Evening star., 1946-09-04
Letters to The Star
Criticizes Drivers Road Tests
For Waste of Time

Tor waste Oh 1me
To the Editor Of The Star:
This is a "squawk' from an average
individual who believes in constructive
criticism. The subject is road tests for
District drivers permits. The question
is How small parking space should
be required for the final test of a safe
driver--the parking test?
Quoting from the Digest of Motor
Vehicle Regulations issued by the gov
ernment of the District of Columbia,
section 80, paragraph H. Parking is
prohibited under the following condi-
| tions: th) Within 3 feet of the front or
rear of another vehicle parked at or
parallel with the curb" In other words,
one should allow the length of the car
plus 3 feet fore and feet aft. An
average driver should be able to park
in such space on level ground without
difficulty.
= would be interesting to measure
tn space between the red flags on John
Marshall place, subtract the all-over
length of several makes of cars and see
how much space was left over for
maneuvering into that space. The space
remains the same for drivers of Austins
Crosleys, Fords, Dodges, Cadillacs, ETC.
1t also would be interesting to find
out how many otherwise 100 per cent
drivers failed to obtain permits due to
their inability to park within 6 inches
OF the curb without touching either of
the two red flags. A recent article In
The Star reported that one out of
every six applicants failed on the tests.
but did not state what part of the tests
caused the failures. Drivers of large
cars are given very little chance to pass
that part of the test, but drivers of
large cars rarely, in the course of their
regular driving, would attempt to park
in the limited space provided for the
test. If they accomplished that neat
little trick, it would still be bad case
OF illegal parking. (See Section 80,
paragraph h..
Now, 1t is only human to err, and
under the pressure of knowledge of the
recent heavy loss Of life in trafic acci-
dents an error in methods OF testing
future drivers is understandable. How
ever. before making new rule, one
question should be answered, i.e, will
this new requirement help to reduce
accidents? Proceeding without the
proper answer could cause a reaction
such as is best illustrated by the remark
OF Sidewalk superintendent" present
near the scene Of the parking test when
the driver of a very large car failed
to pass the test: I'D rather take a
chance and pay $40 for driving without
permit than to put that car In that
parking space" Such is the not un-
usual reaction to unfairness, and 1t is
dangerous. The more imaginative in
d1vidual would proceed to procure an
Austin or Crosley car for the second
try a week later, but the best solution
to the problem would be to make an
effort to have the unfairness corrected.
The tedious waiting to be allowed
to take the road test is discouraging
enough without being forced to return
for another try after passing 100 per
cent on every test except the parking
BOBBY trap"
Facts and figures on the waiting are
another story. One man can test about
10 drivers an hour. Three hours after
the first test on Tuesday, August 27, SO
numbers had been assigned and only
one man appeared to be running the
tests. The following day two men had
tested 38 drivers in the first three
hours while 86 numbers had been
assigned.
Keeping the applicant waiting all day
would be bad, but keeping his instructor
or driver waiting all day and In many
cases forcing both to start all over the
following day is too much See para
graphs 2 and of Road Test Instructions,
i,e., (2) Have a licensed operator take
the car you are to use to the above
address" a. Remain in your car
while waiting"
1t would be very interesting to see
what a good businessman or an eff
cheney expert would offer in the way
OF constructive criticism after going
through the road test mill. Either more
test men or an appointment schedule
could save valuable time for many per-
sons and at the same time could create
"a far greater feeling of respect for
and spirit Of cooperation with regard
to laws and law enforcement.
ROSELLE D. STEVENS.