Knowing When to Stop Driving as Skills Change With Age

[LarsMac]

I have found that conversations have a tendency to become a distraction to my driving a lot more than they used to.
I can put a CD in the stereo and cruise all day.
But conversations take a lot more attention than back in the old days, it seems.
And listening to the news or such over the radio is often distracting, as well.
Interesting, also, My daughter is far quicker than she used to be to volunteer to drive when we are going somewhere together.

I'm beginning to suspect that there may be a connection.

 

[gwinger]

I have found that conversations have a tendency to become a distraction to my driving a lot more than they used to.
I can put a CD in the stereo and cruise all day.
But conversations take a lot more attention than back in the old days, it seems.
And listening to the news or such over the radio is often distracting, as well.
Interesting, also, My daughter is far quicker than she used to be to volunteer to drive when we are going somewhere together.

I'm beginning to suspect that there may be a connection.

I agree about conversations while driving. Even hands free calling takes you mind off what you are doing behind the wheel. You're concentrating more on talking and listening.
It's not quite as bad when it's a passenger, but still distracting.
If my phone rings while I'm driving, I can see who is calling and I let it go to voicemail.
I can call them back when I stop.

 

[TheBar]

I have found that conversations have a tendency to become a distraction to my driving a lot more than they used to.

When having a conversation I find myself missing turns on roads I drive on a lot.

Alzheimer's or just able to concentrate on the subject being discussed better? Hope its the latter.

 

[gwinger]

When having a conversation I find myself missing turns on roads I drive on a lot.

Alzheimer's or just able to concentrate on the subject being discussed better? Hope its the latter.

Just did that last week. Was talking to my wife and missed a turn to get home.
Had to drive another 3 miles to another exit.

 

[DonTom]

When having a conversation I find myself missing turns on roads I drive on a lot.

I have done that too, even when alone--when I was going to various less common radio sites in SF.

IMO, It is because of HABIT. IOW, the subconscious directs you to the road you normally take if you do not think about it. IOW, are thinking about something other than where you're going.

BTW, have you ever stopped at a stop sign and then wait for the light to change? The light that did not exist?

I have done that twice in my life that I can recall, and it was when I was a lot younger.

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[Larry N.]

IMO, It is because of HABIT. IOW, the subconscious directs you to the road you normally take if you do not think about it.

That happens to me occasionally, especially if I'm talking, and yes, it's definitely habit. Mostly it shows up leaving the driveway with DW -- left turn usually goes to certain places, right turn to others, though many destinations could be either way. This manifests itself, usually, if I've been turning right (for example, same happens to left) more often recently, and need to go to the left instead (or the other way 'round). Then it's normally because something else is on my mind, usually a conversation.

That conversation doesn't generally cause any other problem, and it doesn't detract from my awareness of traffic and other factors while driving, only affecting which way I turn. Of course DW immediately comments and I quickly correct my route, if needed. I don't recall ANY occurrence if I'm alone in the vehicle. In point of fact, though, she does comment about my route on other (rare) occasions, but it's generally when we are headed to a "usual" place but I have decided to go via a different route, since I'm not fond of the same route EVERY time, preferring a bit of variety in my routing, when it's practical.

Note that the above happened decades ago too, not just in the last few years, so is not a change in my driving.

 

[UTTransplant]

Larry, I have done that kind of thing as long as I can remember! When I worked on aircraft GPS products, I told folks they were actually invented for me and my horrid sense of direction. There is a very good reason I am the primary driver and Kevin is the navigator - with him navigation we get where we intended to go. With me it would be open to conjecture!

 

[Joezeppy]

Yup - been a victim of habit driving more than once. I recall driving to my nephew's little league game after work one time. Headed north as usual to go home and as soon as I hit the on-ramp heading east I realized my mistake but it was too late to correct. Luckily it was only about a mile to the next exit to loop around and head back west.

 

[gwinger]

Yup - been a victim of habit driving more than once. I recall driving to my nephew's little league game after work one time. Headed north as usual to go home and as soon as I hit the on-ramp heading east I realized my mistake but it was too late to correct. Luckily it was only about a mile to the next exit to loop around and head back west.

Done that many times.

 

[TheBar]

BTW, have you ever stopped at a stop sign and then wait for the light to change? The light that did not exist?

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

OR - were you a victim of the Mandela Effect?

 

[DonTom]

were you a victim of the Mandela Effect?

Could be. No way to be sure of the cause.

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[garyb1st]

BTW, have you ever stopped at a stop sign and then wait for the light to change? The light that did not exist?

That's embarrassing. Ask me how I know.

 

[DonTom]

That's embarrassing. Ask me how I know.

Especially when you have somebody behind you!

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[jymbee]

Especially when you have somebody behind you!

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

Aha.. so that was YOU?!

 

[Brad Buchanan]

We didn't. The other car came after we were already parked. And its engine was still running when we left. We never saw the driver.

I don't have a dog now anyway, so I know longer need to worry about such.

-Don- Big Creek, NV

Dogs the world over are rejoicing!

 

[DonTom]

Dogs the world over are rejoicing!

I don't think so. Our doggies were spoiled rotten.

But I find doggies to be very inconvenient for countless reasons, especially when alone RVing alone as I now do. Or going the 99 miles between my houses on a motorcycle. Or . . . (countless other reasons).

But I love doggies as long as they belong to somebody else!

-Don- Sac Pass, NV

 

[JudyJB]

I quit full-timing for several reasons. The biggest was that my shoulder was getting more and more painful, meaning I was mostly driving one-handed. Backing up one-handed is not easy, plus the costs of repair on a vehicle that you are driving 17,000 miles a year was getting very expensive.

I knew that I could not put the surgery off any longer, and I needed to be settled into something near one of my sons for at least several months after surgery, and Ohio was a LOT cheaper choice than Napa, California!! (Plus California traffic had been driving me insane.)

I may not be a good judge of my own abilities, but I don't think my driving skills got worse, but I got more tired driving, and it stopped being fun. I found a very nice detached condo in an over-55 community where they were not big into activities and clubhouses and all that togetherness. My house is 1,850 ft sq, which is bigger than I wanted, but it has only one floor with no basement, so no stairs. Also rules are fairly flexible here, and we are each responsible for our front porch flower garden and our back patios. I can plant anything, even vegetables in pots or in the inside and outside strips along the patio fencing. Most people here really like being able to do that, though most plant flowers. I overdid the cucumbers, planting extra ones where I had to pull out a couple of dead shrubs and in a pot, so I am pushing them onto neighbors.

A couple of short trips a year centered in Florida is something I am looking forward to because my plan eliminates long, long drives, but enables me to see some of my favorite places and relaxing.