Singapore’s Class 3 driving test is pretty futile. It only ensures that the new driver knows how to operate the vehicle and is aware of traffic regulations, but it does nothing to protect the motoring population from the most dangerous and intolerable of all road hazards – stupid drivers.
One way to weed out these motoring idiots is to make an IQ (intelligence quotient) test mandatory for all drivers. They might know how to drive a car and they’re familiar enough with the traffic regulations, but are they intelligent enough to be behind the wheel?
It is imperative that we ascertain this, because we do encounter many scenarios on the roads where intelligence is key. While motorists are generally aware of who has the right of way, there are certain situations that transcend such a hard-and-fast rule – where despite a driver having the right of way, it’s necessary for him/her to think in advance, pre-empt the other party’s next move, or even give way in order to get ahead.
These situations require a certain level of intelligence, otherwise you end up getting everybody stuck in a stalemate. One incident that I’ve encountered set an unofficial Singapore record – it landed nine cars from three different directions in a vehicular deadlock, all because of one very obtuse driver among them.
Then there are other situations where you have the right of way, but the other driver simply refuses to accept or even acknowledge this. So, besides intelligence, the ability to reason is another important attribute for drivers. We cannot have legions of “blind” motorists (blind to reason) running amok, can we?
The biggest problem with unreasonable drivers is that they will never admit they’re at fault. Driving slower than I can walk, or juggling with their steering wheel and mobile phone for their circus clown audition, or stopping abruptly in the middle of a driveway with total disregard for other people – clearly, these motorists are moronic. And they don’t think that they’re in the wrong (assuming they’re actually capable of thinking straight in the first place).
The next time you strike up a conversation with someone about his/her latest failed attempt at obtaining a driver’s licence, it might not be due to missing a “Stop” sign or running a red light. It might be because the person flunked the requisite IQ test.
