ezydriver:
About 5 years ago I read an article in Commercial Motor about an owner driver who did UK to Morocco, and he was about 80 something, and he seemed fine.
Maybe you’re thinking of Tony Bradfield?
He is no longer driving. Or smoking, or quaffing his tipple I’m afraid.
Honourably mentioned elsewhere in TNUK.
Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Tony Bradfield died two years ago nearly to the day, he was 82 when he called it a day and was still doing two Morocco’s a month, he was 83 when cancer got him, sadly missed by a lot of people and drivers that knew him…
Ossie
aye drempels ,I shared a camp trailer wae the auld boy when we were at camp (better than cabbing it) and some nights he would start shouting about Vietnam in his sleep (even though he was a “civy” in white overalls guarded by the aussies) ,he would tell me about friends snake bites from snakes coming over the tracks o the Cats and dying,he got bit by a snake that came up the tracks lucky for him he was working on a hospital and a MASH unit saved him ,I saw the marks on his leg where the snake bit(skin died .) same hospital was mortared later on and he and the other workers pulled dead and dying nurses outthis is one o his big nightmares. being shelled by mistake!! and Vietcong standing watching them work ,one o their UN bosses being gelded for mistreating his hootch maid…his apprentice starting his cat one morning and blown to pieces in front o him …he never drank before going and said he came back near an alkie like the rest of the Manitoba workforce. jimmy
robroy:
Hmmm…mixed feelings on this, good luck to the guy, but surely at that age his reflexes can’t be top notch?
Whatever anyway…I sure as hell hope I won’t be still driving a [zb] truck anywhere near that age, sod that.
Same.
His reflexes aren’t the issue for me as not doubt his forward planning is miles above a 26 year old who rides up everyone’s arse all day.
That being said.
He is high risk.
Statically speaking the majority of people don’t make it past his age and the amount of people that make it over the age of 90 is even smaller.
So should he stop driving? Na not in my opinion.
The government have no interest ensuring drivers are fit and healthy so why should we. The current medical is a joke.
Heck just check the depression thread and look at the amount of guys on anti depressants and God knows what else without having to declare it or it being investigated further.
To me these people are more of a issue then a 83 year old dude.
It’s not just the guys on happy pills either it’s a lot of people e.g. people on very strong medication for various reasons without declaring it go the DVSA or the guy doing their medical on the cheap…
The entire system needs overhauling in my opinion.
JIMBO47:
aye drempels ,I shared a camp trailer wae the auld boy when we were at camp (better than cabbing it) and some nights he would start shouting about Vietnam in his sleep (even though he was a “civy” in white overalls guarded by the aussies) ,he would tell me about friends snake bites from snakes coming over the tracks o the Cats and dying,he got bit by a snake that came up the tracks lucky for him he was working on a hospital and a MASH unit saved him ,I saw the marks on his leg where the snake bit(skin died .) same hospital was mortared later on and he and the other workers pulled dead and dying nurses outthis is one o his big nightmares. being shelled by mistake!! and Vietcong standing watching them work ,one o their UN bosses being gelded for mistreating his hootch maid…his apprentice starting his cat one morning and blown to pieces in front o him …he never drank before going and said he came back near an alkie like the rest of the Manitoba workforce. jimmy
Bloody hell, it sounds horrific. Even that tiny snapshot of the whole campaign is awful. I can’t begin to imagine what it was like for the front line troops
ezydriver:
About 5 years ago I read an article in Commercial Motor about an owner driver who did UK to Morocco, and he was about 80 something, and he seemed fine.
Maybe you’re thinking of Tony Bradfield?
He is no longer driving. Or smoking, or quaffing his tipple I’m afraid.
Honourably mentioned elsewhere in TNUK.
Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Tony Bradfield died two years ago nearly to the day, he was 82 when he called it a day and was still doing two Morocco’s a month, he was 83 when cancer got him, sadly missed by a lot of people and drivers that knew him…
Ossie
First time I met him, his silver/red Volvo had gone “Bang”! near Burgos. That was just before he bought the well known blue un. It was an Easter weekend and he made his way to La Brujula.....Ill leave your imagination do the rest.
Last time I saw him hed done a oner` from the border up to Caen. He was usually using the Santander boat then if I remember rightly?
