Driving standards

[TheQ]

Only two problems I can see with mandatory testing.

 

Doctors failing people who should pass, being failed by the doctor who doesn't want to get sued, if there is an accident later.

 

Governments using the test as yet another form of taxation.

[PaulCheffus]

Using rmweb as a snapshot of the UK there are lots of us with situations involving elderly relatives and driving, some of us are lucky that license surrendered or vehicle sold,signed over but some have flat refusal to listen ,believe that their driving standards have become dangerous to themselves and others. Do we need a change in the law that once we reach a certain age mandatory health checks and some sort of retest carried out. what is the situation in the US, AUS or elsewhere?

 

Hi

 

Some of us already have mandatory health checks, once every three years in my case, regarding my fitness to drive. I find it strange that there isn't any requirement for people over a certain age to require the same.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Reorte]

Brake lights are to indicate that you are slowing down not stopped. Like indicators are intended to show other road users that you are about to change direction not that you already are changing direction..

Sure, but if it means I'm less likely to get some unobservant pillock crashing into the back of me, but will remove them to not dazzle whoever is stopped behind me, I don't see the problem. And even the most observant driver is helped by such things - the red lights ahead on the motorway, even if it's a stationary queue for example. No-one's perfect, these things can help. Whatever brake lights are supposed to be for legally speaking what they're useful for is indicating that something ahead is becoming something you wouldn't otherwise be expecting speed-wise. Slowing, statonary, what's to be gained by distinguishing them?

Edited May 16, 2017 by Reorte

[Horsetan]

.....Some of us already have mandatory health checks, once every three years in my case, regarding my fitness to drive. I find it strange that there isn't any requirement for people over a certain age to require the same.

 

If the old fella leaving ExpoEM on Saturday at a great rate of knots in his 1998 Saab 9-5 was anything to go by, he probably thinks he still has a racing licence.....

[Adrian Wintle]

Using rmweb as a snapshot of the UK there are lots of us with situations involving elderly relatives and driving, some of us are lucky that license surrendered or vehicle sold,signed over but some have flat refusal to listen ,believe that their driving standards have become dangerous to themselves and others. Do we need a change in the law that once we reach a certain age mandatory health checks and some sort of retest carried out. what is the situation in the US, AUS or elsewhere?

In Ontario (driving licenses are a provincial responsibility) you have to do a re-test at 80 and every 2 years thereafter.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/renew-g-drivers-licence-80-years-and-over

A G class license (as referenced in the link above) is the standard license. It allows one to drive a vehicle up to 11000kg or a combination up to 11000kg as long as the trailer doesn't exceed 4600kg. It does not allow air brakes (separate license). Also, a motorcycle is under a separate license.

 

Adrian

[Zero Gravitas]

Theres no excuse for using the footbrake instead of the handbrake when standing in traffic. The handbrake if working properly is 'locked on' whereas your foot could always slip off the brake pedal. Using the footbrake when you should use the handbrake on a driving test is an instant fail. If you were waiting in a line of traffic and someone piled into the back of the line and your hand brake isn't on you could be held liable for the damage to the vehicle in front of you. With automatics you should always use the handbrake as it prevents 'creep' this is why many automatics have a stronger handbrake than their manual counterparts.

When I did advanced driver training, I was told to use both the foot brake and handbrake until you were sure the person pulling up behind you has stopped, and then release the foot brake. There were two reasons for this, the first being that your brake lights would be on to serve as warning to the traffic coming up behind you; the second being that the handbrake only acts on the back wheels, so if you are hit from behind and the rear of the car is lifted off the ground, then there's nothing to stop you rolling forwards if the foot brake is not applied, which could be very dangerous if waiting at a T-junction, for example.

[Enterprisingwestern]

When I did advanced driver training, I was told to use both the foot brake and handbrake until you were sure the person pulling up behind you has stopped, and then release the foot brake. There were two reasons for this, the first being that your brake lights would be on to serve as warning to the traffic coming up behind you; the second being that the handbrake only acts on the back wheels, so if you are hit from behind and the rear of the car is lifted off the ground, then there's nothing to stop you rolling forwards if the foot brake is not applied, which could be very dangerous if waiting at a T-junction, for example.

