Horse killed, rider injured in hit & run RTA, E. Devon

I do think though, that Im sure most of the accidents are NOT down to old dears - are they?

Can we have an exam for perfectly capable able bodied ********s as well? ;)
 
I am completely for motorists being retested however I think that anyone (regardless of age) could be involved in such an accident.

A lady on my yard was riding and was hit by a 4x4. She was knocked unconcious, always wore/wears hi-viz and to this day she has never recieved an apology. The man that hit her wasn't old, just nasty.

Whether it was or wasn't her horse, it was still very traumatic and my thoughts are with her.
 
A few years ago the Government asked driving instructors, through our professional bodies, on how accident rates could be reduced. Recommndations included graded licences for new drivers, including restricting the hours when they are on the roads (as most of their accidents are in the early hours), & making all drivers retake their learner test (note, not even an advanced test, but the current learner test), every 15 years. The reason being people get to the point where habits are so ingrained they have forgotten how to drive well & safely. The 2 most frequently asked questions when people find out I am an ADI are 1)how do you do a parallel park 2)so what is the speed limit on a dual carriageway.

If this is anything to go by they should be redoing their theory as well. When I took my test aged 17 the theory was 3 questions from the highway code after you had done your practical. Will it ever happen? No. Far too many people would fail (most 'normal' drivers who claim to be 'safe' or 'good' who I have been driven by) so it would loose them the next election & the country would grind to a halt as public transport would be insufficient to cope, nor would their be enough Police to enforce it.

If you can put your ego on hold I would totally recommend going out with an ADI every 10 years. Not to learn to drive like a learner, but just so your more dangerous habits (most drivers are absolutely abyssmal at looking in their mirrors for example) can be highlighted which gives you chance for self correction. As an ADI my teaching skills are retested every 3-5 years, why should drivers be exempt?
 
We get a lot of older drivers round here, BUT I personally find its not actually them that's the main problem - the majority of them are polite and will slow down.

The times when its absolutely wild are (1) work & school run times and (2) Sunday morning when all the good God-fearing folk are on the way to church and feeling self-righteous about it, and anyone riding is deemed to be in mortal sin (even if some of us did go to Saturday night Mass instead of Sunday morning!!!).

Today, in all the snow, I met a woman in a 4X4, with kids in the back, whizzing round an icy corner in the village, on her mobile, totally oblivious to anyone else on the road. Stupid cow, what was she thinking of? I wish I'd been quick-witted enough to get her number and report her.
 
Some people are dangerous drivers at any age, and they should be blooming well banned for life, not just slapped on the wrist.

The problem with older drivers is that most of them have been perfectly good drivers all their lives and just don't recognise (or don't want to admit, or don't want to lose their independence) that they are no longer able to drive safely. It's pure stubbornness and when they have an accident the book should be thrown at them!

I'm so glad my dad gave up his license voluntarily when he was 75. He'd never had an accident or anything, he just knew that he wasn't driving as well as he used to, his reactions were getting too slow, and he had the balls to admit this and stop driving, rather than being pig-headed and having an accident and maybe killing someone first! Good for him. But it must be hard to give up your car - would any of us like to say 'ok, I'm never going to drive again as long as I live.'. .. so I can sort of understand people pushing it and thinking 'not just yet'.
 
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