Is a drivers license

bigfatmat1, Oct 30, 7:35am
A right. Or a privilege? Just interested in your opinions. I would of thought it's a person's right they can also have them rights removed. Or does that then make it a privilege?

bumfacingdown, Oct 30, 7:38am
A privilege that should be cherished

tintop, Oct 30, 7:45am
You can - as of right, apply for a license to drive.

If you meet the requirements of the licensing authority you will be granted the right to drive a vehicle on public roads subject to the rules that have been set for the use of a vehicle type that you have a license to drive.

The license cannot be removed arbitrarily, but may be suspended as a result of breaking a rule that has as a penalty the suspension of that right to drive.

gunhand, Oct 30, 7:46am
In this country you have the right to have a license, you don't have to of course, so it's a choice as well. There is no law that says you have to have one either, but a law that says you have to have one to drive in NZ.
Of course the right to drive can be removed if you breach the conditions of said license, which means obeying the rules for driving as set down by the government so it doesn't.
All and all it's very simple to keep ones license but many have limited grasp on simple things so loose theirs, more than once in some cases, so your rights are then removed.
So, must be a right?

allan_mac, Oct 30, 9:07pm
It is a privilege. You earn that privilege by passing driving tests and maintain that privilege by keeping to the rules. There are clear obligations written down for you to follow to maintain that privilege.

You do not have a right to a license - if it was a right then you could not lose your license for drunk driving, excessive speed, demerit points, as that would impinge on your so-called right. Think of your bigger rights - the right to life, the right of free movement, the right to vote, the right to free speech etc. I don't think by definition a license to drive a motor vehicle is in the same league. And having said that, rights also come with obligations - your right to life can't impinge on my right to life (i.e. you can't kill me), and your right of free movement doesn't mean you have the right to come check out my back yard (as that impinges on my right to the quiet enjoyment of my home).

Starting to get beyond the realm of a motoring message board on TM now.

tintop, Oct 30, 9:20pm
A 'privilege' is something that can bestowed on a person regardless of that person having passed any formal training or qualifying in any way. It can be bestowed at a whim by those in a position to do so. People can also assume privilege even though there is none. ( The Korean woman who because of her position in the company felt she had the right to order the plane back and off load the staffer who served the nuts)

Privilege can be withdrawn at a whim.

kazbanz, Oct 30, 9:48pm
Any person of legal age without medical impediment preventing them has the RIGHT to SIT a drivers licence test.
That person equally once they attain the licence has the RIGHT to keep it.
However the clear proviso on that is that the RIGHT to keep the licence is totally dependant on accepting the RESPONSIBILITIES that go with holding that licence.
That last bit is definitely regularly forgotten.

mals69, Oct 30, 10:11pm
Has to be earned

whqqsh, Oct 30, 10:21pm
anyone who thinks park assist, ESC & other such 'safety' gadgets are essential (when actually they do nothing but make bad drivers think theyre better than they are & drive faster than they would without them) shouldn't have a license anyway

bigfatmat1, Oct 30, 11:44pm
I think that because a license is governed by rules and legislation it becomes a right.I think if it was a privilege someone could remove my privilege for no good reason but that can't happen because I have legal rights to keep it

tintop, Oct 31, 12:01am
There are those that grant themselves the privilege to exceed posted speed limits.
They have no right to do so.

cammey, Oct 31, 6:36am
Its an ID card.

I discovered I could not change my address online at the post office, open a new bank account, or get the electricity connected without it.

But my car seems to go just fine.

bigfatmat1, Oct 31, 7:24am
they can however argue their right to speed in a court then the judge will decide whether they were privileged enough to pay a fine

whqqsh, Oct 31, 7:30am
photo ID is the main advantage with that stuff but I find a firearms license does the same stuff but the staff tend to take a step back so you don't get their bad breath & any issues get resolved a LOT faster

tintop, Oct 31, 7:50am
Yes - they have that right. :)

headcat, Nov 1, 6:52am
And of course , if you don't take up the right to apply for a driver's licence and obtain one, you had better get yourself a passport or resign yourself to being a 'non person'.

andrew1954, Nov 1, 8:19am
Getting a license is purely an objective excerise. If you can tick every box then you HAVE to be supplied a license, and as long you keep those boxes ticked and many other on a time to time basis, no person or organisation can cancel your license. So it is a CONDITIONAL RIGHT

franc123, Nov 1, 8:39am
Indeed, and I don't care what anyone says but that was the primary reason for their introduction. People didn't seem to mind the fact that cancellation of everybody's lifetime licence (well lifetime up to age 70) and compulsory replacement with these plastic quasi ID cards was a unconsented broken contract between the public and the govt.

headcat, Nov 1, 8:30pm
The joke is that the LTSA still insist that it only concerns driving and vehicle stuff

tintop, Nov 1, 8:35pm
Yes - That pretty well sums it up.

sw20, Nov 3, 3:25am
Nothing about driving a motor vehicle is a privilege. You pay very, very dearly for it.

You pay tax every single step of the way. Sometimes it even doubles up like when you pay GST on your vehicle licence renewal.

cammey, Nov 28, 1:23am
While making a small fortune selling copies of your driver licence to anyone that fronts up with the cash.