Should there be a maximum age to apply for learners drivers license?

[sunhuntin]

after 2 near misses today involving the same driver, ive decided to post a poll. just a simple yes or no. also, if you would be so kind as to post your preferred age. personally, i think the max age should be around 60 years.

i was waiting to cross at a ped crossing while walking to work. she came from my right, and the sun was behind her. thought, yeh, shes gonna stop cos shes slowing down, but ill wait till shes stopped before crossing. good thing, as she sped up as she reached the crossing and then pulled out in front of a car at the roundabout. the car she cut off had right of way. the old woman didnt even seem to notice.
the car was wearing l plates, and the driver looked to be a very nervous 70+ year old, with her equally old husband as teacher. i hate to think that she is driving in a city with many cyclists and pedestrians. if i had got her plate, she would have been reported.

[Jantar]

I would be against any age limit, but I would be in favour of an IQ test and reaction time test.

[cs363]

Voted no, purely because I don't believe you can make a judgement based purely on age. I've seen plenty of alert and spritely aged folks, take racing driver Kenny Smith for instance (67).
That said I can see where you are coming from, maybe there's more of an issue having an aged relative/friend as a teacher?
I had a guy turn straight in front of me today (I was in a large car), missed him by inches - he looked about 30 :whistle:, a mate of mine gets people pulling out in front of his 40+ ton truck all the time....don't think there's an age limit at either end of the scale for bad drivers :)

Perhaps at 60 or 70 there should be some sort of testing of the persons faculties to make sure they are up to the job prior to issueing a learners permit?

[klingon]

I would be against any age limit, but I would be in favour of an IQ test and reaction time test.

I agree. Maybe not IQ but some kind of common sense test! It's not just the elderly that are the problem and not just learners either.

I can see the old guy's point. He's not going to be around forever and chances are she's going to outlive him. What a lovely thing to teach her to drive before he departs this world. :love:

BUT incompetent drivers of any age are a hazard and should not be allowed on the road!

I suspect the real problem here is more with the teacher than the learner. parents, friends and partners should not be the primary driving teachers. She should be with a professional teacher who would not take her out on a busy road if she was not capable of handling it.

[RDjase]

What about a graded license?

You could have a Open Road Unlimited license

and a local (20kms from home?) No motor ways ect, and they have L plate(red for local?) or something like that, then old grandma can go to visit the
relatives in the next town and at least you can see they see and expect they might do something silly/dangerous

[Headbanger]

I reckon there should be a punch in the face test.

Haven't yet worked out where it would be implemented, But it would come out of nowhere, and everyone would get one.

Bang....Punch to the face.

[sunhuntin]

good responses. the road in question was luckily not busy [was about 9.15-ish] any earlier and the RAB and surrounding roads would have been clogged with school and work traffic. myself, a guy mowing the RAB and the right of way car were the only other moving objects present at the time. thankfully.

i think a reactions test is a good idea, and should be given for all ages. same with the idea of not allowing parents etc to be the main educator.

jase, thats a good idea. give them some freedom, but keeps them from situations that could be dangerous for them and those around them.

[Grahameeboy]

good responses. the road in question was luckily not busy [was about 9.15-ish] any earlier and the RAB and surrounding roads would have been clogged with school and work traffic. myself, a guy mowing the RAB and the right of way car were the only other moving objects present at the time. thankfully.

i think a reactions test is a good idea, and should be given for all ages. same with the idea of not allowing parents etc to be the main educator.

jase, thats a good idea. give them some freedom, but keeps them from situations that could be dangerous for them and those around them.

It's just drivers regardless of age etc...number of times I have been crossing with Nats in her wheelchair...it was well clear..and some guy just fails to stop on my left luckily....

[MadDuck]

would be in favour of an IQ test.

Would rule out over 90% of KBers :done:

[Ixion]

The days are now long gone when it was rare for women to drive

But when I was young a woman driving was indeed a rare thing.

My mother learned to drive, my father taught her. It was self interest he just wanted someone to steer the cars he towed. But she was very unusual. None of her friends, and none of my other aunts and female relatives drove. It was considered forward and mannish and rather improper.

Partly of course, because cars then were very much harder , physically, to drive. No power nothing, crank handle starters etc.

But, the result, which I still quite frequently see, is that when an elderly man dies (or is incapacitated) his relict is left in a very difficult situation, and can become very isolated.

All women should learn how to drive. No matter what their age.

Whether they drive well is another matter.

