87 year old. Stopped driving needs alternative for getting around farm.

Whitey ! · Jun 16, 2023

Just had hip replacement at the age of 52 ( kicked in the pelvis by a short lived dairy heifer ). Was told by surgeon NOT to cock leg over the quad bike so looked out for golf buggy on eBay been amazing Been shod with agri pattern that wasn’t too expensive now everyone takes it to check dry cow and go fencing as we put handy tin box on the back. Bit noisy but that’s the slightly knackered exhaust, but I do think being a little bit noisy isn’t a bad thing as you are quite low down and people in other vehicles are aware that you might be around Get him Mobile, maybe his legs don’t work as well as they used to but I bet his brain is still as sharp as it ever was

bravheart · Jun 16, 2023

ollie989898 said:
It may be less of a blow to their self-esteem if they decide to give up driving voluntarily rather than be stopped by a doctor. No adult deserves to be told by another what they can or cannot do.

Also it might be a bit easier on your conscience?

Don't think he would have listened to us but during a short spell in hospital he was told by the registrar doctor to give up driving. Saved us a lot of difficult conversations/arguments as he took on board the voice of authority.

On the lawnmower conversion front my thoughts would be risky. You tend to have to sit on them rather than in them which requires a greater sense of balance. Possibly fine at the moment but going forward not so good.

Whitey ! · Jun 16, 2023

Forgot to mention ease of Controls press, one pedal, or the other, and the centre of gravity is ultra low

JWL · Jun 16, 2023

Always threatened my old man that I'd get him a bumper car off a fairground ride and strap a load of batteries on it as he was getting to use the "tactile" parking method more and more. His health overtook the need with his doctor taking his licence off him before I had to step in

Dry Rot · Jun 16, 2023

The SNFU refuses to insure car drivers after 80. I am not sure they can even do this, but suppose they can as they do it! But in the absence of any other valid reason, isn't that ageism? -- which IS generally against the law! What do the statistics say? I thought older drivers were safer than the 18 - 25 group? I've found insurance from another source (Adrian Flux) and much lower priced than it used to be when I was younger. Work that one out! Considering the President of the USA is over 80 and not doing too badly, I wonder if they'd refuse him car insurance?

I recently applied to the SSPCA (Scottish version of the RSPCA) to re-home a ferret. I was refused, rather rudely, that I wouldn't get a ferret and they didn't have anything else available for re-homing either! It was pretty obvious the refusal was because of my age. Also pretty stupid as they'd pleaded for ferret re-homers in the newspapers, claiming to be over whelmed with the number abandoned. (Not surprising really, ferrets have very large litters). I wrote to SSPCA head office politely asking the reasons (although I knew) but got no reply. So I wrote again saying not to rely on a legacy from me and bought two through an advert in Gumtree!

puppet · Jun 16, 2023

Dry Rot said:
The SNFU refuses to insure car drivers after 80. I am not sure they can even do this, but suppose they can as they do it! But in the absence of any other valid reason, isn't that ageism? -- which IS generally against the law! What do the statistics say? I thought older drivers were safer than the 18 - 25 group? I've found insurance from another source (Adrian Flux) and much lower priced than it used to be when I was younger. Work that one out! Considering the President of the USA is over 80 and not doing too badly, I wonder if they'd refuse him car insurance?

You will find that older drivers have a high accident rate per mile so are a high insurance risk.

As for Joe, not sure he ever needs to drive himself, thankfully. He can't negotiate a sandbag on a level stage

Dry Rot · Jun 16, 2023

Taking away a driving licence shouldn't be done unless alternatives are already in place. That could cause unreasonable hardship.

Highland Mule · Jun 16, 2023

Dry Rot said:
The SNFU refuses to insure car drivers after 80. I am not sure they can even do this, but suppose they can as they do it! But in the absence of any other valid reason, isn't that ageism? -- which IS generally against the law! What do the statistics say? I thought older drivers were safer than the 18 - 25 group? I've found insurance from another source (Adrian Flux) and much lower priced than it used to be when I was younger. Work that one out! Considering the President of the USA is over 80 and not doing too badly, I wonder if they'd refuse him car insurance?

