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In light of the debate this week about the growing number of older
people in comparison with younger people, I want to raise an issue that concerns me.
I have an elderly relative (age 90) who still drives. He lives in the
countryside and is dependent on his car for his mobility. If he couldn't
drive, he would be very socially isolated and/or have to move.
But having been involved in a RTA which was caused by an 86 year old
driving in the dark (yes - fault was established and I've got some
compensation) I am really increasingly worried about this. As a result,
I've been doing some research.
Even according the DfT's own analysis, the main literature highlights
some extremely concerning issues.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme3/olderdriversal
iteraturerevie4770?page=12
US literature suggests that this group has a higher per-mile fatality
rate than any other group
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-05-02-older-drivers-usat1a_N.htm although I can't find any similar UK based evidence.
The system for reporting concern in the UK is very weak. One apparently
can report dangerous drivers to the DVLA, but I have found no way to do
this in practice. The police will only get involved if there is evidence
of dangerous driving - and even then it usually requires a police
officer to have witnessed the event. Contrary to popular belief, there
is no requirement for older drivers to resit a test of any kind.
GPs do have a right to inform the DVLA of any concerns they have. But as
this letter points out, it is often either impossible or impractical.
http://ukpmc.ac.uk/articlerender.cgi?artid=477637
In practice, then, it depends on family being able to persuade the
person to stop. In many cases, that will happen. In many cases, it will
not. And if the family network is weak (as it is in the case of my
relative) there is often no-one easily in a position to have that
conversation with the person concerned.
This is a political issue if ever I've seen one. Older people are hugely
more likely vote than their younger counterparts. So politicians don't
want to deal with it. It's also an issue where someone would have to
empower professionals to make difficult judgements that have potentially
extremely negative effects on people's lives. No-one wants to tackle
this issue. But that's not a reason to ignore it.
I'd love to see a really good piece on this. It would be very easy to
put the opposite case (not all elderly drivers are dangerous -
obviously!) But it's the kind of issue that if it got some publicity, it
might prompt some of those families (like mine) who don't want to deal
with difficult subjects, to at least have the conversation.
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BS7799?
Why has nobody in government heard of it?
Doesn't the news story that NatWest and RBS account details were bought on a computer from eBay show that everybody knows more about us, than the government and Information Commissioner does about BS7799 and IT security?
So much for Michael Wills saying on Any Questions last December that we need the ID Card to protect us from hackers!!
Isn't the Information Commissioner just one more toothless regulator?
Me and BS7799? I read it. A bit dry.
I just find all the excuses from government about 'procedures weren't followed', or 'we've introduced measures' a bit much to take seriously when they have no idea about BS7799, ISO17799 or Information Security in general.
Do we need a regulatory body to deal with government incompetence?
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Infant immunisations
Just been to the GP for my baby's 4 month vaccinations and was told he can't have the Meningitis C vaccine as there is a national shortage and they're having to ration supplies. Why haven't we heard about this on the news??
Also, a new computer system in my health authority - Islington - means that no-one gets a reminder any more to tell them baby vaccines are due. When my first son was born 4 years ago, I received reminders in the post. Aren't new computer systems meant to improve services!! Given falling vaccination rates e.g. for MMR, especially in London, I would have thought that health authorities would want to use all possible means to get people in for immunisation. I don't want my baby to catch measles just because some computer can't manage a reminder.
Can PM investigate??
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Too muchcheese makes a valid point.
As someone that thinks he can drive. I have undergone four further advanced driving tests.
I had my 3rd RoSPA test this week. I failed. I could have prepared better, and had a slight upset in the morning, but at the end of the day I didn't drive well.
As You and Yours were discussing the driving test and the test standards on Tuesday.
Why shouldn't all drivers be retested regularly with a variable retest period depending on how well you pass?
Such retests would also allow assessment of eyesight and fitness to drive.
Regular restests would stop us seeing driving as a right, and the additional examiners needed would be far better than the jobs supposedly created by the Mickey Mouse HIPs scheme.
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Tower Hamlets ask Councillors to forego eating at meetings during Ramadan to avoid offending Muslim members?
Has anyone suggested foregoing ham sandwiches to avoid avoid offending Jewish members?
Thought not.
Telling the Three Little Pigs banned to avoid offending Muslim pupils.
Ever suggested such a ban to avoid offending Jewish pupils?
Of course not.
Novelty pig calendars banned from Council offices in Dudley to avoid offending Muslim employees.
Anyone concerned about offending Jewish employees?
Nope.
