Farmers Market Incident

[QueenBee]

I was watching the news an in Santa Monica, California this old man who was 86 years old went down a street that was closed off for this farmers market and after he "accedently" hit a person pressed the gas insted of the break killing 10 people and injuring several more. Now my question is do you think after a certain age old people should have to retake the driving test?

[Ryan]

[color=royal blue][size=1][font=century gothic]

Horrible story. It is a shame that this had to happen. May the people who died rest in peace. I saw this on the news and I was shocked. This is a tought question to answer. I would say maybe when they are 70 and they are still driving. Or maybe 65. I really don't know. It is a hard question.[/color][/size][/font]

[QueenBee]

I know I was so shocked that something like this happened, and there were little children hurt it is so sad.

[Baron Samedi]

I live in AUS. but i saw it on the news as well. it is awful. and did you see the police helping him into the car? the old bloke could hardly walk. he was shuffling along- obvioulsy unfit to be driving. it depends upon the individual person- what is worse is that he didnt have the sense to put his feet on the brake. he SAYS that he went to put his foot on the brake, but did the accelerator instead. then he drives for 3 blocks before finally changing feet. maybe it was a suicide attempt and he was pissed off against the world. maybe he is just some stupid old man, who shouldnt have been driving. or maybe he made a horrible accident? whichever way it goes- he should not have been driving that day. however, a 30 year old- if they had frozen up- could of done exactly the same thing (possibly) so it depends on the person. but three blocks is a long way...

[Syk3]

Yeah, I've heard people on the news asking themselves the same question about testing to see if a senior citizen really should be driving. Like they said, it really depends on the person, and not all older people are going to act like that. But yes, I do agree that after a certain age, tests should be given out every few years if not every year to make sure that person is not loosing the ability to concentrate while in the car. If they can't, then simply confine them to using a bus or the metro.

I actually visited the Santa Monica peer on my vacation in California, and aparently we were pretty close to where the accident would take place after walking down to a nearby mall so my brother could look for a video game. The farmer's market is only open on certain days, though, and I don't believe we would have been able to see it the day we were there anyway.

[BabyGirl]

[color=deeppink]I received an email from my Aunt who lives an hour from me in West Hills, California, and when she used to work at the Getty Museum [near Santa Monica] she used to always visit the Farmer's Market on the days it was open...

I think that this is a really, really good example of what age can do to your driving. Older drivers who can't really see the road or who go 45 MPH on the freeway are just as dangerous as teenagers who drive over 90 MPH, weaving in and out of traffic. But senior citizens don't get their driver's license taken away because they really never "break any laws", which is the reason it is such a muddy issue.

I cannot believe that they didn't hold the man after he killed so many people, any other person would have been immediately arrested and charged for manslaughter. Does the law pity him because he's old? They shouldn't. The simple mistake of mixing up the brake and the gas turned out instead to be a horrible, horrible mistake. Why shouldn't he have to take responisiblity for it? He may be old and he may die soon, but he just killed many more people than deserved it.

I feel strongly about this issue because everyone is always ragging on people who drive too fast, yet they fail to see the equally dangerous issue of people who drive too slow or too [i]OLD[/i]. People need to wake up and realize that AGE IMPAIRS YOUR DRIVING ABILITY!!!111

I hope this incident will open people's eyes to it :)

P.S. The man driving the car didn't even have a valid driver's license...hm.[/color]

[Deedlit]

[color=009966]That's horrible.

There should be a law that makes every person 58 years and older retake their driving test every other year....[/color]

[James]

[color=#707875]I think this underlines that age-based driving tests should be compulsory.

My feeling is that once you're over a certain age (say, 65 or so), you should be required to take a small driving test every one or two years, in order to keep your license valid.[/color]

[Mei]

[color=green]This is a very sad occurance...but not much can be done but the current suggestions, retake your driving test after a certain age.

I personally believe that's a very relevant idea, and could be very helpful in avoiding future accidents involving senoir citizens and driving.

This man was obviously unable to handle driving and the road, not just because he was too old, though that's more than likely the main reason. Indeed this is a sad story, and probably could have been prevented if the law permitted retaking driving tests, but as of now...it doesn't.:([/color]

[Transtic Nerve]

Anyone can get their drivers licence renewed ONLINE no matter what age you are now. There was a guy who had his 91 year old grandmother's drivers licence renewed..... yeah...

