Changing the usual order of events, President Grant started with the Guest Presentation and asked Carolyn Christison to introduce the head speaker. Cathy Mantika has been with AMA for 37 years and also works with Girl Guides and Special Needs Children. Her presentation topic was that of "Tips for Senior Drivers".

She quickly determined through a show of hands that the audience with a few exceptions qualified. She noted the concern we all have as we age, and start to lose competencies we had when younger. Driving provides us with the "independence" we want to have late into life. Each of us will have to eventually decide when to stop driving.

Night driving is the first sign of aging relative to driving. Should any senior driver not pass medical vision or physical tests, the consequence is to be classified as Class 7 (and must drive as a learner) and pass a road test.

She outlined the changes to driving that are coming into effect in September. Drivers could be fined $172, if caught driving without due care and attention, so reading, writing, personal grooming, using cell phones, using 2-way radios, pet interference would result in fines. She said that snacking, smoking, sipping, using GPS, hands-free cell phones would be allowed.

Cathy used an interactive style to her presentation and club members were very actively engaged. We were challenged to answer such things as playground and school zone hours, merging rules, four-way stops, driving with lights on, traffic circles, and speeding, signalling, lane changing. While all of us had clear opinions of correct driving, we were not all right all of the time.

Cathy distributed a booklet "Tips for Aging Drivers" and reminded us that an Alberta Operators Manual might we a good thing to review from time to time.

Having a brief good-natured disagreement over proper driving habits with our speaker, it was fitting that David Watson expressed the thanks of the club and presented the Boltman. He also gave club members some challenges about driving habits.

reported by Jim Barnes