When I got my license and passed my test I was 16. I retained about 1% of what I was taught in that class. Every year there are new laws and new signs and new dangers. I think that we should retake the written and driving test at certain milestones in our age. Maybe at 30, 50 and 70. -This would keep the elderly from being on the road if they could not pass the tests. -It would keep everyone up to date on current laws and signs -Maybe it will help people to learn that they are supposed to yield at the yield signs and stop at red lights. (maybe i'm dreaming)
-- crispee, Jul 31 2003

Automobile Paint Ball http://www.halfbake...bile_20Paint_20Ball
One way to mark an Idiot Driver's car [ton80, Oct 04 2004]

Car-Ma http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Car-Ma
Another way to spot one. [ton80, Oct 04 2004]

'baked. Elderly at 42+
-- thumbwax, Jul 31 2003


baked in Alberta, but not till 65+
-- SystemAdmin, Jul 31 2003


its the young daft gits that worry me.

sp: certain, licence.
-- po, Jul 31 2003


I don't think that remembering the meaning of a big red octagon should be that difficult for an adult. But the blue-haired wrinkleys SHOULD have to re-up. Not at thirty, but when you get within 5 or 10 years of the avg life expectancy you should! People that *statstically* should be dead have no reason to be driving around unchecked!

And arguments that "24-35 year olds use cellphones blah blah" don't have bearing because this demographic is CAPABLE, just negligent.

And people whining about "ageism", etc, must think that a five year old that can pass the exam should be allowed...

Meritocracy YAY!
-- Poopback, Jul 31 2003


If it'll make those oldsters stop plowing into farm stands, I'm all for it.
-- snarfyguy, Jul 31 2003


it is young males that cause all the accidents. blame their hormones but keep them all off the road.
-- po, Jul 31 2003


[po] I believe that in the US it's spelt license... Though obviously the UK spelling is the best.
-- hazel, Jul 31 2003


licence is the noun and license the verb, I always have to check.
-- po, Jul 31 2003


In the U.S., license is also a noun. The bigger problem is that so many people seem to think it's a plural noun.
-- beauxeault, Jul 31 2003


You should have to redo it every time you get a speeding ticket, and after every accident where you were deemed at least partially at fault.
-- phundug, Jul 31 2003


You can nominate drivers to re-take their test. You make a note of the registration number of the boy racer that cut you up/old lady that swerved into the other lane to turn, and they get a letter in the post informing them of the good news. Each person gets 3 goes per year.
-- DRstrathmore, Jul 31 2003


what [phundug] said. should be for 'bad' drivers not old drivers
-- neilp, Jul 31 2003


[DRstrathmore] I've thought about this a lot, as a potential add on to the 'how's my driving' signs you see. but I reckon it's too open to abuse, and might just penalise people who do a lot of driving, rather than who are generally bad.
might be ok if people only got,say, 3 votes a year.
-- neilp, Jul 31 2003


One large problem with this, I think, is that it would probably require billions of dollars more simply to get the resources, i.e., MANY more employees, more satellite locations to handle the 'customer' overflow, administrative overhead, etc.

There are certain criteria which prevent people from obtaining firearms, such as being a felon, or (in California, at least) having been hospitalized for a mental disorder any time in the last 5 years. The point is, why, with the number of vehicular deaths due to driver error, compared to firearms-related deaths, doesn't the DMV do background checks (other than driving record)? Why has it always been that you are only required to take a driving test once, the first time you receive your license?

I was able to find out that there is a change in the licensing procedure after the age of 70: you can no longer renew your license by mail; you must personally appear at the Dept. of Motor Vehicles to:

1) take an 18-question test (15 correct to pass, but if you fail you get 2 more chances to try again) 2) give your thumbprint 3) pay $15 4) pass a vision test (must show 20/40 in both eyes, tested together and separately via Snellen chart) 5) get your photo taken 6) "Complete application form DL 44. (An original DL 44 form must be submitted. Copies will not be accepted.) OR bring in the renewal notice DMV mailed to you."

I just think that there should be certain medical conditions that would automatically be accessible with a driving record check, such as Alzheimer's disease, history of certain conditions like stroke or TIA, etc. The information could still be kept somewhat confidential, but it would help weed out potentially hazardous drivers.

Sorry 'bout the length (yawn).
-- kluger, Jul 31 2003


Also have a mandatory driving test before you are allowed to drive and use a cell phone.
-- kbecker, Jul 31 2003


//I just think that there should be certain medical conditions that would automatically be accessible with a driving record check, such as Alzheimer's disease, history of certain conditions like stroke or TIA, etc. The information could still be kept somewhat confidential, but it would help weed out potentially hazardous drivers.//

You'd have a lot of drivers who know they have an illness and refuse to go to a doctor about it.
-- goodie, Jul 31 2003


At least the DMV (RTA in NSW) could include some notes with your renewal notice of what rules have changed since your last licen[c/s]e renewal. In NSW good drivers (Gold licence) only have to renew every 5 years. ... wait a moment - they could post you the notes as they change. It would be stupid to wait till the licence renewal.
-- goodie, Jul 31 2003


The retesting criteria could be based on a variation of something the George Carlin used to use in his standup routine: give everyone a dartgun with suction cup darts that unfurl a big flag that says "IDIOT" in big letters when fired. Whenever you witness someone doing something stupid in traffic, you shoot one of the darts onto his/her car. Once the driver has collected a certain number of darts on his car, he has to be retested. After a certain number of retests, "you're out!"

Of course you'd have to come up with some way to ensure that the driver couldn't remove the darts himself - they could only be removed by a DMV official or by the driver who issued the dart.

Could also be tied into "Automobile Paint Ball" or "Car-Ma" (see links). Have a bun!
-- ton80, Jul 31 2003


We need one of those IDIOT dart guns for my boss. Maybe he would finally understand. No one knows how he managed to get to be the boss anyway.
-- Zimmy, Aug 01 2003


[kluger] In the UK, if you have certain illnesses, such as epilepsy, you lose your licence. Even if you are at risk of epilepsy you can be stopped from driving. If your medication controls the illness, you have to have a year free from fits before they'll let you back again. Don't know if you have to retake the test. You do have to retest after a period of being banned for bad driving.
-- hazel, Aug 01 2003



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