Whether or not all of these requests are required by Muslims (and I suspect that they are not), I find it interesting that they reflect (super)sensitivity about causing offence to Muslims, but not to Jews.
Why is that?
Is it that Jews have never taken offence at such nonsensical issues? Is it because Jews don't take to the streets at (imagined) slights? Any ideas?
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A suggestion for September.
Why doesn't Royal Mail intercept scam lottery letters, or advise their customers via means of a pamphlet the dangerous of the mail they are receiving?
I can understand that as a postal carrier, Royal Mail have a contract to the sender of mail but they are facilitating criminals targetting vulnerable individuals.
As the government has a stake in Royal Mail aren't they also facilitating scam lottery mailings and aiding and abetting criminals?
So the same government that is trying to sell us the ID Card scheme to protect us from fraudsters and hackers (thanks for that one Michael Wills) is aiding and abetting fraudsters abroad and in the UK via scam lottery mailings?
Are Royal Mail's customers the people the deliver mail to? Or fraudsters sending scam lotteries? Where should Royal Mail's loyalty and customer service lie? With the households they deliver to, or criminals targetting the vulnerable?
The Royal Mail, and the government via their inaction on this are facilitating and creating crime. Good eh?
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Years ago customers of Banks and Building Societies missed out on special offers that new customers were offered. Banks and building societies took action and now existing customers do benefit as well and the same reduction in charges or improved savings interest rates get offered to existing customers as well.
There does not appear to be enough pressure now on Mobile Phone service providers to get them to give their existing customers the same deals they entice new clients with or make available through other companies.
Last week we received a fantastic offer from Ikea for a Pay As You Go mobile phone tariff that at 9p a minute for any network and 6p a minute for texts. It is being offered to Ikea Family carholders badged as familymobile. Number portability is available at no charge. The service is being provided to Ikea by T-Mobile.
We soon discovered is that any existing T-Mobile Pay-as-You-Go customers would not be permitted to switch their existing numbers to the new familymobile contract – a tariff being made available by T-Mobile to Ikeafamily customers at 40% below their T-Mobile Everyone tariff. What is crazy is that one could switch their number to another mobile supplier and then switch it to familymobile – so if that would be allowed why wouldn’t they allow the switch directly to familymobile anyway ? Ikea say their contract with T-Mobile restricts them from taking any existing T-Mobile clients.
The response from OfCom is that this is re-sale of a service and they do not regulate that ! They suggested the Trading Standards Office but their response was that it is free competition. An example was given that if we regulated such things, you would end up with a milk bottle being sold at the same price everywhere. Well I don’t think this was what I was suggesting. Continuing with this analogy, what I would be objecting to is if my milkman offered the same pint of milk that he supplies me to someone else at a price that is 40% less than what he is charging me. That would be very unfair.
I hope that we can start a campaign to stop this malpractice by the phone companies. We need a regulator with teeth and we need extend regulation beyond what we have at the moment. One other thing that would be good to target at the same time is the various pay monthly contract tariffs mobile service providers offer. One can end up paying 3 times as much by exceeding the minutes per month for that tariff when the next tariff up that covers the usage is only a few pounds more – could be only 20% higher instead of 200% when charged for the excess minutes. In some cases they have specual deals at the same monthly rate but with the increased minutes ! I would like the service providers to automatically switch clients to the most cost effective band based on the actual usage.
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"Isn't the Information Commissioner just one more toothless regulator?"
Yes 2.
I just found a massive leak of personal data by a badly managed household named company.
I reported it to the ICO. No reply.
I called and found out that they have a month backlog to clear before they get around to even reading the problem!
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http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2008/08/24/7291/give_us_a_new_clue
'I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue is set to return to Radio 4 . . . . . the first new shows will have guest presenters, in the style Have I Got News For You'
Eddie Mair please
Thank you
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I have just spent a very enjoyable week working on iPM as editor for the first time. I hope you all enjoy tomorrow's show. Thanks for the latest cache of great ideas. I'm sure next week's show will be full of them. Spread the word.....
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Being Green
I wonder why all this fuss about being green? The point is, I can not see nobody in key positions as ministers and other kind of useless people caring for the environment.
I can see by the other hand, a bunch of greedy people that are using the climate change (which is a fact) to improve profits and open business said green but are in fact the greyest possible.
Let's see some facts:
+ Where are the incentives (and I mean, true ones) from the authorities in order to motivate people to save energy?
- Something simple like set a threshold on electricity and gas where people that spend under the set limit would get some discount on their bills, even if it is only having al the taxes removed.
