Politically Correct Driving School
How easy is it to get a driver’s license these days? In California, the Department of Motor Vehicles goes out of its way to be accommodating, offering materials in a variety of foreign tongues. Once they review the materials, the applicant takes a simple, multiple-choice exam, and after passing that small hurdle takes a very basic driving test where the most challenging portion might be parallel parking. And if a student is parking challenged, Ford’s new Active Park Assist system will even help do the job with electronics.
Despite all of California’s accommodations, the Golden State still considers driving a privilege, not a right of residence. So while licenses may be quickly given, at least by the apparent lack of driving skills on our roads and highways, the authorities are quick to rescind those same privileges. If you are a teen driver with just a trace of alcohol, your license is pulled until adulthood. And adults that are arrested for drunk driving, even without proof and before their day in court, must fight the DMV to temporarily regain their license.
California is not unique in its mix of easy licensing and tough DUI standards; other states have similar approaches. And it’s fair to say that all states have driver training and testing regimens that are far below European standards. The fact that our motoring death rates have receded in recent years has more to do with safety equipment in new cars than any improvement in driver skill or attention to the road.
In this light, it was disheartening to learn that the Michigan legislature is considering forcing driving students in that state to spend time learning “the importance of carpooling and transportation” along with “identifying the attributes of a fuel-efficient vehicle” and “recycling vehicle parts and fluids,” among other non-driving learning. Since we’re talking about mostly youthful learners, it’s more than likely that they’ll not only have a foundation in politically correct thought, but are already frequently lecturing their parents on ways to save our endangered planet.
I would love for driver’s tests to require students to actually know something about the vehicles they are driving. Whether it’s cars or computers, only an idiot would rely, for their day-to-day needs, on a device they know nothing about. You don’t need to be an expert, but at least have a basic knowledge of what’s going on when you turn something on.
Also, I find it intolerable that the exams are offered in any language other than English. Road signs are only in English. Electronic signs warning of construction, traffic, accidents, border delays etc are only in English. If you can’t read them, you have no business being on the road.
I was sure the “Politically Correct Driving School” was one that only permitted left turns and that would supply a “reengineered” Garmin to get you where you needed to go by always turning left. If the concern is about drinking and driving there ought to be more education about the impact of substances on reaction time. More education about safety and driving in inclement weather is also a good idea.
I do agree with most of this commentary. However, not ALL European standards for getting a DL are stricter than in the US. In fact, here in Bulgaria, people often just leave the test to be filled in by the driving school teacher when at the DMV. Also, virtually all Bulgarian drivers are terible. In fact, we often joke that the worst US driver would top the best BG one. Routinely ignored red lights, frequent passing on the right, tailgating, parking anywhere they wish, & even 3 times we’ve been on freeways here where we were passed up by someone going the OPPOSITE direction in the lane next to us… Now that will wake ya up!
Besides, in many Euro countries, even though the driving test may be hard, as well as all of the driver training, the minute people get their licenses, they go hog wild on the road. And, yes, we are talking from experience here.
#3. Bulgaricus, I can’t argue against all of your points, but in the USA we are second to none in Tailgating.
In their (slight) defense, I don’t see anything wrong with teaching about alternative fuel vehicles, just because it’s such new technology. Some of these kids will drive this kind of car in the next few years, and it’s worth knowing how they work.
However, I agree that the Michigan legislature appears to have a political, not an educational, agenda. And while I avoid comparing us to a place like Europe, driver training and traffic law enforcement in the U.S. could be much better.
Many years ago, when I took driver’s ed in high school, you actually had time behind the wheel. Also we had to learn how to change a tire, check ALL fluids and jump start a dead battery. When my daughter took drivers ed in high school, it was read a book and watch the movies.
And you wonder why Americans can’t drive?
Virginia requires 40 hours behind the wheel before you can go for your license. I required that my son have 200 hours of supervised driving before I allowed him to apply for his license. He was the only one of his friends who was road ready from day one.
Virginia also doesn’t give a test. They require a certified driving school to adminster a week’s worth of driving instruction. The good news is that the test covers all aspects of driving in a wide variaty of real life conditions including rush hour on the Capital Beltway. The bad news is that the school is virtually required to certify the driver regardless of skill levels. The instructor told my wife that too many of the kids are not ready for primetime but if they go through the motions successfully he has to pass them.
