Elderly drivers with driving licenses for life to undergo fit to drive tests

[bluesofa]

9 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

Pah' a junior  .. Prince Phil' was knocking 98 before he managed to put his Land Rover on its side last year .. 

He got confused and thought he was in the butcher's and heard someone say lean back, but he leaned over instead.

[rumak]

2 hours ago, mr mr said:

i wonder how much it will cost to pass the test. 

contact that agency with the marijuana .........

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

Is that not done on the 5 yearly renewal ?

No, they watch a video, take some ineffective 'reaction' tests and off they go. 

 

The entire driver competency system is not fit for purpose as evidenced by the carnage witnessed daily. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

No problem, they'll just drive without a licence.

And if you've got no license, no need to pay for tax and insurance either.

 

@JoePai 5 year renewals were introduced about 15 years back, but only for new applicants.

If you're a Thai older than 40, you probably have a lifetime license.

I have a car and a bike permanent licence obtained in 1993.

[Pilotman]

2 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Are you in your 70's? How do you know he has slowed down? The problem arises only if said 70 year old has never ridden a sport bike before. But I do know some 40-50 year old ex racers who won't ride a sport bike on the road. Too dangerous. (one was 40 when he told me but now probably closer to 50?)

 

As with any skill it is "time in the seat" or experience which makes the difference which is why most collisions are cause by 18-24 year old with very little "time in the seat".

 

Fortunately the ergonomics of sport bikes are such that older riders will steer away from them. 

I dont think that was my quote, someone else said it?  Actually checking, it is and I stand by it. It was a generalisation as an example.  I though that was obvious, but clearly it was not to everyone.   

Edited August 8, 2020 by Pilotman

[PETERTHEEATER]

5 hours ago, Curt1591 said:

I always was amazed that, in California, one needed a special attachment to ride a motorcycle. Yet, any 80 year old blue hair could hop behind the wheel of a class A motorhome!

Is the 'special attachment' a Zimmer frame?

[crazykopite]

What country in the world gives out a drivers license for life . My Thai drivers license is only for 6 years I am on my 3rd renewal , my U.K. license is good up till my 70th birthday which is next year I believe it then has to be renewed every 3 years . When I was living and working in the USA the license I had there was not for life either 

[ronaldo0]

If it’s as good as the actual driving test then what’s the point !

[kevc]

You know what gets me is they come up with these little add on laws when they can't even enforce crash helmets being worn, 75 percent of road deaths they say are because they weren't wearing one. I mean what could be easier it's not as if they might be or might not be wearing one.

[CGW]

5 minutes ago, kevc said:

75 percent of road deaths they say are because they weren't wearing one.

Where does it state that as fact? near impossible to believe that the average plastic bucket Thais wear will "save their lives" if the accident is so severe that the helmets save them do the shorts and T shirt protect the rest of their anatomy. ????

[Robin]

Is Thailand the only country in the world where you can pass your driving test without even needing to change gear?

Reaction and colour blindness tests are only window dressing.

I was at my local test centre when and old Thai came in and was tested.  ( His daughter was concerned that he was getting too old to drive!)

he could not take the colour blindness test as he could not see the lights!  Similarly with the reaction test.

He shouted abuse at the examiner, so she passed him to avoid making a fuss.

Probably typical of the Thai system.

 

[TKDfella]

6 hours ago, colinneil said:

Not just the elderly drivers need to under go fitness to drive tests, every driver here should have to do the same, as a very large percentage of drivers are not fit to be on the road.

Now, now Colin we know the latter is true but you are committing the 'four term fallacy'...one word with two meanings, Ha. (joke)

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand’s Land Transport Department is considering a recall programme requiring holders of driving licenses for life, aged over 70, to visit the department, or its branch offices, for a test of their physical fitness to drive.

Should start from 18 until death.

[Scott Tracy]

9 hours ago, Captain_Bob said:

The most dangerous drivers on Thai roads are definitely males aged approximately 18-30 who think they can do whatever they want because they are self-entitled and invincible. A lot of them don't even have a drivers license because they are too cool to play by the rules. Or for that matter anyone who belongs to a well-connected hi-so family because they are above the law. 

I'm sorry, but I disagree. The most dangerous drIvers on the road are the 12 year old kids with their friends on the borrowed broken down old motorbike. They have no licence, roadsense, no sense of danger and no worries...no looking left or right when pulling out into the street, no idea of which side of the road to ride on. No idea about brakes....

[trainman34014]

9 hours ago, JoePai said:

Is that not done on the 5 yearly renewal ?

Laughable.....when i go for my 'Medical' the Quack asks me if i feel ok and then signs the form !

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

My Father in the UK at 82 years old still drives too quickly IMO - we’ve had discussions and some disagreements about his driving. I won’t let my son in the car with him while he’s driving (when we are in the UK I always drive, or if we are going out for dinner, I won’t drink, so I am the one who drives etc)

My mother was still driving at 91. Passed the test every year. But she was sensible enough to only drive on roads she used most day.

[GreasyFingers]

8 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Yes. But the article refers to lifetime licenses.

They stopped issuing these (don't know when).

But of course the existing remain valid.

So this is kind of a recall for older drivers only.

A stepson has one.

 

My wife has one for a bike. After driving a car for 20 years she had lessons and got a car license. but she still drives like a Thai.