I presume you're meaning your local SNFU rep, selling insurance for NFU Mutual (Would be Murray from the Dingwall office covering up your way?). I can absolutely guarantee that they do not have an 80 year limit as they still insure plenty aged members of my family.

Cowabunga · Jun 16, 2023

Dry Rot said:
Taking away a driving licence shouldn't be done unless alternatives are already in place. That could cause unreasonable hardship.

Safety, especially the safety of others, always comes first. There should never be ‘unreasonable’ hardship as everything can be delivered these days and support is available at home should one require it, even if it means having to pay for it.

If a person is a danger on the road, whether they have already had accidents or are obviously [to others] at risk of having or causing an accident, then the licence and the means of driving should be removed, no ifs or buts. There may come a point where someone is either too obstinate or too far gone mentally to recognise that they are a danger to themselves and others, both other drivers and pedestrians and property. Action should be taken to save them from themselves and the possible consequences let alone to save some other innocent person from harm/disability/pain/death.

Farmer Roy · Jun 16, 2023

Absolutely - road safety & safety of others should always take precedence over someone’s dignity or hurt feelings

steveR · Jun 16, 2023

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Cowabunga · Jun 16, 2023

If insurance is being declined it is because someone assesses the risk factor to be unacceptably high and the person declined may well not wish or have the ability to acknowledge this.

Dry Rot · Jun 16, 2023

Farmer Roy said:
Absolutely - road safety & safety of others should always take precedence over someone’s dignity or hurt feelings

So you think taking away a driving licence just on the basis of age is quite in order even before they are made aware of the availability of alternative transport in the area is OK, even though there maybe no evidence that the driver is unfit to drive? Strange logic, in my opinion, as stress probably causes more fatalities than old age driving!

Following that logic, 80 year old US president Joe Biden should be deposed and replaced by the younger Donald Trump!

Farmer Roy · Jun 16, 2023

Dry Rot said:
So you think taking away a driving licence just on the basis of age is quite in order even before they are made aware of the availability of alternative transport in the area is OK, even though there maybe no evidence that the driver is unfit to drive? Strange logic, in my opinion, as stress probably causes more fatalities than old age driving!

Following that logic, 80 year old US president Joe Biden should be deposed and replaced by the younger Donald Trump!

I never said anything about taking a licence away because of age

all of my posts have been about taking a licence away due to decreased ability & diminished responsibility

I even mentioned a friend in her 50’s who had to prove she was still fit to drive, due to suffering from MS

and my neighbour, in his 60’s, who gave up driving due to Parkinsons

as you would know if you’d actually read them with any comprehension

that is why we have mandatory medicals & driving tests for people once they reach certain ages, to ensure they are still capable

as I have also said, I have many first hand personal experiences of elderly people reaching a point in their lives where they are no longer safe to continue driving

Farmer Roy · Jun 16, 2023

PS - I doubt that either Biden or Trump ever have need to drive themselves anywhere

Dry Rot · Jun 16, 2023

Farmer Roy said:
I never said anything about taking a licence away because of age

all of my posts have been about taking a licence away due to decreased ability & diminished responsibility

I even mentioned a friend in her 50’s who had to prove she was still fit to drive, due to suffering from MS

and my neighbour, in his 60’s, who gave up driving due to Parkinsons

as you would know if you’d actually read them with any comprehension

that is why we have mandatory medicals & driving tests for people once they reach certain ages, to ensure they are still capable

as I have also said, I have many first hand personal experiences of elderly people reaching a point in their lives where they are no longer safe to continue driving

Stress is still the biggest killer. Be careful out there!

Deere 6430 · Jun 18, 2023

Gator type buggy would be my suggestion. One here for similar situation, used all the time and I can even use it for other jobs, couldn’t be without it now.

JP1 · Jun 18, 2023

Farmer Roy said:
PS - I doubt that either Biden or Trump ever have need to drive themselves anywhere

Biden has his Corvette

Fendt516profi · Jun 25, 2023

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BuskhillFarm · Jun 25, 2023

Gator probably best. Seen a fella with limited motobility in Scotland. Had a gator and whole farm set up with cattle grid ramps over the hedges to get around without having to get out to check sheep

87 year old. Stopped driving needs alternative for getting around farm.

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