I'm sorry if my little rant here is going to piss off some folks, but I just have to!
Today the power went off in my area. Why? A little old man lost control of his car a couple of blocks away and somehow affected the power lines. He flipped his car onto its side after ramming into a whole bunch of parked cars on the side of the road. The ensuing traffic mess made it very dangerous for my son to walk home from school as cars were driving hither and thither on my street trying to get around the mess. So why the F was this little old man driving in the first place?!
My neighbourhood is plauged by old drivers who can barely see over their steeringwheels, let alone their FEET! I'm of a firm believer that once you turn 70 you MUST provide a certificate from an ophthalmologist or optomistrist saying your eyes are good to drive every two years. Here in Ontario, one must have an aquity of 40/20 in at least one eye to drive (that's corrected vision, i.e. glasses, etc). I know this because I used to work in ophthalmology (it's why I know how to spell it, too.:)
I also believe that once over 70 years of age, there should be driving tests for seniors, and licences should be taken away if they can't meet minimum standards, which include correct reaction time.
I'm tired of watching these elderly drivers run into things because of whatever reason. (I once watched dumbfounded as an old woman drove her car into a parked car after having noticed that car while she sat with her left turn blinker on to get down that same parking isle!)
It has been almost four hours since the accident, with its incredible amount of sirens, and still sirens are a-blazing. Why? Because impatient people are getting lost in my area as they try to by-pass the closed major intersection, and are ending up in their own accidents.
All I can say is that thank the Universe I can walk to where I need to go, but even still, I have to becareful not to get run over (like I nearly did when crossing the street when bringing my son home...and yes...it was a residential street.)
I hope that little old man doesn't die, but I do hope his licence gets taken away for good.
Cars are more dangerous than guns, in some cases. The sad thing is that cars are put into the hands of those who SHOULDN'T drive.
Rant Off.
Award Winning Author
- Karen Dales
- Karen Dales is the Award Winning Author of "The Chosen Chronicles" which include "Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles," "Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen Chronicles," and "Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles." She is currently at work on "Thanatos: Book Three of the Chosen Chronicles" and a Historical Romance set in Edo Japan.
It's a hard but necessary conversation that families need to have. My father didn't have enough strength in his leg for breaking. My sister had the conversation with him and when he complained -I told him if you can walk without your walker to your car then we'll talk. It is a hard thing but it's the safest thing
ReplyDeleteMy mom and I had to put a stop to my grand-father sneaking to drive his car after he had been told that he could not drive anymore because on of his trips to Columbia he had fallen and blinded himself. This was also at the point where my grand-mother didn't even notice that he had hit a car. My mom and I took his car since my mom was having issues with her car at the time because I had caught him driving to Daiter's (I worked there at the time) when he had told us that a friend of his was driving him. There was a huge fight and I has never pissed off my grand-father so much as I did that Yom Kippur night
ReplyDeleteI think this is so common and people don't take the time to say it is time to stop. I don't know what the DMV does but they should pay more attention. I see bad drivers that are elderly a lot on the road and I am surprised how they are still alive. I also see bad young drivers too but that it a whole other rant..LOL
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