Motorists over 60 could face compulsory driving tests every two years after EU ruling

Run_to_da_hills

"The EU Commission is considering compulsory driving tests every two years for motorists aged 60 plus and annually for those 76 and over.

Brussels is financing two studies on the issue, saying that while mature motorists in the EU make up just 16 percent of drivers, they account for 21 percent of all accidents.

One of the studies is looking at whether medicines taken by senior drivers plays any part in crashes".

If this gets through Im sure all these pensioners will regret that they ever voted for a united Europe. LOL. :pac:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1386013/Motorists-60-face-compulsory-driving-tests-years-EU-ruling.html

KamiKazi

Good stuff.

Run_to_da_hills

KamiKazi wrote: »

Good stuff.

I actually agree with this one too, most of my close shaves on the GIXR are with doddery old fcuks that don't look where they are going.

oompaloompa

I'm all for testing older people regularly, but 60? Really?? That's hardly doddery old fogie territory is it?

CianRyan

I've always thought the oul ones should have to take driving tests, just once even.
It's mad, there's people driving around that have never sat a test.

Jagle

totally agree, was behind an old woman today doing 60 on the motorway, getting close to dangerously slow id say, plus old people are often very bad when it comes to roundabouts i find

on the topic of those driving who never took a test my father falls into this category. the family has lost count on the amount of accidents he has had, my mother cant be in the car with him if he drives he is so bad

antodeco

oompaloompa wrote: »

I'm all for testing older people regularly, but 60? Really?? That's hardly doddery old fogie territory is it?

I agree. 60 is far too young. 65 should be the minimum. Then 70, then every second year.

Top Dog

oompaloompa wrote: »

I'm all for testing older people regularly, but 60? Really?? That's hardly doddery old fogie territory is it?

I'd agree with this. 65, maybe even 70. But 60? Plenty of well-aware, able-bodied 60 year olds out there.

Tigerbaby

piffle !

as a > 50 year old, I will gladly do my test every 2 years. as long as those *most responsible* for road accidents ( ie under-25's) have to do the same.

what rubbish. we are mature, experienced drivers, who are old enough to know our faults, and drive accordingly.

*AGEIST* !!!:D

staker

Good stuff,about time. Agree with the 65+ suggestion.And it should be free to sit it too.Surely their road tax contributions down the years should count for something.

Saab Ed

Would the E.U. and its regulation ever f**k off.

Bunch of spanners in an office paid to just come up with something new otherwise they're out of a job. Your doctor tells you that you cant drive anymore , not some plank in a D.O.E office. There's alot of oldies out there who are far better at driving than some 20 somethings.

Owen

Someone needs to add an EU filter to RTDH's web-browser so he can get outside once in a while and chillax on the conspiracies

Having said that, I disagree with the proposal. I do think that older drivers 75+ are riskier, but in Ireland, there's a lot of people this age and older living in towns and rural areas who have no other means of getting around and would never pass a test. If we had a decent nationwide public transport network, I'd be all for it, but we don't, and never will.

whydoibother?

I think there are probably a lot who are reasonably good drivers under normal circumstances but the stress of having to take a text or "exam" as they might see it after 40 odd years would be too much for them.

Mycroft H

^

This. There is too many people that need their car to do the basics. I know plenty of people that would be stumped if this came into force.

Run_to_da_hills

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Someone needs to add an EU filter to RTDH's web-browser so he can get outside once in a while and chillax on the conspiracies

Having said that, I disagree with the proposal. I do think that older drivers 75+ are riskier, but in Ireland, there's a lot of people this age and older living in towns and rural areas who have no other means of getting around and would never pass a test. If we had a decent nationwide public transport network, I'd be all for it, but we don't, and never will.

You of all people should be critical of the EU and their policies.

They have fcuked up the whole car finishing industry with ridiculous legislation that it is now impossible to get any decent paint other than the waterley muck that is now specified and on top of that all the necessary specialized equipment to be able to use it.

maidhc

Does that mean under 25s need annual tests, speed limiters and penalty points for eating chips at 11 o clock on a sunday night while cruizin'?

It is only 10 years since I did my test and I would be paniced at the though of it.

Owen

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

You of all people should be critical of the EU and their policies.

They have fcuked up the whole car finishing industry with ridiculous legislation that it is now impossible to get any decent paint other than the waterley muck that is now specified and on top of that all the necessary specialized equipment to be able to use it.

I'm only winding you up :pac:

I quite like Waterbased paint TBH, dries in seconds.

Chuck Stone

Won't happen. Getting older and old people run the world in case people didn't notice.

mlumley

Jagle wrote: »

totally agree, was behind an old woman today doing 60 on the motorway, getting close to dangerously slow id say,

The motorway speed limit is a maximum, NOT A TARGET.

bazz26

We will be out of the Euro Zone and back using the Punt soon enough so these Eurocratic rulings will be meaningless to us :pac:....

Run_to_da_hills

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'm only winding you up :pac:

I quite like Waterbased paint TBH, dries in seconds.

Thats if you have all the correct facilities, blowers etc, try doing a motorcycle faring or tank in a garden shed.

Liliy Gilder

Saab Ed wrote: »

Would the E.U. and its regulation ever f**k off.

Bunch of spanners in an office paid to just come up with something new otherwise they're out of a job. Your doctor tells you that you cant drive anymore , not some plank in a D.O.E office. There's alot of oldies out there who are far better at driving than some 20 somethings.

Well Said about the unelected bureacrats!!

I would however welcome a "practical driving appraisal/assesment" every year or two for ALL drivers though, at a NOMINAL FEE. (Not an excuse to print money for all involved).

Even the best-intentioned and conscientious driver can pick up bad habits, and get complacent without a regular objective critique of their driving ability.

