One in eight Minnesotans on the road don't have valid licenses

MPLS Star,Tribune ^ | 2-5-14 | Tim Harlow

[crazycatlady]

This is pretty shocking. I always considered Minnesotans to be pretty law-abiding.
Remembering that North Dakota was one of the last states to require drivers licenses, I thought it may have something to do with the culture of that part of the country. But it turns out that Miinesota, n.Dakota and Montana all began requiring licenses in the 1930s, though they didnt require tests until the 40s. (Must have been tough for the illiterate.) Wyoming and some other states were actually the very last to require licenses. Who knows? If they surveyed other states there might be similar shocking findings, but the stakes are so high, it seems unlikely that most people, outside of career criminals, are going to take the risk.

[crazycatlady]

Ask the 12 year olds who drive farm vehicles every summer.
Some people are real naturals when it comes to learning to drive.

[crazycatlady]

I started thinking about it, and aside from the safety considerations, this is a big loss of revenue for the state if MN. I realize a drivers license isn’t much, but if over 10% of the population isn’t getting them, it adds up.

Also I didnt realize that Jesse ran for re-election and lost. I thought he just didnt run again.

[DariusBane]

My point being that a license has absolutely nothing to do with the skill of an operator. The Drivers License is but another contrived annoyance designed to keep us at each others throats.

If Freepers want to roll back big Gubment, and big Gubment surveillance in a big shocking way, throw out drivers license requirments.

Oh the howling of outrage!!!!!!

But yup. Defang the beast. Throw out drivers licenses.

[markman46]

it's not the illegals, this is common in MN has been going on for years, DWI is the most likely reason. and lax sentencing laws

[TurboZamboni]

Minneapolis: Driver charged in bicyclist’s death had 0.27 BAC, revoked license

John Iverson wasn’t supposed to be driving. He especially wasn’t supposed to be driving while under the influence.

The Minneapolis man’s license had been revoked in December because he didn’t have insurance. But prosecutors say he got behind the wheel of his van Monday night and struck and killed a bicycle commuter as he drove down Franklin Avenue near Lyndale Avenue.

Iverson, 49, has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide in the death of Marcus Nalls, 26, a sous chef who had recently moved to Minneapolis from Atlanta.

The criminal complaint claims that a preliminary breath test at the scene showed Iverson’s blood-alcohol content was 0.27.

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25087461/minneapolis-driver-charged-bicyclists-death.html

case in point.