Did anyone here about the 11 people injured, 2 killed eating outside of the Parthenon today?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is tragic and horrible. Why would it be funny?

95 year old MIL thought it was the big bamboozle to go into the DMV, fail the vision test 3 times, and have the clerk grant her her driver's license, anyway. Legally blind and driving. Wonderful.

Why you know she is going to hurt someone you must take away the keys every adult child is responsible for taking the keys from a relative who is unable to drive

How do you propose the adult child do that from someone who refuses? Physically assaulting someone until they are unable to resist and then stealing their possessions is a crime.

[Anonymous]

Interesting that the Post story leads to the inference that this was a tragic error by an elderly driver, but no one actually says (as stated at the beginning of this thread) that we know the driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake. I mean, I guessed, but after 24hrs why isn't he named and the cause of the accident stated clearly?

I was driving in the area at the time and the sirens were everywhere. I had no idea what was happening.

We precipitated events that led to my dad losing his license when he was diagnosed with early stage dementia. Honestly it was very very hard. He was still comfortable driving in his small hometown of 50yrs and he was very resentful that he was being judged incompetent. And taking his license meant he couldn't stay in his home for much longer - none of us kids was local so we found workarounds, but it really forced us to come up with a long-term plan.

I'm so glad we did it, and I strongly strongly think everyone should do this when their parents begin to decline. But don't kid yourself - it's a very difficult process.

One thing to note - even older people who don't have dementia may have enough physical and/or mental issues that they probably shouldn't be driving. Your ability to quickly turn your head fully, to process multiple sensory inputs (visual, auditory) inevitably degrades over time. So even your parents are fit, sharp 80yos, you should be thinking carefully about whether they ought to continue driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This recently happened in Florida. Elderly woman, man killed dining outside at restaurant. Woman not charged, because it was an "accident."

Honestly I think after 65, everyone needs to be retested every 5 years.

Hell, I wouldn't mind everyone being tested every 5 years, because lord knows there are so many people who never should have received licenses in the first place

Testing every year over age 75. No excuse.

Well, make it a real test too -- my teen just got a license after the most lame road test ever. My 82 year old relative just passed an elder driving test in another state, and I swear this person can't see or hear and has numerous troubling health conditions. Now we're in a real pickle because now do you take a car away from someone who just allegedly proved they are safe to drive?

I know public transportation is a poor substitute -- you can walk 10 feet to your car, but the bus stop is too far away. This is why elder living communities are so great -- they have built in transportation options. But getting people to move out of their suburban homes is so, so hard.

[Anonymous]

When my father's driving became dangerous to others my mother had my brother remove the distributor cap from his car. He got pretty mad but he couldn't drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting that the Post story leads to the inference that this was a tragic error by an elderly driver, but no one actually says (as stated at the beginning of this thread) that we know the driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake. I mean, I guessed, but after 24hrs why isn't he named and the cause of the accident stated clearly?

I was driving in the area at the time and the sirens were everywhere. I had no idea what was happening.

We precipitated events that led to my dad losing his license when he was diagnosed with early stage dementia. Honestly it was very very hard. He was still comfortable driving in his small hometown of 50yrs and he was very resentful that he was being judged incompetent. And taking his license meant he couldn't stay in his home for much longer - none of us kids was local so we found workarounds, but it really forced us to come up with a long-term plan.

I'm so glad we did it, and I strongly strongly think everyone should do this when their parents begin to decline. But don't kid yourself - it's a very difficult process.

One thing to note - even older people who don't have dementia may have enough physical and/or mental issues that they probably shouldn't be driving. Your ability to quickly turn your head fully, to process multiple sensory inputs (visual, auditory) inevitably degrades over time. So even your parents are fit, sharp 80yos, you should be thinking carefully about whether they ought to continue driving.

The articles doesn't say it because it hasn't been determined. For all we know, it was a stuck gas pedal, like that accident in California. Google accident and stuck gas pedal - terrifying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my father's driving became dangerous to others my mother had my brother remove the distributor cap from his car. He got pretty mad but he couldn't drive.

But now they have those short term rentals all over the streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my father's driving became dangerous to others my mother had my brother remove the distributor cap from his car. He got pretty mad but he couldn't drive.

Sure he could. All your dad had to do is call a mechanic to tow the car to their shop, and have them fix it. He also could have just bought a new car. Maybe your dad didn’t have the money for that, but plenty of older people do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think 75 should be the cutoff. It won't happen because the elders vote.