I would love some video of teenagers being nagged about fuel economy and public transportation. I’m guessing we would see rolling eyes and laughter from the ones who stayed awake.
Kids learn very quickly to tune out preachy liberals.
Agree with Old Soldier (#8). This silliness could well serve to inoculate teens against the liberal virus. You’d think that the lefty potheads who made “Reefer Madness” a cult classic would have figured out that trying to propagandize youth, at least WRT personal behavior, usually backfires.
My guess is that during the proforma eco-car lecture, the kid will be thinking “if I install headers and replace the fuel injector nozzles, I can get maybe 20 more horsepower….”
You are spot on. We have incredibly relaxed licensing standards in the United States, and the effects are deadly. This whole green bandwagon will do nothing to save lives, in fact, it will do more harm than good. Fuel efficient cars, like Priuses, are efficient at the cost of handling and braking ability. Also carpooling is incredibly dangerous for new drivers. The distraction and peer pressure of passengers drastically increases car crashes among new drivers.
This is just another example of the government putting environmentalism above safety. The NHTSA green tire standards will have similar effects of steering people to tires that do not do their job as well, but get better fuel economy. Instead of spending money teaching kids how to carpool or recycle they should spend that money teaching kids how to drive. After all, a lot of waste is generated in a car crash…
A slight correction, maybe, but Obi-Wandreas and others should know that though applicants may study the laws and road signs in many languages in CA, when tested on the road they had to demonstrate a knowledge of what the signs actually meant. Non-English speaking candidates have a much higher multiple drive-test failure record for just this reason. As a retired DT examiner I never “passed” anyone I would not want on a road with my kids and loved ones. Folks passed or failed on their own abilities only when they were “ready”.
I agree with the professional driving school suggestion at regional race tracks, btw. And the German [and Japanese] “higher standards” issue is more about discouraging some from learning to drive – and also raising more public $$$ – than anything else, in my view. Plus it discriminates against those with less discretionary income.
9. Bohemond: said: “My guess is that during the proforma eco-car lecture, the kid will be thinking “if I install headers and replace the fuel injector nozzles, I can get maybe 20 more horsepower….”
The other day sat at a rural traffic lite next to a teen in a Prius and when the lite changed he tried to burn rubber, drag race and speed shift in order to “beat” me to the single lane merge point about a half mile ahead. Had to laugh and laugh. Prius drag racing. Gotta luv it. If his parents could’ve seen it they would have a fit.
Michigan: deeply in the red, soaring unemployment, scholarships and schools being cut, taxes being raised–but the Powers find money to harrangue kids about carpooling.
Carpooling is a joke: decades of wasted money hasn’t changed the realities. People with serious jobs, kids at home, or clients to meet need a car.
Who uses carpool lanes? Out of state families on vacation, school buses, two people having a mid-day affair, taxi drivers making long hauls to the airport, and the highway patrol looking for the driver that snuck into the lane hoping to get to work on time. The people who NEED to get moving are stuck in the regular lanes.
Carpooling was pushed by officials that want a state filled with bike riding professors, public employees with no kids wearing hush puppies and other enlightened types. They haven’t figured out who will pay the taxes for this utopia, or how they’ll get to work, but by god they ahve those bloody carpool lanes in place.
Things have really toughened up in England since I passed my test. The practical test is harder, and instead of a few questions about the highway code there is a comprehensive theory test. But it’s practical theory with computer simulated exercises. And you can’t take the practical until you’ve passed the theory.
The effect of this is to keep the boy racers off the road for a little while. Sadly it is boys who have accidents – all that confidence and testosterone means they pass too easily – but the theory slows them down a little.
I drive confidently and happily in England, but when I went to Italy and had to drive on the right, it felt really strange. I got used to it though. I’ve never driven in America, but I imagine it’s easier because the roads are wide.
Anyway, while I agree that driving school is no place for political correctness,there is something to be said for not racing the gears and treating the car gently. It saves on petrol (gas) and means your car lasts longer, but also it makes for a pleasanter drive.
Great! I’m sure teaching kids how many polar bears are killed by selfish Americans driving to McDonalds will mae them much better drivers. Or at least keep them off the road.
When I was in my 20s I took motorcycle training – made me a much better car driver. I would bet that there’s lots of good solutions for encouraging people to be better drivers that just haven’t been tried. I don’t know why I, as a citizen, can’t report a bad driver to the motor vehicle bureau or their insurance company.
