Mandatory driving tests for the elderly.

This topic came up years ago and the politicians decided to let the issue die on the table. I think they need to reconsider this. Let me present you some examples.

1. I am heading into my neighbourhood, on the way back home. On the main street in from Hwy#2 is a roundabout; essentially, this is a four way stop without the red octagons and the stopping. The concept is really not complicated as long as you know, AND FOLLOW, the normal rules of the road that gives first right of way to the vehicle on the left. My recent experience had an elderly couple, at least over sixty, driving into the roundabout going left. A roundabout only goes in one direction and at all four corners a very clear ONE-WAY sign is planted in full view. Yet here I was, nose to nose with a vehicle the Roo would easily have cut through like a hot knife in butter if I was going faster (which I usually do), if I had not seen them in time and/or if the conditions were not dry. All I got from the driver was her smiling face and a wave. I mounted the curb with my truck and drove around them thinking they would take the time to back up on their side and continue properly. NOPE. She instead continues towards the side I just came out of while two more vehicles approached them from the right. I did not stick around to see what happened but I did not hear a large crash behind me so I continued on.

2. Just before the roundabout there is a left turn lane that leads into Ajax Down's Slots (casino). On a daily basis we are swerving out to the right lane because these a-wipes cannot enter the clearly marked lane and turn from it but must instead insist on straddling the line to the left lane and make a wide seeping turn. Again, conditions have meant no big issue but one day there is going to be a big, bad accident in that corridor. If I am unfortunate enough to be in one, based on the typical vehicle performing these asinine maneuvers, I will not be the one hurt in the process. I don't want to see this happen to anyone, especially TR.

3. The standard process to enter a moving highway is to accelerate one's vehicle up to the current speed of flowing traffic. Routinely, we are stuck behind someone who seems like they cannot fathom this concept and rolls up the ramp at the same speed they trudged through the city at. They do not have to speed but they do need to press the little pedal on the right with a touch more verve. And before you come to the defense of the elderly understand that I have many mature people around me and only one of them exhibits this behaviour. Quite frankly, that person should start to think about driving less as well.

There are many more examples of this issue and I am not saying all elderly drivers need to be taken off the road. I am saying that as we get older, we get slower and our reflexes are not as sharp. There is nothing wrong with asking that the ability to continue operating a two tonne machine be retested periodically. Hell, I welcome the entire population to have to be retested periodically because some people in all age groups had no right getting (or buying) their license and being allowed on the road with the rest of us. Every five years, and after any questionable incident/accident on the road, each license holder should be retested for road competence.

I think the roads will be that much safer if this happened. In my humble opinion.

Peace.