Drivers Reach the End of the Road at Varying Ages

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

While I sympathize with those who feel that some older drivers should not be driving, it is clear to me that there are drivers of all ages who should not be on the road. A better approach would be to examine the competence of all drivers, not unfairly generalize about older people.

I am 73 years old, and the only accident I ever had came when a young drunk driver jumped the median in front of me. I still routinely drive in vintage-auto race events. My track sense and reflexes are still good enough to keep me out of trouble.

My father drove competently until he was 91. He quit, not because he was a hazard, but because paralysis in his hips could have hindered his exit from a car in an emergency. My mother quit voluntarily, not because her driving was a problem, but because she occasionally became lost and could not find her way home.

I live in a rural county with no public transportation or even taxicabs. The nearest small grocery is two miles away. For many necessities, I have to make a 50-mile round trip. I simply could not exist without my car. Having dealt with government bureaucrats for more than half a century, I am concerned that a senior driver exam would be slanted toward taking away my license on any pretense.

I hope that when the time comes when I am no longer able to drive I will find a way to get along, but don't impose a one-size-fits-all rule upon me now.

Gordon White

Middlesex County, Va.

I don't believe that people who have been driving for decades should have to prove they are still competent to handle a car just because they have reached a certain age. D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty did the right thing when he suspended the requirement that people older than 75 retake the road test. The District was the only jurisdiction in the region with such a mandate.

Still, driving is a privilege, and it's our responsibility at every age to make sure we still merit that privilege. Our senses and reaction times do decline. We owe it to ourselves and others to monitor that decline and take steps to maintain our skills. Organizations such as AARP and AAA have programs to help older drivers with those tasks.

Also, this region is blessed with one of the nation's best public transportation systems, and senior citizens can take advantage of many transit discounts.

If the government must step in where personal responsibility has failed, Virginia, Maryland and the District have medical review processes that can result in restricting or revoking driving privileges.

Reach the Beach by Rail

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Drivers "fed up with 50" should write to Gov. Martin O'Malley and ask him to support my proposal for rail service from Washington to Ocean City. While I promoted this during my 2006 campaign for state delegate [as an unsuccessful Republican candidate in Maryland's District 16], Gov. Parris N. Glendening turned down my proposal a decade ago.

I hope none of us lives "long enough to see another Chesapeake Bay crossing built" [Dr. Gridlock, June 17]. The impact of a second bridge on the bay, and the inevitable development that would follow, would be devastating to wildlife and the environment. Rail would avoid both while reducing congestion and auto emissions on the bay and Eastern Shore.

Most of the track exists, a winding route to Berlin, Md., by way of Delaware. There are specific federal funds available to upgrade the route, and an extension would connect Berlin to Ocean City.

Just as we regret the demise of our trolleys, we must go back to the future with mass transit. It's time to make the real decisions that will address Route 50's traffic and our environment.

Robert Dyer

Bethesda

Much as I'd like to see a rail route ease traffic congestion to the Eastern Shore, I think Maryland should devote its scarce transit financing resources to enhancing the MARC train and commuter bus service first. In the Washington region, I'd also give a higher priority to building the Metro Purple Line and the Corridor Cities Transitway in upper Montgomery County than to an Eastern Shore train or a high-speed rail link with Baltimore.

Circulator Fan

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I am a regular user of the Circulator bus, from Union Station to downtown, since the day it began service. Although the evening eastbound arrivals are sometimes delayed, I am an enthusiastic supporter of the bus. Yesterday morning, when the bus left Union Station, every seat was full, and there were more than a dozen riders standing.

Ever since the London Underground bombings, I find that I greatly prefer being above ground as I commute, and not be at the mercy of underground shutdowns or delays for any reason. I find it more pleasant to be able to look at my surroundings through the seasons, watch as the built environment evolves around me, and see the sun (or rain).

Sounds like the few critical comments I've seen [Dr. Gridlock, May 13 and 31] have been mostly on the margins, but on the whole I think this is a great experiment and should stay.

Marilyn Saks-McMillion

Washington

I've written several times about this worthwhile and innovative program in city transit and endorse it for all the reasons our letter writer does. But the District needs to continue monitoring the promised 10-minute headway between buses and should reevaluate the east-west line's extension up congested Wisconsin Avenue to make sure it's not putting undue stress on the frequency of service.

Dr. Gridlock appears Thursdays in the Extras and Sundays in the Metro section. You can send e-mails todrgridlock@washpost.comor write to Dr. Gridlock at 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Include your name, home community and phone numbers.