stigli Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 ^ You should be re-tested at 60,65,70 and every year after.Fact is the majority of drivers over 70 simply cannot keep up with modern day traffic and deal with things like roundabouts,zebra crossings etc. I am worried that this " deal with things like roundabouts " came up, as i have witnessed many many drivers half the ages of your re-test spectrum dealing with roundabouts, it seems that the mind set required is - the faster i approach this obstacle in the road the more right of way i have -I would hope our elder and no so aged drivers dont keep up with modern traffic in this way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urabug Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 I would not like to blame any particular person for this incident,that is a matter for the appropriate legal department ,but I'm pretty sure if this driver had seen a red light he would have stopped. Just a pity this was changed from a pelican safe crossing to a zebra less safe one. As for age, well we will all grow old if we are spared long enough and old age is in itself is no indicator of ones health or ability to drive. The reason for the changes to this piece of road was to reduce and stop speeding, I wonder what age the speedsters were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecwc1972 Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 ^ As for age, well we will all grow old if we are spared long enough and old age is in itself is no indicator of ones health or ability to drive. Totally agree with that, but you should be tested at regular intervals when you reach such an age if you are able to pass you will pass. A driving licence is a privilege not a right even if you have been driving for 60+years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecwc1972 Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 ^ You should be re-tested at 60,65,70 and every year after.Fact is the majority of drivers over 70 simply cannot keep up with modern day traffic and deal with things like roundabouts,zebra crossings etc. I am worried that this " deal with things like roundabouts " came up, as i have witnessed many many drivers half the ages of your re-test spectrum dealing with roundabouts, it seems that the mind set required is - the faster i approach this obstacle in the road the more right of way i have -I would hope our elder and no so aged drivers dont keep up with modern traffic in this wayAnd what about the elderly folk who don’t have a clue how such a thing works? Drives up to it slams on the brakes and sits there for 20 minutes frozen in fear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecwc1972 Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 I would not like to blame any particular person for this incident,that is a matter for the appropriate legal department ,but I'm pretty sure if this driver had seen a red light he would have stopped. Just a pity this was changed from a pelican safe crossing to a zebra less safe one. As for age, well we will all grow old if we are spared long enough and old age is in itself is no indicator of ones health or ability to drive. The reason for the changes to this piece of road was to reduce and stop speeding, I wonder what age the speedsters were. Well the police are certainly blaming the 74 year old driver! And how is a zebra crossing not safe?If you are driving at the appropriate speed and aware of your surroundings the driver would have seen the pedestrian! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urabug Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Well the police are certainly blaming the 74 year old driver! And how is a zebra crossing not safe?If you are driving at the appropriate speed and aware of your surroundings the driver would have seen the pedestrian! I did say and IMHO Zebra is less safe than A Pelican crossing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecwc1972 Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 (edited) It’s only unsafe if you’re not paying attention, they even put nice big bumps to warn you that it’s there. Edited January 21, 2019 by ecwc1972 BigMouth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suffererof1crankymofo Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 And what about the elderly folk who don’t have a clue how such a thing works? Drives up to it slams on the brakes and sits there for 20 minutes frozen in fear. The first roundabout in the UK was installed in 1909 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 When it comes to any kind of crossings, shouldn't pedestrians be trained and tested in their proficiency to use them before they're let loose on them? Some folk seem to have this idea that its okay to just march along the pavement and as soon as they reach a crossing, gaily step out on it without paying the slightest attention to where traffic already is, and everybody is supposed to give way to them. Most definitely NOT insinuating anything of the sort happened in this recent case, but its something that happens all too often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 When it comes to any kind of crossings, shouldn't pedestrians be trained and tested in their proficiency to use them before they're let loose on them? That would be a bit like herding cats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 As for age, well we will all grow old if we are spared long enough and old age is in itself is no indicator of ones health or ability to drive. I agree that age should not be an issue but, for the majority, I would argue that, as we grow old(er);our reaction times slow down, our eyesight deteriorates, our thought processes take longer and some suffer from some kind of mobility or medical issues. Some also suffer from a combination of these things but, very few would consider themselves "unfit to drive". Nobody really wants to remove driving "rights" from anyone with any of these afflictions but, where do you draw the line ? It doesn't matter how many "rules" are made up, there will always be (un)avoidable "accidents" and, in this instance, nobody seems to know how much (if any) the pedestrian contributed to the incident. Maybe it's better just to accept that these."accidents happen". I'm not advocating a re-test but, I feel that there is a need for some kind of periodic medical re-assesment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelsup Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Eyesight tests should be more rigorous. Just being able to read a number plate at 60 feet is hardly sufficient. Tests in all light conditions from bright sunlight to dark should be mandatory as well as peripheral vision. I bet a lot of drivers wouldn’t even pass the basic test. Most serious accident are caused by young drivers as old drivers. That’s why the insurance is higher for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 When it comes to any kind of crossings, shouldn't pedestrians be trained and tested in their proficiency to use them before they're let loose on them? That would be a bit like herding cats... The SIC seem to incorporate a significant element of that in everything they try and do, so if anyone could succeed at it, it must be them with the practice they've had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaa22 Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 I would like some clarification on a small section in-between ms&co, the thul bar and the bus stop (pic outdated, but shows location), to a pedestrian it looks like a path that almost represents if not deceptively like a zebra crossing, but to a driver it is just a brown rectangle across the road and has no resemblance to the pedestrian crossings before and leading up to it. I was driving over it the other day and there was a guy dragging a poor disabled chap along the path on the bus stop side, next thing as I pass them he is shouting and giving me the finger as they are coming up to it?! But I am already on it before they got near to stepping on this blob. It’s not a raised section it does not have beacons, signs or road markings to say who is right to driver or pedestrian. But if it is a pedestrian crossing does it not make the traffic lights after it pointless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbiniho Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 I would like some clarification on a small section in-between ms&co, the thul bar and the bus stop (pic outdated, but shows location), to a pedestrian it looks like a path that almost represents if not deceptively like a zebra crossing, but to a driver it is just a brown rectangle across the road and has no resemblance to the pedestrian crossings before and leading up to it. I was driving over it the other day and there was a guy dragging a poor disabled chap along the path on the bus stop side, next thing as I pass them he is shouting and giving me the finger as they are coming up to it?! But I am already on it before they got near to stepping on this blob. It’s not a raised section it does not have beacons, signs or road markings to say who is right to driver or pedestrian. But if it is a pedestrian crossing does it not make the traffic lights after it pointless? i treat it as a road as that is what it is, it is not a zebra crossing so i dont treat it as such, the guy giving you the finger is probably just having a bad day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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