Is driving a right or a privilege?

[MODU]

Privilege, hence the reason why you have to pass a test and receive a license, which can be taken away from you when you break the law.

[MODU]

Its a privilege. I shudder when I think of a day 20 years from now when millions of baby boomers become awful drivers when they hit their seventies, making driving in this country a nightmare.

You would like my law then.  I would make it manditory for all drivers (no matter what their age) to retake their written and driving tests before renewing their drivers license.  Those that do not pass those two cannot receive their license.  Most of your old drivers would then lose their privilege to drive, and some of these college kids would too. 

[MODU]

Its a privilege. I shudder when I think of a day 20 years from now when millions of baby boomers become awful drivers when they hit their seventies, making driving in this country a nightmare.

You would like my law then.  I would make it manditory for all drivers (no matter what their age) to retake their written and driving tests before renewing their drivers license.  Those that do not pass those two cannot receive their license.  Most of your old drivers would then lose their privilege to drive, and some of these college kids would too. 

Nobody would like that law - it would require spending time in the DMV.

To answer Lewis, four years, at least in my state.

Five years in Virginia.  And as far as the testing being expensive, you need to consider that most of the written tests are electronic (you already have the software and computers, so that's not an added expense) as well as the road test graders (salaries and on the clock).  What would need to be done is schedule the tests, which might be an added expense to hire a few more employees.  However, with less drivers on the road causing fewer accidents, money will be saved by repairing the damage caused by accidents as well as lower insurance rates. 

[MODU]

Even with appointments, I imagine that the DMV would be like a doctor's office - you'd still have to wait longer than you should. Probably worse. The DMV is the most inefficient beauracracy in all the land.

hehehe . . . yes, but I must admit they have gotten better.  Here in VA, they now assign you a alpha-numeric code when you arrive.  The code indicates why you are there, and is fed into a queing system.  When the DMV personnel sign into their stations, it knows which lane they are in and what they are qualified to assist you with, so the computer will not send you to a station that you cannot be helped at.  Beats the old days of waiting in line and having a person say "oh, I'm sorry you waited an hour, but you need to stand in that line over there."   

Of course, I've been doing most of my DMV stuff electronically, so I by-pass the hassle all together.  hahaha

[MODU]

It's 6 years in FL up until your next birthday. So about 6 1/2 years for me. Mine expires on 06/06/06. Scary, ain't it.

For you, it's fitting.  hahaha 

[MODU]

What's wrong with the buses.

The bus system around here doesn't really go anywhere.

That is a big issue in a lot of areas these days.  While the DC/Metro area has a decent bus system, it would nearly double the time it takes for me to go into and away from work each day.  First, I would have to walk about a mile to get to one bus stop, and ride it for about 30-40 minutes before it would take me to the commuter parking lot where I would then either catch a ride with someone needing an extra body for the carpool lane or wait for the bus heading either into the city or to the metro-rail station.  Either of those bus routes will take me about 60-70 minutes to get into the city and then walk the few blocks to my office.  On the flip side, I can hop in my car and get to work in 45 minutes.

Now, when I move down to Stafford later this year, I'll be getting a home near the commuter train station.  Driving in would take about 90 minutes from there.  I can use the hour it takes from the station to the city to sleep or work, and then walk the 20 minutes from the station to my office.  Roughly the same amount of time, but less stressful.