Originally Posted by tadawdy

Didn't see an active post about this.

Today's Chicago Tribune has a front-page article about the incident in which three college-age women were struck by an elderly driver, who crossed the center line.

Mentioned as a by-the-way statement: "If found guilty he'll be fined $75." For improper lane usage.

Just underscores the fact that "minor" moving violations, like failure to yield, failure to signal, and uh...crossing the center line... should be very harshly punished. I'm talking loss of license. We look at them as not being a big deal, but it is a simple act of carelessness that will kill another person.

Drivers should be held to the same exacting standards as a surgeon. I am not exaggerating. If you can't do it without risking bodily injury to another person, the safety of other people should win over convenience for you. If you can't drive with a high degree of safety and precision, tough luck. We shouldn't let you.

The only people offended by this are bad drivers. Again: not my problem.

Originally Posted by B. Carfree

I am so glad you feel that way. I thought I was the only person who thought drivers should lose their license for moving violations. From my saddle, real terrorists use car keys.

Originally Posted by tadawdy

Aside from my vitriol as a cyclist, since another cyclist being killed by a driver hits close to home, I really do feel this way.

We go out of our way to prevent people from doing things they are not competent in, for fear of public safety, but we'll give the license and keys to pretty much any 16 (or 116) year old who can drive around the block.

Just another way insurance, auto, and oil companies subvert the good of the public for their financial gain.

It isn't like anyone can accomplish anything without driving a vehicle. It's just a tool, and if you can't use it without harming yourself and/or someone else, let someone else swing the hammer for you.

Originally Posted by MTBLover

Agreed. "Share the Road" has no meaning to most drivers without laws with teeth. One law that would be ever so helpful is enforced re-testing every two years after the age of 65, and every year after age 70. And hang it up after age 85. We have laws that govern when you can get a license, and what you can do while you under a certain age. Why can't we do the same at the other end of the age spectrum? There's a sound neurological and cognitive justification for both.