Q: Your newspaper covered a tragic accident in which four people died near Hollister. It was a very tragic accident and well worth reporting on. However, why is the headline “Four killed when Tesla and big rig collide near Hollister”? If the car involved were a Camry, would the headline have been “Four die in Camry accident”?
It’s fair to indicate in the body of the article the model and, in Tesla’s case, whether Autopilot was enabled (it wasn’t), but other than perhaps the editor having an anti-Tesla bias, I don’t understand why the article headline was written the way it was.
Sean McGraw, Los Altos Hills
A: I had the same reaction. According to preliminary reports, the driver of the Tesla, a 55-year-old woman, veered across the center line and hit a big rig north of Hollister, the California Highway Patrol said. The driver and her three children died as a result of the crash. Without Autopilot involved, this type of crash could have occurred in any type of car.
Q: My teen just turned 16 and is ready to get their first driver’s license. Can their first license be a REAL ID?
Anonymous
A. Yes. This will save your teen the hassle of upgrading their license later to a REAL ID. They can submit their license application online. Any teen under 18 years old will need to visit a DMV office to take the in-person driving test. Visit dmv.ca.gov/realid to start the online application.
Here are more questions the DMV frequently gets about licensing requirements:
Q: Can I apply for an ID card for a minor using the online application?
A: Yes. If the minor does not have an email account, a parent or guardian can use their own email account when completing the electronic application for minors.
Q: I am on vacation and can’t visit a DMV office to renew my license. Is there an online option available?
A: Yes. Most people can renew their license or ID card through the DMV website by filling out a simple application and paying the renewal fee. For more information, visit www.dmv.ca.gov/online.
Q: Hillsdale in San Jose looks like it has finished its “road diet.” In addition to the road diet, it’s been ugly-fied. It’s horrendous.
Instead of slimming it down and making it a nice, tree-lined street, someone made a mess of it. It now has hundreds of bright yellow posts and confusing lines that take a myriad of signs to convey what’s happening. Seriously?
Is this the way of the future? If so, please count me out.
Tim Kinslow
A: There are plans to add more trees. As for the pylons and signage, I think those will likely stay.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Source: www.mercurynews.com