I first met John Walsh, now 101, in Clonmel, County Tipperary, several months ago when we went there to film him for a Nationwide programme. I obviously knew how old he was and that he was still driving - what I wasn't quite prepared for was his zest for the freedom of the road and his championing of an all-electric Nissan Leaf!
I was delighted to see him feature in last night's RTE 1 documentary about older drivers (see video below) and to see he is still driving around his home town, to and from the shops and his local church.
While his story is a heartening one of determination, the programme also featured people for whom driving was becoming a struggle and the loss of long-cherished independence. Even John Walsh strikes a sorrowful note by saying: "The main thing I hope for is that, when I give up driving, I die fairly quickly".
It's a programme any driver getting older - or anyone caring for a relative or friend who is in that position - really should watch for a number of reason because it raises a number of important issues. And the issues are all raised by the drivers themselves, including Joan O'Rourke from County Galway, who was on her way to court at the age of 86 - for speeding!
Joan O'Rourke, aged 86, was on her way to court - for a speeding offence!
And, finally, any of us who get impatient with elderly drivers - because a lot of us do - would also do well to watch it.
Not least to discover how they perceive life with a car in a way we don't - yet, that is.
Watch Too Old For The Road? here
