Ok this is one I have never had to make but maybe will have to years down road . We as we get older have to decide when its time to give up driveing a car or motorcycle. Sometimes its up to us sometimes it's made by others.I can't help but thinking their maybe a time for some to have to give up firearms. Dont make this in to a 2nd thing its not. This is a case of your health or your ability to be safe with a firearm. Told you this was going to be hard !!!. Discuss please .

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Spin The Wheel

I sold my Electra Glide in July of 2017. Sad day indeed. I've been selling a few firearms since then. The Harley got to heavy and the semi autos are getting hard to rack the slide. Oh the wonders of being this lucky to get old.

Bottom line for me:
If I ever get to the point where I feel "uncomfortable" owning firearms I will either gift them to other family members or friends. If this isn't possible they will be sold off. The same goes with my cars.
Jim

When I lost the sight in my right eye I had to give up shooting rifles, tried shooting left handed, it just didn't work. Sold all my rifles, difficult thing to do but you do what you have to do.
My dad lived to be 95, at around 85 he called me and asked me to come over and sell his car and truck for him. I of course asked why. He said, " Son, on the way driving home today from the cafe I believe I made Christians out of at least 20 people, I couldn't read their lips as they hit the side of the road but I can make a good guess what they said". I moved him in with us and sold his vehicles for him. Sometimes as you say the decision is ours, sometimes it's made for us. Good luck with your decision.

I think most of the folks who are like those of us in the forum (by that I mean REALLY REALLY REALLY in to guns have made plans or are constantly pondering plans for our guns and their future beyond ourselves.

I think folks like us will stop shooting one day but still be chatting about them, attending shows and swapping them, or simply selling or otherwise moving them out at some point.

So no, I don't anticipate a day when I'm losing my senses and my family has to take away these things I enjoy. But I suppose anything is possible.

An excellent question and you are commended for your foresight.

I am beginning to consider the same issue, and while I think the time is a way off, I believe I owe it to my family to be proactive. I don’t have a clear answer yet, but I recognize I need a plan.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

I'll be eighty-one in about three weeks, and I have multiple health problems--heart, lungs and circulation.

I made the decision last year, without prompting, that it was time for me to stop driving. It was an adjustment, but I'm comfortable that it was the right thing to do. I've only recently started going places unaccompanied, using a bus service for disabled people instead of having to ask others to drive me around.

I still carry a gun for self defense. A neighbor a few years younger than I says he thinks I'm too old for that, but he seems to suspect that I would use it to keep someone from taking my wallet. I've assured him that I don't own anything for which I would shoot someone, but that in a red-alert situation in which my life is in danger I will do what I have to do.

If the time comes that I question that decision, I will change it. It could be dementia (none so far) or onset of blindness, which is possible as I have early stage macular degeneration. But presently I see better than I have for years, thanks to cataract surgery, and my brain functions pretty well for my age.

I didn't want to wait to stop driving until friends and relatives were trying to take away my car keys. I don't want to delay giving up carrying until they want to hide or seize my guns. But the decision will be mine, for now.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I may be there with you on bike some say trike it I say no thanks. Been too many years on two three would not work for me. Not to say that wont work for some. Pluse the money to trike one will kill ya lol

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Spin The Wheel

And riding a trike is nothing like being on 2 wheels. As the driver or passenger.

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Super Snooper

Need to stop driving....Uber is your friend! I don't plan on giving up traveling or getting out. With all the changes going on maybe the Jetson's isn't that far off.

Scotty beam me up!

I am only aware of one alternative.;-)

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Certified Curmudgeon

They took my grandfathers drivers license away because he was going the wrong way on I-75 from Ohio to Michigan. I thought he might have been remembering when I-75 was just a two lane road.

