So there I was, a
passenger in a friend’s car, when she pulled up behind another driver in the
fast lane. He didn’t get over, so she had to pass him on the right. Glancing
over at the other driver, she saw his gray hair and muttered derisively, “Old guy.”
It made me want to reach for the Grecian Formula.
Some 10,000
people are turning 65 every day, a statistic that’s expected to hold for the
next 10 years. Old guys (or gals). A lot of them. On the road. Not such a good
thing for motoring in general.
Oh sure, you
probably haven’t had a ticket in years. You pride yourself on your driving
skills. But the unavoidable fact is that those skills tend to deteriorate along
with the rest of your body as you age. By the time you’re in your 80s, your
accident rate will be roughly equivalent to that of the terrible teens. By that
time, it may be wise for you to consider hanging up the ol’ license. Sad, but
true.
In the interim,
though, there’s something you can do.
First, be aware
of your increasing shortcomings.
Second, try
checking out the AAA website for seniors: www.seniordriving.AAA.com. It
offers all sorts formats for fine-tuning your skills, from quizzes to videos
and slide shows. There even are brain exercises designed to decrease your risk
of accidents, plus guides to comfort and safety behind the wheel and even an
online driver-safety course. The best part: It’s all free. You don’t have to
join AAA to take advantage.
I don’t think
I’ll try to hide my age with Grecian Formula. But neither do I want to be the
aging dude in the fast lane, either oblivious to the traffic behind him or so
self-righteous about obeying the speed limit that he appoints himself lane
monitor. Those folks give the rest of us a bad name: “Old Guy.”
Don’t let that be
you.
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