Just wondering.

[GHOST1750]

Talking to my brother awhile ago and the subject of age came up. In our RV club we have one gentleman who is 93 years old and still driving his own motor home. My brother and I was wondering who on this forum is 80 and over and still driving their class A motor home. My brother is 80 and tomorrow I will be 85. My brother drives a 37 ft. and I a 40ft.

[Gjac]

Mile High wrote:

Gjac wrote:
I don't think age is a factor for me, at 71 I would still like to make one more trip to Alaska and drive until I felt it was no longer safe but my wife does not want to travel anymore after two accidents that scared her. So I am forced to give it up and find something else to do.

Tough call 😞 Can you downsize to a B?

I am working on that angle now but so far it is not working, we used to have a hi top van for years that we camped and traveled in. It gave you the option to stay in a park or hotel. She said that was then this is now. We are going to go up to NH camping next week in the MH but she wants to drive her own car up.

[olfarmer]

I am 73 and my brother is 83. He seems to be very competent when driving his 30' motorhome. Our mother was 98 when she died when she slipped and fell on ice, she was getting in her car to drive 50 miles to her podiatrist. She had no restrictions on her license not even glasses! I think everyone is different my wife is also 73 but has vision and health issues. She can still drive but doesn't want to much and will not drive after dark.

[ferndaleflyer]

I'll soon be 78 and just returned from a short 300mi trip driving my 40ft class A pulling my 32ft race car trailer with my drag racing car inside. I also won one of the races that I attended. I was the oldest driver there. I will be leaving NC for the Grand Canyon first of October with plenty of stops going and coming for about a month----hope my driving skills hold up.

[down_home]

I have probably related this before but....
I met a Widower who was 95 from Texas at the factory a few years ago. His family was trying to get him to hang it up and live with them and...maybe he should have.
But I met several more, one a Pilot who was widowded and 95 and he had no plans to hag it up.
Five years or so ago met a WWII Vet Navy at VA who was getting around more lively than 30 year olds and smoking like a tar keel.
And others in their seventies with sever arthritis, diabetes etc who are slowing down.
So don't slow down or age will catch up with you.

[Mile_High]

Gjac wrote:
I don't think age is a factor for me, at 71 I would still like to make one more trip to Alaska and drive until I felt it was no longer safe but my wife does not want to travel anymore after two accidents that scared her. So I am forced to give it up and find something else to do.

Tough call 😞 Can you downsize to a B?

[Gjac]

I don't think age is a factor for me, at 71 I would still like to make one more trip to Alaska and drive until I felt it was no longer safe but my wife does not want to travel anymore after two accidents that scared her. So I am forced to give it up and find something else to do.

[Expyinflight]

My mom just turned 85. She has been a poor driver for a few years.
Has banged and scratched up the car a few times already. But, she passed her driver's test again just a few weeks ago. The examiner did warn her that she drives too slow, and could possibly be rear ended. My dad, sister, and I....were all hoping they would not let her keep her license. Luckily, she doesn't drive very much or very far anymore. And they live in a small midwest town. But it is still a worry to us. She should not be driving.

[Mile_High]

I'm sure glad I'm getting on the backside of this nanny generation! I don't think I have ever heard of anyone hurt from the elderly in an RV - pick something else to wear the letters off your keyboard - jee-zoots

[gonesouth]

It's consequences versus enforcement. When I did driver ed, the instructor suggested that if being caught with a DUI let to instant execution at roadside we'd end dunk driving. I tend to agree.

[hipower]

malexander wrote:

hipower wrote:

malexander wrote:
I'm 59 years old. I've had my private pilot's license since I was 18. I earned it 1 month before I graduated high school(april 30, 1977). I also have my class B CDL drivers license.

I've said for many years that I think EVERYONE should have to do a driver's proficiency class and driver review, with an examiner, every time they renew their driver's license......and pay a designated(by the state)examiner for it themselves. After all, we have to do this every 2 years (BFR) for our pilot's license. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

This would take a lot of people off the road that shouldn't be driving, possibly lower insurance rates, and probably lower the crash rate.

