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Woman drives car into elevator shaft

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posted on May, 10 2011 @ 08:40 AM
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I saw this on the news and well this is why I believe over a certain age the elderly need to be RETESTED when it comes to driving.


A woman in her 60s was taken to a Seattle hospital as a precaution Monday after her vehicle crashed through Sheetrock and fell about 10 feet into an elevator shaft in an underground parking garage on the Virginia Mason Medical Center campus in Seattle.


She is lucky she didn't kill anyone for heavens sake.


Seattle Fire Department Lt. Sue Stangl said the woman's vehicle was parked in a handicap-parking spot on the third level of the garage next to the Lindeman Pavilion at Ninth Avenue and Seneca Street. Around 1 p.m. the woman's vehicle somehow "lunged forward," crashing through a wall and into an unused elevator shaft, she said.


Somehow?? Yeah sure.. I am sorry this may sound harsh but I have seen many elderly people who can barely walk a cart in the store get into their cars in handicap spots and almost run into the car infront of them or they don't look behind them. I can't tell you how many times I have almost been run over in the Wal Mart parking lot. When I see someone who can barely walk and their arms are shaking and they need assistance to walk they should NOT behind the wheel of a car. It is dangerous for themselves and others around them...


At 60 and up you should be required to take a driving test, hearing and vision test! My grandfather who has alzheimers was just given a new DL with no questions asked. My mother took his DL and his keys because he shouldn't be driving. He is a sweet man but he isn't alert whatsoever and there are many elderly out there who shoudn't be driving. I live in the retirement capital of the US and let me tell you I have been almost nailed by more elderly people than young drivers.

Example in 2002 I was hit by an 86yr old man who ran a stop sign and my car was totaled! He could barely walk, why was he behind the wheel of a car?! He shouldn't have been, my car would still be in my possession and I wouldn't have wrist issues from my fractured wrist.

I don't dislike the elderly but I don't think they should be driving if they can barely walk across the street.

This woman is lucky nobody was in that elevator and she is lucky she is the only one who got hurt. Im sorry but the majority of the stories I see where someone ran their car into a builiding is usually the elderly.


Do you think you should be re-tested after a certain age?

source



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 08:53 AM
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I definately agree that as people get older they should get retested. Reactions and eyesight deteriorate with age and given that fact, why is it not compulsory already?
I know it gives old people independance but once they are unsafe on the road, they really shouldn't be allowed to drive.



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 09:14 AM
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Originally posted by Taffygirl
I definately agree that as people get older they should get retested. Reactions and eyesight deteriorate with age and given that fact, why is it not compulsory already?
I know it gives old people independance but once they are unsafe on the road, they really shouldn't be allowed to drive.


I know! When my grandparents renewed their DL all they did was fill it out online and they sent them a new one with their old pic from 10yrs previous!

I had to renew mine and went to the DMV in January and I had to take a vision test yet many can just renew online and get it via mail?! I don't agree with that. You should have to go IN and take the test. I dont know why it is ok to renew online and not take the vision test yet if you go in you have to take it.

I know for my grandparents they did not like the fact my mom took their keys but it was for their safety and others. It has to be hard to be independent for so long only to have that one independence taken away. My grandfather was kind of funny and kept calling my mom a Nazi and that he was going to call the police then he offered me money to take care of him. He isn't all there and it is really sad but he shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car.



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 09:53 AM
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i agree with you 100% my grandfather was one of those slow ass drivers used to annoy the hell otta me



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 11:25 AM
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reply to post by mblahnikluver
 


I'm all for retesting the elderly for their driver's license. I've known too many people who were victims of elderly-gone-wild-behind-the-wheel.

A college buddy just parked in a parking lot. Thru his rearview window, he saw a car back up towards him and notice he was getting closer. Too close. To my friend's fears came true, the car hit him. Immediately after the hit, the elderly man proceeded to drive forward as if nothing happened. My friend ran out of his car and got the elderly to stop. Friend told him that he hit his car. Elderly denied it ever happened -- either acting stupid or had no idea what he did.

That is just one of many stories I've heard about elderly-gone-wild.



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 12:51 PM
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I'm 61 years old I was on Road Atlanta last weekend -- your blanket statement is bunk.



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 12:53 PM
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edit on 10-5-2011 by Signals because: classified



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 12:59 PM
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reply to post by guppy
 


I'm not surprised these things happen. Old people cause more accidents than teenagers.

I had a guy in his mid 70s whizz right through a red light, hit me head on...and I was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser at the time. I was sure he was going to hurt himself bad. Luckily the front tire absorbed much of the impact and he bounced off.
Old people on the road just scare the hell out of me from that day on. If I see an old person on the road...I usually regard them in the same manner I would a drunk person and keep my distance. So far it seems to be helping.
edit on 10-5-2011 by laiguana because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 01:29 PM
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While I've noticed some ridiculous elderly drivers... there are also some awful younger drivers as well.

There is one elderly driver in my town who is so awful that he had driving instructions written on the back of his car. He could barely walk (must have been around 90) and on the back of his car in bright yellow letters is the formula for distance between cars. Ya know the whole: every 10mph keep one car length away from the car in front of you. Also, in bright yellow letters, it says you must keep your lights on at all times, and if it's sprinkling out you must use your windshield wipers... It's just a ridiculous. Common sense instructions written in all capital letters on the back of this ancient guy's car.

