Planes, trains, and automobiles
Tue, 2015-05-26 20:34
News Staff
We are now in the process of dumbing down drivers' tests. A quarter of the states no longer require student drivers to be able to parallel park. Maryland was the latest state to drop the requirement. Why? Only 53% of those tested managed to pass that portion of the test. It was more economical to cut out the requirement rather than to have students return for a second try. Perhaps the thinking also reflected smart features on a few cars which enable vehicles to park themselves. When I took my test back in the dark ages, I did so in a car with a stick shift. Now almost everyone uses automatics and drivers don't have to learn how to shift to pass the test. Time marches on and skill sets change. In college I had to use a slide rule. When was the last time you saw a slide rule being used today.