Driving
- Thread starter Countryboy
- Start date
Man 82 doing U turn on M4
I had thought the M4 was closed because of cracks causing safety concerns or something?
Some people are incapable of driving at 50 never mind 82.
Others are okay. I know a man over 80 who lives in a large motorhome and annually drives it to Portugal for the winter. Good for him I say. Needless to say he has no memory problems or other serious illnesses.
I think every driver should have an eyesight test at 50, then every ten years after that. The first one would alert them if they need specs.
I guess insurance would be a lot dearer for older people if they were the ones in all the accidents. Instead it is the young ones who pay high premiums. The insurance companies will always charge more for higher risk groups, as evidenced by the claims they pay out. They wouldn't stay in business for long otherwise.
I had thought the M4 was closed because of cracks causing safety concerns or something?
Some people are incapable of driving at 50 never mind 82.
Others are okay. I know a man over 80 who lives in a large motorhome and annually drives it to Portugal for the winter. Good for him I say. Needless to say he has no memory problems or other serious illnesses.
I think every driver should have an eyesight test at 50, then every ten years after that. The first one would alert them if they need specs.
I guess insurance would be a lot dearer for older people if they were the ones in all the accidents. Instead it is the young ones who pay high premiums. The insurance companies will always charge more for higher risk groups, as evidenced by the claims they pay out. They wouldn't stay in business for long otherwise.
The cracks were only at the beginning of the Motorway, before J4 I think.
You are right that younger drivers are highly rated but the higher rating does start again on older people. Not all insurers are the same but certainly over 75s. Best to be around 50 and claim free and female.
I hope your husband gets back to driving soon
Tre
You are right that younger drivers are highly rated but the higher rating does start again on older people. Not all insurers are the same but certainly over 75s. Best to be around 50 and claim free and female.
I hope your husband gets back to driving soon
Tre
Will let you know
Thanks Tre, I'll post on here when he's done his test. We are still waiting. The reason I was so mad the other day was that we'd sent off a form, then a week later a further, shorter form arrived. I thought they could have sent it all at once to save time and money. We are still waiting to hear when he will be assessed.
Thanks Tre, I'll post on here when he's done his test. We are still waiting. The reason I was so mad the other day was that we'd sent off a form, then a week later a further, shorter form arrived. I thought they could have sent it all at once to save time and money. We are still waiting to hear when he will be assessed.
Still waiting and frustrated
Time goes on, and two days ago a provisional licence arrived. This is to be used for the duration of the assessment only.
However, they are supposed to send a letter telling us about booking the assessment. I would have thought it might have been popped into the same envelope but it still has not arrived. Presumably it is a standard letter.
We are wondering whether we could go ahead and contact the assessment centre anyway, without waiting for a letter. Something tells me it will be a no-go without producing the letter though.
I keep wondering why they spend so much on postage sending things one at a time instead of all together. It seems to be coming from the same department.
I feel as if we need a break and would like to go away for a couple of days, but we don't want to do that until his assessment date is sorted out.
You could make a documentary about how, because someone heeded a TV advert about catching it early, that person becomes totally mired in all of this. It's worse because friends are beginning to back off from us now.
Time goes on, and two days ago a provisional licence arrived. This is to be used for the duration of the assessment only.
However, they are supposed to send a letter telling us about booking the assessment. I would have thought it might have been popped into the same envelope but it still has not arrived. Presumably it is a standard letter.
We are wondering whether we could go ahead and contact the assessment centre anyway, without waiting for a letter. Something tells me it will be a no-go without producing the letter though.
I keep wondering why they spend so much on postage sending things one at a time instead of all together. It seems to be coming from the same department.
I feel as if we need a break and would like to go away for a couple of days, but we don't want to do that until his assessment date is sorted out.
You could make a documentary about how, because someone heeded a TV advert about catching it early, that person becomes totally mired in all of this. It's worse because friends are beginning to back off from us now.
