# Why do older people with heart conditions drive the way they do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238 "2009-04-24T17:25:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![malibu400](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@malibu400](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malibu400)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/1 "2009-04-24T17:25:09Z")
My teacher from grade 12 biology used to tell us fun facts about our bodies such as “the healthiest hair is hair that has never been washed!” and “the only skin product that works is sunscreen!”. I remember that every time we learned something about the heart she would mention why old people stepped on the accelerator and then let it go repeatedly (making it feel like you were on a rocking chair if you were a passenger). I forgot her explanation because I never knew what she meant. Now that i do, i really want to know why again. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/2 "2009-04-24T18:21:10Z")
Your teacher was a moron. For one thing, my shaving cream and soap seem to work fine. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/3 "2009-04-24T18:23:47Z")
Yeah, I get the sense that your teacher was just looking for an excuse to never bathe. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/4 "2009-04-24T18:27:57Z")
> [@malibu400](#): > > … stepped on the accelerator and then let it go repeatedly… This is often described as “driving like a teenager” - though no doubt some old folks participate. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/5 "2009-04-24T19:00:04Z")
Depends how old ‘old’ is. I don’t yet but may take it up in the future, if I find out what the advantage may be 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/6 "2009-04-24T19:49:21Z")
I’m 63, with a heart murmur, and I would never drive that way. Don’t believe everything you were taught in school. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/7 "2009-04-25T01:13:47Z")
> [@malibu400](#): > > I remember that every time we learned something about the heart she would mention why old people stepped on the accelerator and then let it go repeatedly (making it feel like you were on a rocking chair if you were a passenger). I forgot her explanation because I never knew what she meant. Now that i do, i really want to know why again. I doubt it has anything to do with the state of their hearts. She probably was going for a metaphor, and overestimated her students. As for why old folks would nurse the gas pedal, perhaps they thought it saved fuel? (Never mind whether it did. The important thing was they _thought_ it did.) ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/8 "2009-04-25T04:44:58Z")
I think the most rational explanation is that, being older, they have less fine motor control. It’s easier to just push the gas and go fast, relax and coast down, and then push it again than it is to find that “sweet spot” where you stay at the speed you’re at. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/9 "2009-04-25T05:37:27Z")
WAG: Two possibilities 1. The movement of blood out to their legs is more exaggerated. This gives their muscles greater and lessened energy to stay extended. 2. They are more sensitive to the beating of their heart and so have a tendency to tense and relax with it, subconsciously. Note that both of these are bullshit that I just made up. If they have any relevance to real world physiology, it’s sheer coincidence. But, going by your teacher’s other examples, they seem plausible as something which she would say. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/10 "2009-04-25T11:40:04Z")
And why do they drive so slow? If I had as little time left as they do, I’d be in more of a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/11 "2009-04-25T12:32:52Z")
> [@thetruewheel](#): > > And why do they drive so slow? If I had as little time left as they do, I’d be in more of a hurry. Slower reflexes, poorer eyesight, lessened capacity to handle quickly changing traffic situations ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/12 "2009-04-25T16:41:25Z")
> [@thetruewheel](#): > > And why do they drive so slow? If I had as little time left as they do, I’d be in more of a hurry. I’m old (heart’s OK, tho’) and that cracked me up. Thanks! PS. My teenaged son was grousing to his friends (about my driving) the other day, and I overheard him say: “He goes so slow he needs to clean the bugs off the _back_ window.” ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/13 "2009-04-25T16:53:43Z")
FWIW, I driven with people of all ages who do this. Some people unconsciously pump the gas pedal in time with the music, others, do it for no apparent reason. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/14 "2009-04-25T18:37:38Z")
> [@thetruewheel](#): > > And why do they drive so slow? If I had as little time left as they do, I’d be in more of a hurry. :D:D I’m 81, no heart trouble, but never did that (as confirmed by my wife and kids). I still drive pretty fast, 5-8 mph over the limit where we have speed cameras, 10 mph over on the freeways. In fact, I often use the cruise control just so i don’t get going too fast. The other thing that amazes me is people who persistently hit the brake pedal every few minutes for no reason at all (as can be seen by the brake lights), or just ride the brake all the time. Or those who suddenly brake in the middle of a curve instead of before it, or don’t accelerate slghtly as they should in curves. There are drivers of every age who consistantly do idiotic things. Don’t even get me started on those dimbulbs who get in the passing lane and drive 10 mph below the speed limit! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/15 "2009-04-25T19:05:42Z")
Yes, it’s amazing how many people seem to be driving with both feet and riding the brake. And of course they’re the first to complain about the price of gas and how often they need their brakes replaced. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-older-people-with-heart-conditions-drive-the-way-they-do/494238/16 "2009-04-25T22:33:50Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > I’m 81, no heart trouble, but never did that (as confirmed by my wife and kids). I still drive pretty fast… I guess you’re going too fast for me to notice how old you are. 😛