At what age should you stop driving a bus

[robert]

luvrbus,

Great question. I have a fire Captain that can and does work circles around 25 year olds. My surgeon last year was 77 and teaches sx at a major univ. I would say give up your keys when YOU and YOUR wife think it is best.

[buswarrior]

The fact you are wondering means you'll be fine with hanging up the keys, when the time comes.

It's the folks who are in denial of ever having to consider stopping that are the dangerous ones.

The attention to driving, the accumulated experience and the application of it cannot be measured by a yearly advance of this counter called age.

And the maturity and confidence to honestly self evaluate does not come automatically by way of age either.

Great topic, thanks for raising it!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Cary and Don]

There are a lot of ways to prolong your driving.  Know your limits.  My dad is 90 and still driving.  He avoids high traffic areas, especially during rush hour.  Never drives after dark.  He makes sure he knows exactly where he is going.  Mom plays co-pilot, just like a gps. He drives a shorter length of time. DMV checks him every year with a driving test.  He drives more defensively now that he did when he was younger.  He doesn't hurry, drives the speed limit and doesn't push it.  Mom on the other hand, no way.  If you are honest with yourself,  you will know.

Don and Cary
GMC 4107
Neoplan AN340

[wvanative]

I think you should give it up right now, this very day. Then sign the title over to me so I can enjoy it while I still have a few good years left myself LOL. I promiss I'll take good care of her.

WVaNative

[blue_goose]

There are lots of good answers here, I still drive over 50,000 miles per year and don't think I am having any problems.  Left Lakeland FL Sunday morning at 4:00AM drove to Chicago, airline back. Drove through Orlando today at 5:00PM.  I won't tell you how old I am but in 25 years I will be 100.  Hope that I will know when the time comes to quit.
Jack

[Catskinner!]

Clifford

   I know why you posted this question, but quit beating yourself up over it.
The incident could have happened in your Jeep just as well.  Just be thankful
that nobody was hurt, except for it scaring the He!! out of you.  Oh, by the way
Sonja will tell you when it's time to quit.

Catskinner!
Sonnie & Patti Gray
72 0/5 Eagle 3406 Cat
Pottsboro, Texas

[Dreamscape]

Clifford

   I know why you posted this question, but quit beating yourself up over it.
The incident could have happened in your Jeep just as well.  Just be thankful
that nobody was hurt, except for it scaring the He!! out of you.  Oh, by the way
Sonja will tell you when it's time to quit.

Catskinner!
Sonnie & Patti Gray
72 0/5 Eagle 3406 Cat
Pottsboro, Texas

I agree Sonnie!

After talking with Clifford today and hearing why he's concerned, I would be too! Now I know why he posted the question. But it didn't happen, just scared the crap out of him! He will get back on his horse and start riding again soon, that is if he gets out of that jury duty. 

Paul

[FloridaCliff]

Clifford,

From one Cliff to another, We ALL have incidences every once in a while.

I drive about 35-40,000 miles a year in my job, I have the longest running (19 yrs) of no accidents or incidents in the company.  But in reality, I have close calls all the time.  Sometimes it just depends on who your driving around and how THEY are driving.

I think just by asking the question, that you have shown you will know when its time.

And when a friend like Sonnie says "but quit beating yourself up over it."  Probably really good advice.
Get out there and enjoy that beautiful bus you have.

Maybe I should start a Poll on this      LOL

Cliff

[Dallas]

Clifford,

You've asked the right question and you've probably already answered it for yourself.

I'm probably a lot younger than you and most everyone on this board, after all, when I was 5 Cat was twice my age!

I grew up driving, tractors, bulldozers, heavy equipment of all types and sizes, Trucks, buses, little cars, big cars, pickup trucks and just about anything else that had a steering wheel, tiller or control sticks.

I was an Over the road truck driver for about 30 years, and averaged around 125,000 miles a year for a total of over 3 and 1/2 million miles of commercial driving.

I'll tell ya, I quit driving truck in 2000 because of various reasons, one was that I fid no joy in driving anymore. I've had people run up under my trailer thinking they could get a quick insurance settlement, DOT regulations, although being needed, have taken the enjoyment out of driving long stretches in the middle of the night, Auto drivers are not taught the rules of the road anymore, and it seems the police selectively enforce whatever rules they see fit.

The only thing I drive anymore is the bus, I just about refuse to drive a car as being a victim of some other idiots stupidity is not the way I want to go. My reaction times aren't nearly as good as they were at 40 and I would just like time to see the world go by from the passenger seat for awhile.

I'm tired of dealing with the idiots out there and I have a plan to put an auto in our bus so I don't even have to drive it on the open road anymore.

You know in your heart when it's time to stop, don't let a close call scare you, in fact, don't let anything scare you away from driving. BUT, when you feel you aren't up to the task anymore, think about it and then make an informed decision.

By the way, many senior centers, community colleges and state agencies hold periodic 'refresher' courses for older people.. maybe you could look into one. It might give you some insight into how you really feel.

Dallas

[Charles Seaton]

The fact that you are asking the question means that you have a lot of years left behind the wheel.  And, it is not always the age.  A lot of younger people have no clue about how to drive on the highway and I have seen some middle-agers in S/S who don't know they should stay in the right lane, even when they have a line of tractor trailers and cars behind them unable to pass.  Physically and mentally, you will be the best judge of how much longer you should be driving.