I should have explained that mum did have eye-examinations
every six months (from memory). And it was only in the last
months that her eye-specialist began to get worried - although
he didn't take a stand until the last minute - and she kept
on driving until we took the car away from her. Her condition
by that time wasn't good. Her mind started to go as well.
That's when we moved her from a retirement village to a
nursing home. It was a very difficult time all round.

Regarding the scourge of "OLD" drivers loose in your town, see this COMMUNITY WARNING:

http://youtu.be/-aVIR6ftdrw?t=1m

See, told ya, be VERY AFRAID!!

Wrong question for a start, The question should be to protect society from incompetent people.
Old age is not automatically making people a danger to themselves nor is youth an automatic guarantee to perform flawlessly !
Centrelink's Robodebt is an example how throwing everything into the same basket can ruin peoples' lives.
Cases need to be individually assessed & if some uncaring bureaudroids can't do that they should be made to look for another job.
Stop blaming people in need for your own shortcomings in the performance of your duties !

Such hostility ttbn, now that's not like you. As I have pointed out before my definition of an 'Old Fart' has nothing to do with age, a person could be a dynamic forward thinker with a progressive attitude at the age of 90, and certainly not qualify as an 'Old Fart'. Then there are the social regressive, stick in the mud types, who at the age of say 19 can be put in the 'Old Fart' basket. Its easy to see where a bloke like you fits, regardless of your age.

On the topic, just as we don't allow those under the age of 16, who due to their limited mental capacity, not to hold a car drivers and other licences for theirs and others safety, would it be a good idea to apply the same rule at the upper end of the scale. At the age of 80 should society withhold all licences (excluding a dog licence, for a very small dog, no rottweiler's) from the elderly for theirs and others protection. No driving, no boating, no flying, and certainly no shooting, in this way we could all feel a little bit safer from danger. Any thoughts?

Any thoughts?
Paul1405,
Yes, plenty ! For a start there's no limit for young age below 16. There are many -16 year old success examples & many, more stories of failure just as in old age.
Individual plusses/negatives should not be allowed to discriminate against others & vice versa.
A Civilian Service would enable the kick-off to a better mentality than what is presently the norm.
There simply is getting away from the blatant & proven fact that our society is under the yoke of very inferior mentality ! The sooner people agree to tackle this problem the better !
Old people have the wisdom that the young disregard to their own detriment as we can see all around. If or rather when I get to old to drive I will stop but will also expect a far more user friendly service system for old people than there is presently in place ! Old people can offer the young to become better, more logical thinkers which of course is beneficial to all if accepted.

"Any thoughts".

Paul 1405 is not interested in anyone's thoughts. He has his mind made up. If he was honest he would have made a statement 'Society Should Protect Old People From Themselves'. Better still, 'Society Should Be Protected FROM Old People'.

Nor does he care about the safety of old people. He doesn't like old people. He joined the young and silly Greens to kid himself that he could ward off his own advancing years - he must be at least 70 himself by now.

In my 80th. year, I have had to have a GP's annual OK to drive for the past 10 years. In another 5 years, I will have to have an actual driving test, if I want to continue driving on the same roads as 16 year old hoons and the increasing number of drunk drivers.

We are not all idiots just because we are old. I no longer drive at night. My decision, nobody else's. I wouldn't dream of driving in the CBD. I rarely drive long distances, and never do more than 2 hour stints at a time.

I am not as sure of myself as I once was, and I will probably stop driving altogether before any busybody, nasty bloody ageist like Paul 1405 gets on my case.

In the meantime, the people who put the wind up me on the roads are YOUNG, particularly females.