License to Drive

I got lucky Monday. Not a big deal, just a little ego bump. But I'd had my fingers crossed for sure.

Birthday month is license renewal month here in the great State of Michigan. The Secretary of State will give you about 5 years in which time you can simply go on line, pay your fee, and renew your license during each of those five years.  At the end of your prescribed 5 years, however, they need to check your hair color, wrinkle quota, and vision prior to handing over a new license.

The hair color is no problem. Mine's been a fairly uniform crop of silver-gray for several years now. I can't seriously be threatened by a photo update. Same thing wrinkles. I haven't studied the new photo yet but I'm fairly certain I won't look like a Shar Pei. It was the vision thing that was sticking in my craw. I've been wearing glasses for reading (and then some) since age 40 years and 1 hour. That landmark arrived a great many hours ago and in the interim my eyes have continued a slow stroll toward greater and greater dependency on these multifocal assistive devices resting on my nose. But, so far at least, I haven't needed them to drive. In fact, I really find wearing glasses to my disadvantage when driving.  Thus it was that, this past Monday, I proceeded to the nearby Secretary of State's office to renew my license, filled with dread that my new document would feature a photo of me with glasses and a notation indicating that's what I should be wearing whenever I'm behind the wheel.

Somehow I lucked out. "Read line two across." "A, F, S, O, P...." "Okay. All set!" Seriously?? Happy as I am I felt a little bit concerned. Now I have to wonder:  Just how bad do eyes have to get before they intervene on behalf of public safety? Likewise driving knowledge and driving skills.

Airplanes are supposedly safer than automobiles on a magnitude of several thousand times. Perhaps that's no wonder given that flying requires constant proof of both currency (you do fly) and competency (you can fly). With all due respect to that powerhouse of senior political clout the AARP, as the population hits age 65 at a rate of 10,000 people per day, isn't it about time we start requiring a bit more attention to who's out there behind the wheel?  I saw a couple of older citizens in that office who scared me just to watch them walk! It's not as pressing an issue as healthcare reform but I do feel we need to take a look at what it requires to remain a licensed driver for, say, 70 years. No offense.

In the meantime that's me behind the wheel of that big white truck. If I'm squinting it's just because the sun's a little bright.  Don't worry: I see you just fine.