Old people deserve a lot more respect than we give them.
I don't have a lot of tolerance for people in general who want to get on my case for doing my job, but I look at old folks like this...
If an old fart is grumpy, he has probably earned the right.
Someone in their seventies, eighties or nineties who wants to call me a kid will certainly get away with it. To them, I AM a kid. Hell, they're old enough to be my grandparent.
I find that I let old folks get away with a little more than anyone else.
Now, don't get me wrong. If they're unsafe I'll be the first to put them in for a priority reexamination, but for minor transgressions I'm somewhat more tolerant. I figure if they've been driving for more years than I've been alive, and they still have a license, they've earned a little break.
I'm sure someone will have something shitty to say, just like with most of my other posts, but guess what...
I don't care...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
I'm pleased to see you say this. I'm a few years away, yet, from crotchety old curmudgeonhood, but I see the day fast a-coming, and I am getting to be increasingly respectful of my elders in order to build up some good karma.
I do have a story to tell, though.
Dad is into his eighties. And guess what? He doesn't move or think quite as fast as he used to.
And a few years ago, Mom became a bit worried about him driving, and asked their doctor if, maybe, she should have Dad get some kind of basic work up.
However...
In Texas, according to this doctor, the law says that if anyone brings such a concern to the attention of an elderly person's physician, the good doc has to initiate a formal defined-by-the-state review, and notify the state that the review is taking place, and what the results are. Until the review is completed, the patient is not allowed to drive.
Dad passed, easily -- but the whole thing was humiliating.
Worse, the review did not examine the specific issues we were concerned about.
Now, of course, we absolutely refuse to discuss any aspect of this problem with the doctor. I think Dad needs periodic assessment, but very gentle and respectful assessment, and very narrowly targeted.
Because the state insists that such assessment be as humiliating and invasive as possible, Dad will not be assessed.
Thanks a bunch, Texas State Lege. Thanks for putting my Dad, and his fellow Texans, at greater risk than if you just let those of us who know him best try to deal with this delicate situation ourselves.
And ham-handed idiots in Washington like you, only worse, want to control every aspect of our health care? Piss off.
BRAVO! What a great heart!
I love reading your posts.
You're right. They earned it. However, I wish Pennsylvania would mandate a law that they must retake their driver's license test every year beginning at a certain age. When reflexes are slow, it's a danger to us all.
Smitty, you're absolutely right!
It's called officer discretion. :)
Totally right. , people in my line of work call me the "old person whisperer" because they generally aren't as grumpy with me. And guess what... after being raised by a grandparent I have been taught show my elders respect. It's pretty simple, really. So glad I'm not the only one who knows this!!
The ONLY complaint I have regarding the elderly... it seems a lot of them keep them keep driving when they shouldn't. If you have to do 35 in a 50, on perfectly dry roads, with 100% visibility, that annoys me. Then, they of course proceed to go 48 in the 35.
I've been pulled over doing 4 mph over... Yes, I know, I still broke the law. I didn't get a citation by the way. I would be a little more accepting if people like the above at least got pulled over. I am not even asking for a ticket... just something to let them know what the speed limit is because they apparantly don't notice.
Other than that =) I am enjoying your blog so far. I like to look into the minds from "the other side" so to speak.
Post a Comment