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From: gnu@l5.uucp (John Gilmore)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.auto
Subject: Re: Driving as a right or privilege
Message-ID: <216@l5.uucp>
Date: Sat, 26-Oct-85 07:55:48 EST
Article-I.D.: l5.216
Posted: Sat Oct 26 07:55:48 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Oct-85 03:48:56 EST
References: <189@ucdavis.UUCP>
Organization: Nebula Consultants in San Francisco
Lines: 47
Xref: watmath net.flame:12519 net.auto:8566

In article <189@ucdavis.UUCP>, ccs020@ucdavis.UUCP (Kevin Chu) writes:
> In California, it is far too easy to get your license, the test is
> just too simple.  The written part is all BS and the practical part
> barely covers anything really practical.

As one who has taken driving tests in about 6 states, California is
the hardest one I've come across.  I got "Chauffer's Licenses" in
several of those states because it was trivial to do so and it might
help me get a job sometime.  Usually they just give you a different
written test, and you are then licensed to drive everything from a
moped up thru a double-trailer 18-wheeler or school bus.

In California, to get a motorcycle license, you have to drive a motorcycle
in front of them (and take it around a small obstacle course without
putting your feet down).  To get an 18-wheeler license, you have to
show up with an 18-wheeler and take a test (or have your employer
certify that you can drive one, which I suspect 99% of the people do).
A license to drive a delivery truck for hire does not let you drive
a school bus or a tractor-trailer.

The Calif. written tests are about the same as everywhere -- the usual
"what color is a stop sign" and "how many feet from an intersection are
you allowed to change lanes" and all the other ignored numbers and
rules of real-life driving.  My favorite "written" test was in New
Mexico, where the test is given by a machine that shows you a slide of
a road situation and then asks a multiple choice question.  It picks 20
out of 100 slides at random and grades your test automatically.

They also require eye tests in Calif, though I don't know if you have
to retake them occasionally.  In many states the AARP has successfully
avoided making older people stop driving when they can't see any more.
This leads to things like "the usual" way for a motorcyclist to die
being to have an old lady pull out right in front of her.  This has
happened to me 3 or 4 times; I avoided the collision (with difficulty),
and screamed at the driver at the next intersection.  Mostly they just
say "I didn't see you" either as an excuse or a justification of almost
killing me on the spot...

One word about tickets and "the punks with all the tickets killed my
sister and they should all go to jail".  I've never injured or killed
anybody with a motor vehicle (as a motorcyclist, the stats are
definitely against me ever doing a car driver or pedestrian any harm).
That doesn't stop the damn government "public servants" from issuing me
plenty of tickets.  If speeding is "a danger to the public" then why is
more than 50% of the public doing it?  The Feds have to keep
threatening to cut off highway funds if the states don't bring the
"complicance" with 55MPH above 40%...