How old is to old ??

[mrsmackpaul]

Yeah touchy subject as the years slip on by

Some young person decided it was wise to suggest that once people get passed a certain age they should be restricted from driving

Thats like a red rag to a bull for me, not because Im old but because there's to many bloody rules now getting made by pimple faced kids with no life experience and or appreciation for life and what life is all about

I had a rather vigorous discussion with this young know it all suggested he should rethink his attitude before some one decides to re-educate him

Anyway now to the purpose of this post 

While in NewZealand I met a bloke by the name of Vic Hungerford, Vic has been on a Australian truck forum for years

Vic has driven for the one company for over 50 years 

Vic is 82 and still drives when they are short of drivers

He sent me this photo this morning and tells me he has spent a week driving this, reckons "it's hard work been retired"

 

 

So how old is to old ? I reckon if you can do it and you want to do it then all these law making jokers should pull their bloody heads in

 

Well done Vic

 

Paul

[Joey Mack]

I dont think there is an age..   I think its more of the condition and mind strength of the person..  My father in law retired from operating a motor grader at 75..  He lived 10 more years..  However I currently work with a 70 year old man who is having some issues, he has crashed the city truck several times in the last few years, one was a total loss.  the two, I witnessed, was ,, he smashed the driver side mirror,  twice..  to me he is not old, but his mind and vision, is failing..  It is sad to see..  He is a good man..  but he is dangerous behind the wheel of an F-350 dually..  I have also worked with drivers that were well into their 70's and keeping a good pace..   Paul,  Maybe the young'n needs you to make his lunch from a can of 'Whoop-ass',   and see what and old Bloke can do..  I don't have a better answer than,  It is about the person in question, not the age..  Jojo

[Mark T]

I agree with Jojo.  Problem I see more and more, younger people have no person to person communication skills. Everything is text and email (if it's on the internet it's true) . Keeping that in mind, there's no way a younger person in a position to make a decision like that will have any idea of the person in question's abilities .  Then they pat themselves on the back think'n they made a correct decision ..... then text (them/their) about how bad the supply chain issue is.  Paul wonders "how old?"  I wonder where the #^%@ is common sense gone. Seems to me like it's on the same path as drivers that are too old.

[Joey Mack]

Yes sir, Mark..   No F'n common sense anymore..  If the phone or computer doesnt fix it, their brains cant either..  So ...   Bring on the older folks..!!....   I work with a 28 year old who is very inteligent, but seems to know everything about everything, then when you ask him what his approach is,,,   he actually hadnt done it, he just read it on the web..  But He put's it out there like he has the skill's..  It's weird..  

[Mark T]

It is. it's like learning a foreign language . 

[Joey Mack]

Amen,,,   I struggled with Ebonics,  Now I have a new language to learn....  What is it called???  'Hipster;??  I dont know..  jojo

[JoeH]

I heard a study on the radio a couple years ago.  Babies' eyes/brains process a ton of images per second. The older you get: the less images per second your eye/brain process.  Reality is, as you get older your body becomes less capable. Some people's bodies deteriorate earlier than others, so I think it's foolish to stamp an age restriction.  If you can pass an honest Medical Card Exam (USA requirement, don't know what you Aussies have) then you're good to go.  That being said, you have to be an honest critic of yourself.  I had a little old lady pull out in front of me from a side street once, almost T boned her in my empty triaxle. I slammed on the brakes and left tire skids.  That's a lady that obviously couldn't pass a vision test but the bloke in the DMV last time she had to renew her license didn't have the heart to tell her.  We've all been there, driving behind an elderly person driving 15 mph under the speed limit because they have cataracts and have to use peripheral vision to see straight ahead.

 

As a "young bloke" trucker whose been driving  with his almost 70 yr old dad for 15 years I can tell you vision aside: muscle memory is huge.  My dad has been in his same 1979 R686ST since 1986 with a few other trucks coming and going in our fleet. The body knows what it knows. He'll take the old truck and work it right to it's limits. We're trying to finish rebuilding a mixer for a 1988 RD690S so we can retire his truck while there's still something left of it worth restoring for shows.

Also, regarding texting & driving: I see just as many middle age and elderly looking at their phones in the car as young people.  

[mrsmackpaul]

Agree with all above, a lot of younger people have absolutely no idea at all on how to actually speak to people 

And a lot of people today dont like been told no

No matter, Vic does a bloody good job driving a truck and probably as good if not better than a lot of people half his age

If we went by people's capability to actually drive we would probably have to take 20% of people off the road today 

There is some shockers put there turning a steering wheel these days, young and old and everything in between

 

Paul

[mrsmackpaul]

1 minute ago, JoeH said:

 regarding texting & driving: I see just as many middle age and elderly looking at their phones in the car as young people.  