Hi Brenda this is the requirement by Law (if your waiting for information from DVLA you can Drive )
Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988 allows drivers to legally
drive if they are not currently subject to a driving disqualification
and a qualifying drivers licence application has been received by the
DVLA.
Because the DVLA are unable to make a licensing decision until all
available and relevant medical information has been considered,
drivers usually retain legal entitlement to drive under section 88 of
The Road Traffic Act 1988 while their fitness to drive is being
determined.
Where a driving licence has been revoked previously for medical
reasons then Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 entitlement does
not apply. It may also not apply under certain other circumstances. "
Tony
Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988 allows drivers to legally
drive if they are not currently subject to a driving disqualification
and a qualifying drivers licence application has been received by the
DVLA.
Because the DVLA are unable to make a licensing decision until all
available and relevant medical information has been considered,
drivers usually retain legal entitlement to drive under section 88 of
The Road Traffic Act 1988 while their fitness to drive is being
determined.
Where a driving licence has been revoked previously for medical
reasons then Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 entitlement does
not apply. It may also not apply under certain other circumstances. "
Tony
Ps
Hi Tony,
His licence was revoked, and he has passed his 70th birthday now, so he doesn't officially have a licence.
They have letters of support from his GP and from the consultant he saw. Now he has to do a driving assessment.
The reason he's had all this trouble was because the consultant initially reported him as being unfit to drive, because he mistakenly thought he'd got lost on the way to the hospital. Actually he had been seeking a free parking place as he hates paying to park.
As a PS to my last post, my husband telephoned the DVLA (again) and they have not yet despatched the letter, BUT the young lady he spoke to gave him the telephone number of the Driving Assessment headquarters. They are going to send him a form. Hopefully they are quicker than DVLA.
Brenda
Hi Tony,
His licence was revoked, and he has passed his 70th birthday now, so he doesn't officially have a licence.
They have letters of support from his GP and from the consultant he saw. Now he has to do a driving assessment.
The reason he's had all this trouble was because the consultant initially reported him as being unfit to drive, because he mistakenly thought he'd got lost on the way to the hospital. Actually he had been seeking a free parking place as he hates paying to park.
As a PS to my last post, my husband telephoned the DVLA (again) and they have not yet despatched the letter, BUT the young lady he spoke to gave him the telephone number of the Driving Assessment headquarters. They are going to send him a form. Hopefully they are quicker than DVLA.
Brenda
Hi Brenda didn’t realize the driving licence was revoked you have a bit of a struggle
now that’s a bit different from my past experiences to get it back you have to complete an application form D1 for cars and D2 for lorry or minibus your also have to have a full medical examination report form D4 to be filled by a Doctor cost £80 any Doctor not necessarily your own GP obviously on the D” form item 4 question 3 Dementia or cognitive impairment Yes or No this one is a bit of a problem however on the D1 form for car licence item 4 question 14 Serious psychiatric illness or mental ill health hers its just one tick box the Driving assessment could cost £65 upwards and there’s no guarantee DVLA will reissue the driving licence , I have just
sent off for mine I think it’s the thirteenth time
Tony
now that’s a bit different from my past experiences to get it back you have to complete an application form D1 for cars and D2 for lorry or minibus your also have to have a full medical examination report form D4 to be filled by a Doctor cost £80 any Doctor not necessarily your own GP obviously on the D” form item 4 question 3 Dementia or cognitive impairment Yes or No this one is a bit of a problem however on the D1 form for car licence item 4 question 14 Serious psychiatric illness or mental ill health hers its just one tick box the Driving assessment could cost £65 upwards and there’s no guarantee DVLA will reissue the driving licence , I have just
sent off for mine I think it’s the thirteenth time
Tony
Driving with Dementia - an issue of moral competence
Just some thoughts.
Tony: I sympathise. Independence is so precious and you face a tough decision.
Barry: You amaze me. How is a person 7 years into dementia so damn smart?????
I keep wondering what you were like before the illness.
Now to moral competence.
