Monday morning and I’m listening to the crickets serenading. The memories! I can still remember being at my grandfather’s house, in Bakersfield, in the middle of summer. My bedroom window would be open, as was every window in the house. And the sound of crickets seemed to be an integral part of the heat that blanketed that little cottage. And being a “beach” kid, the sound was foreign at first; but it wasn’t long before it became forever associated with hot summer nights.
What’s new this morning? As if World War III wasn’t enough to worry about, now I have to worry about the price of gasoline and the health of the stock market. And neither one looks good this morning. European and Indian stock markets are down “sharply” this morning because of oil prices that are supposed to hit $80 a barrel today. Are stocks ever up “sharply”? And does anyone even remember what it was like to have money in a Savings Account? Where banks actually paid you well to use your money? Now if anyone has savings, it’s invested in some sort of financial plan that’s tied to the stock market. We’re all gamblers now, willing or not.
Here’s a bit of news that I can take personally,
A Crash Course for the Elderly
By ANDREW L. HAAS
”...We should require continuing education for all drivers and licensing recertification and mandatory road testing for drivers 65 and older.”
Personally, I prefer to let the insurance industry take care of it. They know exactly who is at risk and they charge accordingly. Why would we want the government to be in charge of one more thing, when they can’t manage what’s already on their plate? Younger drivers have more accidents…that’s a fact and they are billed higher rates because of it. Older drivers are not billed at a higher rate. Does Mr. Haas think that’s happening because the insurance industry is kind hearted and doesn’t want to inconvenience the poor senior citizens? Hello?
While it is true that young drivers are impaired by their inexperiance on the roadways, elderly drivers can be more fatal behind the wheel in association to the miles they drive. Older adults are experiencing changes in their physical, mental, and sensory abilities which can challenge their ability to drive cautiously. This is much different than the inexperiance linked to young drivers. In fact some studies show that young drivers are more cautious, and aware of the rules, while most of us over the age of 21 can't remember what was in that driver's training book. Perhaps the insurance companies have not increased rates because the older generation is in control of those insurance companies. Young people don't have a whole lot of pull in the capitalist society we live in...
ReplyDeleteNice try...but, insurance companies, like all corporations, have an obligation to their shareholders. They must make money, and ignoring the data in the actuarial tables for the sake of saving some money for a few older corporate types wouldn't fly.
ReplyDeleteAnd try this one out for readability...I only changed one word in your statement. "Younger adults are experiencing changes in their physical, mental, and sensory abilities which can challenge their ability to drive cautiously." I like it!
Now if I think that it's the older generation that has lost it's power and you think that the younger generation doesn't have any...who does have the power?
I think we should just install faux steering, brake, and acceleration controls in all vehicles and then just tell the blue hairs they are driving. You could even install a cup holder for the Insure.
ReplyDeleteDo Asians pay more for insurance?
No. Why would your ancestry have anything to do with your insurance costs?
ReplyDeleteFact...... Asian drivers are the worst drivers.....Don't you ever watch Comedy Central?
ReplyDeleteThat was a light hearted take on the bigotry faced by our Asian brothers and sisters. I was a great driver when I was a young man. I was hit head-on by a drunk woman, I was rear-ended by a woman. I was also rear-ended by a guy. Proof that I am twice as likely to be hit by women than a man.... Like the ol' saying goes "Women drivers, no survivors!"
I have always wondered why the Pentagon was in such a rush to promote women pilots.... Shouldn't they have to master the automobile before they are handed a multimillion dollar aircraft?
I think it was Archie Bunker who explained that God made man in his image but woman came from a man's rib. It was a cheaper cut.
Wow, your respect for females as a group amazes me. I think you should share it with the greater half of our society who share two X chromosomes, why don't you start with your own mother, seeing as how she gave you life, and I'm sure made many other insignificant contributions. I like to consider this quote, regarding the "cheaper cut" remark: "The woman came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be walked on. Not from his head to be superior, but from the side to be equal. Under the arm to be protected, and next to the heart to be loved." You are so lucky you had a "Y" in you at birth, so that you can be such an amazing driver (and philosopher).
ReplyDelete