For context: This picture illustrated a letter requesting advice about an impaired (“…on oxygen, is wobbly on her feet, can’t hear or see very well, and is understandably forgetful”) mother-in-law who refuses to give up driving herself. The letter writer added, “My husband and I have had several large fights over this. His response is when she gets in an accident, then he will have that discussion with her.”
The first five sentences of Carolyn Hax’s reply were: "What will they do when she kills someone? Then will her son “have that discussion with her”?
“This is not about love, or adult treatment, or rudeness, or anyone’s place. It’s about “lanes” only in the sense that the poor souls unwittingly on the road with your mother-in-law deserve to be safe in theirs.
“People whose vision has deteriorated to the point they “can’t … see very well” belong nowhere near the controls for some thousands of pounds of rolling steel.”
My take on this echoes Ms. Hax’s, with the added thought that hubby needs to be cited for criminal negligence, reckless endangerment, or whatever the locality calls it. Now, not waiting until after his mom accidentally kills someone … and the charge against him becomes aiding and abetting involuntary manslaughter.
For context: This picture illustrated a letter requesting advice about an impaired (“…on oxygen, is wobbly on her feet, can’t hear or see very well, and is understandably forgetful”) mother-in-law who refuses to give up driving herself. The letter writer added, “My husband and I have had several large fights over this. His response is when she gets in an accident, then he will have that discussion with her.”
The first five sentences of Carolyn Hax’s reply were: "What will they do when she kills someone? Then will her son “have that discussion with her”?
“This is not about love, or adult treatment, or rudeness, or anyone’s place. It’s about “lanes” only in the sense that the poor souls unwittingly on the road with your mother-in-law deserve to be safe in theirs.
“People whose vision has deteriorated to the point they “can’t … see very well” belong nowhere near the controls for some thousands of pounds of rolling steel.”
My take on this echoes Ms. Hax’s, with the added thought that hubby needs to be cited for criminal negligence, reckless endangerment, or whatever the locality calls it. Now, not waiting until after his mom accidentally kills someone … and the charge against him becomes aiding and abetting involuntary manslaughter.