My psychology thesis was about moral competence. Unlike IQ or aptitudes, moral competence is a learned skill. Shelter a child too much and they don't ever get to face those tricky issues like how it feels to share, to have a toy broken by someone else, how to be a good friend, how to tell right from wrong.....
The startling thing about research into moral competence is that most adults have the moral decision-making capacity of 6 to 12 year olds. That's right. We just never grew up. When tough decisions needed to be made, we didn't look at the issue from a multitude of perspectives, we chose expedience, necessity, the easy route, whatever. Moral competence comes about by forcing oneself to really take on board all the different view, needs, circumstances and then stepping back..... to make an informed decision.
Now, look at Barry's contribution. He did perspective-take. He thought about the consequences of diminished skills due to dementia and the consequence of hitting a child, his wife.... He also examined carefully what life would be like without a key and vehicule to control on his own..... and some of those options were tough, others pleasant. See nothing is black and white, moral competence is about seeing nuances, ALL THE NUANCES, BEFORE MAKING A DECISION.
Well, Barry, not only do I admire you as a person, you would also test well on a moral competence test. I can see that you are comfortable with the decision you took - keep everyone safe, reduce worry in loved ones, and still get out and about. Not easy, but you did it. Well done! You set a stunning example and I wish I had known you to put this example into my thesis!
Just some thoughts.
Tony: I sympathise. Independence is so precious and you face a tough decision.
Barry: You amaze me. How is a person 7 years into dementia so damn smart?????
I keep wondering what you were like before the illness. Now to moral competence.
My psychology thesis was about moral competence. Unlike IQ or aptitudes, moral competence is a learned skill. Shelter a child too much and they don't ever get to face those tricky issues like how it feels to share, to have a toy broken by someone else, how to be a good friend, how to tell right from wrong.....
The startling thing about research into moral competence is that most adults have the moral decision-making capacity of 6 to 12 year olds. That's right. We just never grew up. When tough decisions needed to be made, we didn't look at the issue from a multitude of perspectives, we chose expedience, necessity, the easy route, whatever. Moral competence comes about by forcing oneself to really take on board all the different view, needs, circumstances and then stepping back..... to make an informed decision.
Now, look at Barry's contribution. He did perspective-take. He thought about the consequences of diminished skills due to dementia and the consequence of hitting a child, his wife.... He also examined carefully what life would be like without a key and vehicule to control on his own..... and some of those options were tough, others pleasant. See nothing is black and white, moral competence is about seeing nuances, ALL THE NUANCES, BEFORE MAKING A DECISION.
Well, Barry, not only do I admire you as a person, you would also test well on a moral competence test. I can see that you are comfortable with the decision you took - keep everyone safe, reduce worry in loved ones, and still get out and about. Not easy, but you did it. Well done! You set a stunning example and I wish I had known you to put this example into my thesis!
Driving competence
I certainly agree that people should desist from driving if they are no longer competent.
However, it is a huge loss of independence, especially for anyone not living on a bus route etc., especially if it turns out that there is nothing wrong with them.
My husband may not have dementia. There is no diagnsois, they are going on my say-so, and I am not at all sure. He has always had a poor memory which has become worse lately. This could be due to getting older? There was a TV ad. telling us all that we should get it diagnosed early, so we went to the GP just in case. He is functioning normally. In fact today he is up a ladder painting the house.
I think the driving assessment, in which he will be driving a car with an instructor in a dual controlled car, will surely settle the matter of competence to drive?
Only time will tell whether or not he has dementia.
I think our neighbour, who is frequently taken to hospital under a blue light due to heart attacks, is more likely to have an accident, yet he apparently has no problem with his driving licence.
The neighbour at the other side has admitted that he is so short sighted, he couldn't possibly read a number plate at 25 yards. Yet he is still driving.
It's scary who is driving these days. Maybe everyone should have some sort of test periodically?
Brenda
I certainly agree that people should desist from driving if they are no longer competent.
