Driving distances

My friend and I both drive long distances. We take turns. Brother lived in Scotland for 30 years and I drove from Liverpool to Aberdeen regularly until he died a few years ago.

Every Autumn we drive to Somerset to see a friend of her's and on the way call and stay with my cousin in Monmouth. We are 78 and 82! She is a really good Navigator don't need any Sat Nav with her aboard. When we are staying in an area we then use our bus passes to get around, this gives us a break from the driving

I am lucky that family all live within a 10mile radius so no need to do long journeys. Any longer journeys i do by public transport as i can't cope with not knowing where i am going (can't use a satnav)and dealing with all the traffic on the roads now adays.I also know that if there was a diversion i would panic.I know my limitations so stick to them and drive safely and secure in the knowledge i know where i am going!!!

That was where I went wrong!
I stopped for a caffeine fix on my way home and should have had a medicinal ice cream instead!

I was doing 500 miles in a day on my own, a few years ago, including M25, to visit DD and back, but would always leave home about 6am, to get round M25 easily. This month I did 300+ with DD, including 2 detours so she could visit friends. However the point of this post us I did 120 miles yesterday in the heat to collect DGD, and thought I was going to die. We had to stop for medicinal ice cream, it was so bad.

As soon as I passed my test i found myself doing long journeys, with the two small children in the back. DH's job required regular overseas travel at short notice (2 hours was the shortest and for indefinite periods so I often drove up to holiday destinations and he then joined us or similar, I visited relatives and friends all over the country

I still kept this up after he retired becauseh e kept on working part time and I had responsibility for the care of relatives some distance from me.

Now he is retired and the relatives have died our main long journeys are to Yorkshire to see DS and family. DH enjoys driving, I do not dislike it but prefer looking out of the window and commenting on the landscape. but we have made a conscious effort to share the driving. One drives one way and the other drives back.

I am determined never to reach that stage where I am afraid to drive.

Maw feeble is the last word I would use to describe you. Maybe yesterday was a one off given the weather etc. Another time you would feel fine.
I am 74 and still love driving and the furtherest I have driven in recent years was the 1500 miles plus from Portugal to England in two and a halfdays. But I do have a large comfortable automatic car. Now DH is back I don't get to drive so much which I don't like. Of course as you pay to drive on the motorways they are mainly almost empty so to drive 250 miles to the Algarve is a doddle. When we drive to England in the summer it will be in my car but DH will expect to do the bulk of the driving. I do think it's "use it or lose it" when it comes to driving as some of my friends won't drive more than 20 miles nowadays.

Well, you're all younger than me - I'm 82.
So I suppose some would say, should you be driving at all at your age ?.

Since the introduction of traffic management I've found the M25 easier to drive than previously. My son lives near Heathrow and the M3/M4/M25 junctions so they're always busy but TM makes it all flow more smoothly. The worst thing is boredom in slow-moving traffic!

I enjoy driving, which is just as well as we have no public transport here and it's a 40+ miles round trip to a shopping centre. I sincerely hope I never stop wanting to drive, though this thread has got me worried!

I’m 70 Magrithea and have always been independent about driving (e.g. London to Scotland to visit my parents back in the early 70’s until their deaths in 1997 and 2001) I had to do all the driving when Paw started having dizzy episodes after heart surgery 7 years ago. Then his health declined altogether, so I have had no hangups about driving. I used to drive him to procedures at the Royal Free in Hampstead when he could not use public transport unti SIL and DD kindly offered to pay for a car and driver to take us there and back.
Yesterday just tired me out a bit more than I had expected and I admit that when it comes to London (I now live 50+ miles up the M1) I have more recently taken the train.
It is a mindset. And now I am rested I plan to continue to drive whenever possible - the exception being night driving down country roads!

Meant to say...anyone who doesn't think they are capable..

try watching "The 100 year olf drivers"!! makes you feel a whole lot better lol.

Used to think nothing of driving any distance..but since dh died ) almost 4 yrs ago) I was left without a car. I did have motorcycle then dropped back down to a scooter..but just seem to loose confidence.

I sold scooter and now have little second hand car. But I am reluctant to travel any distanc beyon d an hour.
Been driving 40 yrs no prob. and Im missing invites to family.
I live in North West and would need to travel across country to This said of Hull.
But having looked at the maps it seems a lot of crossing over/joining motorways...

They used to live in Beverly East Yorks so I used to go via Blubber houses/Harrogate etc lovely run.
Maybe I will get my driving mojo back.

I think the bus pass was my best birthday present ever! What was the question again?
I love being driven and zooming up the motorway in the Megabus for free. When it's dark and horrible weather, even more reason.
I have to drive sometimes but if I can avoid it I do.
Both sets of parents lived 500 miles away so I've done my share of long distance driving. Now DD is 100 miles away and not on a bus route which is a pity.
There's no joy in driving.

