John, thanks for the article. Guess one can say I am *on strike* when it comes to driving. Major panic attacks and driving don't mix very well.

The attacks all started gradually when my parents stopped driving 6 years ago... now the panic starts the day before I am scheduled to drive my parents somewhere. And how I use to love to drive. Told my folks only local trips from now on. They will need to change their primary doctor [they didn't like her anyway] to one who is just around the corner and who is just as good. I can do *just around the corner* :)

Thank goodness we live in the internet age so I can shop on-line... I can even order groceries on-line [Peapod here in the D.C. area] and they will deliver.

I will try my hand on driving back on the main roads later in the year.... maybe during the next snow storm.... people don't tailgate as much then, and actually drive the speed limit in a blizzard :P
(0)
Report

Thanks for your insights!
(0)
Report

I thought I was a good article. I gave up driving when I was 21 as i didn't like it. That was a mistake, I have had to miss out on so many things I have wanted to do. However, I don't have to go through the trauma of loosing my license and ,as a very elderly woman, I am sure I would.
(0)
Report

y car went to "junk heaven" a couple of years ago and I kept my license. Buying a car was cost prohibitive for me. I truly felIt the loss of independence even at 78. That is why I still have my license. I am not sure now that I will keep it...Why should I ,,I think. I am and was a good driver and had only a few fender benders in my life. All of the suggestions given are helpful as far as I am concerned. While I am grateful for the programs that allow me to get around the city, I miss my independence and/or flexibility. Each person must search their own hearts and minds for what works for them. Namaste..oliveoyl
(0)
Report

John Schappi is a very wise man to be cognizant of this. My FIL was 94, still driving, wheelchair bound for six years or more. He has a van with auto lift.which he was failing to operate properly so he would get stranded with a dead battery. Finally, when my husband and I were dealing with my husband's surgery, my out-of-town BIL came and took his keys away. FIL suffers extreme pain from RA in shoulders and hips, which we believe would affect his reaction time in driving. The anger in this man (he blames all of us) continues to resurface and he feels this was the beginning of his decline. Ohio law does not even require retesting. When it came to license renewal, the ladies at the Bureau helped FIL with the eye exam. Why is this the responsibility of children when it clearly becomes a public safety issue?
(1)
Report

Thank you for your excellent commentary. I wish all seniors were as self-disciplined as you.
(0)
Report

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter