Dummy Test Story

My son brought up this story today.....over Germany, driving licenses, and 'competency'.

His former work-associate had gone and gotten himself in a high number points racked up....over a one-year period, for driving violations.  Most all of these were speed-related (at least the kid says that).  I use the term 'kid' because he was around 20 years old.

So early on in this year-period, he packed up and moved from the Russelsheim area (east of Mainz), into Mainz itself.  German law says (bluntly says this)....that when you move....you MUST go to the local town hall and note your new residence address.  You get four weeks to accomplish this.  Failure to do it?  You could get yourself into serious issues.

This young man did not register the new address, or leave a postal 'moved-to' address.  We can wonder why on either issue he screwed up, but it's a done deal.

So as each ticket occurred and he should have paid attention.....the ticket failed to go anywhere.  So he racked up way more points than you'd ever achieve. 

The license episode?  The cops eventually figured out his address via income tax submissions, then came to his house, and took the license on the spot.  Then he appeared in front of a judge.  It's an entire year without a license.

But wait.....there's a new twist now to the story, as my son told the story.  The German judge dictated a second requirement besides the 2nd round of drivers training.  The judge wants the 'kid' to take the 'dummy' test.

What exactly is the 'dummy' test?  Well....I was unfamiliar with this, so my son explained this detail.  You appear at some clinic and take a mental health test.....if you are capable of understanding laws, responsibilities, and able to carry out your 'duty'.   So it's a battery of tests to ensure you can even obey driver's safety requirements or how to obey the law.  In simple terms, you could fail this....never getting the license back, and have some judge question your sanity or maturity. 

I just started shaking my head.  If you failed this test, it'd likely a pretty big mess.