I dont understand some of the comments on this post re- old age…Accident waiting to happen …High risk Medical every year well you young whippersnappers…you wil;l get old as well, and learn that after the age of 70, you will renew your licence every year. a car renews every three. I am 72, fit, have a medical every year ( heart scan, eyesight, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol etc etc ) and still do a bit where i can and when i want…the ones you have to be worried about, are those who have never reported a health problem, and therefore are not checked, we have all seen em struggling to get in or out of a cab, waddling across the lorry park for yet another McDonalds, short of breath etc etc…and i read the other day of a driver at 87 having just got himself into the Guinness world records as the oldest HGV driver…DVLA are very strict on medicals as far as i am aware, BUT, cannot keep tabs on those who haven’t reported health records, due to the fact they could be found out !!..be careful what you say about oldies…they may turn up at your place of work one day, and show you a thing or two…
edd1974:
Just his age. And good on him having a medical every year and still working.
But say he has a medical passes everything in good shape. Then 2 weeks later suffers a heart attack passes out or something.
At his age he should be retiring enjoying he well earned rest in the sun.
Do you have chance to lay on the beach sunbathing in Morocco twice a month?
truckyboy:
I dont understand some of the comments on this post re- old age…Accident waiting to happen …High risk Medical every year well you young whippersnappers…you wil;l get old as well, and learn that after the age of 70, you will renew your licence every year. a car renews every three. I am 72, fit, have a medical every year ( heart scan, eyesight, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol etc etc ) and still do a bit where i can and when i want…the ones you have to be worried about, are those who have never reported a health problem, and therefore are not checked, we have all seen em struggling to get in or out of a cab, waddling across the lorry park for yet another McDonalds, short of breath etc etc…and i read the other day of a driver at 87 having just got himself into the Guinness world records as the oldest HGV driver…DVLA are very strict on medicals as far as i am aware, BUT, cannot keep tabs on those who haven’t reported health records, due to the fact they could be found out !!..be careful what you say about oldies…they may turn up at your place of work one day, and show you a thing or two…
Hgv medical is a joke. 90% box ticking.
DVLA are strict on medicals in the sense that if your honest enough to admit you have issues they will suspend your licence for months perhaps years even if your doctor clears you. Due to the buraeacy at the DVLA they went everything sent 10 times then they want their doctors to speak to you doctor etc… Etc… It’s a poor system that encourages people to lie.
My dad had sleep apnea and he admitted it to the DVLA even though he was advised not too.
Took him about a month for him to get a machine and be given the all clear by the hospital and doctor to drive again.
Took a further 6 months for the DVLA to clear him to drive.
In my perfect world I would make the hgv medical very strict. Blood, body and mind.
But I dont see that happening. Also I’m 26 and I dont need to take a medical until I’m 45 I believe.
That’s 20 years driving a lorry without any medical checks…
There’s a 92year old around kings Lynn area looking for a job, did a bit of boat driving in the 1940/50"s saw active service, can drive a 4and 6 team horse-n-cart to international standards, is known to tell people how it is. Only accident was couple weeks ago some old fenny girl rammed his freelander and rolled him over.
edd1974:
Just his age. And good on him having a medical every year and still working.
But say he has a medical passes everything in good shape. Then 2 weeks later suffers a heart attack passes out or something.
At his age he should be retiring enjoying he well earned rest in the sun.
I deliver to a few farmers around his age, and I’ve asked them why they don’t retire. To a man, they always say the same thing; because they love what they do, and they’d be bored doing nothing. I’m not talking rich landowners either, these are hill farmers or small dairymen whose daily routine would knacker a bloke half their age.
ezydriver:
About 5 years ago I read an article in Commercial Motor about an owner driver who did UK to Morocco, and he was about 80 something, and he seemed fine.
Maybe you’re thinking of Tony Bradfield?
He is no longer driving. Or smoking, or quaffing his tipple I’m afraid.
Honourably mentioned elsewhere in TNUK.
Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk
Tony Bradfield died two years ago nearly to the day, he was 82 when he called it a day and was still doing two Morocco’s a month, he was 83 when cancer got him, sadly missed by a lot of people and drivers that knew him…
Ossie
Actually met him and about 3 other drivers who were all over 60.About 7 years ago on the ferry from Santandeur.He certainley had plenty of stories to tell.All interesting too.Wondered if he was still alive.Shame he’s not.
That G B.O.R is a load of jobby.
My mates dad is 85 past and still out every day with his MAN skitterbox, hauling cows to market. Family got him a new 6 wheeler a couple of years ago and he went radge when he found out they had “forgotten” to have a hitch fitted, meaning no more trailers for Ian C.
I reckon there will be a few on here who will recognise who I’m writing about.
edd1974:
Just his age. And good on him having a medical every year and still working.
But say he has a medical passes everything in good shape. Then 2 weeks later suffers a heart attack passes out or something.
At his age he should be retiring enjoying he well earned rest in the sun.
I deliver to a few farmers around his age, and I’ve asked them why they don’t retire. To a man, they always say the same thing; because they love what they do, and they’d be bored doing nothing. I’m not talking rich landowners either, these are hill farmers or small dairymen whose daily routine would knacker a bloke half their age.