49er @ 12:
Heh. A few weeks ago I had a similar experience. Some kid in a car so bright yellow it hurt your eyes decided he could get up a hill from a stoplight faster than anyone else. I decided to teach him that his little 4-banger wasn’t up to beating an SUV with a V-6, so I started to push it, and even though he was a little faster off the line I caught up to him in short order.
The look on his face was priceless.
After that, I let off the gas and went back to driving the speed limit. Lo and behold, a couple of lights later, there he was, sitting and waiting when I pulled up to the light. He sure got a long ways ahead of me with his lead foot, didn’t he?
Interesting you bring up driving as a “Privilege” vr’s a “Right”. I tend to consider driving as a right.
Consider a free people. Would our for fathers have let the State deny them the Right to ride a horse? I seriously imagine such an attempt by the State would have resulted in armed confrontation.
The point being, is that a Free People have a Natural Right to move from point A to point B in the manner common to the day.
Should one endanger another by ones own actions in such use of ones rights, then one is held liable, both criminally and civilly.
17. Fantom: Interesting take on “freedom”, but you’ve assumed a step too far. You are free to drive [or ride your horse] anywhere you want on your own property. You got that part right. But once you enter a public “way” there is a societal right to an expectation of safety and free passage [not saying it is alwaays met] that somehow trumps your original rights and to accommodate that expectation the governing entities that provide [and maintain] those same public “ways” are entitled to require a certain level of licensure and fair usage restrictions. That’s the legal premise that decides the privilege v. right issue, and prevents you from riding your horse on the freeway, too.
You are free to use another means to travel anywhere, such as trains, buses, boats [okay, there's some problems there, too], taxis, hitch-hiking, aircraft, etc. Not saying any of this is fair, just that its the legal basis for preventing bad drivers from messing up the flow of traffic. How else could repeat DUI’s, your crazy uncle Charlie, etc., be kept off the roads?
My former home of SE Michigan is indeed a created “tragedy of Shakespearean proportions through liberal governance”.
It is disheartening, but the uber surge of Liberal ideology had penetrated our region post election of Jennifer Grandholm, a Canadian born liberal.
My company fled in 2003 after increased taxation of small businesses.
Blame too, the Republicans and the Libertarians, also for not coming together to remove her in 2006.
If you are a teen driver with just a trace of alcohol, your license is pulled until adulthood. And adults that are arrested for drunk driving, even without proof and before their day in court, must fight the DMV to temporarily regain their license…..
I believe an underlying problem today is that we have a generation of drivers who are not very skillful now teaching their children how to drive. That teaching involves sitting along side them with their learner’s permit as well the past 16 years or so of little Joey watching mom yak on the cell phone, apply makeup, not use signals, etc.
I would also love to be a fly on the wall in engineering department at BMW, Mercedes, or Audi. I can imagine the engineers laughing about how Americans will never be able to properly operate their machines but we’ll take those suckers’ money anyways.
Auto companies should pay a ten grand per vehicle license fee for any vehicle they sell to anyone in any state they sell it in that gets 40 miles, or less per gallon of gasoline. The money generated would go to green renewable energy enterprises. This would automatically begin to solve alot of problems. After five years, the fee would double for any vehicle produced that get 60 or less per gallon. There, then the free market would really get some credit for doing some good… for once.
Poor citizen – you call yourself a progressive? I say we send government thugs over thanksgiving to Americans houses to crush their cars and then issue them all bicycles and bus passes. Then we shut down the other sources of greenhouse gases, which are industry, energy, and agriculture. Think of how green this country will be when everyone’s freezing and starving to death.
#17 fantom: spot on. Moreover, roads are built with taxpayer (re: our) dollars. Cars are built with private dollars, then taxed in order to be legal. The fuel used in the cars is found, extracted & processed with private dollars. Not to mention you must also purchase liability insurance. How does the government then say it’s a privilege? Very simple. Any government that’s big enough to give you everything is big enough to take it away. The fact is driving should be considered a right, until one does something to forfeit that right, i.e. drive drunk, cause an accident, fail to register, drive on a suspended license, etc.
But once again, government has convinced us, erroneously, that health care is a right, but driving is a privilege. Go figure.