Well.....as I’m getting ready to fly out for my FIL’s funeral, i just got a call from my brother informing me that our dad just totaled his classic car. I’m told he’s ok, just has a big gash on his forehead and was being transported to the hospital. He blacked out but was able to call my mom from scene when he came to. All I can say is, thank the good lord he didn’t kill or injure an innocent person!
This is the 2nd car he has totaled in 6 years. The first car was my moms and he wasn’t supposed to be driving, his license had been revoked because he was having seizures. He received minor injuries and was charged by the highway patrol and had to go court.
He has brain damage and cognitive decline stemming from various injuries and illness over the years. I am honestly surprised he got his license back after it was revoked the first time. As far as I know, his license is still valid. I don’t think it’s been revoked again. He’s also missing his left arm. Lost that in a car accident (not his fault). He has zero patience. Anger issues. I spent my entire childhood fearful of his wrath because.....everything set him off. Lots of yelling and hitting. My brother was screamed at, taken home early and then hit with a belt because he wore his pants backwards to a Boy Scouts meeting (in the early 90s it was the style thanks to the rap group Kriss kross). Another time he was beaten so bad he couldn’t sit because my dad caught us eating cookies before bed one night. All normal kid stuff right? Yet we were read the riot act and sometimes beaten! It has deeply affected my brother & I as adults. We have emotional scars that will never go away. My dad has not changed. He is still the angry hot headed man he was when I was a kid.
my mother refuses to take away the keys. Disabling the car is not a solution, he is cognitive enough to call AAA. My mom will not take the keys away because he gets too mad. And I understand. He has a lot of guns and honestly it terrifies me that if she stands up to him and hides the keys, he will resort to gun violence.
I am at a loss here. My brother lives with them and he too agrees our dad has no business driving. He’s been behind the wheel with him and said he was terrified because he drives so bad! My dad and brother butt heads regularly and have almost gotten into physical fights many times. Things would turn violent if he tried to take the keys away.
if I lived there, it would be so simple. I’d just call the highway patrol every time he got behind the wheel. Of course they wouldn’t do anything unless they saw him driving badly. But they could get the ball rolling to get his license revoked. And when he drove on his revoked license, i’d Call the HP and report him. Downside is they would impound the car which will cost a lot of $$$ but I think we could convince my mom to sign over the car to the tow truck company.
i guess all I can do is report him to the DMV and ask them to re-evaluate his license. Maybe I can contact the highway patrol and ask them to alert the DMV too. I will try to get my brother to call the highway patrol when he drives. I don’t think my mom would agree to that.
Anything else we can do? Man I am just livid over this!
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Yes you should definitely contact the DMV and anonymously make your case. Also (and this is a long-shot) while you're waiting for that shoe to drop you can find GPS car tracking devices on Amazon and elsewhere on the interweb. Some cheap, some not. Some are magnetic and just cling anywhere on the car and have a 2-month battery life. Then you'd know when he's on the road and you could contact HP to stop him every time. I don't think it wise to have your mom know any of this as he may punish her if he finds out (and she may not be willing, anyway).
Just a thought. I don't envy your position but you're the only one who stands between your dangerous dad and possibly deadly incident with an innocent person. Peace and courage to you as you navigate this challenge.
Sorry to digress
Seems to me that the medication list daddy's on ALONE should prohibit him from driving. Since when is a person allowed to drive while under the influence of anxiety meds and opioids???? Report him for DUI, or have your brother do it, and that should keep him off the road for a while.
Wishing you good luck and godspeed.....and for your poor mom as well.
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You can always contact your DMV Medical Examining Board anonymously. State the information about the person in ad much detail as possible LEAVING OUT ALL EMOTION. State only medical facts, name , address of person, date of birth. But detailed information why they should not have a driver's license. When I read your post you have all the information needed, just remove your relationship and name and emotion. Let THEM be the bad guys. Send the letter or email every day until they respond to your inquiry. And they will, it's a tried and proven method. Best of luck!
How upsetting! I am so sorry you and your family are having to deal with this.
I wonder if his doctor would say he is still able to be a safe gun owner? Just thinking aloud here, I wonder if the opinion of the doctor, and of the local police, could help in some way. What would be great is if the guns could at least be cleared from the home by the police because the owner of the guns is unstable and is a threat to others, to others in the home at the very least. It might be worth calling the police in his town or the county sheriff's office and see what they say or resources they might offer. Older unstable men with guns are probably on their radar screens more than we might imagine.
Your mother and brother should not be expected to handle this. Outside assistance is needed. Start with APS and see what their recommendation is.
forgot to mention something rather important. My dad is on a ton of medications-antidepressants, blood pressure meds, anxiety meds, opioids for phantom pain. All the meds are part of the reason he’s not always “there” in the head. I believe he also has narcolepsy or a form of it. I really just wish he would stop driving!!!!!
Just letting you know it started pm me again and following me around.
I wish I had a solution to your problem, but I don't. Just here for support. Sorry that your in that situation.