Old people arent as bad as young kids.... or women, no offense but you all drive insane.... well old people are worse than women, but women... woo wee... anyway.... yeah... After 60 there should be a driving test... afteer 85, no more driving. Take the bus old man.

[SadClown]

^^ There was a similar story about an old woman that had been reported to the police several times for flying off the road and onto the sidewalk and hitting people. While she didn't kill anyone, she did it 11 times and was still allowed to keep her liscence. I think all people above a certain age should be required to trive a Manual Transmission car, that way it's not just driving itself. And if they aren't able to do it, then end of story.

Coincidentally, I hear in Canada that they test their senior citizens every year to make sure. Why is America behind everyone else?!

[TheShinje]

[size=1] I read about this in the newspaper. The old guy mixed up the brake and the gas pedal.

I agree, There should be mandatory license renewals for older people driving in the U.S. I believe we have them over here. Most people who drive over here, especially at my work, are idiots anyway, regardless of age, So I on't see much change coming about because of the test. [/size]

[XeEmO]

I agree with most people here. When you get older you should need to retake your drivers test every year or so. I also think that once you've reached a certain age, you shouldn't be able to drive period. You wouldn't want to risk something like this happening again. I mean for all you know this guy could have passed his drivers test. He was just old and confused.

[Evisoun]

Yes. After they turn 60, they should have to retake their dirvers test (not [i]on-line[/i]) every other year. 70, every year. After 80, they shouldn't be able to drive. Period. And I know that I wouldn't be "weaving in and out of traffic" so much if people would stop thinking that they're driving on some big sidewalk. Get a bike. Unlike them, I need to get somewhere and they need to move.

Gas instead of break? *snort* That old man is just sad. Kill ten people on his way out. Way to go.

[Terpischore]

[color=b60039]Ooohh..so sad. I'm so sorry that this happened! There really should be a law that you take the driving test and see if they actually deserve their license. If not...well, see if they can take it the next year. People this old really shouldn't be driving. And, even though I know there are some sensible 80 year old drivers out there..somewhere, they should be able to take the test again and pass it. Somebody needs to send in a letter to the legislature..[/color]

[QueenBee]

I know I am not the best driver but some of those old people are going senile. My great uncle was 87 and we had to hide the keys from him because he wasn't allowed to drive anymore. But anyway after the age of 68 people should have to retake the test, and people should not take pity on them because there old they have to earn it...It is a privelage not a right.

[Ryan]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by BabyGirl [/i]
[B][color=deeppink]

I cannot believe that they didn't hold the man after he killed so many people, any other person would have been immediately arrested and charged for manslaughter. Does the law pity him because he's old? They shouldn't. The simple mistake of mixing up the brake and the gas turned out instead to be a horrible, horrible mistake. Why shouldn't he have to take responisiblity for it? He may be old and he may die soon, but he just killed many more people than deserved it.

I feel strongly about this issue because everyone is always ragging on people who drive too fast, yet they fail to see the equally dangerous issue of people who drive too slow or too [i]OLD[/i]. People need to wake up and realize that AGE IMPAIRS YOUR DRIVING ABILITY!!!111

I hope this incident will open people's eyes to it :)

P.S. The man driving the car didn't even have a valid driver's license...hm.[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]
[color=royal blue][size=1][font=century gothic]

They didn't hold the man? I thought they would have. I think you brought up an excellent point, Babygirl. He should have to take responsibility for his actions. He killed 10 people, and injured a lot more. The cops shouldn't be pushovers and let him just slip by the law. Plus, he didn't have a valid license? This seriously makes me mad. Age should have nothing to do with what punishment you receive after doing a crime, accident, or no accident. He did it. He killed 10 people. He should get punished. I am not trying to sound harsh. Yes, I know he was old but he still killed people and that deserves punishment. I have some friends who think that he should get cleared of everything since he was old. I told them that if their parents were two of the people that died, would it change their opinions, their views on this issue. They didn't answer me and tried to change the subject because they knew I had a point. The family of the innocent killed that day deserve justice. The people who were killed that day deserve justice. [/color][/size][/font]

[Fall]

You can't just pass a law that completely bars aged people from driving.

My grandfather, who is now 75, wouldn't have a job, let alone a living, and wouldn't be in half as good health as he is now, if he couldn't drive. He lives 60 kilometers away from the nearest town, only because he needs a quite large block of land to hold the stock he currently owns. He droves them every second day down the highway, and then back again. With his ute. Without it, he wouldn't have as much stock, therefore not as big a living, and thus he wouldn't need as big a block a land. He would probably live closer to town. Though he would still need transport. Without his car, he wouldn't have the job he has now. He loves his job... "Lets just go and take away his car and leave him be. He'll be right."

