Older Drivers

I phoned my Dad up the other day & had a nice chat with him. He was telling me about his 'girl' friend whom he likes to take out for lunch (& sometimes dinner at the RSL club he goes to). I think its really nice that he has someone he can spend some time with after all Mum has been gone for almost 10 years now. That's an awful long time to be on your own.

Dad was telling me how his friend suggested that she catch a taxi to the restaurant they wanted to eat at. Dad got highly offended. Dad told me that he wasn't going to go out to lunch with his friend any more if she didn't think he was good enough to pick her up & drive her there. I can understand where he is coming from. He's 82 years old and of that generation who did the noble thing and picked up your date when you went out.

I can also see it from his friends point of view too. As I mentioned Dad is 82 now. His driving skills are NOT what they used to be. When we were in Adelaide visiting him last year he took us to Salisbury one day for lunch. I nearly had a fit when he began driving down the middle of a two lane road. Granted it was for traffic going in the same direction but he was driving down the middle of it leaving no room for anyone who might have wished to overtake us & we were heading towards a roundabout making me think he wasn't going to be able to stop & give-way. He seemed like he was off with the pixies and not concentrating as much as he should have. I didn't point it out to him at the time. I didn't want to upset him. However I am thinking that perhaps I should have. So I totally understand why his friend wants to catch a taxi.

Dad ranted on a little bit on how he gets his approval from the doctor each year so that he is allowed to renew his license. Well that is all well and good but I am thinking that he needs to have a yearly road driving test. Sorry Dad I love you to bits but you are NO longer a safe driver!!

Next time I talk with either of my sisters I might mention his driving and let them deal with things. They might be able to handle him better than I can considering they at least live in the same state as he does.