elderly man runs down 40 people ... no joke

[Black Jack]

I don't agree with less cars but I do agree with better public transportation options and education and much more accurate requirements for the eldery to get and keep their license.

But more than that I agree with more responsibility for old *******s like that. Meaning jail time for some form of manslaughter.

[ewallace]

Wow. Apparently only 7416 elderly people have visited CNN.com since midnight.

[fa_jing]

My grandfather, back when he was alive, once hit the gas pedal instead of the brake too. When that happens, one tends to panic and hit what they think is the brake, harder. This caused him to fly across the street coming out of our driveway, he hit a bump on the sidewalk and the car halfway jumped a wall!! Ending up with the rear end dangling over the wall. He and others were uninjured, actually. But it goes to show you, alot of elderly people should NOT be driving. Fu(k the AARP, get people retested yearly after 55 years old - and this test should include a LOT more than the regular drivers test, it should include a reaction timing test too.

[truewrestler]

"after 55 years old"

umm.... that's a tad too early.... i say yearly over 70

[Budokan]

lol @ the "time for more gun control" smack.

And I have to agree with GDA that the teddy bear incident wouldn't have happened either if I were in charge of this milk-gutted sh*thole we call a world. Teddy bears would be outlawed under my terribly repressive regime. No teddy bears, no guns hidden inside them. Simple solution deftly executed.

Bow to your cruel master, unwashed thralls, and weep for the golden age when teddy bears were legal...

[Shaolin-Do]

Ive seen some very incompetent 50+ drivers around....
Albeit, there are still several good drivers even at age 65, 70, but the majority are more dangerous than a 16 yr old. Soccer moms on cell phones driving 20 under the speed limit are a hazard too however...

[rubthebuddha]

soccer moms on the cell phone driving 20 over are even worse.

and i don't think anyone's saying old people can't drive. just test them every now and then. it's not a difficult thing, and it's not like there'll be any difference at the DOL (takes forever if two people are in line or 20 -- no matter).

if the last time a 70-year-old was tested for his or her license was when they first got it back when they were 16, that's more than fifty years since some licensing authority actually approved them. considering how much cars, the driving enviroment and driving laws have changed in the past 50 years, a simple test is more than justified.

[ewallace]

People driving high are worse than the soccer moms.
















Don't try to argue this SD. Seeds pop out at very inconvenient times.

[StickyHands]

I got a question, it's probably bit hard to grasp, but understandable that instead of brake, the old man got nervous and 'confused' and hit the accelerator, ok, and he kept accelerating it as long as he did, also may be ok, but how can you not notice when you're going around on the asphalt over 3 blocks and hitting over 50 people, thumping them all over? Even if the guy was 86 years old.... Ive seen elderly people a lot more in control and intelligent than that. Forget the law, how can his family members let him drive at that kind of state? And he's mentally sound? Yeah right!

[fa_jing]

EW: Disagree about driving high, but agree that driving while actually smoking up is extremely dangerous. Especially when the thing keeps going out and stuff. I gave that up for good a few years ago, and wish I never had done that.

[Royal Dragon]

3 blocks is a long time. Even confused, how do you go 3 blocks hammering on a pedal an not realise your accellerating instead of brakeing? Really, even if your scared, you should realise to pull your foot off the pedal, and notice it slows.

[StickyHands]

No No, I still gave the old man credit of that because of his age, but running over 52 people and not notice it, and come out with a confused look on his face? I seriously think it was something else, I dont think he was mentally "sane."

[norther practitioner]

Originally posted by Budokan
lol @ the "time for more gun control" smack.

And I have to agree with GDA that the teddy bear incident wouldn't have happened either if I were in charge of this milk-gutted sh*thole we call a world. Teddy bears would be outlawed under my terribly repressive regime. No teddy bears, no guns hidden inside them. Simple solution deftly executed.

Bow to your cruel master, unwashed thralls, and weep for the golden age when teddy bears were legal...

Down with qing, restore the ming.... oh wait, I've been watching too many kung fu movies.

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by The Willow Sword


MAY BE SOME NEGLIGENCE? The old fuc#er KILLLED 9 PEOPLE.

i really really hate reporters

That's not the reporter's fault. If he had said "There was negligence here", and the court case later finds the guy innocent of negligence (in a legal sense) he can sue the newspaper for libel.

The reporter's just covering his ass (and by extension, his employers.)

Personally, I think that everyone should have to retake their driver's test every five years. Driving is a fine motor skill that deteriorates through lack of practice and is strongly affected by age and other physical factors, and should be treated as such.

[kungfu cowboy]

Well, at the very least this problem will be short lived once all the elderly die off.