March 31, 2010

I really don't have anything against old people.

Eventually we will all get old. Some of us are already senior citizens and we are all trying to deal with it. It is a new experience for all of us. None of us have been there before and there is no point looking for assistance because it is different experience for every individual.

But one thing is common. We should all try to act our age and more importantly accept our age.

Unfortunately too many people can not accept the latter condition. I have a serious problem with older drivers. And I mean really older drivers.

Case in point.

I saw on the news a car totally submerged in flood waters right on a highway here in New York. Actually, somewhere in the northern suburbs.

The only thing visible was the roof of the car. Actually I think it was a pickup truck.

As I understand there was a really deep drop in the road that was totally flooded. The police put up signs indicating that the road was closed.

So, here comes this 78 year old man who either didn't see the signs or just plainly disregarded them and drove straight into the water.

Well, he was rescued and is now in a hospital being treated for trauma and exposure.

I think they should give him a summons for disregarding the traffic signs and dangering the lives of the rescue people.

If the man can not see the signs then don't drive, if the man thinks he is smarter than the rest then why rescue him? I'm sure he had a plan how to get out of it.

How many times we read accidents when a driver loses control of the car and plows into groups of people, or drives into the living room of a house or similar accidents.

And, without fail these drivers are unfortunately always elderly people. Their claim was always that they lost control, they stepped on the gas instead the brake or they got overwhelmed.

Now with the Toyota fiasco they will probably also say that the car sped up on its own.

Don't misunderstand me, I am not anti old. But I am anti inefficient drivers. Anybody who drives and that is regardless of the person's age, should be aware of his or her limitations.

Nowadays everybody who is in the possession of any kind of license, may that be a doctor's, engineer's, airplane pilot's, nurse's, optometrist's and many, many more must take refresher courses.

Speaking just for myself. I received my driver's license in 1960. That was fifty years ago, wow!

In that time I drove at least half a million miles. That is a lot. But even though I am a very good driver, if I may say so, it wouldn't be a bad idea to require people like me and older to take a refresher driving test.

I don't want to cut a branch from under myself but in the long run something like this might save some lives even if it is my own.