[Chi-Town]

AARP is a strong lobby in Florida to assure senior drivers their full ability to drive. It is tough to change legislature without that force behind it.

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[queasy27]

I'm 68 and was a bit surprised when I recently renewed my license online for 8 years without a peep from the State. No testing at all. I wasn't required to take a written or driving test when I moved here from out of state 10 years ago, either. So Florida tested my vision once a decade ago, and that's it until I'm 76. Seems a bit overly laissez faire!

After so many years on slow poke TV roads, I no longer feel comfortable driving on the freeway or even 45 mph on 27 or 466 during busy times of the day. Independence is one thing, but how much of that would I have if I got into a debilitating auto accident? An acquaintance did earlier this year and she's now permanently in a nursing home and severely depressed.

I'm definitely self-limiting as far as driving goes, and am in fact thinking about selling my car and being cart only. (Not that accidents don't happen with those as well, but the slower speeds are easier overall.)

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by queasy27

I'm 68 and was a bit surprised when I recently renewed my license online for 8 years without a peep from the State. No testing at all. I wasn't required to take a written or driving test when I moved here from out of state 10 years ago, either. So Florida tested my vision once a decade ago, and that's it until I'm 76. Seems a bit overly laissez faire!

After so many years on slow poke TV roads, I no longer feel comfortable driving on the freeway or even 45 mph on 27 or 466 during busy times of the day. Independence is one thing, but how much of that would I have if I got into a debilitating auto accident? An acquaintance did earlier this year and she's now permanently in a nursing home and severely depressed.

I'm definitely self-limiting as far as driving goes, and am in fact thinking about selling my car and being cart only. (Not that accidents don't happen with those as well, but the slower speeds are easier overall.)

Day of the computer, they know exactly how safe driver you are, just like the insurance knows when you get ticket.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by queasy27

I'm 68 and was a bit surprised when I recently renewed my license online for 8 years without a peep from the State. No testing at all. I wasn't required to take a written or driving test when I moved here from out of state 10 years ago, either. So Florida tested my vision once a decade ago, and that's it until I'm 76. Seems a bit overly laissez faire!

After so many years on slow poke TV roads, I no longer feel comfortable driving on the freeway or even 45 mph on 27 or 466 during busy times of the day. Independence is one thing, but how much of that would I have if I got into a debilitating auto accident? An acquaintance did earlier this year and she's now permanently in a nursing home and severely depressed.

I'm definitely self-limiting as far as driving goes, and am in fact thinking about selling my car and being cart only. (Not that accidents don't happen with those as well, but the slower speeds are easier overall.)

I hope you’re golf cart has seat belts and you use them.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

AARP is a strong lobby in Florida to assure senior drivers their full ability to drive. It is tough to change legislature without that force behind it.

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Permission does not equate with ability. I would like to see the two a little closer together on the scale, so that those who are not able to drive, get their permission revoked.

[Martian]

Originally Posted by justjim

Careful what you wish for. You take away a person’s legal right to drive and you may be sentencing him/her to death. In a community where there is little public transportation it can be a real issue. Its a mighty slippery slope.

I understand, but on the other hand, I would rather have to solve their problem than put a 5,000 lb 300 horsepower death machine in the hands of someone not capable of controlling it and have them kill a young family with 3 kids...

[justjim]

Originally Posted by queasy27

I'm 68 and was a bit surprised when I recently renewed my license online for 8 years without a peep from the State. No testing at all. I wasn't required to take a written or driving test when I moved here from out of state 10 years ago, either. So Florida tested my vision once a decade ago, and that's it until I'm 76. Seems a bit overly laissez faire!

After so many years on slow poke TV roads, I no longer feel comfortable driving on the freeway or even 45 mph on 27 or 466 during busy times of the day. Independence is one thing, but how much of that would I have if I got into a debilitating auto accident? An acquaintance did earlier this year and she's now permanently in a nursing home and severely depressed.

I'm definitely self-limiting as far as driving goes, and am in fact thinking about selling my car and being cart only. (Not that accidents don't happen with those as well, but the slower speeds are easier overall.)

Age 68 seems very young to think about no longer driving a car. I believe 68 is close to the average age of a Villager. Just saying...

[Aloha1]

With a population of 140,000 and an average age of 67, if this were a real issue, the accident and death count would be enormous. It's not.

Are there some who should not have a license to drive? Sure, but they cross all ages and all manner of lack of skills. And what about those who have legal orders not to drive but do so any way like DUI convicted? They too cross all age groups.

I'm 71 and frankly what I watch out for are those who never drove a car until they moved to TV and do not have the lifetime of experience driving like most former midwesterners. As I said before, always drive defensively and trust your own skill set. If you can't trust that anymore, then by all means turn in your license. But I would never force you to.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by justjim

Age 68 seems very young to think about no longer driving a car. I believe 68 is close to the average age of a Villager. Just saying...

It's a good age to start planning for the inevitability.

[queasy27]

Originally Posted by justjim

Age 68 seems very young to think about no longer driving a car. I believe 68 is close to the average age of a Villager. Just saying...

Needs vary, of course. I'm not in good health and have physical limitations, so that factors in.

[Martian]

Its been an interesting conversation, thanks to everyone for contributing.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Martian

I understand, but on the other hand, I would rather have to solve their problem than put a 5,000 lb 300 horsepower death machine in the hands of someone not capable of controlling it and have them kill a young family with 3 kids...

Or an old couple. They are loved too. Lots of people really love old people.

I think what we need to do is get some legislation going against taking illegal drugs and driving. People get all wacked out and drive.

I don't drink so don't look at me and my medication doesn't cause me to bumble either. My doctors say I am perfectly capable of driving but like I said, I had an unknown to me heart slowness that could have killed me. It is fixed now.

Do you drive, Martian? If you do, drive carefully, there are a lot of nuts out there.

[Chatbrat]

Talking about a nut, aprox 7AM,this morning was south bound on St.Charles, all of a sudden a person in a golf cart decided to make a U turn from the diamond lane directly in front of me, my Distronic saved his life and he was upset that I honked my horn

[Kilmacowen]

What bothers me is that Florida does not have yearly auto inspections. Go outside the bubble and see bald tires, smoke pouring out of exhausts, bad brakes, etc. Don't understand how there are no required inspection stickers. These vehicles should not be on the road.

[Chatbrat]

Older person snap decision-another disconcerting is Fl auto insurance requirements--the minimum is $10K/20K= those limits could never make anyone whole