Driving licence exchange

[cooperlola]

There was a piece on the news the other day about a driving simulator which they were using for old drivers who had commited driving offences - the woman featured had, for instance, had 3 speeding tickets.  It was very interesting and even she admitted that it had been a really useful exercise as it (or rather the instructor sitting alongside her) reminded her of all the thing she should be aware of and she felt that her driving had deteriorated without her realising it.  Undoubtedly, it does happen to many of us as we get older and our reactions slow (one of the reasons I'm looking at buying a fast car now, as I don't believe it would be sensible to run one for many more years.)  When in the UK a friend of mine (the same age as my o/h) drove me around a bit and it was frankly terrifying at times, he was so unaware of the traffic around him (he's also one of those who looks at you when he's talking and "drives" at the same time.[:-))])  He, however, thinks he's king of the road and has one very fast car in his garage (red and Italian.)  Scary stuff.

Sid, I have had a couple of lessons in very recent times and on both occasions the instructors told me I would have no trouble passing a French test.  Nevertheless, they still picked up on one or two things I did wrong.  I don't think it would do anybody over a certain age (nor some younger drivers) any harm to sit next to a qualified instructor from time to time, just to get their bad (often dangerous) habits ironed out.

[idun]

Wow AnOther, dear me. Qualifications, heard of common sense and using my eyes. I'm not the brightest around, but I'm not the most stupid and I have common sense in boat loads. I know what I see.  Cars are lethal weapons, badly driven and maintained can cause grave, and serious injury and death, I have every right to only want people with half decent reflexes, good sight and good road sense on the road. It is the minimum I expect of other drivers.

What with the old fella in my french village that everyone knew to steer clear of as he often drove on the left, right and middle.  Have you not been behind an obviously old driver at a roundabout when there is a bit of traffic, and them not gone in that slight gap or the next one....... or maybe you don't either? I don't know how you drive.

Ever been on a country lane where an old driver is going around 20kph and has a queue of traffic behind them including tractors.  

I see one of my Dad's neighbour's walk, as she can hardly walk, in her mid 80's. She cannot do anything with any elan these days, so if she has to brake quickly, how could she do that? If she goes off in a direction, that I had planned on leaving in, I simply go the other way. I'd rather. I care about my safety first.

Above myself. No, I am dead straight with myself. If I ever feel myself hesitating in my car even within the next few years, never mind at 80, 'I' am big enough to actually go and see a driving instructor and see what they think, as long as my eyes are OK. And if I still felt like my reflexes were not what they should be, I would simply stop..................that is not being full of myself, that is how 'I' am. At the moment my driving is just fine. And people over 70 lie. My friend's Dad lied about it until forced to stop that is what people do.

As I said before, bring in a test, just a little test regularly. It wouldn't worry me. If I wasn't up to scratch, then I'd have to stop, c'est tout.

 

And there is no reason on this planet why I shouldn't want safe roads and safe drivers.

[powerdesal]

''And people over 70 lie.''

As do people under 70, under 60, under 50 etc etc etc.

When I was much younger ( I am not old now ) I was an excellent driver, I was also immortal - then I grew up !!!!!!!

I still consider myself to be a perfectly adequate driver but I don't drive as fast as I used to, mainly because of the associated costs of fuel and potential speeding fines. Plus I don't actually need to get anywhere in a hurry. It's a shame really because I do like fast driving.

[AnOther]

[quote user="idun"]And people over 70 lie. My friend's Dad lied about it until forced to stop that is what people do.[/quote]I was listening to you until you threw in that insulting, ignorant, and bigoted remark.

As for old farts on country roads at 20kph, I'd much rather share the road with 10 of them than one 18 year old at 120kph - remind me again who needs re-testing ?

I hope you are big enough to give up so easily when your time comes, very easy words but we shall never know, and in any case people over 70 lie of course so we wouldn't be able to believe you anyway would we !

[sid]

You've got to consider the whole spectrum of drivers. You're trying to make a case for the old people to be banned effectively, but look at the statistics. Why are their premiums lower? Why do young newly qualified drivers have their premiums loaded? Experience, observation etc etc. It takes years. Perhaps you only know old people?

Coops, yes I took an advanced motorcycling course the year before I came here; I was the oldest person on that 3-day event by about 20 years! It taught me a huge amount, most of which I am able to apply to my car driving. For me, this is the only way to improve standards. I'm still learning. Unfortunately most people don't bother trying to improve. I don't want to sound "holier than thou", ("none so righteous as the converted whatsit" [;-)]) because I had to be strongly persuaded to do this course after one of my friends had done it and was so surprised at his results and improvement. I'm not a great fan of simulators, at least I haven't experienced one which feels "real". Are they as good as aircraft simulators?

I'm getting very concerned here that we go off-topic so easily, having points brought up which bear absolutely no relevance to the question originally posed, in this case about the exchange of licence. In fact, I feel that the forum and some of it's contributors may be better engaged on one of those audience participation chat shows. I know this is a forum, but I was under the misguided impression that it was the benefit of ex-pats living in France. I fail to see how this sidetrack helps any of us. [:@]

[cooperlola]

[quote user="sid"]

  I fail to see how this sidetrack helps any of us. [:@]

[/quote]It doesn't of course.  Happily, the o/p was Woolyb so he'll understand.  It irritates me too, but far more when it's a newbie (or relative newby) asking the question as I bet they often lose the will to live long before they get a sensible reply.  In this case I think he got his answer before we all got blown of course.  Not that it's anything to do with me but the thread has got interesting and it's a shame when a good wrangle gets stopped too.

You can always rely on Idun to stimulate a lively debate.  As I've said to her before, I don't always agree with her but she is never dull.[:)]

[idun]

All ages lie about things ofcourse they do.  But this is about over 70's specifically, if you think it is bigoted, so be it, because that is exactly when these forms are sent out to renew and people I know have blatantly lied on their renewals, they don't boast about it, but say the form is rubbish and they are capable so they don't fill them in correctly........ because the forms are wrong.  A test would sort that out.

Strangely I was going to suggest my Dad give up, getting up the courage and he'd told me he'd sold his car and wasn't renewing his license. Would I, yup, I moved opposite a bus stop with a decent service specifically for when I cannot drive. Even now, I prefer to catch the express bus to say Newcastle because I get right to the city centre, no parking and the bus drops me at my door.  I enjoy driving, but one day I imagine that I will not be able to and have already catered for that eventuality.

[idun]

WB has had his advice. Change now and it goes for forever even if he shouldn't be driving when in his dotage. Or change it later and probably have forms to fill in every few years, but none of us know what these renewal forms will say, do we?

[AnOther]

We haven't gone into the basic rights and wrongs of bananas driving in the first place of course but on the simple basis of lack of anonymity I'm sure he'll be safe and courteous in the 'bananamobile' well into his brown and squidgy years [:D]

[img]http://media.komonews.com/images/110701_banana_car_660.jpg[/img]