[digger70]

10 hours ago, JoePai said:

Is that not done on the 5 yearly renewal ?

Nah , Just a basic  Colour /Reaction /Depth perception test.

[cerox]

I do not see an issue here. They can drive without a license.

[Artisi]

11 hours ago, JoePai said:

Is that not done on the 5 yearly renewal ?

Seems not, I'm in the middle of renewing my 5 year licence and have just completed the process of an online test with an appointment after watching a 1 hour video and answering 3 questions correctly to present myself, along with old licence, yellow housebook, passport and printout of test result and appointment detail to get my new licence. 

Lets see what happens when I turn-up on the day/ time. 

Edited August 8, 2020 by Artisi

[Guderian]

I'm surprised this needs discussion. We all know that our reflexes and senses deteriorate as we age, even though we're still handsome men/sexy women. My friend and neighbor back in the UK denied that he had any problems driving, until one day his wife pointed out to him that half the car was driving along the pavement (sidewalk) and he didn't realise it. He gave up driving after that, and probably a good job too, as a month or two later he collapsed from hypotension, which is apparently not uncommon in older people taking medicine for hypertension. It could have happened while he was driving if he hadn't had his earlier experience driving on the pavement. Grow old gracefully is the message here, rather than undignified dying and maybe taking others with you. 

[Artisi]

10 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Yes. But the article refers to lifetime licenses.

They stopped issuing these (don't know when).

But of course the existing remain valid.

So this is kind of a recall for older drivers only.

A stepson has one.

 

I think the issue of lifetime licence was about 2000 or there abouts, I just missed out when I got my Thai licence. 

[Almer]

12 hours ago, colinneil said:

Not just the elderly drivers need to under go fitness to drive tests, every driver here should have to do the same, as a very large percentage of drivers are not fit to be on the road.

Well that will be a first for many, going to a driving test/  licence centre

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, johnray said:

Just drive a pay the fine later.  The chances are you won't get caught.

Certainly not by any patrolling police.

[Grumpy one]

23 hours ago, BritManToo said:

No problem, they'll just drive without a licence.

And if you've got no license, no need to pay for tax and insurance either.

 

@JoePai 5 year renewals were introduced about 15 years back, but only for new applicants.

If you're a Thai older than 40, you probably have a lifetime license.

Many drive now with no licence, insurance, no money and not a care in the world

[Stargeezr]

My dad lost his license due to forgetfulness. he went to the doctor and

the doctor cut up his license. It took my mother in law, 4 reminders to get

him from their home to the office as Dad kept forgetting where they were

going and why. Glad the doctor was a wise man.

Geezer

[Saltire]

In my youth I had a part time job cleaning and prepairing returned cars. I also picked up customers in the minibus from Glasgow Airport, mostly Americans and Scandinavians.

 

One day I picked up a very old and infirm looking American gentleman from Las Vegas who walked with 2 sticks and had a porter bring his luggage. I did not expect him to be the driver and waited for someone to join him but he was on his own and impatiently told me to get a move on.

 

When we arrived at the office I could see the manageress was thinking the same as me. Can he drive? With some glee she took his licence and saw that he was in his eighties and we could not offer him a car as the included insurance stopped at 80. He was pretty upset and stared to rhyme off a list of cars he owned in various cities in the USA.

 

The manageress called the head office for advice and was told to give him an informal driving test and if he passed and paid for additional insurance he could have the car. The car by the way was a brand new, top of the range Ford Granada automatic.

 

Guess who was voted to sit in the passenger seat and 'test' him? Yep, me. I figured if he didn't hit anything i'd pass him but if he so much as clipped a wing mirror i'd fail him. Next to a motorcycle taxi ride in Bangkok, this drive was the most terrifying 15 minutes of my life. The depot was city centre and traffic was busy as we pulled into a one way. He lurcehd out in between two oncoming cars and off we went. I kept thinking 'he is on the wrong side of the road to what he is used to, hope he remembers.

 

So actually he did not hit anything but he was a ball hair away from parked cars on the left, but he avoided contact.

 

We gave him the keys and we never seen him again (he was returning to a different depot).

 

My rule on the roads here: Old pickup probably a very old driver, pass with caution!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GreasyFingers]

4 hours ago, Saltire said:

So actually he did not hit anything but he was a ball hair away from parked cars on the left, but he avoided contact.

Were you like this

[DavisH]

On 8/8/2020 at 10:34 AM, giddyup said:

Do you think passing a colour and reaction test is enough to ensure you are a good driver?

The testing done here dosen't ensure anything, really. And even those requirements are too much for many people to pass the test. Making the testing tougher will just result in more unlicenced drivers/riders. 

[Burma Bill]

On 8/8/2020 at 9:24 AM, JoePai said:

Is that not done on the 5 yearly renewal ?

In my experience -"no". At the completion of each 5 year period all I had to do was undergo the 3 initial tests for color blindness, reaction and judgement. Having passed these then present my passport and money, then go for photo and get new licence. My current Thai driving licence is valid until my 80th birthday, however I am now a Cambodian resident and it is not valid here, neither is an International licence, however I can easily obtain a Cambodian licence by presenting my valid Thai one, passport (with visa) and pay 35 US$ - no tests.