I never realized our test was anything strange. Parallel parking was the big scary part of the test but I remember it being huge, almost two car lengths long or something. It was very easy.

The eye chart machines (they are electronic and usually at each clerk window) look like they are from the 70s for what its worth.

CA here. The eye charts are a joke. They’re visible at all times so you could easily memorize them during your long wait (even with appointment); and the specific line they have you read is huge. I’ve never looked into it but I suspect it’s just to show you can read a sign on the highway.

Your comment seems odd. If the vision test is enough to show you can read a sign on the highway, why does that make it a joke?

Are you suggesting that someone shouldn't have a license if their vision is not correctable to 20/20, even if it's good enough for all essential driving tasks?

It’s a joke because the testing method is inadequate to prevent even the simplest of cheating and does not adequately test that the driver’s vision legally qualifies for an unrestricted license.

people drive on more than just highways. particularly on a street, road signage is not nearly as large

Fair enough. Thanks!

WA allows renewal by mail without even stepping into an office.

WA also allows transferring of drivers licenses without additional testing. To me, this is the most problematic part, because different states have different rules around priority, proper usage of the left lane, etc. and WA is a transplant destination, and the resulting mix of driver backgrounds is chaotic. As a general example, in WA pedestrians have priority at all intersections, including where there is no visibly marked crosswalk, but this is not true in all states.