Flash guy, which part of Dallas do you live in? Uber, etc makes things pretty convenient these days. (And might not cost that much more than a car.)

Also, depending on your income level, it might be worth talking to a local limo company/other group about a driver, etc.

My grandmother paid someone through her church to drive her.

quote:

Originally posted by yucaipa:
[QUOTE]Not looking forward to the hard conversation, looking to see how other members have had to handle this situation?

I personally never had to deal with it. Both my Mom and my Dad were alert, intelligent and fast thinking right up to the day they died. I was lucky.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
Flash guy, which part of Dallas do you live in? Uber, etc makes things pretty convenient these days. (And might not cost that much more than a car.)

Also, depending on your income level, it might be worth talking to a local limo company/other group about a driver, etc.

My grandmother paid someone through her church to drive her.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still able to drive (I think). I'm in NE Dallas, on the borders with Richardson and Garland. (I call it DalLandSon.)

flashguy

Our episode with my Dad was fortunately not very bad. He had a diagnosis of the onset of Alzheimer’s; had some minor fenderbenders early on and got rattled and lost his bearings once when confronted with road construction barriers. Soon after his license came up for renewal. He answered truthfully about any medical issues, his Alzheimer’s. DPS wouldn’t renew without a full driving test and medical review. By that time, he realized he wasn’t going to navigate the written test. Soon enough he was calling us to come get his SUV, since he wasn’t using it.

flashguy,

We live in McKinney and I drive all over Collin County for work. We also have a daughter that lives South of you, near I75 and Royal Lane.

I will send you an email with my contact info.

Ken

I hesitate to post this, since it is not one of my better memories.
I investigated a crash where an 88 year old man, driving a mid 70s Cadillac, T-boned another vehicle in an intersection. The Technical Crash guy who helped me investigate estimated impact speed (45 MPH zone) at 65 MPH. No braking before impact. The impacted vehicle was struck full on the right passenger door. On the other side of that door was a woman who was 7 months pregnant. She lost the kid and had severe, life threatening injuries. Her husband driving the car was seriously hurt as well. The elderly man was just bruised up. He gave me a written statement to effect that prior to the crash, he had sneezed and dislodged his false teeth, which caused him to accelerate into the intersection. I think this was not the case, since I found his glasses lying on the floorboard of the car. I think he was hunting for them before the crash, but could not prove it. I charged him with a red signal violation and vehicular homicide. The vehicular homicide charge sounds serious, but in fact was a misdemeanor. Three days later, the mans entire family showed up at the station, quite pissed off. Upset about the charges? Nope. They wanted my scalp because I filed the paperwork to have him re-examined for fitness to drive. They all said "Dad has to drive to get groceries". I asked them how many people had to die before they put him on the bus. He did eventually lose his license. A civil suit followed this up with a large settlement.
I love to drive and when I can do so safely, drive fast. I own a motorcycle too. I hope when the time comes that I begin to be a danger to others, I have the sense to take the bus myself.

Sad story Yooper. Alas, the odds aren’t in your favor that you will gracefully give up your keys. Obviously I don’t know you and mean no disrespect, it’s just been my personal experience that when someone ages out of driving it is rarely graceful or trouble free.

My mom rarely drove but would in occasion go local. Ended up wrong way on a road that she had travelled 10000 times. We broached the subject with her. She wasn’t really open to it. We dropped it because she didn’t drive much anyway and then she up and announces she wanted to sell her car. Problem solved. Now without a car in garage her smoking parlor just got 10 times bigger. Lol

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
In my case it's not a relative I'm worried about--it's about me. I am 82 . . .

Sidenote to flashguy. I think you are doing quite well for being 82, compared to others I know of that age.

Some states offer a 'Drivers Evaluation Request' or 'Driver Reexamination' if you have concerns. It's a form you fill out and submit to the agency that issues the driver's license. Check on-line.

However, it may be 'easier' if a driver is just willing to voluntarily forfeit/surrender their DL and actually stop driving.

$.02 worth,
Boss

quote:

Originally posted by Boss1:
Some states offer a 'Drivers Evaluation Request' or 'Driver Reexamination' if you have concerns. It's a form you fill out and submit to the agency that issues the driver's license. Check on-line.

