After a close encounter on the road with Methuselah yesterday, and some other recent near misses with old drivers I thought I would ask the question; When are you too old? Not just for driving, but as the population ages for a whole range of everyday tasks, and how best can we provide that necessary help for our aged folk. I realise many older folk are still in their homes but don't have the family support that is much needed to make their life easier.

My wife's Church has started a winter program of visits to older parishioner during the week by other church members for a bit of a chat, a cuppa tea, and if need be a helping hand in a small way. With an older congregation many can't make it to church on Sundays.

Funny story, no one was hurt. Some years back my old neighbour in his 80's, fortunately drove his car very infrequently. The poor chap did a right hand turn at a big round-a-bout in Sydney, taking a short cut to the fourth or fifth exit. Thankfully he only sideswiped one other car, well that ended the old blokes driving days for ever.

Hi Paul,

My mum drove badly but refused to give her car up
until her eye specialist stepped in and she lost
her licence. (Her insurance was through the roof).
Also with both my mum and my mother-in-law we had
to take steps to put them into nursing homes because
they were not able to look after themselves at home.
Both had dementia and were very frail. We stepped in
there was no other choice. However we visited daily
and the care they received was excellent. They were
well looked after - and it was a family responsibility.

I'm not sure what happens in cases where people don't
have family or money to be looked after. I hate to
think.

I no longer drive now PAUL1405, notwithstanding I did the NSW Police 'Pursuit Drivers Course' of six weeks. There comes a time when even though you know how to extract yourself from four-wheel skids and drifts, apex and turn-ins in high-speed cornering etc., one's reflexes ultimately let you down to a point you have to realise you should not be driving at all. Accordingly, my wife does all our driving now, and she's twenty years younger than me.

The funny thing is, my Licence was just recently renewed (April of this year) only after my Doctor examined me and my eyesight, but only for a further three years? Obviously, the DOT will NOT grant me a further renewal after this, nor should they considering the number of older drivers who're the root cause of MTA's.

I gave up driving at 92. My wife was in a rehab centre, and I gave a sigh of relief every time I got and got back safely. Got an organisation to provide for me. No more car. No more car insurance.

I have lost the impetuosity of youth and have not yet gained the serenity of age. I expect to gain the serenity of age on October 31 when I will be 96

Hi there David F...

You say you've yet to get the serenity that comes with ageing, well that may be? Though in my humble opinion, you've got the 'wisdom' of several centenarians, which I should think more than makes up the slow emergence of your serenity.

You can keep that serenity thanks fellers, there will be plenty of time for that when we are in our graves. I still do the odd track day with my Triumph car club, basically to keep the skills up, & keep the numbers up for those who take the stuff seriously. It reminds me of that bit from The Man from Snowy River,

"There was Patterson who won his pile when Pardon won the cup, old man with his hair as white as snow, but few could ride beside him when his blood was fairly up, he would go where horse & man could go".

I still have no trouble keeping up with the young blokes [40s& 50s] in their competition tuned things in my stock TR7. It is not really car control that becomes a problem, from what I see, it is handling traffic conditions which becomes a problem as mental processes slow.

Where are you o sung wu, I have to have a medical every year in Qld.