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07-12-2019, 07:38 PM
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Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

I drive an automatic now too.... its so easy just point it and drive .... I've never got confused on the foot pedals....so far
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07-12-2019, 09:29 PM
22

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

I prefer a car with an automatic gearbox. Just need to be sure that the selector is set to the way you want the car to go.
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07-12-2019, 09:43 PM
23

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Seeing as last year, a 90 year old crashed into the front of my house, knocking the bay out of line - not happy with that, wrote my car off too which was parked outside, I would say NO!

It's not the first time I have seen it happen either and according to one of the fireman who came to remove the car from my living room, it is a common occurrence.

Luckily the driver was unhurt..... it could have been a lot worse.
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07-12-2019, 10:24 PM
24

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Originally Posted by Longdogs ->
Seeing as last year, a 90 year old crashed into the front of my house, knocking the bay out of line - not happy with that, wrote my car off too which was parked outside, I would say NO!

It's not the first time I have seen it happen either and according to one of the fireman who came to remove the car from my living room, it is a common occurrence.

Luckily the driver was unhurt..... it could have been a lot worse.
I can see that would be a factor in forming an opinion on the matter.
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07-12-2019, 10:59 PM
25

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Originally Posted by Longdogs ->
Seeing as last year, a 90 year old crashed into the front of my house, knocking the bay out of line - not happy with that, wrote my car off too which was parked outside, I would say NO!

It's not the first time I have seen it happen either and according to one of the fireman who came to remove the car from my living room, it is a common occurrence.

Luckily the driver was unhurt..... it could have been a lot worse.
wow, I bet that was scary, doesn't bare thinking about what could have happened. Glad all was ok
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07-12-2019, 11:16 PM
26

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

I have never fancied having an automatic car. I have driven one as a hire car but wasn’t keen on the way it handled hilly country roads.

Another thing which puts me off is an accident I witnessed some years ago. I’m not sure how it happened but I will never forget the horror and tragedy of a fatal accident in the small market town where I lived and worked.

When it wasn’t a market day, drivers could park their vehicles on the cobbles of the market square in the centre of town. An elderly lady had parked her automatic car there and when she returned to the car and switched on the ignition, I’m not sure how she managed it, but the car suddenly shot forward and drove at speed, off the cobbles, up the kerb, across the pavement and right through the shop window she was facing.
The tragedy was that a young Mother had been walking along that bit of pavement in front of her, pushing her two year old toddler in a pushchair. The runaway car ploughed straight into the pushchair and carried it forward through the shop window, killing the two year old child and severely injuring the Mother.
The elderly driver escaped without a scratch but was in shock.

I was working in a 2nd floor office on the other side of the market place and happened to be looking out of the window and saw it happen but was helpless to prevent it.
I’ll never forget that terrible tragic day.
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07-12-2019, 11:28 PM
27

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Originally Posted by Artangel ->
or make left foot braking training compulsory (if that is even possible?)
Bit of confusion here There is NO trainning required for the left foot in automatic gearbox cars.

The only rule is the left foot does NOTHING ever at ANY time.

I can't see how that is difficult to remember.

I suppose what is happening is that some people are forgetting they are in an automatic gearbox car and start trying to change gear using the clutch pedal, even in this scenario all that would happen is the car would stop because it would be the brake pedal not the clutch (Obviously!)
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07-12-2019, 11:36 PM
28

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Originally Posted by Lion Queen ->
wow, I bet that was scary, doesn't bare thinking about what could have happened. Glad all was ok
Just five minutes earlier, we would both have been standing behind the car taking the shopping out of the back, so it could have been a lot worse.
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07-12-2019, 11:55 PM
29

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Originally Posted by Artangel ->
Aerolor, ln the past, l owned both an automatic car and a manual car. I remember, one day whilst driving the automatic and approaching a roundabout, l had a mental block and dithered at the pedals.
Luckily, l got it right as l got to the stop line. I was about 60 then.
Is that 60Mph?
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08-12-2019, 12:02 AM
30

Re: Should Elderly People Drive Automatic Cars?

Originally Posted by spitfire ->
Is that 60Mph?
...
 
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