Licence taken away!

[optocarol]

Tony, I think Gwen meant the signs of being unsafe, not the road signs.

My OH had his licence not renewed about 4 years ago and I was relieved. He seems to be resigned to it but it was pretty bad for a while. He still thinks he's quite capable, even though he doesn't know where he is if more than 2km from home.

Said OH was used to driving long distances, also was NZ motorcycle champion many times on grass and beach, on BSAs by the way. This was in the 50s and 60s. He also raced boats. Understandable that he took it hard, but no easier to deal with!

 

[Lilac Blossom]

Hubby always enjoyed driving - any time I said I would like to learn to drive he discouraged me and the fact that he drove some distance to work meant, he said, that there would very seldom be time for me to drive anyway.

Eventually dementia decided he needed to stop driving so we got rid of the car. Living in a small town means that taxis only operate part time and public transport not an option - but guess what, hubby has no worries or responsibilities although he has sometimes said to me that it would be real handy if I could drive but "you never did learn to drive did you?"

I'm not sure that I should post this but reading all the posts it reminded me (do I need reminding?)that it really would be a great help if I could drive, and I feel I could have been a good driver but listening to what he said all those decades ago robbed me of confidence.

 

[Countryboy]

Tony, I think Gwen meant the signs of being unsafe, not the road signs.

My OH had his licence not renewed about 4 years ago and I was relieved. He seems to be resigned to it but it was pretty bad for a while. He still thinks he's quite capable, even though he doesn't know where he is if more than 2km from home.

Said OH was used to driving long distances, also was NZ motorcycle champion many times on grass and beach, on BSAs by the way. This was in the 50s and 60s. He also raced boats. Understandable that he took it hard, but no easier to deal with!

Hi optocarol sorry I though Gwen meant road signs ( Now this is where my dementia come in handy ) yes I’m safe on the roads very observant of other road users although I dislike pedal cyclist’s overtaking on my left on a single road , I do all the driving ( I’m a terrible passenger) but I’m sure my wife would say something if she thought I was unsafe to drive , crazy because when we holiday mainly in Tenerife or Majorca usually 3 or 4 of us all drivers here in UK I’m the only one that drives on holiday others won't attempt driving on the other side of the road , I definitely wouldn't walk on our narrow Country roads I don’t think people who live in Towns with pavements and street lights , understand the Country Lanes with No lighting hedges over grown reducing the width of the road even more sorry if I’m moving off track a bit but to me it’s much safer driving a Car than walking in our area and the nearest Town is 3.5 miles yes I had motor bikes back in late 50’s and the 60’s Triumph Tiger Cub & Triumph Speed Twin couldn’t afford cars the even though they only about £320 brand new good old days

 

[tigerqueen]

Lilac Blossom

I can so relate to what you've written as my husband always drove and was a very bad passenger. However, I learnt to drive myself at the age of 48, having never had a lesson in my life before. It took me a whole year of lessons, and a fight every time I wanted to drive or use the car myself. Now he no longer drives, I am so glad I learnt. If you think you might be able to give it a go too, remember the saying "you are never too old to learn". Good luck if you do decide to take the plunge x

 

[Countryboy]

I can so relate to what you've written as my husband always drove and was a very bad passenger. However, I learnt to drive myself at the age of 48, having never had a lesson in my life before. It took me a whole year of lessons, and a fight every time I wanted to drive or use the car myself. Now he no longer drives, I am so glad I learnt. If you think you might be able to give it a go too, remember the saying "you are never too old to learn". Good luck if you do decide to take the plunge x

Good you kept at the driving and yes you now believe it was worth doing but now imagine you visit your G.P with a health problem completely unrelated to dementia but the G.P tells you you may have a slight memory problem and diagnoses as slight/ mild dementia you would now be in the situation that so many of us face all put in the same box irrespective of how you really are or your ability to drive everyone would be saying you shouldn't be driving and be made to fight to retain your licence sorry but I fought for so many years for that right

 

[Countryboy]

Good you kept at the driving and yes you now believe it was worth doing but now imagine you visit your G.P with a health problem completely unrelated to dementia but the G.P tells you you may have a slight memory problem and diagnoses as slight/ mild dementia you would now be in the situation that so many of us face all put in the same box irrespective of how you really are or your ability to drive everyone would be saying you shouldn't be driving and be made to fight to retain your licence sorry but I fought for so many years for that right to drive just to add its worth buying a Car Cam well posiiby two one to watch the road and one to watch you dont want some smart lawer trying to put the blame on your driving with dementia if it was someone else at fault

 

[Jinx]

I know it's probably the hardest decision and when it comes to my turn I shall probably be in denial and fight losing my licence but it has to be remembered in all this that a car is a lethal weapon and the fall out from injuring or worse still killing an innocent person doesn't bear thinking about. Surely if there's any doubt about someone's ability they need to stop.


Sent from my iPad using Talking Point

 

[Scarlett123]

I know it's probably the hardest decision and when it comes to my turn I shall probably be in denial and fight losing my licence but it has to be remembered in all this that a car is a lethal weapon and the fall out from injuring or worse still killing an innocent person doesn't bear thinking about. Surely if there's any doubt about someone's ability they need to stop.


Sent from my iPad using Talking Point

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Scarlett123]

I can so relate to what you've written as my husband always drove and was a very bad passenger. However, I learnt to drive myself at the age of 48, having never had a lesson in my life before. It took me a whole year of lessons, and a fight every time I wanted to drive or use the car myself. Now he no longer drives, I am so glad I learnt. If you think you might be able to give it a go too, remember the saying "you are never too old to learn". Good luck if you do decide to take the plunge x

Fantastic! Well done you!!!

 

[Lilac Blossom]

Tiger Queen

I'm so glad that you persisted in learning to drive, well done. Looking back, I should have done that too. I'll be 75 in a week or so and not sure that I could cope with all the theory that's involved in driving tests nowadays - too late for me I think.

 

[Countryboy]

I’m sorry don’t see a connection “Lethal Weapon” people don’t get into Cars intending to injure or kill ok accidents happen, but unless a person in breaking the Law whilst Driving they have every right to do so and in defence of a person with dementia providing they notify DVLA they are allowed to drive


Using a deadly or dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime is often an aggravating circumstance that can increase punishment. You've no doubt heard that objects like guns, knives, and even cars constitute "deadly weapons." But did you know courts sometimes consider the human body a deadly weapon, too?

Courts have found that various parts of a body can be weapons, including:
• hands
• feet
• teeth
• the mouth, and even
• elbows or knees.

In deciding if a body part is a deadly or dangerous weapon, courts will consider the following factors:

• the manner of blows, hits, or kicks
• the degree of force used
• the number of times the defendant struck, kicked, or bit the victim
• the extent of the victim’s injuries, and
• the location of injuries on the victim’s body.

In states where human body parts can be deadly weapons, courts determine whether they actually are on a case-by-case basis. Normally, an assault involving punching wouldn’t make the hands deadly weapons. But if the punching was repeated, extremely severe, and caused permanent damage, then a court would be more likely to rule otherwise. Courts have also declared hands to be deadly weapons when the attack involved strangling, suffocating, choking, pushing, or dragging.