Narrow escape

[Rave Racer]

    While this is still true in many States, it is no longer in many
Provinces of Canada.  The graduated licencing system is in place in Ontario
now and is starting an many of the other Provinces as well.  I am just old
enough to have missed it by a year and a half, and yes, was fully licenced
within 6 months of starting driving.  But I did go through a drivers
education course and, by chance, my driving instructor raced MG's in England
back in the 70's.  Coincidence?  That aside, it now takes 2 years, give or
take, of driving before you can become fully licenced in Ontario.  The first
year of that is spent with a driver of more then 4 years experience in the
passanger seat.  Now is that a good thing?  Of course instead of the $20
learners test, then the $50 driver test more then a week later, it now
consists of more then 4 written tests at over $50 each and two or three
drivers tests at easily more then double the original cost.  Well atleast
someone is getting the benefit.

       Rave Racer
'89 Jetta 1.8L 16V GTX
 http://www.vwot.org/members/Pete.html
'87 Audi 4000 Quattro Sedan
 http://www.audifans.com/registry/view.php?action=viewCar&carid=110
'72 Triumph GT6
 http://motorcities.com/contents/01I3H011116682.html
'83 Toyota Tercel (yoda)     Possible future Sandrail donor...  Maybe

----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Riebs <AudiV8 at 1stchoicegranite.com>
To: ccohen5 <ccohen5 at compuserve.com>; Doyt W. Echelberger
<Doyt at buckeye-express.com>; qlist <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2002 3:10 PM
Subject: Re: Narrow escape


----- Original Message -----
From: "ccohen5" <ccohen5 at compuserve.com>

> Seriously though as many of the drivers on this list are quite serious
about
> safety, Doyt's account is exactly why the TUV and other Euro agencies are
> unable to sanction the concept of imbibing, eating or holding a phone
while
> driving.
>
> Are things that much safer in the US or are Us drivers just selfish, dumb
or
> both?

Actually in my experience - having lived on both sides of the pond -
{Western} European drivers are much more educated in general on driving
safety, defensive driving, traffic regulations and laws, etc., than the
general American driver, who basically "pulls the driver's license from a
dispensing machine". Quite literally in some states, and almost so in most
of the rest.

If you can pass a 50 question multiple choice test, you know enough about
traffic laws and driving theory to be allowed to escape into the 20 min.
driving test around the block.

Example of test Q:
When changing lanes, you must:
a) Blow your horn.
b) Brake hard, then look to see if it is safe to change lanes.
c) Use your turn indicator, look over your shoulder to see if it is clear,
before safely making the lane change.
d) All of the above.

No wonder we have such poor drivers here (present company excepted - except
Huw the speed-demon). "The iniquities of the Fathers are passed on for 3
generations". Nowhere is that more evident than in our current system of
"Hey! I'm 16 now - Dad, can you teach me how to drive please?" And after 2
months of this, Junior can take the road test, and be driving among the rest
of us... With all of Dad's driving flaws passed on to Junior! Thanks!

Michael Riebs
Grand Rapids, MI
'90 V8Q
'98 A6QA

www.1stchoicegranite.com