However, it is a huge loss of independence, especially for anyone not living on a bus route etc., especially if it turns out that there is nothing wrong with them.
My husband may not have dementia. There is no diagnsois, they are going on my say-so, and I am not at all sure. He has always had a poor memory which has become worse lately. This could be due to getting older? There was a TV ad. telling us all that we should get it diagnosed early, so we went to the GP just in case. He is functioning normally. In fact today he is up a ladder painting the house.
I think the driving assessment, in which he will be driving a car with an instructor in a dual controlled car, will surely settle the matter of competence to drive?
Only time will tell whether or not he has dementia.
I think our neighbour, who is frequently taken to hospital under a blue light due to heart attacks, is more likely to have an accident, yet he apparently has no problem with his driving licence.
The neighbour at the other side has admitted that he is so short sighted, he couldn't possibly read a number plate at 25 yards. Yet he is still driving.
It's scary who is driving these days. Maybe everyone should have some sort of test periodically?
Brenda
Just A Thought Brenda !
Hello Brenda , Have been "reading " your story "on & off " & am with the DVLA giving you & your Husband a bad time etc ( NOT Good ) Any how what i wanted to say is this my Dad has Moderate Dementia & because i live near Mum & Dad try & help when i can & had to STOP Dad from Driving ( well it was Dad 's G P that did it realley long story ) But the point am making is Dad phoned "Our " City Driving Assement Unit to book a RE TEST with out having to wait for special permission from the DVLA etc & just thought could your Husband not do the same ? Sorry if making things worse or more for you but thought would tell you any way & please ignore me etc if not a good idea . (Dad never did the Re Test because of his Dementia he "forgot " about it & Mum did not take him cos she knew he would fail )
Hope your Husband is allowed to do the test very soon & agree with all you said about the DVLA wasting Tax Payer's Money etc , etc & it makes me
Best Wishes to you both
Love Grove x
Hello Brenda , Have been "reading " your story "on & off " & am
with the DVLA giving you & your Husband a bad time etc ( NOT Good ) Any how what i wanted to say is this my Dad has Moderate Dementia & because i live near Mum & Dad try & help when i can & had to STOP Dad from Driving ( well it was Dad 's G P that did it realley long story ) But the point am making is Dad phoned "Our " City Driving Assement Unit to book a RE TEST with out having to wait for special permission from the DVLA etc & just thought could your Husband not do the same ? Sorry if making things worse or more for you but thought would tell you any way & please ignore me etc if not a good idea . (Dad never did the Re Test because of his Dementia he "forgot " about it & Mum did not take him cos she knew he would fail )Hope your Husband is allowed to do the test very soon & agree with all you said about the DVLA wasting Tax Payer's Money
etc , etc & it makes me Best Wishes to you both
Love Grove x
He passed
Eventually we got the appointment for the assessment and he has passed. However, he will still have to wait for the licence to be issued. I guess that will be weeks and weeks.
To Grove: Yes it might have speeded things up had we arranged an assessment ourselves months ago. We might do that whenever he has to reapply!
best wishes
Brenda
Eventually we got the appointment for the assessment and he has passed. However, he will still have to wait for the licence to be issued. I guess that will be weeks and weeks.
To Grove: Yes it might have speeded things up had we arranged an assessment ourselves months ago. We might do that whenever he has to reapply!
best wishes
Brenda
Hi Brenda Great News that your husband passed his Driving assessment just go to show he shouldn’t have had his licence taken away prior to being assessed in the first place , I’m going for a driving assessment next week on 13th Nov I have a driving Licence for a year but I going to fight to get back my driving licence for three years I’m paying for the assessment so I get the report , if dvla doesn’t grant me a licence for three years I will be challenging it in Court and let thecourt look at the whole picture instead of just one tick in a box on the DVLA application form
I will let you know how I get on in a few weeks time maybe months ??
