A fast have a look at census information (greater than 11,000 individuals flip 65 every day within the U.S.), together with my very own tough calculations, recommend that a number of hundred individuals are turning 70 every day within the nice state of California, and each 10 minutes or so, a number of of them e mail me about their license renewal adventures with the DMV.

I get the standard, at all times entertaining horror tales about testing: (“They put in ridiculous questions that don’t pertain to driving,” stated 75-year-old Dahana Klerer of Newport Seashore, who flunked twice and added, “I’m not a silly individual however they make you are feeling actually silly.”)

California is about to be hit by an getting older inhabitants wave, and Steve Lopez is using it. His column focuses on the blessings and burdens of advancing age — and the way some of us are difficult the stigma related to older adults.

And more and more, I get success tales:

“I had no downside,” stated 79-year-old Ruth Gleason of Ridgecrest, who added: “Thanks and Steve Gordon on the DMV for working to alleviate the test-taking fears for over-70 CA drivers.”

In a half-century profession as a journalist, I by no means anticipated to share an accolade with a DMV director. However that is additional proof that life will be crammed with new adventures after you flip 70, one in every of which entails license renewal, which must be accomplished each 5 years after the massive 7-0.

Should you’re questioning why Klerer had such a troublesome time renewing her license whereas Gleason had a straightforward time of it, it’s as a result of Klerer took her renewal check at a DMV workplace whereas Gleason opted for the distant, do-it-from-home eLearning course.

Should you’re developing on a renewal, repeat after me:

ELEARNING IS THE BEST OPTION!

To be taught extra about how to do this, go to the DMV.Ca.gov web site and click on on the motive force’s license and license renewal choices. Should you go for eLearning, by the way in which, you’ll nonetheless need to then go to a DMV workplace for a watch check and picture, however you’ll be forward of the sport if you happen to’ve already accomplished the testing requirement at dwelling.

The eLearning choice is sort of a mini-driver’s ed course that takes about 30 or 40 minutes to finish, and the most effective half is that you may’t flunk. Actually, the web site calls it the “No-Fail on-line eLearning course.” You’ll be requested a sequence of questions, and if you happen to get one incorrect, you possibly can guess once more till you get it proper.

Steve Gordon, director of the DMV, recommends the eLearning course for drivers who want to check to resume their licenses. “Having the information is extra necessary than the flexibility to take a written check,” he stated.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)

Gordon, a former Silicon Valley tech exec, applied the eLearning course as a result of he thinks it’s a greater instructional instrument than the old school check.

“Having the information is extra necessary than the flexibility to take a written check,” he stated.

If that’s true, right here’s a thought:

Why not simply eradicate the standard so-called information check and provide eLearning solely? Looks as if it might save drivers quite a lot of pointless stress, and save the DMV the trouble of administering the exams.

The eLearning course matches Gordon’s mission to make it simpler to do DMV enterprise remotely quite than going to an workplace. And the company has simply introduced that eLearning is now out there in Spanish.

California drivers are catching on, with a rising variety of them utilizing the eLearning choice, which is offered to drivers of all ages. In November, 19,000 individuals took the eLearning course, however in April the quantity had swelled to 47,500.

By the way in which, Klerer gave up on the irritating in-person course of, opted for eLearning, and simply renewed in the long run. However she was completely proper concerning the dumb questions on the standard check.

Even the DMV admits it, and officers have informed me prior to now that a few of the dumber questions are being faraway from the testing rotation.

Readers have complained to me that it’s taking too lengthy, so I requested DMV spokesperson Anita Gore about that. A number of questions have now been axed, she stated, and “30 or so” extra are slated for elimination starting in July. Already gone, in accordance with Gore, are the next head-scratching, who-cares questions:

“What’s one other title for the hand-to-hand steering technique?”

“What’s the minimal variety of years of imprisonment … for an individual … convicted of manslaughter ensuing from evading regulation enforcement throughout a pursuit?”

Questions slated for the DMV dumpster embrace:

“Which of the next is an applicable lower in pace when driving in packed snow?”

“To determine hazards, it’s best to scan the highway what number of seconds in entrance of your automobile?”

“When making a left flip from a two-way avenue onto an one-way avenue with three lanes, you could flip into what lane?”

So, a giant thanks to all of the readers who flagged foolish questions and helped get the DMV’s consideration.

Should you name the DMV customer support line and find yourself with a digital assistant named Miles … be affected person.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Occasions)

However as soon as once more, if you happen to go for eLearning, you don’t have to fret concerning the dumb questions. (Should you’ve begun the license renewal course of in individual, you need to flunk two extra occasions earlier than you’re eligible to begin over and go along with eLearning. This foolish rule is unnecessary, except the target is torture, and ought to be tossed. Additionally, it doesn’t appear truthful that if you happen to flunk the standard check thrice and swap to eLearning, you’ve bought to pay one other $45 license renewal price. Golden State will proceed to watch the state of affairs).

A phrase of warning:

I hear from fairly a couple of readers who aced the renewal course of utilizing eLearning, which is offered by pc, pill or telephone, however I additionally hear from individuals who run into glitches or have bother accessing the system.

Gore stated that could possibly be a tech difficulty on the buyer’s finish, or it could possibly be that — just like the final time I really useful eLearning — the system is overloaded. (Golden State, its companions and associates assume no accountability for the state’s glitches, shortcomings and failures).

She stated anybody who has an issue can name DMV’s customer support line at (800) 777-0133, and right here’s one other phrase of warning:

I gave it a attempt, nevertheless it didn’t go effectively.

I wished to get a residing individual on the road however ended up with a “digital assistant” named Miles, who requested what I used to be calling about. I informed Miles I couldn’t entry eLearning (I used to be pretending, simply to see what would occur), and he provided details about accident reporting and automobile registration. On subsequent calls, Miles texted me hyperlinks to normal license renewal data.

At one level, I will need to have hit the incorrect immediate, as a result of Miles started talking in Spanish, or at the very least trying to. Even with my midway language abilities, I can guarantee you of this:

Miles has the worst accent in historical past.

You’d suppose that in California, of all locations, we’d have higher Spanish-speaking robots.

I did finally get to the place an automatic voice stated in English that attributable to name quantity, no one was out there, however an actual individual would ring me again in two hours. And I did get a callback.

If I sound obsessive about the trivialities of license renewal for individuals 70 and older, it’s primarily as a public service, however I do have an ulterior motive.

The clock is ticking, and it gained’t be lengthy earlier than yours really is up for renewal.

Want me luck.

steve.lopez@latimes.com