I quit riding M/C when I was 56 for several reasons. Most important was I knew my reaction time to what was happening around me was much slower than it used to be and traffic was 20 fold what it used to be. On two wheels with no metal around me to protect me from a bad situation along with knowing if I did go down I wouldn't heal as quick either was the other reason to quit riding M/C. That and two guys my age had recently gone down. One was sitting still when his foot on gravel slipped out from under him as he tried to hold up his dresser. His foot ended up pointing in the opposite direction due to a broken ankle. The other was doing maybe 25 on his springer Harley when a dog tried going between his front wheel and the frame. He had a couple broken ribs and road rash. I think they made me realize my knocking on wood might be at an end so I gave it up.

I went to the grocery store and I saw a really good looking Harley trike. I saw an old man pushing a cart and he headed to the trike. It was his. I believe he said he was 74 years old. Because of diabetic foot nerve pain and bad knees he decided to go with the trike. He said he couldn't give up riding M/C. He had just bought it the day before. He said he got a deal on the trike because his son worked at a Harley dealership. I think he said the sticker was $42 grand but he got it for around $28 grand. He had all sorts of plans for long distance rides in the future.

I guess if/when I can't pull a trigger, slide, or a hammer or I move like a sloth then that will be time to sell my guns. When it hurts my hands to polish my guns then that will be the tell tale sign it is time to sell them.

A friend of mine was told by his dad that the golden years aren't all that golden. People don't really realize how short life is here till they find themselves in old age and wonder how all those years went by like it was just a fly over.

My aunt died at around 97 years old and they didn't even have a funeral since she had outlived all her friends. I can't imagine my living another 30 years and I also am guessing I wouldn't like my physical condition 30 years from now. Yep someday the guns will have to go.

I'll give a different perspective.

I'm a GenXer. I rent a house within walking distance from my folk's house. I chose to do that so I could help out with anything they need. My dad used to drive everywhere but when he turned 82 he slowly started letting me drive and eventually., I was doing all the driving. I was OK with that.

But when he insisted that I get put on his checking and other financial accounts, I didn't want anything to do with that, at the time. To me it felt like I was taking away their independence. That's the last thing I wanted. I did it, but I felt guilty about it.

Looking back, it was what he wanted. Instead of guilt, I should've felt honored that he trusted me enough to take care of him, and the finances to ensure that my mom would be taken care of when he passed.

If/when you guys make a decision, make sure you tell the people you love what/why you're doing what you're doing. You might have someone in your life that love's you too much and too emotional (like I was) to understand.

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Thread Killer.

My driving moratorium is self-imposed due to surgical damage to my neck and left shoulder. I really don't miss it that much as I can still get to where I want to go and I sure don't want the guilt of being the cause of another motorist's or pedestrian's injury or death. That and the money I save on pine scented car air fresheners is a plus.

Thankfully my ability to shoot pistols has not been affected.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Not ready to give up driving yet, not that old! But I have to admit I did sell my Corvette because it was getting to hard to get in and out of! Bad knees and back just don’t cut it for one of them. Going to be giving up the motorhome soon as well, all due to health reasons.
As for Guns I am going to start selling off some of my collection. The wife knows basically who should get what but I need to start unloading some of my rifles and some oddball handguns.
Don’t want to stick her with that. After all this said with what I unload I may have to buy something else!

Some time ago long ago I worked in a LGS. I made the comment on the forum about some people coming in to buy a gun for "home protection" and that some folks just should not have a gun. Well I took all kinds of flak about that!


When someone (and here is the sticky point, usually elderly)
Has no idea of what gun, revolver or semi, have no idea how to operate it, have not trained with it, can't hold one without shaking, can't rack a slide back, or probably never shot a gun want a gun to put in the nightstand, well sorry I am a issue with that. And yes there are younger, middle age folks that may be in that category but the topic here is those getting old.


I saw my Dad go through it with driving, he was an avid and excellent driver. But Alzheimer hit him bad. Fortunately he was not a problem as he just "forgot" about driving or had no idea how to do it anymore. That and all his other mental functions just gone.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I am now 86 and still driving with some degree of proficiency. I dread the thought that one day I will have to give it up. Can't be that many years in the future I guess. Growing old is not for sissies!

