Dad's Driving is becoming suspect - Page 2

look 171 · 03-28-2009, 11:55 AM

There's a form at the DMV . Fill it out, send it back and they will send a letter. It will him to go in and take a test. I think that's process. I am cartein of this form. I play a trick on someone once with it. It think it was a butt head high school teacher twice.

126coupe · 126coupe's Garage

Thanks for all the advise, i will deal with this Monday first thing

Joeaksa · 03-28-2009, 05:39 PM

My step-mother was the same way. Never had an accident but caused several. My sisters were with her one time that they were sure that they would not make it back alive.

We three went to her doctor and he called the DMV. They sent her a letter saying that she needed to come in for a driving test, that her license was up for renewal. She did so and failed and that slowed things down but not totally. Found out that she was driving "on the sly" so I disabled the car (Dad had passed by that time) and put a note under the showing the revocation notice from the DMV of her license and saying to any repairman "if you fix this car you are now liable for any accident or injury she causes" and it worked.

If he is not safe, then please get him off of the road now.

Joe A

look 171 · 03-28-2009, 05:53 PM

hard thing to do. It will happen to us too so drive the snot out of that flat 6. I can't not picture myself not driving. good luck to you and your dad.

Hugh R · 03-28-2009, 06:22 PM

Call the CA DMV, they'll keep it anonymous and test him when he goes in for a renewal. My 80 y/o MIL is about the same.

VINMAN · 03-28-2009, 07:03 PM

Getting their license taken away is the easy part. Trying to tell them they "cant" drive anymore, well thats another story!

DasBoot · 03-28-2009, 07:28 PM

Send him down here (FL)! He'll fit right in and his driving will be considered "normal".

Not one week goes buy without MULTIPLE incidents of seniors driving into:

A) a canal

B) a storefront (typically Walgreen's or the Post Office)

-or-

C) One another (typically the husband backing over the wife when pulling the Mercury Grand Marquis out of the garage).

VINMAN · 03-28-2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DasBoot

C) One another (typically the husband backing over the wife when pulling the Mercury Grand Marquis out of the garage).

That might not be an "accident"!

DasBoot · 03-28-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VINMAN

That might not be an "accident"!

After moving here, I noticed more than one traffic cop carrying a small mirror on their belt. I finally asked one "WTF"? He said they use them to hold in front of the nose/mouth of elderly driver's they pull over...to determine if they're still breathing.

jyl · jyl's Garage

For some time, my grandfather was able to continue driving as long as his wife was in the car. She noticed things that he did not, like traffic signals. It was basically a rule, that he did not drive alone.

If he continues driving and you believe he is a danger, and if he has substantial assets, at least make sure he has a LOT of insurance. Big primary and an umbrella.

DasBoot · 03-29-2009, 10:18 AM

Agnes, driving as a passenger with her elderly friend Claire on their way to bingo, nervously pipes up and says "Claire, do you know you just ran thru the last three red lights?" To which Claire replies "Oh...am I driving?".

DanielDudley · 03-29-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 126coupe

Thanks for all the advise, i will deal with this Monday first thing

Yes, first thing. Tough situation, but you could be saving a life.

tabs · 03-29-2009, 11:01 AM

TABS's driving is not "BECOMING SUSPECT," it alwayd HAS been suspect. With my weaving and driving so slow in the fast lane that even Mother tells me to, "Speed up you fking dummy."

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

I went through this with my grandfather a few years ago and it was difficult. Finally, one day he just said "sell the car, I can't drive it any more and it's costing too much for insurance". We drove him anywhere he wanted to go...

Seahawk · 03-30-2009, 05:13 AM

My Father is 79 and has become a much more aggressive driver the past few years. His physical driving skills are excellent, but seems to delight in driving fast.

billyboy · 03-30-2009, 05:52 AM

I think that in California, you can ask a police officer to file a form with the DMV to get him tested and nobody has to know where it came from. My daughter the Officer, did it last week for this old man who would go out driving and then get quite lost in our little town. They found him stopped in a dead end, sobbing that he couldn't find where he had dropped off his wife to get her hair done. This has happened several times with him.

" Individuals may be asked to retake a driving test if they have either failed the DMV vision test or have been referred to a Driver Safety office because of a physical or mental condition, sometimes made by a law enforcement officer or a concerned family member. "