Shakespeare divided life into seven ages, but now there are only two : Stage I getting your driving licence and Stage II losing your driving licence. Both lead to fundamental life-style changes.

In my case the fundamental change at stage II was admitting I needed a walking stick [cane] to get to, get on, and get off, the bus.

The latest buses kneel, which is great, but there are so mny other skills needed by the elderly with their first walking-sticks that I [mock] seriously suggest that a Walking Stick Licence test be set up to parallel car driving licences.

Armed with licences we stick-drivers can enjoy Pavement Rage, and Drunk in Charge of a Stick or Cane just like in the good old days.
-- rayfo, Dec 17 2000

I think that you could open this up to a more general license for the elderly. Stick control is just one aspect of this. There's also fumbling for change, paying for things one coin at a time, fake deafness, plausible queue jumping...the list is almost endless and probably well worth a university research grant.
I would argue about there being only two stages of life. I would add the pre-natal stage (to which I belong) of never having had a drivers license.
-- DrBob, Dec 18 2000



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