I often wonder if texting and talking on the phone is bad while driving, then why dont new cars have something to jam the phones signal so they dont work when the motor is running 

Dont get me wrong, Im not for moment suggesting we should text or use the phone while driving

Paul 

[JoeH]

The deterioration also happens slowly, so you adjust over a long period of time. Abnormal becomes normal, and it becomes normal to keep driving as your body becomes less capable.

[mowerman]

At 68 I’m finished had enough but yeah so if you enjoy what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter and of course, in good health keep on going as far as young kids… from What I see they just keep getting dumber and lazier as time goes on …:  US foods is starving for help lift gate and hand truck delivery haha good luck with that…bob 

[tjc transport]

i have "kids" tell me all the time i need to retire and let some "young blood" behind the wheel. 

only problem here is the "young blood" steering wheel holders can not keep them on their wheels. we average three rollovers per day in new jersey. 

i have two friends that are 89, and 91 that still drive. Gene had his CDL pulled last year at 90 years old, so he now only does site work.  Jessie is still on the road, but he too will go on site next year when the state pulls his CDL. NJ has a no CDL over 90 rule. 

funny part of it is both those old times will run circles around the kids.  in their sleep.

i had a guy come to me "highly experienced", with 10 years on the road. can not drive manual trans, can not follow directions. of the fps was not three inches from his nose, or he was more than 14 foot from the truck in front of him, he would get lost. and can not drive off asphalt. he looked at dirt and got stuck.

he lasted 3 months and we sold the truck he was driving to get rid of him.

[mowerman]

Same here bud when it comes to something other than holding the steering wheel, I run circles around everybody, especially tire chains and pre   trip post trip. Yes

[mowerman]

Ass clowns constantly bringing us, flat tires air leaks, incorrect, placards, and paperwork over weight axles  you’re not a truck driver you are an idiot…, 

[davehummell]

TJC have you ever heard of Great northern trucking out of Netcong it was right of rt 80? I was wondering if it was still going.

[tjc transport]

sure do Dave, but i don't think they are in Netcong anymore. 

last time i was past there in the spring the trucks said Big Red LTL 

[davehummell]

I worked for Great northern as a mechanic I think at the end of the 70's they had all R and F model Macks when I worked there. The trucks were well used for the most part.

[The Rubber Duck 006]

Yeah in my 15yrs out here in the road I marvel at some of my fellow drivers that are older than me by almost 20yrs and come ask me how to tie down loads on a flatbed or drag tires because they are too impatient to let the air build on a spread axle flatbed etc. Or can't wait five minutes at a Shipper or receiver before they are calling the Dispatcher lol. We had a guy the other day tell our mechanic that he points his Mirror mounted CB antennas forward not just for better reception but he doesn't want to be over 13'6 lol 😆 😉 😜 

[mowerman]

A few of our drivers run their antennas that way I don’t know how much of a difference it makes my radio is worked on couple years ago they put a bigger board in it and all I have is a 4 foot Bargin truckstop antenna straight up gets out like 12 miles… of course it doesn’t do me any good most of the time since there’s nobody on it only our trucks Bob

[The Rubber Duck 006]

5 hours ago, mowerman said:

A few of our drivers run their antennas that way I don’t know how much of a difference it makes my radio is worked on couple years ago they put a bigger board in it and all I have is a 4 foot Bargin truckstop antenna straight up gets out like 12 miles… of course it doesn’t do me any good most of the time since there’s nobody on it only our trucks Bob

Yeah it helps with Modulation. The metal on the truck scrambles the radio waves.

[mechohaulic]

for me it was a sad day when I turned in my C D L license since I had it from the first year they came out ('69?). medical card almost impossible to obtain. the roads in CT are so bad to be  on, i don't go driving unless necessary.  doing 65 in a 50 and everyone is passing . couldn't justify the hassle to keep the CDL. the fun days are gone. may will be 72 ;darn all this time I thought I was 70! the mind is still there, just don't know where.

[tjc transport]

don't feel bad. my mind says 25, but my body says 125.

[mowerman]

On 12/19/2022 at 12:27 PM, mechohaulic said:

for me it was a sad day when I turned in my C D L license since I had it from the first year they came out ('69?). medical card almost impossible to obtain. the roads in CT are so bad to be  on, i don't go driving unless necessary.  doing 65 in a 50 and everyone is passing . couldn't justify the hassle to keep the CDL. the fun days are gone. may will be 72 ;darn all this time I thought I was 70! the mind is still there, just don't know where.

its the same way here,,,,people drive like shit ...bob

[mowerman]

Yeah, Mecho  like i understand turning in your license is probably a little degrading. However, I cannot wait to get out of these trucks. I am going to keep up my license. If possible I have to do something with my blood pressure I was about it let’s see what happens frankly, I don’t really plan on driving anything once I retire….. Bob

[mowerman]

And yes TJ … I’ve probably mentioned this before . I don’t feel any different than when I was 20 it’s only been recently I’m starting to notice slight body issues….so far been very lucky since I hardly do anything but sit in the same spot 8-1/2 hours a day but I walk with the old lady every chance I get … Bob.