He can't ride a horse into town every day. He can't drive a tractor into town. The same with walking. You can't expect an aged person to walk everywhere. That takes away a right. Wouldn't you feel left out if you were barred from driving anymore?

Aged people need transport. Public transport (buses, trains, etc) don't go everywhere. And for some people, they need to drive, to get somewhere, just to live.

I'm all for taking driving tests every year, to keep their liscences valid. But surely as hell you can't just stop aged people from driving "period". If they fail, they can try again. That's fair. -kids can take their driving tests as much as they want, till they get it. Aged people should have the same opportunity. It's not right to just [i]stop[/i] them from driving, "period" [i]as some people say.[/i]

Kids are just as bad. You're not going to see an 80-year-old speeding down the freeway at 200km/h. A kid -more likely. And just the same, you're not going to see a kid shuffling along at 40km/h, either. SPEEDING kills. When you're slow, and you're heading for someone, they're not going to stay there for two minutes waiting to be hit. When you're SPEEDING, they have two [i]seconds[/i] to wait. It's common-sense -people change. Put up with it. Don't like someone's driving, piss off. -they probably wouldn't like your driving either. If they do put a complete ban on aged people from driving, at a certain age, they might aswell ban teenagers from driving aswell.

In all honesty, there's two sides to this subject.

[Syk3]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Fall [/i]
[B]You can't just pass a law that completely bars aged people from driving.

My grandfather, who is now 75, wouldn't have a job, let alone a living, and wouldn't be in half as good health as he is now, if he couldn't drive. He lives 60 kilometers away from the nearest town, only because he needs a quite large block of land to hold the stock he currently owns. He droves them every second day down the highway, and then back again. With his ute. Without it, he wouldn't have as much stock, therefore not as big a living, and thus he wouldn't need as big a block a land. He would probably live closer to town. Though he would still need transport. Without his car, he wouldn't have the job he has now. He loves his job... "Lets just go and take away his car and leave him be. He'll be right."

He can't ride a horse into town every day. He can't drive a tractor into town. The same with walking. You can't expect an aged person to walk everywhere. That takes away a right. Wouldn't you feel left out if you were barred from driving anymore?

Aged people need transport. Public transport (buses, trains, etc) don't go everywhere. And for some people, they need to drive, to get somewhere, just to live.

I'm all for taking driving tests every year, to keep their liscences valid. But surely as hell you can't just stop aged people from driving "period". If they fail, they can try again. That's fair. -kids can take their driving tests as much as they want, till they get it. Aged people should have the same opportunity. It's not right to just [i]stop[/i] them from driving, "period" [i]as some people say.[/i]

Kids are just as bad. You're not going to see an 80-year-old speeding down the freeway at 200km/h. A kid -more likely. And just the same, you're not going to see a kid shuffling along at 40km/h, either. SPEEDING kills. When you're slow, and you're heading for someone, they're not going to stay there for two minutes waiting to be hit. When you're SPEEDING, they have two [i]seconds[/i] to wait. It's common-sense -people change. Put up with it. Don't like someone's driving, piss off. -they probably wouldn't like your driving either. If they do put a complete ban on aged people from driving, at a certain age, they might aswell ban teenagers from driving aswell.

In all honesty, there's two sides to this subject. [/B][/QUOTE]
We're not saying that [i]all[/i] senior citizens should not be allowed to drive, we're simply showing that there should be stricter law enfourcement to weed out those who can't. ~_^

If someone that old can drive as good as they did 50 years ago, then let them. My grandfather is 78 and he drives just fine. But for some people, as they get older their mind starts slowing down and forgetting things, such as this man who recently killed 10 people. For that reason, I and other people in the thread are saying that once a person reaches a certain age, they should have to take a test every year or so, just in case. We are in no way saying that all old people should be taken off the roads for good, lol.

[Shinmaru]

What's really sad is that events like these have to happen before people start thinking about these things. Mandatory tests for older drivers weren't really an issue (at least not down here in California - I don't know about everywhere else) until this happened. Stricter airport security wasn't an issue until the events of September 11th. I just wish people could spend more time thinking things through in advance to prevent things like this from happening.

It's widely known that when most people get older, their vision might get impaired, their reflexes might slow down, etc. It amazes me that things like this aren't taken into account until things like this happen.