BUZZ BUZZ Once There Was...

i'm prolly very age-ist. being old and falling apart slowly scares the piss out of me.

as for his driving, since hands, arms, feet and legs are very much a part of driving a car? I don't think it's a stretch for me to be concerned about his ability to opperate a very large, old vehicle in interstate traffic. Not in a city where no one's going over 30 mph---but pulling onto 97 north at 75+ mph? We've got HEALTHY citizens who's reflexs can't cope with that--as our many traffic accidents prove.

Good for being determined. Good for being independent. But the first time some one skids in front of that guy, i do NOT wanna be in a car with him. Or in the one next to him. It's more than his independence. It's the health of everyone else on the road with him. We don't let folks drive inebriated b/c their reaction times and depth perception is SHIT--yet, some people handle their drink better than others. My dad was a career drinker and could say the alphabet backwards and walk the line no matter how many high-balls he'd had for meals...but he's just as banned from driving after 2 drinks as my own light-weight ass. Letting folks not drive "impaired" is hardly a stretch.

I don't know what the requirements on the driver's license are after 75, but My grandmother's still got a non-restricted license, and i've had more life-flashing-before-my-eyes encounters when SHE'S doing her LEGAL driving than any time while i was learning.

Age-ist? Maybe. Anti-Disability? Maybe. But i'm fine with anyone behind the wheel that has passed something a bit more stringent than our US driving qualifications. I would say it's a case by case basis--and that if you're clearly having trouble moving yourself? I'm allowed to be worried about your ability to move something weighing a hair less than a ton.