Why Do We Let the Elderly on Our Roads?
The elderly represent a powerful voting bloc, and they will not readily give up their freedom to menace our roads. Many of the elderly are unfit to drive yet continue to do so, causing aggravation and even accidents for other drivers. Anyone who's ever been stuck behind a senior citizen driving 10 or 15 mph below the speed limit or been nearly hit by an elderly driver who couldn't see what he or she was doing or whose reaction time was too slow knows exactly why these elderly do not belong on our roads. The Baby Boomers are starting to retire, and millions more will soon be facing the impaired vision, sluggish reaction times, demented confusion and forgetfulness, arthritic joints and lack of mobility, and other problems that contribute to the poor driving ability of many in the older segment of the population.
This does not mean the elderly should be packed into retirement homes to eek out the end of their existence. Services like the bus, Call-a-Ride, and children exist. We don't need impaired elderly drivers endangering and inconveniencing the rest of us.
You forgot dementia.
I believe you are right. Oftentimes do I wonder about the streets, look into a vehicle and see a driver that is as ripe as an apple that has long since fallen unto the ground and rotten. I dislike cars to begin with, and even more I dislike old people driving them. It is almost to a point of paranoia, if I look into car my first thoughts are, 'Oh no, an old bastard.', 'Oh, drat, it's a woman.' "We're all gonna die!"
Ahem, so yes... Keep them them zombies off the road, I say.
Of course, the elderly are extremely dangerous through simple incompetence. I've dodged a few on occasion who seem to think that driving through a large Chevy is surely the best way to get where you're going.
The best was the old woman who, upon missing me, turned around and came for another go. That's what I like to see - the years haven't worn down her spirit apparently!
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* here for the nachos.
If we take away their licenses, they'll revolt and lock the rest of us up...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Dawn
techstepgenr8tion
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We get some rather bad adults on average though as well.
I remember last Friday when me and my buddies went to a bar downtown, were on the highway and yeah, one of our friends was sick from drinking. We were at the light on the highway ramp and our friend climbed across the back seat, opened the door, we thought he was going to throw up, he was really getting out to b***h at someone because they were sitting like 2 1/2 car lengths back from the person in front of em (they'd set the line of traffic back a good ways and we'd gotten in that lane to get around them). Great stuff, think he scared the hell out of em though . Sadly, some of these same people love to drive like 5 miles under the speed limit anywhere they go as well - often enough they aren't elderly, just senile adults.
Yep! Let's have more government intervention! Let's make the elderly prisoners in their own home due to liberal fascist laws. What a way to repay them! It's such a life to look forward to, rotting away in your own home, unable to go anywhere or do anything because Big Brother says so.....
People like you are the reason why libertarianism is desperately needed.
That's what's happening in the UK at present. You really don't want to get old here. The latest thing on the agenda is to make all drivers have some sort of medical every ten years so those worst affected by the ravages of age can be banned from driving and forced to use the overcrowded crime-ridden public transport system. As an aside, they're also going to fit all cars with speed restrictors to prevent speeding, as well as taxing us to use the roads per mile with tracking devices fitted to our cars. These will also tell the government exactly where each of us is at anytime.
That's what's happening in the UK at present. You really don't want to get old here. The latest thing on the agenda is to make all drivers have some sort of medical every ten years so those worst affected by the ravages of age can be banned from driving and forced to use the overcrowded crime-ridden public transport system. As an aside, they're also going to fit all cars with speed restrictors to prevent speeding, as well as taxing us to use the roads per mile with tracking devices fitted to our cars. These will also tell the government exactly where each of us is at anytime.
That's disgusting! I often see the general disregard and even outright hatred for the elderly in society and it simply makes my blood boil. What they truly want is control and more of our tax dollars. This can also have a horrible impact on families. If a man with is forced to ride the bus due to his health status, it will mean 1 1/2 fewer hours to spend with the family, less alone time which can force him into becoming more of a recluse at home, an increased chance of being assaulted, and the almost inevitable case of depression due to the elimination of his liberty and a forced child-like dependency of the government due to an obsession with safety. With the gun control laws of the U.K. , there is no way of defending yourself against criminals. Yet these morons think that a nanny government is a solution to all the world's ills....
Thankfully there are those like you who understand the nature of the threat
Yes, that's just how it is over here. Many old people are prisoners in their own homes due to crime and "cultural enrichment". In some of the larger cities, even within those homes they have no legal means of defending themselves against the marauding bands of immigrant thugs who think nothing of killing some old lady for her loose change. Unfortunately, here, things continue to deteriorate. One day they're forcing DNA samples from you, next they're stopping you driving. The police even get away with openly intimidating the political opposition. The UK really is a perfect model of what you, as a nation, do not want to become.
Yes, that's just how it is over here. Many old people are prisoners in their own homes due to crime and "cultural enrichment". In some of the larger cities, even within those homes they have no legal means of defending themselves against the marauding bands of immigrant thugs who think nothing of killing some old lady for her loose change. Unfortunately, here, things continue to deteriorate. One day they're forcing DNA samples from you, next they're stopping you driving. The police even get away with openly intimidating the political opposition. The UK really is a perfect model of what you, as a nation, do not want to become.
Unfortunately, the government of the U.K. looks out more for the interest of the immigrants than those of the native citizens. I heard they can receive free cars, free housing and the like, is that true? If so, that is a shame. If so, no wonder so many leeches are attracted to the prospect of moving there. As for the crime, gun control has never worked! In fact, gun crime is on the rise in the UK. This flies in the face of the typical liberal's view on gun control. We should act before it's too late, when we are the literal slaves to the government.
Yes, it's true:
http://bnp.org.uk/2008/12/%e2%80%98life-is-great%e2%80%99-says-muslim-mother-of-eight-living-in-26m-council-house/
That would be wise. It really is difficult to relate exactly how helpless you can feel in a situation like this. There honestly seems no hope of any common sense returning to this country. Everything you do, or want to do, is regulated by government bureaucracy. It's unfortunate about the gun situation, here. A few decades back our system of gun control did seem to work for our society. Gun crime was rare, and those who wanted to shoot as a sport or hobby could fairly easily do so. Unfortunately, things have changed dramatically. The police are too stretched dealing with the new political crimes, and are reluctant to tackle the many ethnic minority individuals who cause real damage for fear of being branded racist.
Our only hope is a large tax strike (in the millions), while voluntarily donating to hospitals, fire stations, schools, ect. Our leaders will change their tune once it finally hits their pocketbooks.
In Finland after the age of 65 drivers must submit to an examination every 5 years. I am 83 and don't drink and I drive carefully. I am aware that my reflexes are not as good as they were when I was younger but I compensate by driving with that in mind. I prefer to use public transport and mostly do but some circumstances require driving and I have had no problems so far.