You can understand somebody like that 81 yr old Tony guy, he was doing an adventurous job, that he had got totally sussed. International trucking (70s/80s style) own boss no hassle, enjoying the sun, adventure. Not a job but more a life choice and definitely a life style. …In actual fact if I think about it even I could be tempted to spend my older years doing that myself tbh. …If I was single that is.
On the other hand who in their right ■■■■ mind would want to be 80+ doing UK general with all the hassle and crap it brings.
So…
International trucking, doing Italy, Morroco,.Spain, South of France, weekended on a sunny beach parked outside a taverna.
Or…
A 5 day week delivering bog rolls to Tesco, and timber to Travis Perkins, being watched by some spotty little 2 hat in an office, then later parked up near a bog on an MSA 4 nights a week.
Let me think about that one and decide…in about half a second.
It’s a decision i shall be making in the not too distant future.
No i wouldn’t want to stuck on general or be watched and monitored by layers of pointless pointy shoes, but i wouldn’t want to do that in me mind twenties either.
As it is i have a lovely job, no its not an adventure as such because i do me shift and go home at the end of it, not monitored but left to get on with me job, paid well and respect where i work is generally a two way street, so yes i’m one of those who actually enjoys going to work.
No i won’t be working till 83, even if i last that long, but may well carry on for a few years, deferring the pension for a while (no point in paying tax on every penny on earn on the job), assuming manage to pass me medicals and aint falling apart at the seams.
If i lost me job for some reason, doubt very much i’d carry on after retirement age, the mere thought of having to go into some soul-less RDC internment camp on a daily basis gives me the willies.
I would say that the majority on the older HGV drivers are the ones that are fit and healthy as the yearly medicals weed out any unfit to drive.
However just sit in any MSA and watch the morbidly obese waddling over to grab their daily burger fix. it makes me wonder how they get away with driving heavies.
truckyboy:
I dont understand some of the comments on this post re- old age…Accident waiting to happen …High risk Medical every year well you young whippersnappers…you wil;l get old as well, and learn that after the age of 70, you will renew your licence every year. a car renews every three. I am 72, fit, have a medical every year ( heart scan, eyesight, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol etc etc ) and still do a bit where i can and when i want…the ones you have to be worried about, are those who have never reported a health problem, and therefore are not checked, we have all seen em struggling to get in or out of a cab, waddling across the lorry park for yet another McDonalds, short of breath etc etc…and i read the other day of a driver at 87 having just got himself into the Guinness world records as the oldest HGV driver…DVLA are very strict on medicals as far as i am aware, BUT, cannot keep tabs on those who haven’t reported health records, due to the fact they could be found out !!..be careful what you say about oldies…they may turn up at your place of work one day, and show you a thing or two…
I totally agree with you truckyboy. Obviously we have some older drivers (mostly car drivers I would say) that are a menace on the roads but in a lot of cases you will probably find they have been that way most of their lives. Just because you are older certainly does not always any less capable as a driver. Reactions may be a little slower but it’s better that way than like some now who seem to be easily distracted by screens etc. It’s all about general attitude and knowing your capabilities as you get older but as someone quite rightly pointed out recently that is not up to the person to decide. They must be assessed in the correct manner by the correct person. It’s a little bit like drivers in general. Most think they are top notch but in reality if they were assessed, again by the correct person their complacent problems just may be eradicated if they had any but in most cases there would be issues for sure.
They must be assessed in the correct manner by the correct person. It’s a little bit like drivers in general. Most think they are top notch but in reality if they were assessed, again by the correct person their complacent problems just may be eradicated if they had any but in most cases there would be issues for sure.
Be careful what you wish for.
Doctors, nurses and assorted medical professionals, whos whims and bias may well be the decider on one’s means of making a living, are not without error despite having a a rose tinted view of their industry and their own perfection.
They must be assessed in the correct manner by the correct person. It’s a little bit like drivers in general. Most think they are top notch but in reality if they were assessed, again by the correct person their complacent problems just may be eradicated if they had any but in most cases there would be issues for sure.
Be careful what you wish for.
Doctors, nurses and assorted medical professionals, whos whims and bias may well be the decider on one’s means of making a living, are not without error despite having a a rose tinted view of their industry and their own perfection.
I am not wishing anything, all I am saying is older drivers need to be assesssed correctly and in my opinion all drivers should be regularily assesssed and then we might manage to raise standards and prevent some of these horrific accidents that happen far too often.
I also know a fair bit about the NHS and all it’s failings but that’s another story!
…In actual fact if I think about it even I could be tempted to spend my older years doing that myself tbh. 
