wrote:
On Sun, 17 Nov 2013 11:13:14 -0500, "F.O.A.D." wrote:

What are tags for if it isn't just the tax stamp? If it was really
about identifying the cars there would not be thousands of designs,
making the state of origin virtually impossible to determine.

It's not the plates that make the state hard to determine, it's the
plate holders.


That is not true at all in a state like Florida with about 100
different plate designs.


If the license itself was any kind of actual qualification document
the test would not be as superficial as it is and there would be
ongoing re certification. My mother received a new license after she
was dead, simply because she mailed in the check on her way to the
hospital. The last time anyone actually evaluated her driving ability
was that quick trip around the block and parking the car that passes
for a test.
My grandfather died in 1998 with a valid driver's license in his
wallet and he took the only test he ever had to take in a brand new
1919 Chandler. He had been driving for years but the company made all
of their drivers get licensed.


Yada yada yada. I had to renew this year and was required to either have
the results of an eye exam written on the application by my eye doctor
or show up at DMV for an eye exam.


So you had an eye doctor write a note. Does that say anything about
your ability to drive? The damned driver's test doesn't really
demonstrate that and you did it when you were in your teens.
Of course the basic driving lessons and the test teach nothing about
spin recovery, high speed braking, evasive maneuvers and the things
that help people avoid accidents in the first place.

People get old and reaction times slow, Ability to actually turn
around and look degrades (even if you have 20/20 vision) and that does
not address attention span, information overload and in some cases
dementia.
I see old farts around here who shouldn't even be driving a golf cart
and they have 300+ HP Cadillacs. It is one of the main reasons I got
rid of that Harley. I almost got hit a couple times just getting up to
DMV to get my motorcycle endorsement.
People can't see a motorcycle, even a full dress hog (3 headlights and
all) and they just pull out.

My mother had to get a new license when she was turning 90. Went with my
brother, who is on the same license cycle. Could have kicked my brothers
ass, for not asking the Dmv to driving test mom. Missed 2 on the written
and they gave her a 5 year license. No behind the wheel test. And she
drove bad at the last 2 years.