To old to pull that big rig.
Is 70 years to old to pull that big trailer or 5th wheel you bought 10 years ago. Your eyes are weak, you are slower, the hearing not so good anymore. Maybe time to down size. What do you the America...
Forum Discussion
When are we to old, I'll be 73 in a few months. I retired as a Training Engineer from a major transportation company at the age of 68. I rode in the right seat with a lot of 25 to 50 year old drivers that I never felt completely safe with. These drivers never exhibited any flagrant safety violations, just little things that raised flags with me.
When are we to old:
When we do not realize our limitations, I no longer plan on driving 600+ miles a day. I feel comfortable and ALERT driving 350 to 450 miles per day. I stop every 2 - 3 hours to walk my pet and myself. I try to hit major cities in the off traffic hours and this will vary with the geographic location. I no longer need to keep a time schedule, if I'm a day later no big deal and no frustration on my part.
Safety items to keep you safe.
We know from experience to maintain a safe following distance and that is utterly impossible in our congested metropolitan areas. What is the solution in metro areas? Drive the second lane on 3 lane or more road ways, this keeps us out of the exit and on ramp lanes. In doing so, you have an out if things get out of hand and gives you the option of two other lanes to escape to.
Keep you head moving scanning ahead to note traffic hazards and changing conditions, check your mirrors both left and right for vehicles in or approaching your blind spots. Scan a gauge at the conclusion of your out side scan to note vehicle condition. Start the entire process all over again. (Keeping our head moving prevents us from entering a snooze mode and gives us a much better picture of what is going on around us).
When you lose your safe following distance, don't become frustrated or angry just slow up for a few seconds and continue in your lane.
Driving practices: Drive five MPH faster or slower than traffic when safe or legal to do so will help to keep you out of harms way. The problem will either be in front or to the rear of you. Square off your low speed turns as this will prevent encroachment into oncoming traffic lanes when possible.
Last of ALL arriving to your destination safely is the most important part of the journey.
When are we to old:
When we do not realize our limitations, I no longer plan on driving 600+ miles a day. I feel comfortable and ALERT driving 350 to 450 miles per day. I stop every 2 - 3 hours to walk my pet and myself. I try to hit major cities in the off traffic hours and this will vary with the geographic location. I no longer need to keep a time schedule, if I'm a day later no big deal and no frustration on my part.
Safety items to keep you safe.
We know from experience to maintain a safe following distance and that is utterly impossible in our congested metropolitan areas. What is the solution in metro areas? Drive the second lane on 3 lane or more road ways, this keeps us out of the exit and on ramp lanes. In doing so, you have an out if things get out of hand and gives you the option of two other lanes to escape to.
Keep you head moving scanning ahead to note traffic hazards and changing conditions, check your mirrors both left and right for vehicles in or approaching your blind spots. Scan a gauge at the conclusion of your out side scan to note vehicle condition. Start the entire process all over again. (Keeping our head moving prevents us from entering a snooze mode and gives us a much better picture of what is going on around us).
When you lose your safe following distance, don't become frustrated or angry just slow up for a few seconds and continue in your lane.
Driving practices: Drive five MPH faster or slower than traffic when safe or legal to do so will help to keep you out of harms way. The problem will either be in front or to the rear of you. Square off your low speed turns as this will prevent encroachment into oncoming traffic lanes when possible.
Last of ALL arriving to your destination safely is the most important part of the journey.
