Community Corner
California Driver's Test
Since almost all of us need to drive, but fortunately we don't all need to become lawyers, it is understandable the bar exam is far more rigorous than the driver's test.
Several months ago I passed my California driver’s written exam. The test did not exactly require all my brain cells to be working at the same time.
Nobody would compare the driver’s test to the New Jersey Bar exam which I took back in 1968 and comprised thirty essay questions over two and a half days.
Since almost all of us need to drive, but fortunately we don’t all need to become lawyers, it is understandable the bar exam is far more rigorous than the driver’s test. What I don’t understand is why adults taking the driver’s exam are asked questions which mentally challenged folk could answer correctly on a bad day.
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One of my favorite questions was “You can leave your car parked:"
- A. On a bridge;
- B. In a disabled person parking space, if you are disabled;
- C. On an unmarked crosswalk;
- D. In a tunnel.
If you answered A or D, stop reading this column and never drive a car again. I’ll leave it to you to choose between B and C, but I strongly urge you to go with B.
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Another one of the memorable questions was, “You are driving on a freeway posted for 65MPH. The traffic is traveling at 70MPH. You may legally drive at:"
- A. 75 MPH;
- B. 75MPH or less;
- C. 70 MPH or less;
- D. 65 MPH or less.
If you picked either A, B, or C, please get off the road. We may all exceed the speed limit occasionally (perhaps all the time), but we all know when the highway patrol stops us for speeding, telling the officer everybody was also violating the law is not a convincing defense.
My last example of a question perhaps best suited for those under the influence is, “What is true about drugs and driving?"
- A. Your physician or pharmacist will always tell you if you should not take a drug before driving;
- B. It is illegal to drive under the influence of any drug which impairs your ability to drive safely;
- C. Medicines taken together with alcohol reduces side effects;
- D. Pep pills make a driver more alert and are recommended when driving long distances.
Anybody who answers A, C or D should immediately enter one of the many rehab facilities in Malibu.
The fact is that somebody could answer these three questions wrong and still get enough answers right to obtain a California driver’s license. And that is a bit frightening.
