Should the US institute Shoshina marks?

[radametz]

In NJ we have a red tag placed on the license plate of a car that a new driver is driving. I like the idea, but when it first came out there was a lot of backlash against it. One of the most common arguments against is that "pedophiles will use this to track targets and abduct children when they get out of the car" which I'm sure there have been all of 0 instances of in the years that law has been in effect.

Long story short: I like the idea, but it will probably be hard to implement or get people behind.

[Apex Motorsports]

It would never fly in the US on the federal level. It would be called "unfair" and "discriminatory". Then somehow, some talking head would compare those who support it to the Nazis making Jewish citizens wear the Star of David on their clothes. You guys know how this stuff works.

[CamaroSkooter]

Originally Posted by Apex Chase

It would never fly in the US on the federal level. It would be called "unfair" and "discriminatory". Then somehow, some talking head would compare those who support it to the Nazis making Jewish citizens wear the Star of David on their clothes. You guys know how this stuff works.

Sadly, This.

When ideas like this get floated out there, too many people get butt-hurt under the guise of "civil rights."

What most people fail to understand is that operating a motor vehicle is a privilege, NOT a right. Unfortunately, those same people have no idea what the difference is between those two terms.

I believe the system by which people test to acquire a driver's license needs to be much more difficult. A certain level of intelligence and physical ability should be required to operate a motor vehicle. And by physical ability, I simply mean there should be a driving test developed that definitively proves to the tester that you are capable of maneuvering a vehicle in a slew of everyday as well as not-so-common conditions.

On top of that, I believe the test should be mandatory for EVERYONE periodically (like every 3 or 4 years) in order to retain your driver's license.

But like Apex said earlier, that'll never happen here.

[Jay_LHD3]

I saw this last year when I was in Australia. I can't remember what letter they had but one was yellow and one was green. The way they explained it to me was one color was for people that just got their permit and the other was for the ones that were half way done with their permit. Nothing for the senior citizens that I saw.

I could see how it could help.

[LostPony]

I think Maryland has a requirement that new drivers have a yellow placard on the car saying "New Driver". Or they did a few years ago. Not sure how you would enforce it. The police already have enough reasons to stop people, they don't need another one based on your appearance. I looked like a teenager well into my 20's, and would not have been happy being stopped just to check my age or experience on a regular basis.

[AGM 1LE]

Originally Posted by LostPony

I think Maryland has a requirement that new drivers have a yellow placard on the car saying "New Driver". Or they did a few years ago. Not sure how you would enforce it. The police already have enough reasons to stop people, they don't need another one based on your appearance. I looked like a teenager well into my 20's, and would not have been happy being stopped just to check my age or experience on a regular basis.

Thats not a law. driving schools put all the signs/ tags on their cars but people arent forced to on their own cars

[DGthe3]

They do it in NASCAR too. Rookie drivers have to have a yellow stripe across their rear bumper to warn other drivers:



Its not a bad idea, its just that I think better driver training is a superior one. Even most private drivers ed courses aren't terribly useful. They're better than nothing, sure. But there is so much that you should know before getting on the road that they never teach, or can't teach. Like bad weather, or the consequences of distracted/impaired driving.

Thats why I think that there should be some form of driving game/simulator for new drivers. Have it suplement the on-road instruction & road tests. You can run any type of weather condition: intense rain, snow storm, fog, wet or icy roads, night driving etc. It won't really show you how to be go easy on the gas & brakes when there's limited traction. But at least it will safely teach the effects of speed & visibility on your ability to control your car. All sorts of driving situations can be programmed in too. Animal crossings, negotiating heavy traffic, navigating complicated intersections, encountering emergency vehicles, and on and on. Things that can't always be done in the short driving lessons due to location, time, or random chance. If they really wanted to be ambitious, they could even try and simulate the effects of distracted driving and driving under the influence. Its one thing to say "don't do X", its another to see the consequences of doing X.

It wouldn't make new drivers perfect, but it should reduce the number of screwups (both major & minor) that they make.

[CamaroSkooter]

Like this:

[el ess A]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Just read an article that said driving with kids is more distracting than cell phones. So we already have these that are put on voluntarily.

I like this one better:

[Jay_LHD3]

I just assume nobody around me knows how to drive. Some of the stuff I witness daily going to and from work is crazy.