Current Events > Would you be in favor of having to retake the road test when renewing...

(+) Yeah! (+)

...Your driver's license?

On paper it sounds good but logistically it would be a nightmare.

I want to say yes, but the only time I have ever parallel parked is when I took my driving test.

Not for younger people, but maybe after 65/70 years old

dementia happens quick

Nah, not that. I do think you should have to retake the test when you become a senior citizen though. As well as every two or three years afterwards.

I had to retake the written test when moving from Minnesota to Wisconsin.

Thought it was bullshit. If you're moving from state to state and have a valid DL from the former state, it should qualify for a license in the new state.

It's not like you have to change licenses whenever you cross state lines or get licenses in each state where you drive or anything like that.

Just makes no sense to me.

Turbam posted...

I want to say yes, but the only time I have ever parallel parked is when I took my driving test.

I'm in the same boat. I almost never parallel park if I need to fit between two cars. It doesn't help that the cars I tend to drive are on the larger side.

Turbam posted...

I want to say yes, but the only time I have ever parallel parked is when I took my driving test.

I spent weeks practicing parallel parking and was never asked on the test. I was legit disappointed about that.

I do use the skill quite often though.

brestugo posted...

I spent weeks practicing parallel parking and was never asked on the test. I was legit disappointed about that.

I do use the skill quite often though.

I was asked on my test. Thankfully I was pretty lucky during the test because the spot where I was asked to parallel park had at least 2 or 3 car lengths of space in it so it was an easy task.

Yes

After a certain age it should be mandatory

RespectWomen posted...

Not for younger people, but maybe after 65/70 years old

dementia happens quick

voldothegr8 posted...

After a certain age it should be mandatory

It sounds like a good idea in theory, and was one I supported for a while. Until someone explained to me why it would be a fruitless effort.

Imagine I get my license at 18. After driving for 45+ years they tell me that I have to retake my test. I roll through a stop sign or don't make a full stop when making a right on red as a force of habit.

They fail me.

I still have a job though, and need my car to get to and from work. I decide "Eff It" and keep driving. I'm now driving without a license. And because I have no license (depending on where you live), I can't re-register my car. And if it isn't registered, I can't insure it.

So now I'm driving with no license, in car that is not registered nor insured.

And then we get into an accident. I flee the scene for fear of getting arrested. Your insurance company then fucks you over and raises your rate because you have no choice but to make a claim.

i'd rather just work to minimize the number of people driving their own cars.

Sure why not, you know I always wanted more mandatory trips to the DMV and I always thought there should be more people there as well.

bigblu89 posted...

It sounds like a good idea in theory, and was one I supported for a while. Until someone explained to me why it would be a fruitless effort.

Imagine I get my license at 18. After driving for 45+ years they tell me that I have to retake my test. I roll through a stop sign or don't make a full stop when making a right on red as a force of habit.

They fail me.

I still have a job though, and need my car to get to and from work. I decide "Eff It" and keep driving. I'm now driving without a license. And because I have no license (depending on where you live), I can't re-register my car. And if it isn't registered, I can't insure it.

So now I'm driving with no license, in car that is not registered nor insured.

And then we get into an accident. I flee the scene for fear of getting arrested. Your insurance company then fucks you over and raises your rate because you have no choice but to make a claim.

Maybe at first, but once the system is established things would level out. Believe it or not most people don't want a record so there wouldn't be as many rogue seniors as you think.

voldothegr8 posted...

Maybe at first, but once the system is established things would level out. Believe it or not most people don't want a record so there wouldn't be as many rogue seniors as you think.

It'll either level out, or the DMVs will realize how much money they're making on forcing people to pay for their new road test that they change the age to 50, or make it that you have to do it ever 10 years.

A fleet of bad, but insured senior drivers, is MUCH better than a fleet of bad, uninsured, senior drivers.

bigblu89 posted...

Imagine I get my license at 18. After driving for 45+ years they tell me that I have to retake my test. I roll through a stop sign or don't make a full stop when making a right on red as a force of habit.

They fail me.

"It's a bad idea because they would fail me for my unsafe and illegal driving habits"

bigblu89 posted...

I still have a job though, and need my car to get to and from work. I decide "Eff It" and keep driving. I'm now driving without a license. And because I have no license (depending on where you live), I can't re-register my car. And if it isn't registered, I can't insure it.

So now I'm driving with no license, in car that is not registered nor insured.

And then we get into an accident. I flee the scene for fear of getting arrested. Your insurance company then fucks you over and raises your rate because you have no choice but to make a claim.

"I would then continue to drive illegally rather than adjust my driving habits and retake the test, and the consequences of my actions would be their fault"

TMOG posted...

