What's in the news today?

[alp]

Hope forumers share their news and views on this thread

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I read this piece of sorry news just now:

Grandmother, 87, who admitted killing three people including her husband, 90, and two friends who were inside her car when she caused a crash WALKS FREE from court with a three-year driving ban

• Joyce Beresford was ordered to pay £100 costs and a £50 victim surcharge
• The judge decided to show the OAP leniency after her husband died in the crash
• The pensioner drove into the path of a car driven by a 17-year-old youth
• One of the passengers has said he has 'survivors guilt' following the crash
  
  Source
  
  All very sad. I'm surprised that her doctor allowed her to be on the steering wheel. She's 87!
  
  I remember my father in law complaining that the doctor dropped a piece of paper and asked him to catch it to test his ability to drive. After catching that piece of paper, he was not allowed to drive. He was very bitter as they lived in a very rural area and even buying milk called for a car journey!
  
  

 

[Esther Knapicius]

ran into this issue often when I was a case manager in an hospital. Had numerous conversations with "family" members of a persons who obvious should not drive. Family members should also take ownership with driving abilities of their loved ones, not just a doctor. I recall a daughter telling me that she does not allow her dad to driving her children in her car as he might get in an accident with them. My responds was to her, but its ok for him to drive and hit other people with their children in their car. One family member acknowledged that her father should not drive, but he would not give up his keys. I said, well, for the safety of the world you can just take them when he is not looking, and you can get a car mechanic to take out a piece of the car so it never can turn on. Even if you get that person to the doctor---and the doctor signs something that says "he should not drive" does not mean they can't just get the keys and get in the car and go. I recall driving once on a two lane country road, this old couple driving ahead of me, suddenly went into the other oncoming lane, and just stayed there. I wrote their license down, then I pulled over. Like I am not getting killed when another car is heading their way. Then called the police, with the license, they said they could not do anything unless one of "them" witnessed it.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

not sure what to say about the outcome of the court decision. as they might have policies unknown to me. have to ponder that one.

 

[alp]

I should think anybody over 80 should not go near the car. There is the sight problem as well. As the population ages and people have few or no children, a car is a must for most of them.

And how about this story

Couple in car towing caravan wrong way on M40 named as John Norton and Olive Howard

A couple in a car that towed a caravan the wrong way on the M40 have been identified as a couple from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. John Norton, 80, and Olive Howard, 87, were formally identified by police over a week after the crash that killed them and former soldier Stuart Richards.


Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/10/23/coup...-norton-and-olive-howard-8065092/?ito=cbshare

I mean he must have been confused. How could he have driven in the wrong direction???!!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

must have been confused. How could he have driven in the wrong direction???!

and just ditto what I wrote earlier. its takes others to identify issues. Just because a doctor or driving rules says they cannot drive does not mean all will abide by that . what stops them from getting the keys and hoping in the car.

 

[alp]

and just ditto what I wrote earlier. its takes others to identify issues. Just because a doctor or driving rules says they cannot drive does not mean all will abide by that . what stops them from getting the keys and hoping in the car.

As with everything in the world, the law-abiding citizens will do what they are told by the doctors. But the problems are caused by those who are selfish and reckless and there are loads of these chancers around.

 

[alp]

Do you recycle? How far do you go?

Newcastle Council is considering telling people to recycle LESS after 'confusing' rules saw residents put rubbish in the wrong bins

• Newcastle City Council said it costs them £500,000 a year to sort wrong rubbish
• The council could tell residents to recycle less because of 'confusing' bin rules
• British households face 39 sets of rules over what plastics they can recycle, and varies from one part of the country to another
  
  

Source

 

[Esther Knapicius]

As with everything in the world, the law-abiding citizens will do what they are told by the doctors. But the problems are caused by those who are selfish and reckless and there are loads of these chancers around.

We are not speaking of "law-abiding". we are talking about confused / disoriented folks because of some sort of dementia. and they are not self-fish or reckless. they just do not have anymore the mental understanding that they have lost the ability to drive. Again, back to my first statement, it takes those around them to step in to stop them. Either by taking the keys away, or disabling their car.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

And yes we recycle over here, in my county anyway. I know across all of USA its not always the same.

 

[DirtMechanic]

My neighbor Charlie is 90 and drives. Fast. But he also plays volleyball and has a vodka at night so there is that.

 

[roadrunner]

Do you recycle? How far do you go?

Newcastle Council is considering telling people to recycle LESS after 'confusing' rules saw residents put rubbish in the wrong bins

• Newcastle City Council said it costs them £500,000 a year to sort wrong rubbish
• The council could tell residents to recycle less because of 'confusing' bin rules
• British households face 39 sets of rules over what plastics they can recycle, and varies from one part of the country to another
  
  

Source

This is one of my pet peeves -- keeping trash separate from recyclables and not throwing non-recyclables in the recycling bin.

In Seattle Washington, they go thru your recycling bins to ensure all is good. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-seattle-trash-cops-20160415-story.html

Although, not sure if they're still doing this, since China has stopped taking so much recycling, since people can't do it correctly...

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsa...efused-to-recycle-the-wests-plastics-what-now

 

[Esther Knapicius]

the main food store I shop at gives me 3 cents off each re-useable bag I bring for my groceries. I have a gathering of bags always in the back of my car. wish all food stores did this. we need no more plastic to fly out there in the world. there was a study out about plastic, of how long it takes to break down, like forever. too many products made with it, that are short lived also, for humans.

 

[alp]

My neighbor Charlie is 90 and drives. Fast. But he also plays volleyball and has a vodka at night so there is that.

Yes, there are always exceptions. Some people live to 102! Good for your neighbour!

 

[alp]

the main food store I shop at gives me 3 cents off each re-useable bag I bring for my groceries. I have a gathering of bags always in the back of my car. wish all food stores did this. we need no more plastic to fly out there in the world. there was a study out about plastic, of how long it takes to break down, like forever. too many products made with it, that are short lived also, for humans.

Even though the shops charge 5p for a filmy bags, people still buy them. I use a jute bag - sturdy, rustic, robust and guarantees no glass bottles falling through or cucumber poking through the bag. We should ban the shops from packaging stuff with so much rubbish!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I do not "BUY" the bags initial from the food store. I happen to get Free cloth or jute bags from various places. Right now, I would say I have about 10 bags. Mine are very tough.