Old Drivers

Now that I am one – old driver, that is – I guess I will have to stop complaining about the other old drivers out there. I was behind an old. . .person this morning on the freeway. In heavy traffic, she the person was driving about 30 (speed limit 65) and talking on the phone. I wanted to shout out as I finally got around her that car, “get off the phone and drive,” but I couldn’t because I was working on a text message at the time.

Now for the bad news – “Within 15 years more than one in five licensed drivers will be 65 or older, the safety board said. Their number will nearly double, from 30 million today to about 57 million in 2030, according to the Government Accountability Office. A 40-year-old needs 20 times more light to see at night than a 20-year-old. Older drivers generally are less able to judge speed and distances, their reflexes are slower, they may be more easily confused and they’re less flexible, which affects their ability to turn so that they can look to the side or behind them.” (Joan Lowy, Associated Press writer)

I was just noticing the other evening driving home from Church how dark it is getting at night, much more so than a few years ago.

So listen up, all you older drivers – GET OFF THE PHONE! It’s bad enough our eyes don’t see well, our ears don’t hear well, our necks won’t turn, and our reflexes don’t work unless we are hit by one of those little hammers.

I think I’ll ask my Heavenly Father to send me one of those “chariots of fire” (see 2 Kings 2:11) for getting around town. I wonder if they come with a young driver?