 

Hate to be pedantic, but, the handbrake on mine, and a few other cars, works on the front wheels, but I get your drift.

 

Mike.

[Coryton]

In Ontario (driving licenses are a provincial responsibility) you have to do a re-test at 80 and every 2 years thereafter.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/renew-g-drivers-licence-80-years-and-over

A G class license (as referenced in the link above) is the standard license. It allows one to drive a vehicle up to 11000kg or a combination up to 11000kg as long as the trailer doesn't exceed 4600kg. It does not allow air brakes (separate license). Also, a motorcycle is under a separate license.

 

Adrian

 

In New York State you do (or did) have to do an eye test when renewing your license (every two years for everyone, if I recall correctly).

 

A colleague said he saw an elderly lady renewing her license. She couldn't read the eye chart on the wall behind the counter at the motor vehicle centre. So the person behind the counter took the chart off the wall and brought it close enough for her to be able to read it.

 

Box ticked, license renewed...

[Zero Gravitas]

Hate to be pedantic, but, the handbrake on mine, and a few other cars, works on the front wheels, but I get your drift.

 

Mike.

Oh. Never come across that before - and I suspect the advanced driving instructor hadn't either ( was 15 years ago). Purely out of interest, what cars have front wheel hand brakes?

 

And I won't drift, if that's all right. It's really tough on the tyres and not safe on the public highway :-)

[Zero Gravitas]

Oh. Never come across that before - and I suspect the advanced driving instructor hadn't either ( was 15 years ago). Purely out of interest, what cars have front wheel hand brakes?

And I won't drift, if that's all right. It's really tough on the tyres and not safe on the public highway :-)

Actually - let me guess? Is it a Citroen? It wouldn't surprise me at all if it was. The linkage is probably made out of the dreams of children, and you have to activate it by brushing you eyelashes on the steering wheel...

[jcm@gwr]

Oh. Never come across that before - and I suspect the advanced driving instructor hadn't either ( was 15 years ago). Purely out of interest, what cars have front wheel hand brakes?

 

And I won't drift, if that's all right. It's really tough on the tyres and not safe on the public highway :-)

 

Oh. Never come across that before - and I suspect the advanced driving instructor hadn't either ( was 15 years ago). Purely out of interest, what cars have front wheel hand brakes?

 

And I won't drift, if that's all right. It's really tough on the tyres and not safe on the public highway :-)

 

 

Actually - let me guess? Is it a Citroen? It wouldn't surprise me at all if it was. The linkage is probably made out of the dreams of children, and you have to activate it by brushing you eyelashes on the steering wheel...

 

It could also be a Saab, I seem to remember they had it on the front as well.

[PhilJ W]

In New York State you do (or did) have to do an eye test when renewing your license (every two years for everyone, if I recall correctly).

 

A colleague said he saw an elderly lady renewing her license. She couldn't read the eye chart on the wall behind the counter at the motor vehicle centre. So the person behind the counter took the chart off the wall and brought it close enough for her to be able to read it.

 

Box ticked, license renewed...

An elderly driver was stopped by the police on the A12 a good few years ago as his speed rarely topped 20 mph. As it turned out he was registered blind but thought that as he had some eyesight he thought he'd be OK.

[nabit]

Only two problems I can see with mandatory testing.

 

Doctors failing people who should pass, being failed by the doctor who doesn't want to get sued, if there is an accident later.

 

Governments using the test as yet another form of taxation.

As paul says some classes of driving license have to have health checks, my idea might not sound great but look at the many cases of elderly drivers mentioned in this thread and as the population of the UK is living longer it is only going to worsen. Something needs to change and thats why i questioned the rules in other countries,there might just be a good template that we could adopt

[Wolseley]

Couple of advisories that come up every year - minor things, oil leak & slight exhaust blow. Quick walk to Wigan NW & straight onto a Pendolino for the 8 minute or so trip to Warrington. Trip home up the M6 was quite a bit slower, but she kept up with traffic, 60 - 70mph. Funny, the exhaust had stopped blowing when I got home !!! Must get a stainless steel one next year.

 

 

The same thing happened with the exhaust on my Wolseley the last couple of years (and the oil leak too - what do you expect - it's a BMC production).  It passed each time though.  Presumably once the metal heats up it expands and seals the leak.

