Sheila Bean

Why? Because he hadn’ t entered through the ticket lane. Instead, he’ d driven across the sidewalk, on purpose, to find a parking spot. Perfectly logical to him. Unnerving to me!

Now that I’ m 66, I have peers who are considering their future driving options, contending with weakened eyesight or hearing, slower reaction time, and less accurate spatial awareness. At what point will I need a bumper sticker that reads,“ HOW’ S MY DRIVING? Call 1-800-MY2KIDS.”

Remember when“ the talk” meant explaining the birds and the bees to your horrified children? Now“ the talk” might mean that your children are concerned about your driving, or you may have to get serious with your still-driving parent. Ugh. In an ideal world, we all would come to these decisions on our own, but there’ s no one-size-fitsall choice.

My dad’ s unconventional parking decision aside, his continued driving allowed him to commute between farm and city without coordinating his comings and goings with a chauffeur. He could pick up groceries, examine the crops, attend a funeral, and see his doctor.

Driving equals independence! You can go where you want whenever you want. It’ s easier to stay socially connected— drop in on a friend or meet up with a hiking group. Your brain gets the workout of operating a car and navigating a route. And with your decades of experience, you might be both a competent and careful driver. The Canadian Automobile Association( CAA) notes that older drivers tend to observe the speed limit, don’ t mix drinking and driving, and avoid heavy traffic, sketchy weather, unfamiliar roads, and driving at night.

In contrast, after one of my aunts had one fender-bender, she handed in her keys and figured out the Regina bus system. She sacrificed some freedom and spontaneity, but she could still get around. In these modern times, she might have acquired a cellphone with an Uber app, paid her bills online, and ordered grocery and Amazon deliveries.

Not driving can be a great option, benefiting both the environment and your wallet. No more car loans, repairs, insurance, and fuel bills— that’ s another kind of independence. Maybe you could sublet your garage space to a neighbour who

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