John Boy's approach seems eminently sensible.

Alternatively, there is this approach ...

emaildvla.direct.gov.uk/emaildvla/cegemail/dvla/en...l

I'll wish you luck with however you decide to go about it. We had the same sort of problem a few years ago with my Father-in-law. I saw him nearly kill someone once. Told him to stop the car nearby, and I took the keys out of the ignition. Told him that he wasn't driving home, and I called him a taxi. A few other relatives expressed their relief to me that he was no longer on the road, but none of them had been brave enough to actually say anything.

He was decidedly grumpy about it for a few months, but nowadays even he admits that he wasn't fit to be behind the wheel.

I'm looking at this slightly differently, your friend is of the old school and i'll lay a pound to a penny he's driving a modern car.

I suggest putting him something a bit old school, or modern but old school if you know what i mean (Suzuki Vitara/Scooby Forester for example or Bromps favourite the good old Berlingo), something a bit higher or squarer, preferably both, and easy to see out of with proper square door mirrors not those silly little make up mirrors fitted to the doors of so many cars, preferably with a silky smooth TC auto box and normal controls.

If he gets back a bit of driving pleasure, something to look forward to going out in it instead of it being a chore and lumping it, you might find it helps all round.

Its only a suggestion because i had the misfortune to drive one of the boss's cars during the week, and almost new A3 and whats a detestable thing it is, crammed inside no room to swing a cat yet quite a wide car considering there's no room inside, blind spots all over, idiotic electric parking brake keyless go stop start all the things i neither want nor need and will not buy into, ever.

The pleasure of getting back in my old Landcruiser after the Aldi was like slipping on your favourite slippers and putting your feet in front of a warm fire on a cold day, it's just a pleasure to drive and i'd be devastated to be stuck driving something modern cramped and full of electronic tat.

edit, also i'm the worlds worse passenger, and i can pick fault with anyone else's driving (except mine:-), SWMBO frightens me to death but her driving is shall we say competent fast Greek...could this apply to you too ORB?

Edited by gordonbennet on 01/11/2015 at 17:32

Hello ORB, I fully sympathise with your plight, my late father had a similar problem but eventually we managed to pursuade him to give up driving. We approached it by asking him not to drive for a few weeks, it was a bit of a pain picking him up now and then, but after a few weeks of not driving he was strangely reluctant to get behind the wheel again and did not enjoy it. He realised that his age was against him in remembering everything needed to be safe for himself and others and he bowed to the inevitable. Actually using taxis and buses proved to be a real financial gain for him as opposed to running a car. That may be an argument you can use on your friend.

Given that age and health play such a vital role in how capable we are I think your friend would benefit from a heart to heart with you and come to realise the actual real danger he and others can be placed in. I don't think a change of vehicle will improve his general driving standard. If he lacks concentration and coordination then that is an absolute fact.

Best of luck with your chat. Cheers Concrete

I was very impressed by a couple of friendly locals recently who have both realised that they no longer feel they are safe to drive and have stopped driving, I suppose it is a bit ironic that I thought they were two of the better ones behind the wheel.

Fomer neighbour, in his mid 70s, had had a couple or more minor bumps BUT we knew his eyesight was failing.

One day he announced he had given up driving & sold the car to another neighbour.

The following week, after one of his regular eye check-ups, said he was now officially classified as BLIND!

Took a taxi everywhere, mostly the corner shop for "supplies" - in previous years we had given him a bottle of Port from our holiday to the Algarve - he lost the best part of a day as he said,"I thought it was just a thick red wine" he had drunk a bottle in an hour or so!

At the end of a year's trial, she's only spent half the amount in the pot. She's done more walking, and had some lifts from friends, but had started taking the taxis too. She gave the remaining money in the pot to charity and refilled it for the second year.

That is very true, talking to a neighbour once he said it would be cheaper for his wife to sell her car and go by taxi as she used it so rarely.

Reply...

I'd put it in the hands of his GP.

As I posted back in February, I am a retired GP who used to be called upon to do DVLA medical examinations from time to time.

From experience I would say that "putting it in the hands of his GP" may seem to defuse the potential for personal relationships to be jeopardised, but it isn't really a satisfactory route to deal with the problem of a driver who has lost the skills or concentration required to drive safely.

A medical examination can (and should) detect relevant visual impairment, and in the case of drivers who have been banned because of drink driving we would take blood to be tested for signs of ongoing liver damage / alcohol abuse ....

But ... a GP is NOT expected to sit in the car with the driver, or even observe the driver take the car around the block ... so a friend / family member / neighbour who has observed the driver's deteriorating abilities is far better placed to make a judgement on whether the necessary skill level is still maintained, and if not to notify the DVLA.

Under these circumstances I would then expect that the DVLA might contact the GP (with the driver's written consent) to ask for a report on any relevant medical conditions.

Avant, I did email hj and this was his reply.

Firmly sitting on the fence.

Reply...

There's a balance of risk here. If he can't drive, then he'll probably sit in an armchair in front of the TV for another year or so, then die. If he can drive then he may/may not be a serious danger to others. Very difficult to persuade someone in this situation to give up driving (and give up living). I'd put it in the hands of his GP.

Result.......

After much hesitation will call dvla medical helpline tomorrow,

Had an interesting talk with the medical section of DVLA and they are of the opinion that I should inform them and add any comments relevant to the case, such as previous assessment and known medical history.

With a heavy heart have completed the form and sent.

You deserve to be complimented on the meticulous, scrupulous way you have approached this - the complete opposite of the mindless, thoughtless behaviour we see around us so often.

I can only echo that compliment - this thread has been running 14 months with, I'm sure, much extra soul-searching away from the Back Room.

You may never get the appreciation from your friend that you deserve, but deserve it you do.

What actually swung it for me was his sisters and nephew who asked me to "do something" but they did not want to be named/involved. There are other people who are worried about the driving, so not just me.

DVLA were willing to listen to the whole "tale" and then suggested i report and that based on the information i provided would investigate and no origin of information would be given,

Let me add my commendation for you ORB. Your consideration, diligence and integrity are exemplary.

Wonder how DVLA actually investigate? Taking the subject out on a test run might be beyond the call of duty:)

Based on the experience of a friend of mine, DVLA simply write and revoke their existing licence, making it illegal to drive - then sit back and wait for the driver to appeal, putting them through hoops (and wasting valuable NHS time getting reports from GP and specialists).

It took my disabled friend a year to get his licence back - neither the GP or his specialists had advised against him driving but DVLA won't say where the original information came from.

Edited by RT on 31/12/2016 at 10:28

I was told of an event that happened at a nearby police station. After a minor incident a man in his early 70s had been asked to produce his license at a police station. The man did so and everything was in order. The man went out to his car and the desk sergeant then heard loud noises of a car engine racing and wheels skidding. He went out and found that the man had selected the wrong gear and buried the wheels in the flower bed. The noises were the man's attempts to get the car out of the flower bed, to no avail and considerable mess. The desk sergeant asked the man for his license, siezed it and rang the local taxi company for a cab to take the man home.

An update...

DVLA asked him to send back the licence, but he refused to send the document saying it was lost, was caught sunday a week ago driving without a licence in the time that the GP had written to DVLA to say that in his opinion the driver was fit to drive, but friend thought that he himself would not pass a driving assessment.

What a MESS!

It's certainly a mess if his GP supports him driving but close friends don't - the GP of course can only evaluate medical conditions, both physical and mental, but doesn't see the patient going about the normal activities.

Sounds like DVLA have revoked his licenced and informed the local police - having been caught, that should bring things to a head.