Owen

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Thats if you have all the correct facilities, blowers etc, try doing a motorcycle faring or tank in a garden shed.

You don't need any of that stuff. Heat gun, done. I paint outdoors!

mlumley

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

I actually agree with this one too, most of my close shaves on the GIXR are with doddery old fcuks that don't look where they are going.

Im 60 and drive a Dragstar, does that make me a doddery old fcuk? The last drop I had was with a Young fcuker who pulled onto a round about while I was on it. Dont think he was looking too closely to road awearness.

vectra

PMSL
Just the thought of me having to do my test again..After all my years getting every letter on my licence..
I laugh at the thought of me doing the test and the examiner being a grumpy old Ba$tard around 75 years old and he telling me I cannot drive :rolleyes:

Now,
I would be all for annual medical examinations from 60 on.
and
over 65 if you are the cause of an RTA then by all means have your licence reviewed and a re-test.

Owen

vectra wrote: »

I laugh at the thought of me doing the test and the examiner being a grumpy old Ba$tard around 75 years old and he telling me I cannot drive

That, and your bladder will be about to pop, and if you don't get home in time, you'd miss Matlock.

mlumley

staker wrote: »

Good stuff,about time. Agree with the 65+ suggestion.And it should be free to sit it too.Surely their road tax contributions down the years should count for something.

Free, lol, fcuk all is free in Ireland.:mad:

scudzilla

Great stuff, all ya ever hear from drivers aged 65+ is "I've never had an accident in my life"




True, but you've caused dozens ya sap

sdanseo

Yet another case of the EU meddling in national issues which make absolutely no difference to anyone outside of each individual state. Utter nonsense. The EU really should go fúck itself in terms of forcing this shíte upon 27 cultures which are each totally different from the next.

I would agree with what antodeco said, 65, 70, maybe 75 then annually thereafter. For what it's worth my Grandad is 87 and has Parkisons yet his doctor approved him to drive - something he really, really shouldn't be doing at this stage (which he knows, and he doesn't bar in emergencies where they need the shops etc and none of us are around).

Run_to_da_hills

mlumley wrote: »

Im 60 and drive a Dragstar, does that make me a doddery old fcuk? The last drop I had was with a Young fcuker who pulled onto a round about while I was on it. Dont think he was looking too closely to road awearness.

Im referring more to the pensioners such as my 88 year old man who shouldn't be let near the wheel of a car.

BTW I am just 10 years short of 60 :eek:

Tigerbaby

PaintDoctor wrote: »

That, and your bladder will be about to pop, and if you don't get home in time, you'd miss Matlock.

love this.

brilliant

TheReverend

Sounds good tbh

BostonB

Test anyone with points or whos had an accident every year for 5 yrs.

sdanseo

mlumley wrote: »

The motorway speed limit is a maximum, NOT A TARGET.

GET OFF your high horse. 60km/h on a motorway is nothing short of brain-numbingly STUPID and I won't hear another word on it. If she drives at that speed she will, eventually, cause a pile up. End of.

If 60mph was the meaning, then that's still slow for a motorway (96km/h in a 120km/h zone), and it still increases the likelihood of an accident because everyone will want to overtake, it's incosiderate but not illegal.

Hal1

It's all a bit sh't really, but that's that. Just another half taught up sceme to burden motorists with more taxes and penalties. If they want to do anything they should enforce existing laws.

Driver testing should be carried out on license holders with 8 or more penalty points and if involved in an RTA were they were to blaim.

challengemaster

Top Dog wrote: »

I'd agree with this. 65, maybe even 70. But 60? Plenty of well-aware, able-bodied 60 year olds out there.

They may be well-aware and able bodied, but that doesn't mean they're capable drivers.


Anyway, it'll either be years before this comes into practice here, if it ever does. Currently, there's not a chance. There's already about a 2 month waiting list for a test, factor in having to re-test bi-yearly the entire population >60 (going by the 2006 census and allowing for growth, that's ~600,000) and you've one hell of a waiting list on your hands. RSA have 50.87% as being the average national pass rate. So that's ~295,000 re-tests. So essentially that's adding nearly 900,000 extra people to the waiting list, on a bi-yearly basis.... which is a figure that will continue to rise....

Now... here's the funny part

From Citizensinformation - In 2006 a total of 165,005 driving tests were conducted throughout Ireland.

I can't imagine that's changed too much in the last few years, however - if you allow for growth (we'll say 200,000) - So it needs to go from 200,000 tests per year, to about 600,000 tests per year.

NB: I can also see an issue that SOMEONE will point out - not everyone will have a driving licence in that catagory. I know. Allowing for the fact that the Irish driving test was introduced in 1965, only 46 years ago, a vast majority of people over 60 wouldn't have had to sit a test, and as the RSA are so awesome, they've got no statistics for the amount of people with licences. Only choice is assume everyone does.

Despite the figures just being an absolute guess due to the lack of data available - my point is, there is no way in hell the country could cope with it.

Anan1

Lads, stop and think for a minute. This is just another anti-EU non-story from the Daily Mail, it's not worth getting yourselves all worked up over. There'll be a new one along next week, and the week after that..

coylemj

Any thread based on a story on the Daily Mail should be in the After Hours forum.

edit: just saw Anan1's post above me, +1 all the way. You cannot treat any story in the Daily Mail seriously, they specialise in this type of sh1te.

Top Dog

sdonn wrote: »

If 60mph was the meaning, then that's still slow for a motorway (96km/h in a 120km/h zone), and it still increases the likelihood of an accident because everyone will want to overtake, it's incosiderate but not illegal.

In case you weren't aware of it - 80km/h is the LIMIT for any vehicle towing on a motorway. So 96km/h doesn't sound like too bad progress when you take that into consideration