[Mpower]

Its not a question of personal opinion but its the law of nature (or Biology??) .........as people grow old, they lose physical strength and the reflexes slow down and eyesight worsens etc etc.

If that was'nt the case then the concept of 'retirement' and 'retirement age' would not exist in the workplace and people would just continue working till the drop dead one day.

[the VTEC guy]

I would say one should first ask question to self -
Q - I will be definetly getting old after some day. I love cars/bikes. And I would like to drive them for the love of driving pleasure as long as physically possible. Should anyone take away that right from me?
A - Hell No.

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The younger members here seem to propose banning elderly drivers from the roads, or placing severe restrictions on their getting a licence, while...


...the more senior members here appear to be proposing that elderly folks be allowed to drive if they can.

IMO, the elderly folks have their pool of experience to fall back on while driving, and they are quite aware of what they are doing. They do realize the fact that their driving and their faculties are not what they used to be (lower eyesight, slower reaction times), and after a point they themselves refuse to drive any more because of the risks involved. Even if they do, it would be in an emergency situation, where they are left with no other option.

Let's trust our senior citizens a little more, and let them decide themselves, whether they should or should not drive.

Dear Sir,

Even though I'm in my 20s (only a few months left) agree with your point that there are more 20 yr old drivers who drive rash without any knowledge of road rules. Situation here in Hyderabad is even worse, more than half of them don't even have licences.

So I think the crux of the discussion we are having here is that we need a stricter licensing authority than the present regime. Getiing licence in India should be like what it is abroad - hard worked Jackpot. Atleast that way our roads will slowly be devoid or crazy lunatics

[Raccoon]

Originally Posted by Mpower

If that was'nt the case then the concept of 'retirement' and 'retirement age' would not exist in the workplace and people would just continue working till the drop dead one day.

You are right... that "concept" is flawed and should be removed and individuals should be allowed to continue working until they can/want.

[V-16]

Hey thats not fair. Who are we or anybody to decide at what age a person can or cannot drive. I have seen more youngsters who are reckless. Its really wrong to generalise that old people cannot drive.

I speak with experience. I have a friend who is 77+, does not need glasses and drives a Ferrari F-430. Many on the forum who have seen him will agree to what i have to say.

Not only that, i have been with him from Bombay to Goa in his W123 300D in which he was drifting ......... intentionally. I have seen him take a Mercedes MB100 on a wild test run. All this and the passenger feels safe and sound.

I think i am a good driver (everyone thinks that of himself) but he humbles me everytime i sit next to him. He has a fleet of cars and still drives all his cars himself. Till today he has not employed a driver. So what do we have to say now huh??

[ph03n!x]

One may blame the aged for being slow, but never rash. I would want all the auto walahs, the bikers who wear helmet yet don't have a rear-view mirror, the moron who speed their lorries above 60 within city limits, and the kids driving 100cc's off road before i can even think of one fault i have seen because of the elderly- except, like i said, being extra careful and slow (...maybe).

[fiery enzyme]

I agree with the point its more about abilities and aptitude and not age. Alternatively we all have been talking about the aptitude an aged person might have to drive safely though we all accept there a lot of younger people not showing the aptitude.

The solution would be stricter liscensing norms. So if you have the aptitude you get the right no matter your age and vice versa.

[V-16]

Check him taking me for a spin the very day the F-430 arrived.

YouTube - Nosh's Ferrari- First Drive

[phamilyman]

We should be more concerned about people medically unfit in this moment - be it fatigue (truckers), be it distracted(ladies going yak yak at 60 kph in the rightmost lane of the expressway, or checking their lipstick at that speed), be it drunk/doped and the idiots who don't know how to use rear view mirrors.

Au contraire, I've seen some 70+ year old drivers who were quite good - even in the hills. Its about the life left in the person, than the life seen by the person so far.

PS: I do agree that some of them esp in delhi can be lane hogging Sunday crawlers but they are still safe in their own way

[Sawyer]

Today's news in Pune in fact poses the question as to whether the aged can walk on certain Pune roads anymore. A more important one than the can they drive one, to my mind, given that there are a lot more of them. Yesterday two busy roads in the heart of the city have been turned into one ways to improve traffic flows. To improve the rate of flow - which has to mean increased traffic speeds. And to keep the flow on all the time.
So how do the aged cross these roads now?? A police officer suggested pedestrian traffic signals, which has to be the silliest statement in the papers today, given how we flout them. And given the number of people walking on Indian roads, they will always be red for traffic. So that is a non starter from day one.
So the answer to this is that an old person has to hail an autorickshaw to cross the road.
And we add another category of people that will be dispossessed of their rights in order to keep us vehicle owners happy.
Instead of doing what the right thing is - regulating the entry of cars into inner cities and spending money on improving mass transit. But the great news for us autoowners is that road construction and maintenance is lucrative for a lot more of the politicos, so expect us to be kept happy.
Until it all explodes in our face one day, when the dispossessed come to claim their rights by force.

[kiren]

I have said yes.

I have seen 80+ people driving very confidently with out any problem. Some of them drive very cautiously & slow as compared to other vehicles, but they are on the right side of the law. Till the person has his/her self confidence & is medically fit, should be allowed to drive irrespective of his/her age.

[Mpower]

I think the word 'not allowed' is offending people and therefore the title has been changed.

Its quite natural for people to get offended when their rights are taken away from them but leaving something like this to personal judgement is not right because it could be clouded by emotion and pride.

Originally Posted by Raccoon

You are right... that "concept" is flawed and should be removed and individuals should be allowed to continue working until they can/want.

The concept exists in all countries of the world so obviously its not flawed. BTW how can I be right if I dont agree with it.

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

I have many relatives over 80 that drive. They have been driving for over 60 years - I find them to be very alert, cautious drivers, with a spotless track record. Yes, on a case to case basis you will find many who are unfit, but it isn't fair to ask for a blanket ban over anyone over a certain age.

Maybe not 80, but how about 90, 100, 105. Surely you agree that at some point it is simply not possible to perform the task anymore.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by Mpower

I Maybe not 80, but how about 90, 100, 105. Surely you agree that at some point it is simply not possible to perform the talk anymore.

Well remember a lady interviewed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, aged 102/3, hit a hole in one. Plays golf 3 days a week, drives, and looked fit as a fiddle to me, came across as any other 85 year old. There are people like this out there - naturally, not a vast majority, but they do exist. All Im saying is, if they are fit enough to drive, why not.

[KITE RUNNER]

More than chronological age, physical fitness, mental alertness & eye sight are more important while considering safe driving.
Normally these factors deteriorate with age but there can be individual variations.

There will be a point when each person needs to call it a day.

[McLaren Rulez]

As for the law itself, it is absolutely fine. It allows you to drive after fifty as long as you can prove yourself medically able do so. However, it would be silly to leave it there as implementation is a big issue in India. A blanket ban after a certain age makes more sense in that case because it is harder (though not impossible) for people to get around it. Put it this way, because the human body loses its quick reflexes after a certain age for a significant number (perhaps even a majority) of people, those who are actually able to drive cannot do so. It is an externality that is borne by some people for the greater good. If we did have the power to implement the current law adequately, then things would be different. However, when the authorities have their hands tied in terms of implementation, you have to make cruder laws.