I will let you know how I get on in a few weeks time maybe months ??
reply to Tony
Hi Tony,
Good luck with your quest. My husband also has his licence for just 1 year but would like to have it for 3 years like everyone else. Especially as it now seems that there is nothing more wrong with him than simply old age forgetting - not dementia at all.
We have discovered that some consultants automatically write people off without any thought or consideration. The one who saw my husband must have been one such. He saw him for ten minutes only, and my husband passed the mini-mental test with flying colours so there was no reason at all for the doc to say that my husband was unfit to drive. In my view this is gross incompetence.
I believe that the DVLA shouldn't bother asking consultants - the driving examiners have a much clearer idea of how someone is with driving.
Much damage can be done to some people with the loss of a licence. I noticed my husband losing his self confidence and it is great to see him getting it back again in spades!
Hi Tony,
Good luck with your quest. My husband also has his licence for just 1 year but would like to have it for 3 years like everyone else. Especially as it now seems that there is nothing more wrong with him than simply old age forgetting - not dementia at all.
We have discovered that some consultants automatically write people off without any thought or consideration. The one who saw my husband must have been one such. He saw him for ten minutes only, and my husband passed the mini-mental test with flying colours so there was no reason at all for the doc to say that my husband was unfit to drive. In my view this is gross incompetence.
I believe that the DVLA shouldn't bother asking consultants - the driving examiners have a much clearer idea of how someone is with driving.
Much damage can be done to some people with the loss of a licence. I noticed my husband losing his self confidence and it is great to see him getting it back again in spades!
Good Morning Brenda230 thanks for your reply and yes your spot on with your comments, a persons driving licence shouldn’t just be about a person at the dvla looking at a form with a box ticked dementia, my Consultant has shown me the form and all about ticking boxes to pre set questions the Consultant doesn’t write any report at all which I find annoying, but Consultant will if in a month or so I challenge the dvla in court only waiting for my driving assessment next week and then the assessment report and then I can get it going, I have been in contact with dvla and they were very supportive and suggested (a) get GP to write a full medical report after my assessment (b) if that fails go to court in UK we have 6 months to challenge dvla decision.
I have full support of family and close friends, also a 10 minute film of myself driving around the roads in Mallorca on 24th Sept 2012 , statement from Spanish Car Hire Company re: my car hire, seven passengers including my wife who were on holiday with me in Mallorca in June and September 2012, so I will be going to court with plenty of support, hopefully dvla will give a licence for 3 years
I have full support of family and close friends, also a 10 minute film of myself driving around the roads in Mallorca on 24th Sept 2012 , statement from Spanish Car Hire Company re: my car hire, seven passengers including my wife who were on holiday with me in Mallorca in June and September 2012, so I will be going to court with plenty of support, hopefully dvla will give a licence for 3 years
Good Luck and please will you tell us?
Hello Tony,
I hope you are successful in your quest for the three year licence. It sounds as though you have plenty of ammunition. Please let me know, as we will similarly want to get the three year licence. It is so hard to make plans when it's so short term.
One thing; I believe that your case and my husband's are proof that the system is not working in its present form. The roads are full of idiots who are supposedly fine, and yet people who are great drivers are losing their licences over a tick box form.
Hello Tony,
I hope you are successful in your quest for the three year licence. It sounds as though you have plenty of ammunition. Please let me know, as we will similarly want to get the three year licence. It is so hard to make plans when it's so short term.
One thing; I believe that your case and my husband's are proof that the system is not working in its present form. The roads are full of idiots who are supposedly fine, and yet people who are great drivers are losing their licences over a tick box form.
Mad geordie
i hope you dont nind me askig but how long did you have to wait for a driving assessment, as i have been waiting since june, for news from the dvla
i hope you dont nind me askig but how long did you have to wait for a driving assessment, as i have been waiting since june, for news from the dvla
Hubby took his test Dec 2011 and received his new 12 month licence in Feb 2012. His forms have actually just come through yesterday morning about booking re assessment. Will keep you posted
x
