It would be a good thing if the Duke of Edinburgh were to set a good example and stop driving. There are far too many old people who drive for far longer than it is safe and there might be fewer of them if they were set a better - and public example - by their betters.
I might say that we have known two people here in Epsom, both respectable citizens in other ways, both with a long record of public service, who did not stop driving when they should have. Which was both selfish and irresponsible of them. Both dead now, but they could both have afforded to buy both mobility scooters and taxis. Or even walked short distances. And we were all too polite and deferential to tell them so.
I might also say that FIL was exemplary in this regard. He had a funny turn while out driving one day in a country lane in Devon and stopped driving more or less on the spot. And gave his car to us.
Collectively we need to move from a position where older drivers are tolerated to one where they are actively discouraged. A journey we were able, eventually, to make with drink driving. A journey they still have to make in some parts of the world, for example in some parts of Africa, with rape.
No comments:
Post a Comment