Ga. Lawmaker Proposes Doing Away With Driver's Licenses

CBS Atlanta ^ | 1-31-11 | Rebekka Schramm

[fr_freak]

You don’t need a driver’s license to operate a vehicle on your own property.

Can't say what it's like in Georgia, but California has funny definitions of "private property". For example, if you had a really long driveway that was not gated off, but could be used by others (such as UPS deliveries, etc.) then it is considered public access even though it is private property, and thus a driver's license would be required (that is my understanding - my disclaimer is that I'm not a lawyer). For purposes of our discussion here, that would be a valid enough example to demonstrate that public funding of roadways is not the motivation for licensing of drivers. Not only that, but your vehicle has to be registered even if it is never driven, or even drivable, and never leaves your private property.

[fr_freak]

I don't know about other states, but in Ohio if a vehicle is never driven on a public road, it needn't be licensed, and no drivers license is needed to operate it.

In California, all motor vehicles (not necessarily farm equipment) must be registered, even if they are inoperable.

[Dead Corpse]

I've been driving for 25 years with no accidents and only one speeding ticket.

Does this mean I can give up my drivers license since my record speaks more eloquently to my driving skills than any "test" by a government bureaucrat ever could?

[Pan_Yan]

BTTT

[ought-six]

“Not only that, but your vehicle has to be registered even if it is never driven, or even drivable, and never leaves your private property.”

Depends on the state, and the circumstances. For instance, if you live in an urban or suburban environment your cars will probably have to be registered, whether they are running or not (and if they are not running they will be considered a derelict and you’ll have to move them, usually to a junk dealer); however, in a rural environment you usually will not have to have them registered, unless they will be operated at any time on public roads, or on private roads that have public access. I know people who own old pickup trucks that are used EXCLUSIVELY on private land (i.e., private ranches), and they don’t have to be registered.

[Pan_Yan]

Okay, I scanned through the comments and I’m amazed at how many FReepers are unable to imagine life without The State guiding and nurturing them in every activity. Several say they would not drive in Georgia if it did not issue licences. But they’ll drive in California, where everyone gets a licence even though half of the people are in the country illegally.

The free market via insurance can regulate who drives and who doesn’t far more efficiently than the DMV.