4.29.2014 driving 101

The past few days it's been raining like crazy and that always brings out the best driving skills in people.  Am I right?  In general I've noticed that the driving skills seem to be getting worse.  Maybe its because that I have a longer commute now and more time sharing the road with these yahoos.  Or maybe there are more cars on the road causing more chances for accidents.  I think it may be the fact that we are taught what a sign reads, how to parallel park and are then given the keys to a 1 ton chunk of metal and permission to drive it 70mph.  Whatever the reason, something needs to be done and it just so happens that I have a few ideas:

1) Real world training like high speed merging, maneuvering a busy parking lot and city rush hour driving.

2) No one gets a license before age 18 and after age 75

3) Re-training every 5 years

4) You have to be cleared to drive large suv's and trucks

5) Truckers need their own private lanes

6) City bus drivers can be fired by citizens complaints

7) Cab drivers need to tell us who they are talking to all the time

8) Cities and states need billboards advertising the local laws.  I mean how long have you been required to use headlights when using wipers in Maryland?

9) Texting and cell phone use while driving should be technologically impossible.  Someone figure out how to shut that down.


11) Why is the DMV the worst place on Earth?  If we start our driving career in a miserable place with miserable people can we be blamed for being miserable drivers?

The answer is yes.  But still, put some plants in there, paint it a nice color, play some good tunes.  Those three things would probably save peoples lives, literally.  And who's in charge of programing the lights?  If I leave a stop light and drive one block to another red light HOW DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?  All of this will be moot as soon as google gets their cars on the road.  And I for one can't wait.  Computers don't sneeze, talk on the phone, put on make-up, drink, read the paper, text, or get distracted by any other nonsense.  They see 360 degrees and can react in a split second.  That's one piece of technology that I am looking forward to seeing.  I think people would live longer without the constant stress of driving.  Chill out everyone AND OUT OF MY WAY!