"It's a bad idea because they would fail me for my unsafe and illegal driving habits"

"I would then continue to drive illegally rather than adjust my driving habits and retake the test, and the consequences of my actions would be their fault"

Yes. That's exactly my point.

I was creating a hypothetical, and that's not really how I would react, but there are A LOT of people that would react like that.

You think there's just thousands and thousands of people that would fail, and then say "Welp, I guess after 50 years I'm just not going to drive anymore. I'll just tell my boss I quit because I have no way to get to work".

bigblu89 posted...

Yes. That's exactly my point.

I was creating a hypothetical, and that's not really how I would react, but there are A LOT of people that would react like that.

Then those people end up losing their licenses or having their vehicles impounded, and face fines or jail time, and the roads end up becoming safer in general anyway because eventually all the bad drivers who refuse to learn how to drive safely end up off the road.

bigblu89 posted...

You think there's just thousands and thousands of people that would fail, and then say "Welp, I guess after 50 years I'm just not going to drive anymore. I'll just tell my boss I quit because I have no way to get to work".

It's not like alternatives such as public transportation or taxis/Uber exist or anything.

Only if you have a bad road record, have a license that lapsed a while ago, or are getting really up there in years.

I've had a clean driving record other than a parking ticket for close to twenty years now. I'd be really annoyed if I had to take a test when I renewed.

fully support requiring at least a basic reflexes and awareness test to accompany the vision test when renewing your license.

TMOG posted...

Then those people end up losing their licenses or having their vehicles impounded, and face fines or jail time, and the roads end up becoming safer in general anyway because eventually all the bad drivers who refuse to learn how to drive safely end up off the road.

In theory. Not necessarily in execution.

It's not like alternatives such as public transportation or taxis/Uber exist or anything.

Right. So added expenses to people that are still working into their 60's. Because those are the people with disposable income. People in middle America that live 20-30 miles away from where they work. Just hit them with a nice $25-40 Uber ride every day.

Auto Insurance prices are out of hand now because of how many unlicensed drivers are on the road and getting into accidents. This would make it worse.

bigblu89 posted...

Yes. That's exactly my point.

I was creating a hypothetical, and that's not really how I would react, but there are A LOT of people that would react like that.

You think there's just thousands and thousands of people that would fail, and then say "Welp, I guess after 50 years I'm just not going to drive anymore. I'll just tell my boss I quit because I have no way to get to work".

That defense makes zero sense to me. We should be failing bad drivers regardless of age. Don't blow through a stop sign on your literal driving test and you'll be fine.

And if you do blow a stop sign, you can take it again. IIRC you get a few tries before they stop you from taking it again for a few months.

It's a bad defense.

bigblu89 posted...

Right. So added expenses to people that are still working into their 60's. Because those are the people with disposable income. People in middle America that live 20-30 miles away from where they work. Just hit them with a nice $25-40 Uber ride every day.

Then they can learn how to drive safely and retake the test. This really isn't a difficult concept.

trickMms posted...

That defense makes zero sense to me. We should be failing bad drivers regardless of age. Don't blow through a stop sign on your literal driving test and you'll be fine.

And if you do blow a stop sign, you can take it again. IIRC you get a few tries before they stop you from taking it again for a few months.

It's a bad defense.

I'm just repeating what I was told by the guy that taught my defensive driving course like 20 years ago.

I'm not here to champion old people or uninsured driving or anything like that. I'd be perfectly fine with having to retake your road test every 5 years once you turn 60.

I'm just telling you why they have never proposed doing it. it would also cause age discrimination lawsuits all over the country.

TMOG posted...

Then they can learn how to drive safely and retake the test. This really isn't a difficult concept.

And what do they do in the months it takes to get a new appointment?

Again, I'm just giving the reasons whey they don't do it. It's a discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen.

Not as a universal measure, but it could be worthwhile for those who have received a significant number of (or possibly just one if it's serious enough) tickets / charges for bad driving or who've had an at-fault crash, as well as older drivers.

Perhaps also as a universal thing for the *first* time someone renews their licence, too.

bigblu89 posted...

I'm just repeating what I was told by the guy that taught my defensive driving course like 20 years ago.

I'm not here to champion old people or uninsured driving or anything like that. I'd be perfectly fine with having to retake your road test every 5 years once you turn 60.

I'm just telling you why they have never proposed doing it. it would also cause age discrimination lawsuits all over the country.

It's wild how keeping dangerous drivers off the road would spawn lawsuits but we don't let felons vote and I guess that's fine?

trickMms posted...

It's wild how keeping dangerous drivers off the road would spawn lawsuits but we don't let felons vote and I guess that's fine?

Not quite sure what a complete hypothetical has to do with a completely different subject that is actually happening, but OK.

Yes. In fact, afaik, I will have to do that in ... 2041

Once you hit around 50 yeah it should be required each test