Is she too old to drive? Pensioner crashes into a marquee at a flower show and causes a terrorist alert?

Hadn't heard of this incident but having instructions how to drive on dashboard looks a bit worrying!!

It would appear so, I wonder if she was new to driving an automatic car and the list was an aide memoire for this.

I do like lists, but this is taking things too far.
Dementia?

Not heard /read about this except the post but age may not be relevant with regard to the "instructions" as she may have only just switched from a lifelong driving of manual to an automatic. Which could also explain the unfortunate crash. However it could be dementia I suppose in which case she shouldn't be driving, whether she is 55 or 85. (dementia can, tragically, strike early sometimes). So I wouldn't necessarily judge on age but on competence. If an arbitrary age limit is imposed on drivers then I think half of Gransnet would be disqualified!

Oops.. Crossed posts.

pamelaj1 I read that article as it was front page on a local paper it was one of the village shows,from what I can remember woman was in 80s,but no arrests where made at time,a few people where injured picture shown of a gentleman on floor being treated and quite a lot of damage was done to stalls and exhibits,thinking you may be in similar area to me.

I agree - it sounds as though she was new to an automatic car. Very unfortunate incident.

Yes, down to earth - just up the road so I’ll be getting more details soon. I’m meeting a friend tomorrow who lives in the village .
The village does have its fair share of erratic drivers and the parking there is interesting!
I agree with you all about age. My mum, in her nineties Is still driving competenly but we do evaluate her skills when she’s driving us around.
I didn’t need an aide memoir when I changed to an automatic and if I had I might have remembered R for reverse?

There have been two reported local incidents over the last few years where elderly drivers have put an automatic car into drive rather than reverse, accidents in which it was a miracle no one was killed.

One driver crashed through railings into a deep river. The car sunk completely. But for the heroic actions of passers by, he would have drowned.

The other man careered across the village green towards the the pond crashing and demolishing a lamppost where familes gather to feed the ducks.

What worried me wasn't just that the drivers had engaged the wrong gear but just how long it had taken each to realise what he was doing and a complete failure to engage the brake. Both were driving new, very large, powerful cars which may have been a factor.

Certainly not competent, but whether that is age related remains to be seen.

Maybe another lesson to be learnt? Change to an automatic before it’s too late to learn how to drive one?

There was a discussion about this on LBC the other day.
Made me even more reluctant to drive again (moved to a new town with good public transport.)
I had a look on line for driving assessments, I thought there were lots, but no, and they cost £55, so not sure what to do.

PamelaJI’s comment about “erratic driving” reminds me of the only (minor) shunt my dear MIL had driving her daughter’s little car in Leeds back in the 70’s. MIL would have been in her early 60’s and was a very elegant “ladylike” lady, think a younger Miss Marple, bun and all.
Anyway a young Leeds PC came round to talk to her about the accident and in broad Yorkshire asked, “Now madam, would you say you were driving erotic-like?”

Maw

I've just remembered the last time I drove, end of May.
We have an automatic car, and by mistake I put it into Manual and drove along in 1st gear for about 2 miles before I realised what that awful noise was .
TG no harm done.

Maw??
Fennel, I suppose £55 isn’t a huge amount to pay to either confirm that one is competent to drive or not.
Either it would confirm and give confidence to the driver or convince them that it’s time to take taxis and maybe avoid a tragic accident.

I really think there should be regular retests for people over, say, 70.

I agree with kittylester. People over 70 already have to renew their driving licence every 3 years so it would be a simple matter to include a test.

My dad's driving got very erotic - oops I mean erratic - when he got in his eighties and we were quite concerned that he might have an accident and hurt someone. He wasn't the sort of person that you could suggest that he gave up driving but he set light to his garage whilst charging up the car battery (!) and the car was ruined. So no more driving - phew!!

Locally there were 2 incidents I can rember where a driver put the car into forward rather than reverse - in one, a pedestrian was killed; in the other, a pedestrian lost their leg; both drivers were over 80 (one, I think, was over 90). Maybe it's time people were not allowed to drive over 80 - from friends' experience, elderly people become unable to recognise when they are no longer safe to drive, and very stubborn about stopping...

The lady was 80. Not necessarily too old - I've known people of her age and older who have been safe and competent drivers - but this particular lady was certainly neither safe nor competent. Someone (relative, friend, neighbour) should have taken her keys away or at least reported her to DVLA.

Many years ago a friend was intending to reverse out of our drive in her new (to her) automatic car. Instead to our shock and surprise she drove forwards, at some speed, straight into the garage into our car parked inside. She was in her 20s and could probably have done with an aid memoir.
I feel for the poor woman, she must be absolutely mortified.

Ban her from the roads. I bet she was over 60, probably well over.
In 'Surrey Live', an online daily update as to traffic, travel, weather, events and crime, it was today reported that a female driver had to be cut out of her car after she crashed into a tree on the wrong side of the road and split the tree halfway up it's trunk. One branch was hanging by a thread just above the roof area. Obviously, she was taken to hospital but the tree may never recover. This was a clear B road in daylight.
I think you should know when enough is enough and use public transport. Cars are lethal weapons and I don't care about whingers who say they need it to get out of the house. To drive when on medication, without your driving glasses, when confused or any condition which impairs your ability to make informed decisions when in charge of a vehicle, is putting other innocent lives at risk.
Families should inform the drivers' doctor if they have concerns.
I had a good friend whose driving was abysmal but, because family lived far away and friends were too hesitant to say anything (she was very well known in the area and headed all sorts of committees) they said nothing but absolutely refused lifts. I used to joke and say my life insurance would be invalidated if I rode with her.
In the end I told her doctor, who, crazily, told be that she 'wouldn't have long to enjoy her one pleasure'. We knew she had terminal cancer. What an excuse.

I agree, Gabriella. In the cases I mentioned above, as well as the tragedy for those killed/injured, I felt for the drivers - imagine ending your life knowing that you have killed or maimed someone, that is so sad.