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Elderly driver creates spectacle at Seaford opticians


An elderly driver caused a spectacle when his vehicle crashed into an opticians.

The man, aged 89, had only just started his automatic car when it ploughed into the front of Sussex Eyecare in Broad Street, Seaford.

It is thought up to 20,000 of damage was caused.

An onlooker described how the crowd applauded when the silver car was pulled out.

Daeron McGee, the owner of the opticians, said: "I was round the corner at my other shop and came back to see a car in my front window.

"The driver seems to be ok. Paramedics checked him over. He said he had a dizzy turn and hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

"Thankfully there was nobody in his way but I ve got an entire range of Oakleys and Ray Bans which have been demolished."

Comments(22)

jonathon says...
10:51am Sat 27 Jun 09

Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.

caeos says...
11:06am Sat 27 Jun 09

thre we go, another accident with an older driver and an automatic car.

Osama bin there says...
11:16am Sat 27 Jun 09

"A dizzy turn and hit the accelerator instead of the brake"?
If you have dizzy turns you are not supposed to be driving, whatever your age.
I hope someone stops him from driving completely as he obviously isn't up to it anymore.
It's not pleasant to take away someone's freedom to drive, but it would be far worse if he killed or maimed someone in the future.

Ldofvale says...
11:39am Sat 27 Jun 09

Should ave gon to Specsavers

SimonS says...
11:58am Sat 27 Jun 09

Great headline.

Lil says...
12:09pm Sat 27 Jun 09

Well he didn't see that one coming did he!

Conor says...
1:08pm Sat 27 Jun 09

If had only just started his car, why would he have needed to brake?

Granny says...
2:25pm Sat 27 Jun 09

Lodofvale beat me to it. The first thing that came to my mind was "Should ave gone to Specsavers" though I personally wouldn't recommend them.

John Steed says...
4:22pm Sat 27 Jun 09

jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
should have gone to specsavers


Jim BB says...
4:34pm Sat 27 Jun 09

jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
It's only a minority who cause problems but there should be more regular retests after 70 which include health checks.

I hope the man is okay and decides that now's the time to give up driving.

John Steed says...
4:45pm Sat 27 Jun 09

jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
each year there are many fatal & near fatal accidents caused by elderly drivers who long since should have given, how ever there are also very many fatal and near fatal accidents caused by youngsters who shouldnt have taken up driving.
there are many drivers over the age of 70 who are good if not very good drivers, so whilst jonathon possibly has a valid point in this case, it can not in any way be generalised, I have known and do know many elderly drivers who are safe creditable drivers my own mother is 77 and drives daily, I was surprised to find out a year or so ago that a well known local earl aged 82 had just driven up to liverpool and back in his equally elderly fiesta
dont knock the elderly to much a lot of them are marvelous drivers

Wivvy Dave says...
6:00pm Sat 27 Jun 09

jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
Stirling Moss is over 70 and a very good and safe driver.

Out there somewhere says...
6:02pm Sat 27 Jun 09

I drove to the opticians the other day. Guess who I bumped into.

Bloomin' everyone.

Everest says...
6:06pm Sat 27 Jun 09

Conor wrote:
If had only just started his car, why would he have needed to brake?
Eeerrrrr, because it's an automatic?

SW ride-just (nowhere near if you ask me)

Tye says...
7:48pm Sat 27 Jun 09

jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
Good thing that the people who KNOW disagree with your tablod drivel.
Insurance Companies (as well as the cops , as well as insurance companies, as well as the dead kids parents) would rather those under 30 banned going by the statistics

kkj says...
12:28am Sun 28 Jun 09

John Steed wrote:
jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
each year there are many fatal & near fatal accidents caused by elderly drivers who long since should have given, how ever there are also very many fatal and near fatal accidents caused by youngsters who shouldnt have taken up driving.
there are many drivers over the age of 70 who are good if not very good drivers, so whilst jonathon possibly has a valid point in this case, it can not in any way be generalised, I have known and do know many elderly drivers who are safe creditable drivers my own mother is 77 and drives daily, I was surprised to find out a year or so ago that a well known local earl aged 82 had just driven up to liverpool and back in his equally elderly fiesta
dont knock the elderly to much a lot of them are marvelous drivers
He's got an 82 year old Fiesta?

kkj says...
12:28am Sun 28 Jun 09

John Steed wrote:
jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
each year there are many fatal & near fatal accidents caused by elderly drivers who long since should have given, how ever there are also very many fatal and near fatal accidents caused by youngsters who shouldnt have taken up driving.
there are many drivers over the age of 70 who are good if not very good drivers, so whilst jonathon possibly has a valid point in this case, it can not in any way be generalised, I have known and do know many elderly drivers who are safe creditable drivers my own mother is 77 and drives daily, I was surprised to find out a year or so ago that a well known local earl aged 82 had just driven up to liverpool and back in his equally elderly fiesta
dont knock the elderly to much a lot of them are marvelous drivers
He's got an 82 year old Fiesta?

IKDRF says...
2:05pm Sun 28 Jun 09

Tye wrote:
jonathon wrote: Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
Good thing that the people who KNOW disagree with your tablod drivel. Insurance Companies (as well as the cops , as well as insurance companies, as well as the dead kids parents) would rather those under 30 banned going by the statistics
You saved my typing fingers-well said

stickman says...
3:21pm Sun 28 Jun 09

jonathon wrote:
Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
Poor old jonathon - another story now about a 96 year old crashing but no comments enabled. You'll just have to seethe away silently all on your own for that one.

mintyboy says...
4:54pm Sun 28 Jun 09

the driver was aiming to crash into st wilfreds hospice shop, but somehow mis judged it, meanwhile inside the shop someone managed to successfully read the number plate....

jonathon says...
5:30pm Sun 28 Jun 09

stickman wrote:
jonathon wrote: Silly old fool. Nobody over the age of 70 years should be allowed to drive a car. He could have killed someone. The trouble is these people are a danger on the road and they think they are marvellous drivers. He should be made to pay for the damage caused and fined for dangerous driving. A CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SILLY OLD FOOLS STUPIDITY. Get them off the road.
Poor old jonathon - another story now about a 96 year old crashing but no comments enabled. You'll just have to seethe away silently all on your own for that one.
I can't seethe alone, sorry.
What is a 96 yo doing out on a mobility scooter he cannot control.Its about time the was a law passed about the scooters. The drivers do not have to take a test, have insurance or be fit to driver them. I expect this old man lived in Hove and got lost on his way to George Street where these scooter drivers all meet waiting for me to come along and then drive in front of me and a speed that is totally illegal. I would not be surprised if the old guy had not parked his car some where and was using the scooter to upset everyone or just me.

Psycho Bob says...
10:57pm Mon 29 Jun 09

The poor man only made a small mistake by choosing the wrong peddle to press. Mistakes do happen.


Emergency services check out the crash scene in Seaford (photo Eddie Mitchell) Emergency services check out the crash scene in Seaford (photo Eddie Mitchell)

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