Heartwarming! This 101-year-old man still drives everywhere in his Chevy Silverado, because it’s his only way to access such luxuries as “groceries.” He’s clearly a fan of driving, but it’s also clear that his pickup is the only way he’s getting to H-E-B for food. Ed Davis of Texas isn’t a cute little tale — he’s a policy failure.
Davis lives in Boerne, Texas, a town of less than 22,000 people. He’s separated from groceries and essentials by Interstate 10, requiring either a trip up the highway or a longer route under and around it just to get to Walmart. It’s only a few miles, but watch Davis drive with ABC 7:
Watch his loose grip on the wheel, his seemingly always-in-motion hands — do you trust him to dodge debris from a sudden tire blowout ahead of him on the highway? Listen when he talks about driving “quite a bit” under the speed limit, or says there are “too many cars.” Does Davis want to drive, or does he have to?
Boerne, Texas isn’t exactly going to support a citywide light rail system. It might, however, support a bus or two — something that can accommodate people who value their independence, but who may not be as safe on the roads as they used to be. Centenarians who pass driving tests shouldn’t be barred from the practice, but they should have other options available to them.