I can’t tell if you’re very stupid, or just very sheltered, to think that *no one* over 75 can safely drive a car.

I think very stupid and very young. My neurologist is 76. I'm pretty sure he's fine to drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is tragic and horrible. Why would it be funny?

95 year old MIL thought it was the big bamboozle to go into the DMV, fail the vision test 3 times, and have the clerk grant her her driver's license, anyway. Legally blind and driving. Wonderful.

Why you know she is going to hurt someone you must take away the keys every adult child is responsible for taking the keys from a relative who is unable to drive

How do you propose the adult child do that from someone who refuses? Physically assaulting someone until they are unable to resist and then stealing their possessions is a crime.

You follow the appropriate process in your state. In Maryland, you submit a letter to the MVA (it can be anonymous) and report your concerns and ask them to evaluate the driver. The person’s physician can also contact the MVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is tragic and horrible. Why would it be funny?

95 year old MIL thought it was the big bamboozle to go into the DMV, fail the vision test 3 times, and have the clerk grant her her driver's license, anyway. Legally blind and driving. Wonderful.

Why you know she is going to hurt someone you must take away the keys every adult child is responsible for taking the keys from a relative who is unable to drive

How do you propose the adult child do that from someone who refuses? Physically assaulting someone until they are unable to resist and then stealing their possessions is a crime.

You follow the appropriate process in your state. In Maryland, you submit a letter to the MVA (it can be anonymous) and report your concerns and ask them to evaluate the driver. The person’s physician can also contact the MVA.

That might take away their license, it doesn't take away their keys. Plenty of people drive without a license.

[Anonymous]

Older driver does not mean age caused this awful accident. And even if it somehow contributed, so many accidents are caused by young or professional drivers or inattentive drivers or fatigued drivers or drivers going out in bad weather. By your reasoning, no one should have a driver’s license.

“from 2014-2015. Drivers ages 16-17 continue to have the highest rates of crash involvement, injuries to themselves and others and deaths of others in crashes in which they are involved. Drivers age 80 and older have the highest rates of driver deaths. Drivers ages 60-69 were the safest drivers by most measures examined.” https://aaafoundation.org/rates-motor-vehicle-crashes-injuries-deaths-relation-driver-age-united-states-2014-2015/

[Anonymous]

Have any names been released?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If we had more infrastructure for alternate modes of transport, fewer elderly people would insist on driving (so would a lot if other people who might accidentally lose control of a vehicle). The man driving this vehicle could have been on a bus, train, light rail, etc.

That part of Connecticut Avenue has great and frequent bus service.

Now there is a reasonable idea!!!

You don't understand-it doesn't matter how wonderful and convenient the bus service is! There are people who are "set in their ways" and are accustomed to driving everywhere. They are not going to take a bus, ever.

And even more are immensely afraid of public transportation of any kind because of news stories.

Which news stories are those? This isn't 1980. Despite how frustrating it has been the last 5 months service wise WMATA statistically is incredibly safe - have you even noticed the number of car jackings we are having in this region right now, some even in the suburbs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
If we had more infrastructure for alternate modes of transport, fewer elderly people would insist on driving (so would a lot if other people who might accidentally lose control of a vehicle). The man driving this vehicle could have been on a bus, train, light rail, etc.

That part of Connecticut Avenue has great and frequent bus service.

Now there is a reasonable idea!!!

You don't understand-it doesn't matter how wonderful and convenient the bus service is! There are people who are "set in their ways" and are accustomed to driving everywhere. They are not going to take a bus, ever.

And even more are immensely afraid of public transportation of any kind because of news stories.

Which news stories are those? This isn't 1980. Despite how frustrating it has been the last 5 months service wise WMATA statistically is incredibly safe - have you even noticed the number of car jackings we are having in this region right now, some even in the suburbs?

Maybe there are referring to the person murdered outside a green line station in December?
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/police-say-man-injured-near-anacostia-metro-after-shooting-tuesday-afternoon/65-84ba801f-4b87-4505-9ab1-d5b6a3e0286f

or the shooting outside a Red line train in December?
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/fbi-agent-charged-with-attempted-murder-in-maryland-metro-train-shooting/2688492/

Or maybe the AU student who was stabbed 40 times while riding a Red line train a few years ago?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/victim-in-metro-slaying-stabbed-repeatedly-during-robbery-on-train/2015/07/07/8dd09132-249b-11e5-b72c-2b7d516e1e0e_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have any names been released?

Yes. The names of the victims were released. A 76 and a 73 year old from NW.