose their license permanently if they caused it.

That's a tad unforgiving

Accidents happen, every single person makes mistakes while driving, usually they get away with it because the other cars are paying attention and dodge them.