Sold the Harley in 2012 because I dumped the bike at a stop sign. Don't think I put my foot down soon enough or it slipped on dirt. In any event, we went down fast and hard. Sometimes it's time to move on.
Bought a 2012 Corvette and then a 2015 Corvette. Hope I can hang in there for a few more years, maybe at least until there is a mid engine Corvette.

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Foster Positivity.

Starting to clear up my huge collection of stuff that I have collected over the years. Don’t want to leave it for someone else to do. Was looking for a phone number in my book I have had for years and realized it was full of people who have passed. Makes you think.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

Sold my Harley Softail several years ago (now 72) because the wife said "I'm to old now and not strong enough anymore". That really hurt my feelings, but think she was correct. These golden years really suck!

But it beats the alternative!

I think I've figured out why they are called the "Golden Years." You give all your gold to the medical profession!

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Bill

My wife's grandmother passed away at 102. She still had a driver's license (although I never saw her drive), and a 410 shotgun behind the living room door. No one took ANYTHING away from that lady without her permission.

I began riding motor cycles in 1950 on my neighbor’s home built scooter powered by a washing machine motor. The ride has been continuous since then, until two years ago. Even with cataract surgery I found I could no longer trust my vision to tell me exactly what the road surface was like in the apex of the upcoming turn. Sadly, turns are why I rode. So my 1250 Suzuki Bandit went away.

Like others here have mentioned, the idea of a three wheeler did not appeal in the slightest. Happily, I found a solution that works for me. She may be old (18 years) but she hustles through the turns pretty well.

Ed

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I sold my last motorcycle in 2014. By that time, I had transitioned to a trike. Nope, not the same as two wheels, but the wind in our faces was still the same. My wife and I enjoyed nearly a hundred thousand miles on that trike, and we loved doing it. My broken back quit allowing me to be able to hold us both up on two wheels, so it was a trike or nothing. We could still ride, but 400 mile days, especially several in a row, were not much fun anymore. I decided to sell it to a friend while all our memories were good ones, and we still have those and many pictures and many good friends made over the years.

I don't shoot nearly as much as I used to, and I have more guns than I ever had. Most all my shooting these days (along with my wife's shooting) is centered around our daily carry handguns. Perhaps the day will come when that is no longer possible. We will see and time will tell. My dad is still living at 95 but Alzheimers removed him from the driving pool and the gun owning pool a few years ago. So it can happen, and if it does, then like with the motorcycles, I intend to voluntarily embrace the need for change. I've got sons and grandchildren who already have been given a few guns, and they will be happy to accept the rest of my accumulation in time to come. Passing from this world is a very real fact of this life, and it cannot be escaped. I do not fear that, but I do fear not being able to take care my wife and I or being able to be responsible for myself. I hope my wife and my family escape that eventuality but again, time will tell. Meantime, I'm gonna keep doing what I can to the best of my ability to do so. That's not nearly as well as I usta could do these things, but I ain't quittin' unless it's obvious that I really need to be smart enough to do so. Each of us has the responsibility to recognize that we must face these kinds of decisions and think about them before hand and make some plans.

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So long ... Ken

I had to sell my father’s car when he was about 70 (he was not happy about it) and he died @ 72. I’ll be 72 next month and am doing fine so far.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Sometimes the Golden Years are golden showers.

But look at the wisdom we accrue the hard way.

I did inform my family and friends of my decision to give up driving, and the reasons for it. Some were sad for me, but all thought I was wise to do it before anything drastic happened.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Am 69 and bought a new Harley FXLR in April. It is a heavy, powerful, fast motorcycle. I envision I can only ride it, PROPERLY, for the next 5 years or so. Know my limitations and though I am in good health and great shape (generous self assessment) for an old man, there surely are things I cannot do as well I could in the past. And if I cannot ride Margot safely and well I will not.

Have a Corvette and like joe44va will drive one til I cannot get in it anymore. Fairly sure I CAN hold on til I get a C8 (new mid-engine Corvette) in 2019 or 2020...soon as they are available.