However, it may be 'easier' if a driver is just willing to voluntarily forfeit/surrender their DL and actually stop driving.

$.02 worth,
Boss

Thank you for this suggestion Boss1. I checked and indeed there is such a form in the State where my crazy Aunt is driving. I sent it to my family for consideration. Thanks again!

quote:

Originally posted by GRIZZLYBEAR:
I've have told my children and old ball and chain that if they ever tried to pull my driver license there would be hell to pay. If any of them attempts to go behind my back to a doctor or some police officer (that is known to be a family friend) tries to give them a little under the table help. I will have my attorney sue that doctor and will be at the cop shop filing a complaint against the officer.

As far a the kids they will be dropped from my will and if due to their meddling my license gets pulled I'll do the same thing that hundreds of people do that lose their licenses due to driving impaired or unpaid fines----drive without a license!!!!

Working in healthcare I have had to deal with many deceased persons due to others who share your disgusting attitude. Glad I dont live near you and certainly glad I am not a member of your family

Yup, did it to my grandpa, my dad too.
They didn't like it but they knew it was the right thing to do.
Not gonna like it when it happens to me either.

Along about 2013, my dad drove his pickup into the local café, we talked to his attorney about what would be best and he offered that when he was faced with this, he confronted his father about his driving skills and told him that if he could pass the state driving test, he would let him keep driving. It made it easier for us since my dad hadn't renewed his license in several years, and we told that he could not drive unless he renewed his license, which would require taking the drivers test, to which after careful consideration, he decided having us drive him wherever he needed was a much better solution. He passed in 2015.

quote:

Originally posted by SW_Sig:
flashguy,

We live in McKinney and I drive all over Collin County for work. We also have a daughter that lives South of you, near I75 and Royal Lane.

I will send you an email with my contact info.

Ken

Thank you. I have responded via e-mail.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I hesitate to post this, since it is not one of my better memories.

I understand. In my case, I had been stopped at the line in the intersection and had just begun to enter after the light turned green, and the pickup made a left turn and went in front of me; he had been hidden by another vehicle to my left. Fortunately, the hit was at relatively low speed and both occupants of the pickup were uninjured (AFAIK)--the impact did disable their vehicle, but mine was still drivable. My airbag did not deploy. The officer who made the call did not write me a ticket. I was concerned about the people in the pickup, but they did appear to be OK. Their vehicle was pretty high and the impact was low down in the door/front apron.

flashguy

One of the old-timers at Our Little Airport was 92, absolutely sharp, no sign of mental degradation at all.

He flew from Florida to Texas to visit his son. Navigated through some nasty weather, flew an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach to minimums, landed, got the airplane parked, and the <big name> rental agency refused to provide the reserved car because of his age.

The old-timer got hold of the rental agency manager, dragged him to the window, pointed at the weather, told him that he had just come down final approach at 110 mph in that gusty rain, and was perfectly capable of driving a car at half that speed. Further stated that if the manager wanted to deal with a law suit for age discrimination, old-timer would be happy to let his son handle it; son was a prominent attorney in the city.

Agency manager recognized the son's name, decided that a law suit was not in the business's best interest, rental car was provided promptly with no further discussion.

V-Tail, that is a great story!

I once sent a 94-year-old patient for aortic valve replacement, as he was getting married soon. He was an ex-gymnast (used to be the guy shot out of a cannon in the circus) and still had more muscle than most any of us have ever had.

My Mom had a relatively minor fender bender when she was in her mid-to-late 70s. It was not even her fault - another driver turned right in front of her. But she told me that if she was on top of her game, she thought she could’ve avoided him. She said she was concerned that she might hurt someone else because her driving skills had diminished some and she voluntarily gave up her license and sold her 15-year old car with less than 20K on it. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT THAT BATTLE AND I APPLAUDED HER FOR HER DECISION.

I stopped driving 3+ years ago after I flipped my Jeep. Pissed me off really good. Now they kind of want me to give up my license, too. I'm not driving, but they can't have my license either. One of them suggested I just give it up. I said they just need to come take it. Then that they don't have the guns or ammo to do that.