The Real Reason Why Older People Drive Slow: COTD

If you’re one of our younger readers, you might have wondered why you have blown by an older driver who was happily cruising about at exactly the speed limit, if not under it. Maybe their driving skills, reaction times, or senses have diminished? Maybe they’re no longer comfortable behind the wheel? While any of those could be valid, there’s another explanation.

Jason wrote about a system that General Motors has patented to determine if someone is too old to be driving. In reality, the patent seems to be for a system to punish a bad driver regardless of their age. 4jim offers a more hilarious explanation:

I thought the too old driving score was all the dings, dents, scraped wheels etc.
Old people need to buy a new GM product of course. $$$$
As I am now an old man I now know why old men drive slower

1. I know now how to schedule my life so I am no longer in a hurry so do I not need to speed.
2. Most of the places I am going I do not want to go so I do not need to speed.
3. I am not in a hurry to go be around people I do not like.

It took me a lifetime of mocking slow old men to finally understand.

I wrote about how BMW Motorrad has made a new concept scooter, which teases a future where you might not need to wear a helmet to ride. My story included a bit about how Detlef Helm, an engineer at BMW, contributed to the development of the original BMW C1 with a computation model. Martin Dollinger:

Detlef Helm (Helm = helmet in German) simply had to be the specialist to do the calculations here.

Nlpnt:

As someone who worked in grocery with (at various times) a meat manager named Mike Bacon and a refrigeration mechanic named Bob Frost, I heartily agree.

David Tracy has started his new WWII Jeep build project by unboxing the body. I wonder if he’ll get this reference:

Hey girl
I got somethin’ real important to give you
So just sit down and listen
Girl you know we’ve been together such a long long time
(Such a long time)
And now I’m ready to lay it on the line
Wow, you know it’s Christmas and my heart is open wide
(Open wide)
Gonna give you something so you know what’s on my mind
(What’s on my mind)
A gift real special, so take off the top
Take a look inside it’s my Jeep in a box
It’s in a box…..

Finally, Jason might want to be careful before showing off the engine bay of his 2CV. Andy Individual:

Seeing the front end stripped of all the bodywork reminds me of changing a windshield wiper fuse on an Audi.

Have a great evening, everyone!