that pensioners driving could be a danger on the roads

I find night driving hard - especially if it is raining. I have quite bad astigmatism as well as being very short-sighted and the optician said that I will always find night driving difficult and it cannot be corrected. I live in the country with no street lights so I have to take care. I do not drive at night if I can help it.

I think it should read 'some pensioners'-generally they are safer than those who have newly passed their test. I think they self regulate, I can see that I shall cut out longer journeys as I age.
I am not even going to read what they say on MN-there is terrible ageism on there! I don't think that they would imagine that I can have just done a week's skiing aged over 60yrs or run a half marathon last year. Once you are over 50yr you appear to have to sit at home, keep off the roads, keep out of shops at lunchtime and should never ever make any comments about children! (I don't think they will imagine they can still work, drive, ski etc etc at that age!)

I passed my first driving test at 65, on the theory test I got 50 out of 50 which included a hazard perception test. After the actual test the examiner thanked me for a pleasant drive. I think a lot of accidents occur because, when someone has been driving for a high number of years , sometimes they can get complacent

I'm curious to know if any of you refuse to drive on motorways or in unfamiliar areas.
An acquaintance of mine will not drive outside a 10 mile radius of home so no dual carriage ways. I find that worrying, although I've never seen her drive.

No, I and DH regularly (almost daily) drive on motorways, dual carriageways and abroad. We would be unable to visit either DC if we limited ourselves to single carriage way roads, that or the journey would take 7 or 8 hours rather than 4.

DiL's mother never drives far outside the town where she lives so doesn't drive on motorways and rarely on dual carriageways, but she has a lifetime free train travel card as her late husband worked for British Rail so she has never had any incentive to drive other than locally.

I don't like driving, but I drive anywhere. It was what I meant by self regulating- 10 miles from home is fine if they are confident with that.

I think young aggressive males are probably far worse than most elderly drivers. I often think that some drivers could have taken drugs the night before or even that morning from the way they drive so recklessly.

However, I do agree that some testing may be advisable over a certain age, but certainly most people of 50+ or 60 are better drivers than some youngsters. Unless people have an illness which may cause slower reactions or eyesight deterioration then I don't think testing is necessary until say 75+ if they are in good health.

A friend of DH has just had a test to see if he can get his licence back after a stroke and has been refused. He is very upset but I think it was the right decision.

"One acquaintance of our recently had a cerebral aneurysm and was not advised to avoid driving for a while "

Cerebral aneurysm is one of the conditions that it's compulsory to notify the DVLA about.

None of the doctors told me that it's compulsory to notify them of my atrial fibrillation, I just found out by accident. I did ask one doctor explicitly, but he just squirmed in his chair a bit and avoided the question.

When I was applying for a photocard driving licence ten years ago I asked my GP whether I had to declare ocular migraine, but he just told me to go and ask the DVLA saying "It's not my job to give medical opinions". Over the five months that it took to get my licence back it became abundantly clear that he didn't want the responsibility of making a decision.

DH has just had his licence renewed for 3 years and started driving again, following a post stroke seizure 20 months ago. DVLA move very slowly and ask for all sorts of medical reports before they will allow someone to drive. Quite reasonable I believe. However stroke and seizure recoverers are only advised not to drive. There are no official reports by the medical authorities. As a result we know of several recoverers who have continued to drive. Of course if they were to have an accident, their insurance would be invalid. But that would be of small comfort to anyone they hit. The husband of a former colleague sneaked out and wrote off a row of parked cars, because he would not accept he was unfit to drive. It does seem wrong that unfitness to drive should be self regulating.

I came up this problem of when someone is unfit to drive when DD very seriously damaged her right arm in a road accident. She wanted to get back into a car and drive as soon as possible so she didn't lose her nerve, but I was really worried as to whether she could legally drive when her arm was still very weak.

I never got an answer but her solicitor provided the solution. He said other people with injuries like hers usually drove automatic vehicles, so that they had both hands on the wheel all the time. So she went out and bought an automatic. Her arm has made a good recovery, although she does have a permanent disability and, as she says, she will just continue to drive automatic cars.

I am 61 drive every day for work and drive a 300 mile round trip about once a month to visit my daughter. I'm fine driving in the day and feel confident in my abilities but only drive short distances at night now as I do feel my night vision is not as good as it used to be. I always make sure I do the journey to my daughters both ways in the daylight hours.

I'm 68 and DH, who is always very critical, recently told me how much better my driving is lately. I've never had great night vision so I don't drive much after dark. I do make a point of continuing to drive on motorways and negotiating tricky junctions because I think that once I give up on them I shall turn into one of those old ladies who plan their journeys round never making a right turn.

My childrens' father (my ex) was knocked over last week by an 89 year old lady who shot out of a junction knocking off his bike. He was lucky he was not injured more than he was. He felt sorry for her and police were not called and no further action apart from insurances swapped etc. I do think he should have reported the collision as, even at 89, she really needs to be brought to task.

My husband is 71. He didn`t drive from July 2013 until last summer, because of illness and operations, but eventually got back behind the wheel. At first I was nervous, but then realised he was OK driving. But over the last 3 months or so his driving has become rather erratic. Both myself and all our children now think that he should give up driving, but he doesn`t agree. I think that there should be more of a check when drivers renew their licences at 70, not just going off their own statements of ability.

Some years ago my DH was experiencing a lot of horn tooting and comments from some young drivers.

His driving seemed fine and I eventually came up with an idea. DH had taken to wearing a Panama Hat and I suggested he replace it with baseball cap. This worked like a dream.

I think the Panama Hat was causing younger drivers to see him as an "old foggie."

falconbird
any suggestions for making a female driver appear younger - a wig, a pink car, a tattoo?

More tricky "for the ladies. "

I'm grey but don't drive, but maybe if the driver is grey haired, a blonde rinse or a wig

However, I don't think the young chaps would be so aggressive towards a woman driver. Could be wrong.

We have an XTrail car (for towing) and inherited my mum's little Peugeot 107 (70 mph!). I really notice the difference in the attitude of other drivers according to which car I'm in. I get much more respect when I'm driving the XTrail. Except at school leaving off time - I've been shouted at in the XTrail for being a pushy mum! (I wasn't pushing anywhere - stationery at the time trying to let him through) I thanked the offender!

@Falconburg - It is a well-known fact that as a man ages he will experience a strange desire to buy a Panama titfer... this should be resisted at all costs...

Oh dear, I have 2 fedoras = does that count

No worries about the Fedoras as long as you aren't being v signed by young drivers, or shouted at through the passenger seat window. If that happens you may consider different head gear

To be honest, wearing a hat while driving a car... well, it goes with stringback gloves and a steering wheel cover in puce velvet...

But it is the lure of the Panama that signals the onset of premature senility!

I have fought it off so far... but with difficulty.

We've just been out and about and followed a particularly slow driver up to a traffic lights where we ended up beside him in the other lane. I noticed we was wearing a hat AND the string gloves but........no seat belt!

Mollie a niqab hides most wrinkles (bar around the eyes, but you could team it with sunglasses) also works on a bad hair day.

I have a friend of 62 who is a dreadful driver - but she's been a dreadful driver since she passed her test at 19! It was a wonder to me that she passed 1st time! I've just done a 70 mile trip today, and the worst drivers were lads in hot hatches, overtaking lorries with just feet to spare. I think that many older people who are bad drivers always have been. As to the night driving, i used to take a chap some 30 years younger than me if we had to go on business to the south coast - well over 200 miles - and it astounded me that he wouldn't dream of doing that trip without an overnight stay. So, again, some older drivers bad, some younger drivers also bad!