- getting Councils to provide lofts insulations at a fair price even if it was something like the resident paying for the materials and the Council taking care of the labour (no political connections) costs.
It came to my mind as example that Newham Council has its own windows factory (Newco) but the prices are 25% more expensive that any other supplier. Why not having the Council supporting some of the costs allowing residents to buy windows at more affordable prices and allow saving energy with more thermo efficient windows and doors instead of making corporate profits ?
Have anyone notice the amount of good materials that are every day sent to scrap? Things like wooden doors, kitchen units, cookers, TV sets, furniture, etc. did any of the brainless ministers ever tough about sending them into other countries where they could be repaired and used as luxury items?
I have in the past worked in a maintenance company that would not had any problem in send to the skip several windows just because whoever took the measures made a mistake and they would not fit.
Why is the government turning their back to the real environment issues?
For those who are thinking that I am not considering the costs of transporting our luxury junk to the poorest countries, please just need to calculate the cost of a transport boat (not that the Royal Navy would be interested to make a few pounds in transporting the goods, sorry the rubbish) from anywhere in the UK into any country in Africa.
CARS – Every time that a minister thinks “green” he thinks TAX!! Where are the indications for the car manufactures to improve the performance? Like the cars with cruise control having an option for better consumption instead keeping speed regardless the mpg’s.
Maybe I am been thick and assuming that our politics (regardless which party they support) are lazythink, don not care for nothing else than the John Lewis list, claiming expenses and all the other really important UK Government problems.
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NHS
Does any one know the numbers of the NHS equipments?
Something simple like treatment equipments; where they are and value?
Are the public aware that NHS does not have a clue whereabouts’ expensive equipments like portable Haemodialysis devices are?
That those equipments are sent to patients’ properties (which I truly believe is the right option) and when these devices are no longer required they are just left abandon until someone unaware of the value just call the council for disposal?
Just wondering if anyone knows...
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Metal scrap
Some weeks ago someone was complaining about the theft of metal like brass, lead and others around the UK.
Although this is a serious problem, I think that these people are not thieves. They are just collecting the wrong metal.
Just as example and considering a tiny area like London
Have anyone give some thought about the wiring in London?
Without knowing the facts (But who cares, nobody knows) I estimate that if those "metal collectors" dedicate their attention just to the public buildings and collect all the redundant wiring, would probably have a net profit of several millions of pounds and would be acting in the most green way (I know, there he comes again) as that copper and other metals would be recycled and the places where they have been removed would have several Health & Safety problems resolved.
Now, let’s think big. Lets extend this to some of the big cities like Liverpool, Manchester Leeds and assuming that the MC (Metal Collectors) can find half of the wiring that they would find in London this would make an added net profit of 150% as I do not know the price of these metals I can not evaluate the VAT, NICS, Corporate tax, added jobs etc. for that my sincere apologies.
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Simple way for reducing Carbon foot print.
(This is not a Scam, it really works)
If as me you are anoyed with the amount of junk mail that every day comes trough the mail box why don't you try this:
for those letters containing free post reply envelops, you shuffle everything into those envelops (if you want can put some coments on the blank spaces as I do) and send them back.
This simple action, will help Royal Mail and will reduces enormously the amount of waste that you have to deal with.
PS: As you can see, there are very simple green solutions.
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I feel the mass media and television media wield too much power in stories and are not able to present a clear and fair representation of stories when they occur and create misconceptions in people minds of stories and what is actually reality.
An example would have been the 16 year old who was killed in Hastings and his uncle was very clear on the opinion that every body in UK hates arab people. I would suggest that this attitude the boy experienced would of partly been caused by attitudes of the press give to better known arab people wearing similar dress like our very favorite known Saudi who is alleged to be living in a cave in Pakistan, yet the boy is nothing like BinLardin yet he would have been given a very horrible reception even though he is the type of person we need to come and visit the UK and to learn English.
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A very good friend of mine has just been made redundant from the NHS, very sad you might think...
However he is now employed as an subcontractor by the same department and earns twice as much for the same job.
Apparently this is how it works and is very common.
Good for him, yes. Bad for the NHS yes
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Can I take up Hollowaymum's point about infant immunisations?
As a retired health visitor, I am appalled at the neglect shown to young mothers nowadays. I know Health is a devolved issue and things may not be the same North and South of the River Tweed, but I find here that HVs are now required to pay only one home visit to a new baby and thereafter, if the mother does not bring the child to clinic for developmental assesments they just do not happen. Similarly, there is no follow-up on immunisation defaulters.
Not as much of a "Health" service as we might expect, is it?
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