[TheQ]

Reading many of these,  we need a "worrying" button.

 

My hand brake is on the propshaft (to the rear), as standard it's a drum, but they like filling with mud and are hard to service. So I've changed mine for a disk, there's a kit available.

[Jol Wilkinson]

An elderly driver was stopped by the police on the A12 a good few years ago as his speed rarely topped 20 mph. As it turned out he was registered blind but thought that as he had some eyesight he thought he'd be OK.

A12. Could be a native of Essex, but the use of the word "thought" would rather rule that out.

[Baby Deltic]

A12. Could be a native of Essex, but the use of the word "thought" would rather rule that out.

Now now! I'm a native of Essex.

[PhilJ W]

A12. Could be a native of Essex, but the use of the word "thought" would rather rule that out.

He was heading for Suffolk.

 

Now now! I'm a native of Essex.

As he couldn't see were he was going he probably didn't know exactly where he was. 

[Reorte]

An elderly driver was stopped by the police on the A12 a good few years ago as his speed rarely topped 20 mph. As it turned out he was registered blind but thought that as he had some eyesight he thought he'd be OK.

I'm amazed anyone wouldn't find lacking eyesight too scary to drive. Several years ago I gave my specs a nudge whilst driving and they fell apart, just getting on to the hard shoulder to stop was a very unpleasant, scary business with my lousy eyesight (it's fine with glasses or contact lenses).

[Phil Traxson]

Oh. Never come across that before - and I suspect the advanced driving instructor hadn't either ( was 15 years ago). Purely out of interest, what cars have front wheel hand brakes?

 

And I won't drift, if that's all right. It's really tough on the tyres and not safe on the public highway :-)

Citroen BX and a right B---er to adjust the cable when the steel adjuster corroded in the alloy housing.

[Horsetan]

I'm amazed anyone wouldn't find lacking eyesight too scary to drive. Several years ago I gave my specs a nudge whilst driving and they fell apart, just getting on to the hard shoulder to stop was a very unpleasant, scary business with my lousy eyesight (it's fine with glasses or contact lenses).

A few years ago, there was a blind Iranian bloke who pottered around in a Peugeot. He was guided by a "friend" in the passenger seat. I think he only got caught because the police spotted something amiss about his, er, driving style and decided to ask a few questions....

Edited May 17, 2017 by Horsetan

[Reorte]

A few years ago, there was a blind Iranian bloke who pottered around in a Peugeot. He was guided by a "friend" in the passenger seat. I think he only got caught because the police spotted something amiss about his, er, driving style and decided to ask a few questions....

The defence statement is pretty astonishing:

 

 

He said: "If my client hadn't been blind he wouldn't have been arrested for dangerous driving, so it doesn't fall far below what is expected from a careful and competent driver."

I really hope he didn't believe that and was just saying it through clenched teeth since his job was to defend his client, no matter how absurdly.

[Horsetan]

The defence statement is pretty astonishing:

No more astonishing than some of the stuff that gets said in advocacy on a daily basis.

 

I really hope he didn't believe that and was just saying it through clenched teeth since his job was to defend his client, no matter how absurdly.

At the end of the day, it's Counsel's / the solicitor's job to make those representations to the Mags. He may have advised his client on the absurdity but if that is what the client wants to say....

 

I wonder if the bloke's back on the road now....?

[raymw]

I had to search out the results of case, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/5335802.stm Now I need to find out what was on the 'T' shirt... it just keeps on giving.

Edited May 17, 2017 by raymw

[Jol Wilkinson]

Now now! I'm a native of Essex.

 

I resided in Essex for several years in the sixties, but managed to get out. I found Intelligent life can exist in other parts of the UK, including Sussex, Shropshire, Herts, Northants. and Suffolk.

 

He was heading for Suffolk.

 

As he couldn't see were he was going he probably didn't know exactly where he was. 

Lovely Suffolk, that's where I live now.

 

When we drive down the A12 and onto the M25, we notice a definite change in the driving "style" the further south we get.More aggressive and "Me, Me, Me". Probably partly due to getting nearer to the centre of civilisation as the residents like to believe, A.K.A. London.

 

(Where's the irony button?)

Edited May 17, 2017 by Jol Wilkinson