slimyfrog

My scary drive home | The Observer | Roz Rogoff | DanvilleSanRamon.com |

I wish I had time to post a comment to her, but I need to get to work. As much as I understand her need for independence, I also strongly feel that she should not be driving. She's responsible for lives beyond her own.

prathmann

Reading that was not encouraging. I live less than half a mile from the author and ride my bike on all the streets mentioned almost every day.

DiabloScott

We really need to find a way to make people feel better about giving up driving when it's time. I hope I'll be able to recognize it in myself.

freighttraininguphill

"Most of my driving is between my house and the Market Place Shopping Center, which is less than 2 miles away on Alcosta."

Two words: adult trike

The quote is an excerpt from one of her replies to a commenter. I read all the comments, and almost everyone is urging her to give up driving.

Another excerpt from one of her comments: "My mother didn't give up her car until she was in her 80's, but I guess I'm not aging as well as she is."

I wonder how much better her mind would be working right now if she had spent most of that driving time on a bicycle, out in the fresh air

slimyfrog

I can only speak for myself and say that it has done my mind and mood a whole lot of good! And yes an adult trike is an excellent suggestion

Reading her replies to comments I had the feeling she was generally in denial and not really accepting what had happened to her and her mind the night she was lost/confused.

prathmann

Agreed. Especially since almost the entire distance would be on a paved Rails-to-Trails path (Iron Horse Trail).

freighttraininguphill

Agreed. I got the same impression, and I hope she comes to her senses soon!

B. Carfree

Long ago, I read a Dear Abby (or was it Ann Landers?) letter from a woman who was beside herself with guilt. Everyone knew it was time for her father to give up driving, but no one wanted to hurt his feelings. At the end of a family gathering, grandpa put his car in drive instead of reverse. Unfortunately, his grandson was standing in front of the car. Grandpa took his grandson's legs off at the knees as he crushed him between his bumper and the vehicle parked in front.

We all need a trusted younger person whom we entrust with instructions to tell us when "It's time." By the time strangers or police are telling us, it's way too late. We desperately need the adults to behave with some maturity, but that doesn't seem to be in the cards.

Chief

I couldn't get past the part about the cat enema! Yikes!

SClaraPokeman

Notice it's a pickup truck to boot. On the rare occasions I've driven them I've hated it. They are terrible handling vehicles. Why does she have one?

TheLibrarian

When i was young I used to think i was special and had superior night vision to other people. Turns out you lose night vision as you get older. Seems a bit contrived and fake, why would you admit to things like this and seems to blame herself. Most people would be in more denial and driving behind a cop cars flashing lights does not make it easier to see. It is in fact blinding. Then all the people saying stop driving, now I'm not saying rando's on the internet have any great skill at controlling other peoples behavior but scream caps of stop driving will only make most people keep driving out of spite. I generally assume most people on the road are stupid and crazy.

mister

I live way up in Eureka and the majority of the drivers that I have bad experiences with are well north of 65. Last year, my wife was in an accident after a woman, who was 96 , pulled out of a parking lot directly in front of her. The woman was completely disoriented. My wife was doing 30 or less, but ended up breaking her hand. The officer that responded even commented on the woman's mental state and age and wrote a notice to take a driver's test. I'm no where near being too old to drive, but I'm happy to hand the keys to other's who want to drive me around.