I haven’t either. But I haven’t seen an old person driving one either. So my statement holds true.
I don’t know about Roadmasters, but I have seen college students driving Buicks. However, the Buick is usually very old, and has (a) a lot of rust and peeling paint, (b) at least one broken taillight patched with red tape, and (c) stickers on the back with the names and/or logos of various rock bands.
Yeah i drove my Dad’s old Lesabre when i was a teenager. The reason i asked about Roadmasters is because those fuckers are boats. Freaking huge.
This kind of shit again? Here’s a question: why do people feel that it’s okay to stereotype older people, but get their panties in a twist over generalities made about other groups of people?
We need to get our terminology straight here. What you’ve described is not “a Buick” but “a jalopy”. A proper Buick in the context and vernacular of this thread must be (a) in relatively good shape, regardless of age, and (b) driven by an old geezer wearing a fedora. A former Buick that has been re-purposed by hippies is no longer a Buick, any more than the psychedelic vehicle in which Ken Kesey and his band of hippies traveled the country getting wasted on LSD could be called “a school bus”.
The positive thing about a thread that tries to stereotype a particular group is that members of that group can refute the stereotypes. At least, those that aren’t true. But some are (cite: Buick, old geezer, fedora).
Regards,
Wolfpup
“Chronologically getting on, but always young at heart. And usually drives fast. But not in a Buick, ever.”
Neither of those is in our gene pool; we tend to go vampire as we age and drive even faster. My Dad, mid 70s when he died, usually slept 5 hours a day from say 4am to 9am and as for speed -------- Mario Andretti would have been proud of him.
I’m a kid; just in my 60s. But I got almost-busted in VA last year for 105 in a 55 zone (don’t ask – I didn’t know they trapped tunnels) and I’m just home from work a bit ago. So…
Well, I agree, 60s is just a kid. But man, 105 in a 55 – that’s 50 Murkin mileage units over the limit. Here in Ontario, 50 km/h over the limit (31 mph over the limit in Murkin mileage units) means being charged under “stunt driving” laws primarily enacted to combat street racing, which entails:
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immediate roadside license suspension – police relieve you of your license on the spot
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car is towed away from the scene and impounded for at least a week
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$10,000 fine
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probably enough demerit points to have an interview to explain why your license shouldn’t be suspended for even longer, if it’s not automatic, and insurance rates go through the roof
My goodness, some of you younger oldsters, by implication of being part of a nominal “seniors” demographic, make the rest of us feel like kids again! 
Maybe the thing about old people driving big cars was true at one time, like with my grandparents’ generation, and my theory and my theory is that they grew up at a time when a bigger car was considered more prestigious. But I’m not sure if it’s true anymore with my parents’ generation, who are now in their late 60s and 70s. They own two Ford Focuses. And as I understand it the Kia Soul is actually pretty popular with older folks now.
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Not all old people do. Conversely, some people go to bed early their whole lives.
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Not all old people do. Those who do are conscious that their eyesight, hearing and reflexes aren’t what they used to be, but refuse to stop driving.
Why do old people mack so hard?
I notice this all of the time. I have seen younger more aggressive drivers - almost always male (stereotype) - forcing their way around people on a highway in bumper to bumper traffic. Dude you are literally only 10 feet further and those 872 other cars are still in front of us.
I am 53 - but stay up too late. I don’t drive as fast as I used to but then again I am a much better driver (safer overall) than I ever was. I am not the slowest car on the round and tend to keep up with the smarter drivers who don’t blow by people. In my 25 years of driving - mostly 15-19k miles per year - i have only gotten 2 speeding tickets.
I talk with younger workers at my current employer - very large multinational govt contractor - and I am constantly hearing about how many times they get pulled over. Some seem to think that expensive speeding tickets - and the resulting expensive insurance - are a part of life. I got news for them.
My Grandpa drove really s…l…o…w on most roads and ohmygodhowfast?! on motorways. He learned in not very good old cars, with poor braking and steering, hence the slow, but also remembered the days when there was no speed limit (or at least, everyone acted as though there wasn’t one) on motorways, when they were the new super fast roads with few cars around much of the time and getting the highest speed possible was basically a challenge.
Fortunately, when he did finally crash and lose his licence, he managed to do it in a solo accident with little injury. It was so obviously gonna happen at some point- I mean, when he crashed, he was on a totally different road to the one he thought he was on, and tried to go straight on when the road didn’t. He was never going to give up the licence voluntarily.
I’m an old guy and I’ll answer some of the questions, for me anyway.
Starting with the OP…
Because I possess a rare ability. I have the cognitive and reasoning capacity to understand time and distance calculations – and apply that to the urban environment. Many of the young are not mentally capable of grasping how little time is gained by frantically speeding to the next light, or freeway exit. Adding traffic to this, the time gained is effectively nil.
I drive the speed limit at all times (in the slow lane). I have discovered an amazing device which renders almost all delays, traffic, and weather problems moot. It’s called an alarm clock.
Because the aforementioned mental incompetents aren’t able to grasp stopping distances either. And they tailgate us relentlessly in some vain hope that we’ll join them on the short bus.
After trying for several months to commute in the little Toyota, I finally gave up. The constant fire-breathing idiots 2 feet off my bumper finally got to me. I said “fuck it” and am now commuting in my 8000 lb. diesel pickup. They can learn physics by bouncing off of it for all I care.
One theory: They saved well for retirement and can now afford luxury cars, which tend to be bigger cars. Bigger cars are also easier to get in/out of, which is a valuable feature for old folks.
I’m an old guy, 73. I work all night, and catch a few hours of sleep now and then throughout the day.
I tend to drive fast, usually exceeding the speed limit (traffic and weather permitting).
The biggest car I’ve ever owned was a PT Cruiser.
Q: Why do old people have slower reflexes?
A: Not all old people! Some young people have bad reflexes! Quit stereotyping!
As many people get into their senior years, getting a proper night of sleep can be difficult. They often don’t get enough “deep sleep” cycle time. That’s the likely reason for an earlier bedtime than they had in younger days, they’re just more tired.
My theory has always been that, due to the decline in various cognitive and physical functions, older people gravitated towards large, big framed vehicles as a way to feel safer and more secure on the road.
Most current old people grew up with big cars too and may instinctively think that’s what a “real” car is.
One of the (relatively few) nice things about getting old is that you no longer care what the young whipper-snappers think about you. You don’t like my hat, or the fact that I stay under the speed limit, or what time I go to bed? Whatever, sonny - I’m too deaf to hear you anyway.
Regards,
Shodan, Oblivious Old Fart