[mstriumph]

V)

Perhaps at 60 or 70 there should be some sort of testing of the persons faculties to make sure they are up to the job prior to issueing a learners permit?

pehaps at ANY age there should be some sort of testing of the persons faculties to make sure they are up to the job prior to issuing a learners permit?

mentally and physically-deficient morons come in all shapes/sizes/colours/ages
- just look at the accident stats.:shutup:

[mstriumph]

........
and a local (20kms from home?) No motor ways ect, and they have L plate(red for local?) or something like that, then old grandma can go to visit the
relatives in the next town and at least you can see they see and expect they might do something silly/dangerous

*wonders why you restricted this to old grandma ....*?? lol


........... and bike riders will prolly live longer if they expect ANY driver to do something silly/dangerous - not just the labelled ones

[cs363]

pehaps at ANY age there should be some sort of testing of the persons faculties to make sure they are up to the job prior to issuing a learners permit?

mentally and physically-deficient morons come in all shapes/sizes/colours/ages
- just look at the accident stats.:shutup:

:lol: You are not wrong there!

[mstriumph]

.................

All women should learn how to drive. No matter what their age.

Whether they drive well is another matter.

good grief .... :mellow: - have i stumbled into a meeting of the local chapter of 'sexists anonymous' :shutup: ?

[RDjase]

*wonders why you restricted this to old grandma ....*?? lol


........... and bike riders will prolly live longer if they expect ANY driver to do something silly/dangerous - not just the labelled ones

Or old grandad lol:wari:

[RDjase]

pehaps at ANY age there should be some sort of testing of the persons faculties to make sure they are up to the job prior to issuing a learners permit?

mentally and physically-deficient morons come in all shapes/sizes/colours/ages
- just look at the accident stats.:shutup:

good idea, like when someone is driving on the open road ,holding up traffic , there wheels in the right over the white line. they get a ticket (not a fine)and lose there "Open Road" license . Then they need to sit a test to get that PRIVALIGE back, Learn to use there mirrors , and all those things sadly lacking in some drivers

[The Stranger]

I agree. Maybe not IQ

Me thinks someone's worried if they'll pass or not.

[PrincessBandit]

The days are now long gone when it was rare for women to drive

But when I was young a woman driving was indeed a rare thing.

My mother learned to drive, .... But she was very unusual. None of her friends, and none of my other aunts and female relatives drove. It was considered forward and mannish and rather improper.


All women should learn how to drive. No matter what their age.

Whether they drive well is another matter.

Goodness. Mannish. Sounds very like (if not exactly the same) as one of the words jr used to describe women riders! How times have changed, not.
:msn-wink:

As for how well we drive, of course that all comes down to having the right knight in shining armour to show us how, because us women know deep down that only a man is capable of instructing us properly. :yes:

Excuse me, I have to rush to the bathroom to throw up.

[Rayray401]

I got hit on the bike by a 93 yearold man turning right where turning right was not allowed...average life exptcy in nz is what? 72? 74?..i say retest every driver/reaction test every year after the age of 65? and then test every 6 months after the age of 70? (or something along those lines)

[MadDuck]

I got hit on the bike by a 93 yearold man turning right where turning right was not allowed...average life exptcy in nz is what? 72? 74?..i say retest every driver/reaction test every year after the age of 65? and then test every 6 months after the age of 70? (or something along those lines)

I say take a breath.....get a dictionary.

[SMOKEU]

What also pisses me off about some old people is that they tend to sit at a constant 40kmh in a 50 zone or 80kmh in a 100 zone. If they're not confident enough to sit at the speed limit, then should they really be driving on our roads?

[oldrider]

after 2 near misses today involving the same driver, ive decided to post a poll. just a simple yes or no. also, if you would be so kind as to post your preferred age. personally, i think the max age should be around 60 years.

i was waiting to cross at a ped crossing while walking to work. she came from my right, and the sun was behind her. thought, yeh, shes gonna stop cos shes slowing down, but ill wait till shes stopped before crossing. good thing, as she sped up as she reached the crossing and then pulled out in front of a car at the roundabout. the car she cut off had right of way. the old woman didnt even seem to notice.
the car was wearing l plates, and the driver looked to be a very nervous 70+ year old, with her equally old husband as teacher. i hate to think that she is driving in a city with many cyclists and pedestrians. if i had got her plate, she would have been reported.

Driving is about "competence" not "age"!

If you are "incompetent" it doesn't matter what your age is, you are still bloody incompetent! :shifty:

[jubilant]

guys there are bad drivers the world over and i have had the chance to drive in many parts of the world as a soldier in the army, but i have to tell you that the level of driver skill here is very low, awareness of space and of other road users is a major issue. this is not a racist comment either but in my experience i have found that 90% of the times i have been put in a dangerous situation it has been by an asian driver, new zealand has a policy of license exchange with many countries which i feel should be stopped. as a pom im only too happy to sit a test to ride on anothers roads as i didnt grow up with that set of road laws.

the lesson here is drive as if you cant be seen and look out for yourself.. and get rid of that sodding right of way law !!

