MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION CONSPIRACY??

So... the other day, my friend and I were travelling in the right-hand lane down Western Road, when the car beside me decided to enter my lane. Of course the driver didn't check to see if anyone was actually occupying my lane, she just went ahead and tried to do the merge. After a slam of the brakes and pound on the horn, the woman's passenger pointed to the Laurnado (my car), at which time she abruptly altered her plans for a lane change, and pulled back into her designated area -a near miss. As she sped up and passed me, it became clear that she was elderly, as was her passenger. The blue hair was a clear confirmation -as was the poppy symbol on her license plate, indicating "Veteran" status.

Now, I am all for elderly people maintaining a driver's license -as long as they can continue to handle the rules, regulations and responsibility of the road... That applies to ALL age groups as far as I'm concerned, but especially the elderly. However, it is not an ageist bias I have... I am simply reacting to nature's inevitable cruelty. As we age, our reflexes are slowed, our vision and hearing become less acute, and our overall functioning level becomes generally less efficient. That's not a judgement, it's a scientific fact. That, mixed with the already-present dangers of the mean streets, does not a party make!

This is why I agreed with my friend when she suggested the possibility of a Government conspiracy concerning the whole "Veteran" license plate thing. On the surface, it seems like a wonderful way to honour those who fought for our freedom in the Great Wars, however, what what lies beneath? Could there be an ulterior motive? We already know the dangers of elderly folks on the road, yet we also know that we live in an era where we do not "discriminate" based on Age, Sex, Race, Creed, Orientation, or what have you. The Government can not justify putting a big sticker on the plates of a car to indicate that an elderly person is behind the wheel - as a signal to law enforcement and other motorists. No... that would be ageist discrimination, and the Charter would have none of it! But what a wonderful, even if slightly underhanded, way to warn fellow travellers of an octogenarian motorist -- honour them by using a standard, recognizable symbol! That way, they get the recognition they deserve, and those of us who share the road can have ample warning... and no one is offended. Two birds; one stone. Ahh, the True North, Strong and Free.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Should there be mandatory driving tests for people once they reach a certain age?