Dear Gurus of the Gearshift Box :-)

I wholeheartedly agree with your Blue Hair Rant. In fact, I'd like to think that an earlier e-mail of mine to you on this very subject was in part an inspiration for this rant. You see, my grandfather has been diagnosed with cancer and has to undergo intensive chemotherapy sessions which make him, poor man, dizzy and weak. They also affect his motor skills, as evidenced by the fact that he cannot WALK ACROSS THE ROOM without someone holding his arm and using a cane. He's driven over lawns, knocked out mailboxes and had to pull over from the road because of dizzy spells, yet he continues to drive because other folks in the family think it would stir up more trouble than it's worth. More trouble than my grandfather killing himself, my grandmother or someone else? More trouble than a lawsuit? Yeah, right!

I am all in favor of mandating motor skill and/or reflex tests for older folks--AARP be damned! They have too much influence anyway. I'm even happy to pay higher insurance premiums so that my insurance company will evaluate drivers if the states are too chicken to do it themselves.

There's another issue that needs to be addressed if we do proceed to limiting driver's licenses for the elderly: who's going to get stuck with chauffeur duty? Can we not also call for subsidized taxi service for our grannies and grampies as part of Social Security? I sure don't see lots of people lining up to cart their parents and grandparents around...

Thanks for letting me vent.

Respectfully,

Kim

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