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From: kemasa@sdcc13.UUCP (kemasa)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.auto
Subject: Re: Driving as a right or privilege
Message-ID: <343@sdcc13.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 17:49:22 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc13.343
Posted: Wed Oct 30 17:49:22 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Nov-85 07:30:38 EST
References: <189@ucdavis.UUCP>
Reply-To: kemasa@sdcc13.UUCP (kemasa)
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 59
Xref: watmath net.flame:12591 net.auto:8613

California might be one of the harder states to get a license, but it still
is too easy.  My parents had all of us kids take private driving lessons,
which prepared us to be better drivers.  I can imagine being able to get
a license after only driving a few hours.  I couldn't even get my license
until I had taken the driving section of the class from High School (We
got to go driving for I think 3 hours for three days, had a good time,
the only comment the instructor made was to one guy who was going too
slow on the freeway), the private school wasn't good enough for the state.
The actual test only took 10 minutes, just driving around the block.
I haven't been back to the DMV for about 7 years and I don't have go in
until 1988 because I haven't had any tickets.  We some of the people
on the road who "know how to drive" scares me, I wish that it was alot
harder to get a license, so hopefully less people would be killed.
I could have gotten my license from just the state classes, but I don't
think I would feel safe.

	I also think it would be a good idea if people could take
their car out ant learn how to control it in a skid, and under
other such cases, I don't think most people will remember what to
do just from seeing a paper telling them.

	A note about motorcycle and cars: I have seen it said that the
cars should watch out for the motorcycles, which is true, but in rush
hour traffic I have been scared by several motorcycles who go past me
at about 30+ when I am stopped and because freeways are not straight
and with that much difference in speed you might be trying to
change lanes and not see the motorcycle.  Another comment is
that I was driving in LA rush hour (I used to and still kind of do
live there, or survive) and I had stopped and the lanes are narrow
in places and a motorcycle pulled up right next to the rear fender
of my car on the passenger side.  Traffic started to go and so
I took my foot off the break and started to go when I felt a bump,
it turns out that the motorcycle rider put his foot in front of
my rear tire and got mad when I ran it over.  I stopped and he calmed
down saying that it happens alot and that is why he got mad.
With a rider like that I don't feel at all sorry for him.

	I have a couple of friends who ride motorcycles, one
of which has taken the classes and is very careful and watchs
out for cars, the other is just plain crazy, but what do you
expect from a Digital Employee (I used to be one until I decided
to leave the real world and go back to school), the reason I say
this is that I doubt that I would ever have a problem seeing
the one who had taken the class because he is where you would
expect to find a car or a motorcycle.  I really don't think it is
up the driver of a car to look everywhere for a motorcycle, yes
they should be looking out, but I wouldn't look a mile back on the freeway for
a motorcycle or a car before going into the emergency lane if
I had car problems.

HOW ABOUT A DEMAND FOR A RETURN OF EMERGENCY LANES IN LA!!!!!!!

There was a bad accident that I had the misfortune to see, a car
was stopped with a flat tire and was hit by a car doing about 55+.
The woman from the stopped car was very lucky and was standing by
her car and saw both cars destroyed.


					Kemasa