HRH Phil survives car crash

[Pushka]

Our next door neighbour learnt to drive when she was 69 when her husband died. She is fiercely independent. I suspect she was perfectly fine until her ‘80s. One time I drove behind her on Greenhill Road which is a major three lane/two lane road in Adelaide. She drove so fast I couldn’t keep up with her AND drive safely. Plus she was clearly missing cues - pedestrians, other car movements, that would cause other drivers to brake a little in defence. So tunnel vision had kicked in. I advised the kids to be aware of her when driving in our street.

Anyway one Saturday morning there was a huge bang. She had done the ‘slam the accelerator instead of brakes’ when in reverse. She had reversed hard across to the other side of our street and slammed into the heavy duty electronic gates across the road and brought them down. They were maybe 6 months old. New house. Her 4 door car was squashed right to her seat so no boot, no back seat anymore. Her son owned the car and the insurance policy.

Somehow she was fine. But shocked. We have a lot of kids in our street and people who walk their dogs. It was Saturday morning I called in to see her and a younger son was present. He said they were not reporting the accident and they would take care of the neighbours fence. I told him that if his mother drove another car then I would have to report it. She didn’t drive again.

 

[Lynda2475]

My Dad turned 75 last year and had to get a doctors clearance certificate to renew his license, this is standard in NSW from 75 onwards. From 85 you need to resit a driving test (not knowledge, actual driving).

 

[Quickstatus]

it’s a time bomb.

Phil has always been known to be a time bomb - see his “jokes”

 

[Quickstatus]

Age is not necessarily mean you are no longer competent.I have recounted this story before in other threads.A remarkable 91 year old who decided to move from Melbourne to the Sunshine coast-thus proving his mental competence.
So he hired a truck,loaded it himself,drove to the Sunshine Coast and unloaded it by himself.
Asked why he did it himself-well the family wouldn't have wanted me to move so I waited until they were all on holidays.

Jeff K got in trouble for being Ageist today. However his comments were about “fresh blood”. Unfortunately the way society is today that was construed to be “young blood”.
Donald and Clive were “fresh blood”.

 

[kelvedon]

Debris from the car crash is up for sale on eBay!!

 

[Happy Trails]

... but a competence test should also require a wet road swerve and recover test, and a third party interrogation while driving to test concentration AND observation.
I suspect the prince may surprise many in such a test.

Can we include a driving into the afternoon sun test?

 

[cove]

I don’t like driving in the wet at night to Perth Airport so I tend to get someone else to do that for me.
I knew we needed to stop my mother driving when she drove the wrong way in a one way street. That was Hay Street so lots of vehicles had to duck out of the way.

 

[Quickstatus]

HRH Phil won’t need Uber as he has a chauffeur. However for those unable to drive due to cognitive decline can Uber and get about these days

 

[cove]

Yes I agree Quickstatus. Getting too old to drive is quite real and a taxi, Uber or family is a pretty good way to solve the issue. We tend to use a chauffeur service when we are travelling.

 

[Denali]

HRH Phil won’t need Uber as he has a chauffeur. However for those unable to drive due to cognitive decline can Uber and get about these days

If elderly, you first have to get the person to use a smart phone and teach them how to use the app, understand pricing (for increased periods) and how the service works. My mum in law has the most basic phone for emergencies only. Yes, she can be taught to use it but not everyone. And some older people have a network of local taxi drivers that might (do) help with taking shopping to the front door ect.

My mum has a mobility scooter - she happily gave up the car and that thing is her lifeline to getting out of the house and shes traded it in/upgraded to new model a number of times. My mum in law simply doesnt want one (she no longer has a car/we live next door so no issue for transport for her).

 

[UP4014]

Just like I don't want people telling me how and when to or not to drive, I''m not going to tell others.

 

[Deleted member]

My father was in his 80's and painfully independent.
Choosing to forget that I was picking him up ,he drove ( almost blind) to an optical specialist appointment, where I found him.
We had a pleasant enough experience in the clinic , and as we walked out I said give me your car keys.
Loud protests, I say give them to me or I will just take them off you right here and now.
A short stare off produced the keys.. and he never drove again because I took his car home and sold it.

Stuff like this is not fun but it has to be done….

My dad is in a similar condition (to yours) he though has decided to pass his car on to me.

 

[cove]

Getting the car keys and then the car is definitely difficult as independence goes down the drain for many seniors.

 

[andye]

Very aware of the independence issue as I assess people regularly. No rego or insurance can fund quite a few taxi trips* but there seems to be a psychological block in spending that money on what is often felt to be an extravagance

*in urban areas admittedly

 

[tgh]

Gp's "could" be a little more sympathetic though .
A (septuagenarian )farmer friend had his heavy licence removed on a really flimsy premise.
I would have had it reversed in a day , but country folks are not so cognisant of their rights .
This stroke of a pen caused a huge amount of inconvenience and no small dent in the persons sense of worth.
My GP and I have a similar conversation coming up when I need my first annual licence medical.
I don't need my heavy vehicle endorsement.. but it is one of my tail feathers and it will not be plucked without a fight.

 

[Pushka]

Gp's "could" be a little more sympathetic though .
A (septuagenarian )farmer friend had his heavy licence removed on a really flimsy premise.
I would have had it reversed in a day , but country folks are not so cognisant of their rights .
This stroke of a pen caused a huge amount of inconvenience and no small dent in the persons sense of worth.
My GP and I have a similar conversation coming up when I need my first annual licence medical.
I don't need my heavy vehicle endorsement.. but it is one of my tail feathers and it will not be plucked without a fight.

And therein lies the issue with having the local GP being the one to sign off.

 

[andye]

I find some GPs compromise with a restricted license when I would either say no or suggest a formal driving assessment.

 

[drron]

From facebook.The Duke of Hazards.

 

[Hvr]

 

[kelvedon]

So it appears at 97 years of age the Duke has finally given up his driving license.

Prince Philip, 97, gives up driving licence