Wot
As this is a medical appointment do you not have a patient transport service in your area.It is not free but you will get a round trip at one price. I have used this in my area and it is ideal as no matter how long your appointment takes there are no waiting charges incurred unlike a taxi service. Ask at your GP surgery I did and was given a list so you can take your pick.

Not sure how old you are Maw but I'm 61 and still enjoy driving distances. I can listen to what I want on the radio and just take it as it comes - no point in stressing about the jams. I drive to my Mum's, about 120 miles, and as we live in the countryside with poor bus service we both have to drive to get anywhere. Actually I prefer driving myself as DH thinks he's a good driver but takes more risks than I do and we often have a row about it on a journey!

I’m still driving everywhere and long distances, always enjoyed driving and I’m the first to offer to drive when I go away with friends for the week.
Maw,I think your right it is not a good idea to get on that slippery slope because it’s hard to climb back up again.

Recently, I was tempted to take the bus the 200 miles to visit DD, as it only costs 50p booking fee with bus pass. On reflection I decided to drive, as it did cross my mind that if I stop, I might not do it again. I always did some of the driving on holidays in Europe and USA, but not the bulk of it, and generally on motorways. I'm still very much a motorway driver, though I do drive all the time in the busy city in which I live. I have driven from Devon to NE Scotland when DH wasn't feeling well, a few years ago. I'm the only driver now, so no choice. I do wonder if I'd have the nerve to drive abroad again (I'm 70 now). Right now, I feel that I would, but no plans to do it.

I used to drive to Liverpool (300 miles) regularly. My husband didn't like driving so I did it all with no problem. Lately though I'm finding it more difficult. Whether it's my age or my ms I'm not sure but I don't drive when I'm very tired or stressed because I know I'll make mistakes. The furthest I drive now is Bristol airport which takes a couple of hours. I use taxis quite often and the train for longer distances. I quite enjoy sitting back and letting someone else do the driving.
I do get depressed sometimes thinking about loss of capability and independence but then I give myself a stern talking-to about all the things I CAN still do. I try to be grateful for what I have and be kind to myself.

This is my first contribution to Gransnet. I live in Washington state in the Pacific Northwest. I've enjoyed this blog so much. When I was much younger (in my 30s and 40s), I enjoyed driving for about 6 hours and didn't mind the freeways. Between the distracted drivers on cell phones and the excessive speeds, I really try to avoid freeways. I'll add distance and time to travel surface streets. Again, driving is so different now with pedestrians walking across streets without even looking to drivers not paying attention either. I don't enjoy freeway driving even when my DH or a friend is at the wheel. I hate being alongside the huge trucks!

I'll drive anywhere - just as long as it doesn't involve the M5. Years of driving to and from the Midlands and Cornwall, each year with worsening traffic and lengthier delays. I love Cornwall, but 20+ years of the M5 is enough to make me give up driving!

It's not so much distance it's where. Not happy with London but don't really know why. Also, I must have a Sat Nav for anywhere really new

I am more than happy to drive any distance as long as it’s somewhere I really want to visit. But I do get tired and find I need an early night and an easy next day. It also depends very much on who is with me, prefer to be either on my own and not with my daughter.

Mawbroon we live in Manchester and came to
London the other week. We found the journey via M40 and the toll road much less stressful, but around Cheshire on the M6 there are road works so build that into your journey to Cheshire.
I always build in some easier roads, but the most direct route wherever possible. Happy travels.

You are being quite hard on yourself Mawbroom; a long journey in the heat today on busy motorways would tire anyone . Congratulate yourself on having done it and reward yourself with something nice to eat and drink, with feet up.
Clever girl!

Must say I love my little car. Always used to say I felt like a tortoise, which the car as my shell. Drive all around London (avoiding rush hours, where possible), quite happily. Not as happy about night driving, except on roads I know pretty well.
For past two or three years I have been using the coach to go from London to visit daughter and family in Somerset. However, have now decided that the faff of getting from my house to Victoria Coach station is just too much for me. (walk to bus stop, bus to underground, underground train, then walking from there to coach station and sitting and waiting at gate). It is actually easier to return to driving this distance, during the day, and being prepared to take breaks as I feel I need to at service stations. At least, that way, I do not have to worry as to how heavy a case I can manager, etc.
These days on motorways I tend to stick to the inside (driving lane) at about 60 mph. Best for fuel performance, and quite relaxing. I always have audio books in the car and use these on long journeys, so that even if there is a traffic hold-up, I really do not mind.

Until about six months ago I was quite happy to drive 120 miles from Essex to Leamington to see DD1, A127/M25/M1. I’ve now become very anxious when driving long distances. I still drive 50 miles to DD2 in Kent but absolutely hate the drive back through the Dartford tunnel. I don’t know where this sudden anxiety has come from.
I now take the train to Leamington, £15.00 return with Trainline and senior rail card. It takes 3 1/2 hours door to door but I do get to sit, relax and read.
I think roads, especially motorways, are so busy these days and long journeys become very stressful.