Flame suit on and ready, lol.

At 70 I tend to agree with your thinking re: retesting regularly. I've driven several million miles commercially and plenty more personal miles in RV's, cars, trucks and motorcycles. As most people I believe my skills are still well above average, but know many people who were never good drivers and still aren't.

My concern would be that by taking away driving privileges via periodic testing we may increase the numbers of people who become unlicensed drivers. There seems to be enough of them already.

Can't say I don't agree with you. But if the penalty were stiff enough, they may think twice about driving.
Personally, I don't think the DUI fines are high enough. If they were say, minimum $10,000.00, first offense, with absolutely no chance for reduction it would reduce the DUI rate pretty drastically. Hold them accountable just like the IRS would, don't let up.

Hard to debate that, if we believe drunks have any functioning common sense when they are under the influence.

[crasster]

It's somewhat the cruel joke of RV's. When you are young and could go crazy RV'ing, you don't have money. When you are older and have money, you don't always have the health & reflexes as the young ones.

[malexander]

hipower wrote:

malexander wrote:
I'm 59 years old. I've had my private pilot's license since I was 18. I earned it 1 month before I graduated high school(april 30, 1977). I also have my class B CDL drivers license.

I've said for many years that I think EVERYONE should have to do a driver's proficiency class and driver review, with an examiner, every time they renew their driver's license......and pay a designated(by the state)examiner for it themselves. After all, we have to do this every 2 years (BFR) for our pilot's license. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

This would take a lot of people off the road that shouldn't be driving, possibly lower insurance rates, and probably lower the crash rate.

Flame suit on and ready, lol.

At 70 I tend to agree with your thinking re: retesting regularly. I've driven several million miles commercially and plenty more personal miles in RV's, cars, trucks and motorcycles. As most people I believe my skills are still well above average, but know many people who were never good drivers and still aren't.

My concern would be that by taking away driving privileges via periodic testing we may increase the numbers of people who become unlicensed drivers. There seems to be enough of them already.

Can't say I don't agree with you. But if the penalty were stiff enough, they may think twice about driving.
Personally, I don't think the DUI fines are high enough. If they were say, minimum $10,000.00, first offense, with absolutely no chance for reduction it would reduce the DUI rate pretty drastically. Hold them accountable just like the IRS would, don't let up.

[hipower]

malexander wrote:
I'm 59 years old. I've had my private pilot's license since I was 18. I earned it 1 month before I graduated high school(april 30, 1977). I also have my class B CDL drivers license.

I've said for many years that I think EVERYONE should have to do a driver's proficiency class and driver review, with an examiner, every time they renew their driver's license......and pay a designated(by the state)examiner for it themselves. After all, we have to do this every 2 years (BFR) for our pilot's license. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

This would take a lot of people off the road that shouldn't be driving, possibly lower insurance rates, and probably lower the crash rate.

Flame suit on and ready, lol.

At 70 I tend to agree with your thinking re: retesting regularly. I've driven several million miles commercially and plenty more personal miles in RV's, cars, trucks and motorcycles. As most people I believe my skills are still well above average, but know many people who were never good drivers and still aren't.

My concern would be that by taking away driving privileges via periodic testing we may increase the numbers of people who become unlicensed drivers. There seems to be enough of them already.

[malexander]

I'm 59 years old. I've had my private pilot's license since I was 18. I earned it 1 month before I graduated high school(april 30, 1977). I also have my class B CDL drivers license.

I've said for many years that I think EVERYONE should have to do a driver's proficiency class and driver review, with an examiner, every time they renew their driver's license......and pay a designated(by the state)examiner for it themselves. After all, we have to do this every 2 years (BFR) for our pilot's license. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

This would take a lot of people off the road that shouldn't be driving, possibly lower insurance rates, and probably lower the crash rate.

Flame suit on and ready, lol.