Quote:
Originally Posted by cj
I'm sure you are right. I have similar experiences with people on phones, thought I've seen people my age texting and driving too. That said, seeing somebody that old driving still scares me!
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Back in the early 80's I lived in Hemet California, then as now there is a very large population of the over 65 crowd. I have seen quite a few incidents that make it scary to think what could happen with some of these drivers that should have turned over the keys ages ago. Fortunately most of the aged road hazards don't log a lot of miles. Two incidents I witnessed in parking lots stood out.
There was a very wide sidewalk between a parking lot and the street it was legal to drive across it. A guy probably in his 80's in a huge 1960's Buick begins his right turn a little early partially driving down the side walk and catches the right turn only sign with the side of his car. The sign stops his momentum, so instead of backing up he just gives his 4,500 pound car more gas. The sign slowly starts folding over as his back tire is spinning and the smoke from the burning rubber fills the air, slowly
he folds the sign completely over and his car lurches down the side walk, over the curb and eventually into the street. Since this took a while to crush the sign and with all the noise and smoke at least there was plenty of time for all the foot traffic in the area to take cover.
I noticed the annoying habit that a lot of real elderly drivers have is wanting to park right next to someone even if there are hordes of empty spaces. Saw a guy pull right next to a car with a half dozen open spaces in every direction. He miss judges the distance and hits the car to his left as he is pulling in. He ends up fully in the parking space but only a foot to the side of the car he hit. Oblivious to the distance he now opens his car door into the car he hit. I am now watching him yelling obscenities and repeatedly banging his door into the other car. He finally crawls across the bench seat and exits the passenger side door and strolls toward the store like nothing happened. I walked up and told the frail man 60 years older than me and half my size he needs to leave a note with his information on that car. The guy actually told me to mind my own business and I was lucky he did not punch me in the nose. I just turned away, called the cops from a pay phone and left a note on the car.
