Planet Sillicon

Of old lady drivers and whiplash

By blog on Mar. 31, 2009.

Sometimes, I just really don’t know about people, and sometimes, even I am stunned into silence – a rare thing! – by the insensitivity of others. Generally, I understand people and the way they react to things, even if I don’t care to be around them all that much. But then there are those rare occasions where I find myself utterly bemused by the actions of another.

Friday when I was patiently waiting to get out of the supermarket car park, I was hit from behind by a little old lady in a rather large old car. She was a tiny little woman, and I was highly concerned for her, as she gave my car a pretty solid thunk. Apart from the violent jolt it gave me, I was okay. I still can’t turn my neck without pain, but what’s three days of not being able to turn your neck?

After I got my car out of the way of any other traffic in the car park – I made the rather enormous mistake of going grocery shopping at 4pm on a Friday afternoon, never again – I went over to see if this tiny old woman was okay and to exchange insurance information. By this time, she too had pulled off to the side, and had gotten out of her car.

I walk over with my concerned face on, I mean seriously, she was one of those tiny white haired ladies who vaguely reminds one of a bird. The moment I was within ear shot she was cussing at me about my poor driving abilities, and why had I not taken the chance to leave the car park when there was a space, did I need a gold leaf invitation… There wasn’t enough space to leave the car park, perhaps if she could see over her steering wheel, she would have known that.

I honestly do think there needs to be a point where the elderly stop driving, or at least have to take a driving test every year to keep their license. Something like Japan’s shaken program where they road worthy test cars every second year, but for drivers! You see news story after news story about elderly drivers causing accidents, surely something has to be done about this issue. With the aging population, and life expectancy at high levels across a sizable portion of the world, this issue needs to be addressed.

I am actually quite serene in my car, I am not one to usually be angered by other drivers. But there are a few things that do frustrate me, and being sworn at by someone who, in my opinion, should be supervised whilst driving a shopping trolley, let alone a car, is among that list of things.

I actually maintained my calm throughout this, I wanted her insurance info so that I wouldn’t be footing the bill for my dented bumper bar! She finally tells me, she doesn’t believe in insurance… However she did say she would pay for half of the cost to repair my car… half…

In this day and age, I find it so hard to fathom why people would drive without insurance, I mean, I have a pretty good whiplash claim against this driver, I would think that would be enough to convince this not-so-sweet little old lady to get some insurance!