Do not want to offend anyone but I will not ride a three wheel bike.

All my possessions will be conveyed to folks who I know will appreciate them. I don’t look forward to that time...but reckon my beneficiaries just might.

Be safe.

I'm 73, and just beginning to face the same hard decision. Living in the country requires that I hold off on the driving as long as I'm not a danger to anyone - no tickets or wrecks on my record. But I don't carry anymore, and will not be renewing my license. Reasoning being that I simply don't trust my judgement when it comes to using deadly force - my attitude has really gone South in the last few years. My reloading is also coming to a slow end - memory and attention problems are nothing to play with.

I admire your self-awareness and honesty. I wish you well.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Yeah and the rest of the numbers are Doctors.

Sent from my LGL52VL using Tapatalk

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Don

As far as guns and shooting are concerned when I am no longer comfortable managing them then they will get passed on. I am already looking at replacing the old S430 with a slightly newer S600 Maybach so it's easier and nicer to sit in the back, I know a couple of my boys won't mind driving me around when needed (like to the range to shoot their newly acquired guns).

At 50 I must still be a "young whippersnapper." I just ordered a new DBS Superleggera from Aston Martin. I can't wait for it to come in

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Smith. And Wesson. And Me!

..is that older, infirm people need to buy a firearm after years of feeling it was not a necessity.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

My dad is nearly 89. He still drives, and does so proficiently. Hasn't had a ticket or accident in many years. He has sold and given away all his guns except for one . . . his 15-2. He says that one is my son's when he "doesn't need it any longer." He shoots it pretty well, but not often - a few times a year.

At 58 and in good health it's a bit early to be worrying about that yet for me. My time's coming, though, assuming I am fortunate enough to live to a ripe old age.

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Or something like that . . .

At a family reunion, a cousin was describing how getting older put you in the "metallic years." You get silver in your hair, gold in your teeth and lead in your pants.

I guess I'll keep the Batmobiles until they crumble away beneath me.

And when I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car!

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Possum—The other white meat!

My father turns 95 next month. To his credit and my amazement he decided to give up driving several years ago, when the lease on his Camaro was up he turned it in and let me do the driving. He still keeps a Chiefs Special in a handy drawer.
Regards,
turnerriver

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turnerriver

I don't know where I would be on the bell curve of the ages of the members of the Forum, but I want to pass along the experiences I've had that might help to push out the day we have to give up driving and/or shooting.

First, when I was still working, I mentioned to my cardiologist, who was a personal friend before I started consulting him professionally, that I was thinking about retiring. He told to make sure I had some activities going on, because he knew guys who retired but had no outside interests at all. He said they ended up with some severe functional declines. At my first appointment with him after I retired, he made sure to ask me what I was doing. When I told him I was Vice Commander of the local Sons of the American Legion squadron and Secretary of the Planning Commission for my town, he said I was OK.

Second, if you have any signs of sleep disorders, get a sleep apnea test as soon as possible. After my severe sleep apnea was diagnosed, I went on the CPAP machine. After a few months, I discovered that I had a substantial increase in ambition, creativity and problem-solving ability. Now I wish I had done that sooner.

Did not have a problem with the driving thing. Stopped driving at night two years ago. Also, been limiting myself to short distances the past year and letting my wife drive us most of the time. It's called using your own judgment to make rational decisions on a daily basis. Just had cataract surgery and am back to regular driving with perfect vision. Will still let my wife drive us at night since she has perfect vision and no cataracts. When it comes to all the guns, I will keep them until I drop. There is no dementia in my family. My mother had a touch of it when she was 98, but very little. Should I get some form of dementia, I will pass the guns to my son and daughter with all the information as to value and rarity before I get beyond the point of making rational decisions. The probability of this is so low that I don't even think about it, but it could happen.

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Dr. B

The comments here are enlightening.

I am 61, but eleven years ago I was in a severe accident that left me disabled. After spending a week in ICU, a week in PCU and 2 weeks in rehab learning how to get around in an electric wheelchair, I decided to let go of my RoadKing, even though it was rebuildable.

