By Rosaldo Russo
Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think.
In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values.
My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn.
I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did.
I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work.
In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed.
Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished.
I have worked my ass off all my life so that one day, I would enjoy living free of debt and comfortably. Now in my golden days. I thought I had it made. Then with one visit to my doctor. My world has come crushing down.
I live in a rural part of Oshawa. My transportation is my lifeline to getting groceries, going to doctors and working around my acreage.
During my doctors appointment, he informs me that he will be pulling my license based on my age and my medical condition. He felt that I would be a danger on the roadways.
Now, excuse me. I have no tickets, no accidents and perfect vision. When I questioned her. She became very ubrupt and told me that ‘it was what it was.’
Then I started doing some research. I found out that the general practice today for most doctors is that if you are over 80. They can automatically pull your license.
This I personally think it is an injustice. I just bought a 90,000. truck. I own an SUV and other machine to work around my property. Now this doctor decides to pull my license.
I could understand if I had tickets. I would understand if I had accidents. I would even entertain the idea that if I had vision problems.
After all, If I felt a threat to anyone including me. I be the first to stop driving. This is not the case.
I pay for the vehicle. I pay for the insurance. I pay for my hefty taxes. I pay and pay and are now transportation castrated because of my age.
I think this is a form of discrimination. What do you think.
I worked all my life so that I would not have to ask for anything from the system. To retire in comfort. Now this?
At the least the doctor could have referred me to take the Mickey Mouse test again. I drive every day and see that many of the new drivers have no common sense. For example. On a four lane street. Someone on the far right decided to make a left turn and cut across four lanes and made everyone wait. Luckily not causing a major accident. Where is the doctor taking their license. On another time. Driving on the 401 and someone on the fast lane decided to go 60km/hr. Trucks passed and beeped.. It was a dangerous scene.
I am sure I could write a million pages of those that are young and should have their license revoked, yet we the over 80 population are threat. Those that never received a citation.
Those that are fully insured and never had a car accident.
Sure, it is easy to shrug our shoulders.... and deem this as my problem. But, remember one day you will be over 80. Then what?
Or what if your family elders all of a sudden faced the same dilema and would have to rely on you on transportation... All because the medical association deems people over 80 a public safety threat. Come on people. Let’s do what is right. Why after contributing so much to this great nation am I being discriminated against over my age?
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