Isn't This Just A Stupid Idea

[renegadefm]

I was browsing the government petitions last night, and I stumbled apon one that I felt would just cause more harm than good. 

 

Its a petition to make drivers from the age of 60 retake their driving test. 

To start with what if your job is a driving job, delivery driver, or taxi, HGV. 

 

Plus theres people like me that a car is vital to get me to work. 

 

Taking a car test, or booking one isn't going to be a swift situation, and what if you don't pass either your theory or practical test straight away.

 

Imagine the disruption this would cause all over the country, it would shut the country down, forcing people to lose their jobs as they can't get to work. 

The age 60 typically means currently theres 7 more years to work, so personally whoever created this petition needs to concider all these things. 

 

I'm surprised the government didn't reject it altogether, but its become an active petition gaining a few signatures. 

 

Am I the only one who can see this is a stupid idea? 

[ToraToraTora]

Yep and under my scheme you'd get a subsidised vehicle if your circumstances warrant it. You'd be better off and I'd be worse off but I am looking at the societal big picture of the whole transport infrastructure. Private unnecessary motoring will be very expensive to pay for the other aspects.

[renegadefm]

ToraToraTora, 

Sorry but how would a subsidised vehicle work, when we currently own the family car that also my partner drives. 

Did I also add, public transport around Cornwall is not suitable for most of us relying on getting to work. 

There is no bus route in my area at 6am that could get me to work, or in fact non on that route at all. 

Everything is very spaced out here. 

Its not a case of oh hang on I think I will just jump on the next bus to town. Its just not happening here. 

[davebro3]

I would join the fray but TTT's ideas are so ludicrous they aren't worth arguing about.

[ToraToraTora]

It's all part of the overall plan for a proper subsidised public transport system integrated and paid for with and by existing motoring. Similar to the motability vehicles, people who need it will be assesed and provided with transport, that can be a state supplied car. I don't pretend to have all the finer points nailed down but there must be a better way. Empty seats are transported most of the time every day millions of wasted miles and fuel. The public transport system is a joke there is a lot more that can be done by standing back and thinking the unthinkable.

[renegadefm]

ToraToraTora, 

But that idea just wouldn't work in rural areas. 

Yes a car has empty seats most of the time apart from the drivers seat, but to make a journey cost affective in the way your thinking would require picking up random strangers, because in reality no one else is going to the same place as the driver. 

Of course there is the possibility you could organise something the day before to see if a neighbour wanted to go to town, that's assuming your going town that day, but to make the journey cost affective the neighbour would have to chip in or its a waste of an idea. 

 

Great ideas on paper, but actually its physically never going to happen. 

[ToraToraTora]

" but to make a journey cost affective in the way your thinking would require picking up random strangers" - nope think it through, that is not how I plan to reduce the number of empty seats.

[davebro3]

we could each have a Sinclair C5 🤣