Six months after I took my first steps (almost 4 months after the accident), circumstances gave a strong suggestion that I would become a single custodial parent, I decided to surrender my motorcycle endorsement. It was a hard decision, but it was made after I took one last test ride.

When it came to shooting, I can no longer shoot position rifle, so I have had to adapt. Selling some rifles in order to keep a roof over my kids' heads was painful, but a necessity. But things have improved. I now am shooting pistol more, with an emphasis on defensive shooting

I do not look forward to the day when I must stop driving, and my children will get the gun collection.

Anticipating one's impending infirmities is almost as sobering as contemplating one's demise.

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Judge control not gun control!

Mindset!!

When dad's car keys were taken away from him he was crushed. He believed he had been relieved of his manhood and he dropped into depression for almost a year. My mom has never driven a car and dad felt confined. Mom finally convinced him that he had a willing army of drivers at his disposal.

Before long he had us ferrying them all over. We would leave them at their camper on the Ohio River for weeks at a time surrounded by all their full time camping neighbors.

Like Luke, he got his mind right. Joy returned to his life until he passed in '99. He left his guns to me.

As for me, helping put Ruthie through nursing school and raising three grandkids leaves me no time to sulk, anyway.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Haven't had to deal with the gun issue,but driving is tricky (independence)
Pop was a type A and only had one eye,a fender bender special.As he got older and his Alzheimer's became obvious,ma finally took his keys.He was a bit peeved for a week or two,but then he forgot about it.Old Dave is 85 and very driven.I thought he should hang it up a year ago,but no one was aggressive enough to get through to him.I talked to his son about it a couple of months ago to no avail.Two weeks later the old guy caused quite a wreck,rolled his car on the highway and broke his back.6 weeks in hospital and rehab and yesterday he covered a full mile with his walker...
Ma is 87 and mostly stopped driving a year ago,but lately has been asserting her independence.Raising kids was easier than raising parents ;-)

I miss the beer stops when bike riding and the friends and chit chat but
don't miss the road rash and picking asphalt out of my hide.

My hands are still strong enough to rack and hold pistols and revolvers but
there is a tremble that comes now and then that shakes the heck out of my grip.

As for not driving, there is the wife, then a taxi if things go down hill.
Not looking to a bike or tricycle.... !!

Not sure I will ever have to "give up guns" because guns are not a hobby for me, they are tools. I will eventually give up range practice and recreational shooting, but I'll probably always keep one around for defense. At some point way in the future I'll probably sell off all but my home defense gun, I don't know if that's considered "giving up firearms" or not.
As for giving up driving, that'll be a sad day for me. I've made a living from driving for many years, I've taken pride in my driving abilities, if I had to pick one thing I'm better than most people at, it would be driving. That said, I know I'm not as good as I once was, I'm not as confident in my abilities and my attitude has gone to hell.
As for motorcycles, I'll never get anything with three wheels. Sorry, I just couldn't do it. When I can no longer ride I'll buy a Miata.

At 92 my grandmother still slept with a browning. 380 under her pillow. No one was going to take that gun from her.
I have quite a ways to go, but still have thought about the matter to some extent. Most likely financial reasons may have me sell off and downsize my toys as I get up in years.And I'm sure some guns will go. But my 3" 686p, while not my top favorite of my collection, will probably be the one I'll never let go of. And the more helpless I feel, I'll most likely hold onto it that more determined.
Thing is, we all end up in that boat sooner or later. Some are lucky to have people to take care of them. I myself was never blessed with a family of my own, and most likely will enter that phase of life with no one but myself to rely on.

Nursing home are full of lonely old people with children.

Not going to be able to handle no nursing home.

I understand, I'm just saying that having a family does not automatically mean you have a support system.
My step father was a hell of a good guy and not one of his kids or blood relatives showed up to help my mom and I take care of him in his last months of life. They did show up for the reading of the will, but they were sadly disappointed.