Considering that I have seen how this man drives, it's outstanding that he still has a license. I mean, he had to WRITE ON HIS CAR instructions for drivers unfortunate enough to be driving around him.

I think that man is the most ridiculous elderly driver in my town. Unless we count the almost-naked hippie who drives around on a red scooter in the summer only wearing a speedo. He's quite an interesting site to see.

But of course, age isn't what solely dictates whether someone will be an awful driver or not. Last night I almost got hit head-on by a teenager who felt it would be okay to pass the car in front of him over a double yellow line. And of course, I also saw someone pull out of a driveway, into a busy street, at night, with no headlights on. The idiot just peeled out into the road, practically camouflaged in the dark. It was only when he was almost hit by the cars that were already in the street that he turned his headlights on.


The worst accident I was ever in... was caused by a 55 year old man who ran a red light trying to take a left. I was taking a right, and he was taking a left. I went for the right when I got the green arrow signal, and then SLAM. He caused over $4,000 worth of damage on my $18,000 car. And I was going under 5 mph. The guy was very nice to me... until he found out it was his fault. Then he started calling my house and threatening me. Needless to say, he got what was coming to him.


If anything, it is just insane how many people out there can't drive. It's one of the simplest things EVER. And it frustrates me to no end how awful some people are at it.



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 02:18 PM
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Originally posted by spyder550
your blanket statement is bunk.


I'm sorry but I don't think it a blanket statement. The statistics state that older drivers do cause more accidents. I found these sites if anyone is interested in taking a look.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

www.usroads.com...



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 03:26 PM
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Originally posted by mblahnikluver
My grandfather who has alzheimers was just given a new DL with no questions asked. My mother took his DL and his keys because he shouldn't be driving.



His doctor should have done something!

INCREASED DRIVING REGULATIONS FOR THE ELDERLY
This paragraph is on, what says page 314, but is actually page 11.

When a physician reports to the DMV that a patient has an
impairment that may affect their driving ability, the DMV then
has the option of suspending the person’s license
.75 To report an
impairment, physicians must complete the DS-6 “Physician’s
Request for Driver Review,” which asks for the condition the
patient is suffering from as well as whether the condition would
affect his or her driving ability.76 Based on these answers, the
DMV has the option of suspending the patient’s license until the
physician believes the condition will no longer affect the patient’s
driving ability
.




posted on May, 10 2011 @ 04:12 PM
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In Portugal, the drivers license must be renewed when the driver reaches 50, 60, 65 and 70 years old, with drivers older than 70 renewing it each two years.

One of the documents needed is a statement from a doctor saying that the driver doesn't have anything that prevents him from getting the license or that he/she has some means of overcoming that problem.

PS: just because someone is old doesn't mean they do not know how to drive.
From the Paul Newman Wikipedia article:

At the age of 70 years and 8 days, he became the oldest driver to be part of a winning team in a major sanctioned race,[43] winning in his class at the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona. Among his last races were the Baja 1000 in 2004 and the 24 Hours of Daytona once again in 2005
Source

He was 80 years old in 2005.



posted on May, 10 2011 @ 04:52 PM
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I know a lot of 60 yr olds who drive fine. Maybe her accident wasn't due to age, but mental or physical disability.

We should be tested every once and a while, considering how health changes and such, more so if you have a progressing problem, or at least sign a statement about about it from a Dr.



posted on May, 11 2011 @ 08:00 AM
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I have to wonder.. People complain whenever an elderly person has an accident.. But how many of the same people complaining do anything to help elderly relatives so they dont have to risk driving ? ie.. Take them shopping, take them for their medical appointments, see that there is better public transportation and access to same.. Seems that the elderly are trying to maintain ability to take care of themselves rather than get shoved into some old folks home by relatives when they become a burden to them.. These are the same people who worked hard to raise the generation who criticise them for getting old without thinking of the sacrifices their elders made raising them... Really where does the fault lie ? With the elders or with uncaring , unfilial children who shove them aside because they're too "busy" to care for them ? Apologies didnt mean to sidetrack.. But do think my point a valid and relavent one..



posted on May, 12 2011 @ 03:54 PM
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reply to post by ArMaP
 


That is a good idea. I wish we would do the same here in the states.



posted on May, 12 2011 @ 03:57 PM
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reply to post by Expat888
 


Well my family did and does help my grandparents with whatever they need. My Nana has since passed but we didn't toss them to the side. They were taken care of. My mother's second job was taking care of them basically. She did their shopping and took them to their appointments. Many do help their elderly family members. I know many that do..sadly not enough do.

I have no problem helping the elderly get somewhere as long as they dont drive a car and endanger themselves or others.

I use to help a few elderly people and get their groceries for them where I use to live...So some do help



posted on May, 13 2011 @ 03:13 AM
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Surprisingly, this things still happen to older people. I would agree that they should be retested.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 06:08 PM
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reply to post by remieB
 


Problem is if an act was ever on the ballots to require the elderly to retest yearly for their driver's license, it would never pass. Why? Because the elderly have the highest voter turnout rate.

Sucks huh? I'm waiting for the day the Simpsons episode comes true. You know, that episode where the retired people voted for a curfew on any person younger than 65. Comical, but seriously not funny if ever came true.



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