[peasea]

Driving is about "competence" not "age"!

If you are "incompetent" it doesn't matter what your age is, you are still bloody incompetent! :shifty:

Quite right, there are plenty of incompetent drivers out there (of varying ages) who might have passed the insanely easy driving test but simply cannot drive.

When are we going to see a basic handling course (like skid control etc) for car drivers made compulsory? Who cares about the cost? It's already too bloody easy/cheap to get a license in NZ and as for the gradutaed system; what a joke. Teens just get to the restricted stage and go for gold. Fines mean nothing; take their cars if they are exceeding their license terms.

[cs363]

Driving is about "competence" not "age"!

If you are "incompetent" it doesn't matter what your age is, you are still bloody incompetent! :shifty:

Maybe they're confusing incompetent and incontinence..... :whistle: :laugh:

[Mom]

Had to laugh at Ixions post about crank starting vehicles. Used to have an Austin A60 ute that had to be crank started, what a pig of a thing, you had to get it just right on compression or you would fail, a bit too much and the recoil was impressive :lol:

I guess I am lucky to live in a small town, the eldery and not so competant drivers are easy to spot and a wide berth is usually given them. I have friends in their 80's still driving, albeit slowly.

I dont think it is an age thing so much as a total oblivion thing that causes so much angst for us at times.

I was the victim of some serious abuse of the road rage variety yesterday on my way home from work. In a 100kph area a school bus had stopped to drop kids in front of me, I slowed right down and crawled past it. Unfortunately the driver that about climbed up my exhaust pipe must hae missed seeing the stopped school bus. He was less than impressed with me slowing down I can tell you! Copped a fair old gobful of abuse complete with horn honking and gestures. What a tool!

[crazyhorse]

Most older people are sensible - and I think should still be limited to a 250cc bike - like on a restricted, but loose the L plate. Lucky for me, never had to have one :wari:

[motorbyclist]

good idea, like when someone is driving on the open road ,holding up traffic , there wheels in the right over the white line. they get a ticket (not a fine)and lose there "Open Road" license . Then they need to sit a test to get that PRIVALIGE back, Learn to use there mirrors , and all those things sadly lacking in some drivers

report them - they can be ticketed or alteast told off about holding up traffic without letting people pass


I got hit on the bike by a 93 yearold man turning right where turning right was not allowed...average life exptcy in nz is what? 72? 74?..i say retest every driver/reaction test every year after the age of 65? and then test every 6 months after the age of 70? (or something along those lines)

they do test old people once they hit a certain age, but i think it's only every 5 years or something



When are we going to see a basic handling course (like skid control etc) for car drivers made compulsory? Who cares about the cost?

I 100% agree - even if it just teaches people that cars ARE a piece of heavy machinery, not some magical thing that transports you around the city.

also, i'm sure a fair number of accidents would be prevented if people actually knew how to operate their vehicle under stress and/or in an emergency. give them a hot pie and then force them to drop it into their lap to swerve around something, rather than just slamming the brakes and screeching into it.

bikers have to do it; why not cagers? my basic handlin skills emergency stop was done riding a rather bent a100 towards a brick wall - wouldn't pass me until i picked up the balls to wait for his signal to stop, which was actually a REAL test of emergency behaviour.

[jafar]

1/Retest everyone on their road code & road skills when they renew their drivers licenses.:yes:

2/ Ditch the give way to right rule, we are the only country with it & it is farking useless.:angry:

3/ Four way stops on intersections, this is used in the states & is way better than the crap system we have here.:blink:

4/ DIC is a walk, you lose all licenses & have to resit the lot all over again.:bye:

5/ Compulsory insurance on ALL road weapons.:whocares:

6/ Change the:Police: focus from speeding to driving skills. Mabey that way some of the absolutely shit driving will be addressed. ( don't hold your breath on this one , there isn't the revenue in it ) .:doh:

7/ A three strikes rule, lose your license 3 times & your walking forever. Remember that a license is not a right.:done:

[YellowDog]

If they can drive a car or ride a bike well enough to pass the test, then there is no reason as to why they shouldn't be able to.

The only points I would make are:

1. How thorough is the test.

2. How regularly should a 'coffin dodger' have to take a retest.

[Street Gerbil]

Negatory. My 81 y/o gran is a better driver than many ladies 1/3 her age.