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End discrimination against older drivers End discrimination against older drivers
(1 day later)
Sheila Hancock’s account (63 years’ driving. No claims. Why did insurance go from £873 to £2,246?, 26 June) reflected my experience of ageism. For many years I have hired a car to drive in Italy or Spain from Holiday Autos. They send frequent reminders that I am one of their customers. I wanted to hire a car to drive in Italy this September. I was 80 a week ago. Their website won’t even let me in. I can’t even communicate with them. I managed to hire a car from Rentalcars because its cut-off point allows 80-year-olds – but not 81-year-olds and I may have to pay extra. Last year I drove a friend’s car through fast-driving traffic in Barcelona as I have done many times before. I can drive my son’s car in Malaga where the car, not the driver, is taxed. I haven’t ever had an accident on the continent so what reasons do car hire firms have against aged drivers?Sheila Hancock’s account (63 years’ driving. No claims. Why did insurance go from £873 to £2,246?, 26 June) reflected my experience of ageism. For many years I have hired a car to drive in Italy or Spain from Holiday Autos. They send frequent reminders that I am one of their customers. I wanted to hire a car to drive in Italy this September. I was 80 a week ago. Their website won’t even let me in. I can’t even communicate with them. I managed to hire a car from Rentalcars because its cut-off point allows 80-year-olds – but not 81-year-olds and I may have to pay extra. Last year I drove a friend’s car through fast-driving traffic in Barcelona as I have done many times before. I can drive my son’s car in Malaga where the car, not the driver, is taxed. I haven’t ever had an accident on the continent so what reasons do car hire firms have against aged drivers?
What evidence is there that at 80 monster drivers escalate the danger to themselves and others? Do they have more accidents than drivers of 79, 69, 59? I’d be very interested to see the statistics for the accident-prone dodgy drivers of 80-plus years who wreck hire firms’ cars. Margaret MartlewSheffield What evidence is there that at 80 monster drivers escalate the danger to themselves and others? Do they have more accidents than drivers of 79, 69, 59? I’d be very interested to see the statistics for the accident-prone dodgy drivers of 80-plus years who wreck hire firms’ cars. Margaret MartlewSheffield
• I renewed my car insurance recently. As it happens I am with Admiral and it gave me a good quote so I have renewed with it. However, I asked for a quote from Liverpool Victoria but was refused point blank when I told them I was an actor, “because of my lifestyle”. I am 64, haven’t made a claim for at least 20 years, have no convictions and have been driving since I was 18. Maybe I should be flattered they think I live a rock’n’roll lifestyle? Must dash, have to do the ironing…Trudie GoodwinLondon• I renewed my car insurance recently. As it happens I am with Admiral and it gave me a good quote so I have renewed with it. However, I asked for a quote from Liverpool Victoria but was refused point blank when I told them I was an actor, “because of my lifestyle”. I am 64, haven’t made a claim for at least 20 years, have no convictions and have been driving since I was 18. Maybe I should be flattered they think I live a rock’n’roll lifestyle? Must dash, have to do the ironing…Trudie GoodwinLondon
• Sheila Hancock’s stated love affair with cars is her business. However, to claim that older people would be “stuck in their villages without a car” is shortsighted and ignorant. In line with government policy to keep older people active and healthy, bus companies are doing their best to provide a service to rural communities, obviously helped by government subsidies. As a non-driver, it seems to me that drivers cling on to their cars for quite selfish reasons without giving much thought to the fact that buses could be an alternative to road congestion and isolation in rural parts if people would show willing and use them. To say public transport is not available in the countryside is a lazy way of looking at the problem.Elizabeth MuellerGlasgow Related: Rural buses mean life in the slow lane | Letters
• Sheila Hancock’s stated love affair with cars is her business. However, to claim that older people would be “stuck in their villages without a car” is shortsighted and ignorant. In line with government policy to keep older people active and healthy, bus companies are doing their best to provide a service to rural communities, obviously helped by government subsidies. As a non-driver, it seems to me that drivers cling on to their cars for quite selfish reasons without giving much thought to the fact that buses could be an alternative to road congestion and isolation in rural parts if people would show willing and use them. To say public transport is not available in the countryside is a lazy way of looking at the problem.Elizabeth MuellerGlasgow