Well, having decided that the fine weather indicated a trip, we managed to make it just down the road to this pub and parking lot. We watched the cars pull in to attend a '0ver 60's Tramping Club" dinner and this older lady (93) while trying to park, put her foot on the accelerator hard down while in reverse! She went over the bank, through several fences and her back wheel was in a ditch! The nature of a tramping club like this meant a number of retired farmers in the group and sure enough they had the answer within an hour, putting big strong planks under the wheel and towing it out! Cutting through the fences including an electric one meant that the two interested Highland cows thought that might mean freedom!
Three good things;
1. Waving your arms about was enough to make them thunder off!
2. The 93 yr old did think it was time to hand over her keys as several recent events like this had taken place. However she was a pretty determined lady and didn't want to give up her freedom.
3. Staying the night here was relatively quiet!
Sounds an exciting event and perhaps a good outcome with the car retrieved and the driver not only not harmed but realising that driving time was perhaps up!
@maggiemae It was hard to do this with my Dad when he had to stop driving. I asked him how he would feel if he hit a child, injuring them or killing them and he stopped driving. This was years ago before he passed away. Sad to give up independence.
Oh dear. Time to hang up the keys. My mother understood her reaction time wasn’t as fast as it needed to be so we didn’t have any trouble when we told her she needed to quit driving. But, still, it is hard to always rely on others to take you everywhere.
Goodness ... Sounds like she should stick to the tramping... poor thing I bet she was a bit shaken.. I had a elderly Aunt do a similar thing .. accelerated into a Garage door ... the roller door rolled up over the car and shut down behind her .. only thing was there was no other exit from the garage ... lucky a neighbour heard the commotion and came to investergate... It was soon after this she gave up driving..
Sad occasion. I've observed that old folk go down-hill fast when they realise they have to surrender that last sign of independence. Good that no-one was hurt.
Nice piece of reportage. You have to feel for the lady - people of all ages do things like this all the time but because of her age, say she must stop driving.
Farmers to the rescue!! A shame for the lady having to give up her driving! I know it makes sense safety & all that but a momentous desicion to give up such a chance of freedom & escape even to an elderly lady. Interesting evening you had!
When my father began backing into things and running over cement parking dividers my sister very quietly hid the keys and found other things to keep him occupied. The scary thing about this is that she could have run someone over. I hope someone figures out how to keep her from driving. She's dangerous.
Oh dear good thing no one was hurt. So often you read of an older person driving through the plate glass window of a shop when the accelerator is stamped down hard instead of the brake!
